The quiet village of Fairford, Gloucestershire, was once again turned into the centre of the aviation world when it staged the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT).

Thousands of enthusiasts descended on the airbase to see the delights of the World's largest military air show.

The themes for this years show were the Celebration of 100 years of Flight, marking the first 12 second, 120 feet, powered flight at Kill Devil Hills, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, by the Wright Brothers in 1903. It then went on to cover the achievements in aerospace over the next century until present day. Secondly, A Living History -The Best of the Best, which incorporated 10 themed decades of the Worlds most famous aircraft. Finally, Ocean Watch 2003, looked at International Search and Rescue Units which can normally be seen on Patrol from the Arctic Circle to the Southern Oceans.

RAF Fairford is home to one of the longest runways in Europe and nearly every inch of it was used by the huge variety of aircraft on show during the eight hour flying display. Everything was covered, from the tiny Albatros B1 replica from Germany, which uses grass to take off and land to the huge Rockwell International B-1B Lancer of the United States Air Force. From speedy Spitfires of 1939 to the awesome Typhoon, the RAF's latest frontline fighter.

The flying was not a let down, Sean Maffett, the former RAF Squadron Leader from Bourton-on-the-Water and the voice of the RIAT , commentated on the daring, delightful and deafening display.

The highlights included the flypast of the USAF Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit which embarked on a non-stop 20 hour, 10,000 mile round trip to be at the Tattoo. The link up of the Lockheed Martin F-117 Nighthawk with the Red Arrows created a memorable fly past. The RIAT remains the highlight in the aviation calender, with the array of aircraft and piloting skills on show.