Review - The highly atmospheric Rougham airfield, near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, hosted its Airshow 2004 on Sunday 22^nd August.  Still very much active, Rougham was once home to bombers of the ‘Mighty Eighth’ Air Force, namely the B-26 Marauders of the 322^nd Bomb Group and, from June 1943 to December 1945, the B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 94^th Bomb Group.  The original control tower still stands, restored by the Rougham Tower Association as a site of living history, and through displays and memorabilia provides a fascinating and haunting look at life through the eyes of American airmen in England during the Second World War.

Preceded by a Fly-in on the Saturday, which despite a lack of co-operation from the weather attracted over forty aircraft, the Airshow had many highlights, including a precise three-ship Stearman formation from local pilots Bruce Monk, Gerry Honey and Dave Bagley and a polished aerobatic formation display from the Aerostars.

Warbirds included Carolyn Grace’s Spitfire Tr.IX ML407, Historic Aircraft Collection Hurricane MK.XII G-HURI, Rob Davies Mk.22 Mustang ‘Big Beautiful Doll’, and Maurice Bayliss Spitfire Tr.IX MJ627 which closed the show in the capable hands of Squadron Leader Paul Day (Retired).

Flying Display Director and commentator for the show Peter Eager and his team aim to achieve as many interesting aeroplanes as they can for the display while having lots for all the family to do on the ground.  With this achieved, Peter was rightly "delighted with the day."

back to airshow photographs from 2004