PICTURE SPECIAL: Eyes to the skies for the Midlands Air Festival at Ragley Hall - The Leamington Observer

PICTURE SPECIAL: Eyes to the skies for the Midlands Air Festival at Ragley Hall

AERIAL acrobatics and daredevil stunts wowed nearly 30,000 people at Ragley Hall with the return of the Midlands Air Festival.

Now in its sixth year, the three-day event filled the skies with the very best in air displays and colourful hot air balloons.

Audiences enjoyed some of the finest aviation in the world including three displays from the ever-popular RAF Red Arrows – now in its 60th year of audacious aeronautics – in the team’s distinctive red Hawk jets.

Their flying route to Ragley could be seen all over the region as they shot through the skies in formation at speeds of over 600 mph.




Over 45 different aircraft from around the world took part in the popular family event from vintage WWII models to the Folland Gnat, a subsonic fighter aircraft.

It was all eyes to the heavens when the AeroSuperBatics wingwalking display team, from Cirencester, gave an exhilarating display in their two 1940’s Boeing Stearman biplanes flown.


The only formation wingwalking team in the world reaches speeds of 120 miles per hour at 1200 feet with professional wingwalkers Emma Broadbent and Kirsten Pobjoy strapped to the wings whilst performing their acrobat moves.

An impressive mass ascent of 135 hot air balloons early on Sunday morning delighted residents across south Warwickshire as they drifted across clear blues skies.

Organiser and flight director, Trevor Graham, said: “We were absolutely thrilled with this year’s event and visitor numbers across the weekend. It is important to us to always deliver a programme that features some rarely seen displays alongside returning favourites.

“The weekend was full to the brim with action and excitement, and this could be seen by the smiles on the faces of those that attended, we’ve already had so many positive comments and feedback. Watch this space for news for our return in 2025.”

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