Clacton Airshow's 30th birthday is credit to 'local enthusiasm'

A former RAF pilot who founded the Clacton Airshow in Essex says the event has stood the test of time because of teamwork and the enthusiasm of local people.

Ray Thilthorpe helped set up the first Clacton Airshow in 1991 and continued to help organise it as an aviation consultant until 2012.

The spectacle, one of the first free-of-charge seaside air shows in the UK, opens its 30th event on Thursday.

The Red Arrows are due to top the bill.

"Clacton's success and longevity is quite simply down to teamwork and enthusiasm," said Mr Thilthorpe, speaking to BBC Essex.

"It was hard to begin with, but nevertheless we persevered and it is what it is today."

Mr Thilthorpe, from Sittingbourne in Kent, joined the Royal Airforce (RAF) in 1961 and flew English Electric Canberra PR9 planes and Avro Vulcans.

He managed the Red Arrows for four seasons between 1978 and 1982 and left the RAF in 1987.

Having witnessed a crash during a Red Arrows display at Brighton in 1980, when a Hawk hit a yacht mast with its wing tip, Mr Thilthorpe was keen to organise a certain type of event.

"The safest place for an air show was halfway between here and New York," said the 79-year-old.

"When you look at it like that, of course you can't get the crowds in the middle of the Atlantic, so the next best thing was a seaside show where you can control everything in the water."

Mr Thilthorpe said there were only six items on the first flight list in 1991, compared with about 20 this year.

Tendring District Council funds the events - with BBC Essex the radio broadcast partner - and TSA Consulting, the company Mr Thilthorpe founded, continues to provide the expert guidance.

The air show was cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic and a significantly smaller event went ahead in 2021.

Two fast jets from Norway, including a the Havilland Vampire FB52, and the Team RaVen aerobatic display are part of the line-up this year.

The Red Arrows are due to take flight at 16:30 BST on Thursday and 13:00 BST on Friday, despite cancelling displays at Cromer Carnival in Norfolk and at Eastbourne Airshow last week due to "continued technical issues".

Up to 250,000 people are expected at Clacton seafront over the two days.

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