ON A weekend when the aviation world descended on air base just north of Swindon, it was an ageing Vulcan bomber captained by a mild-mannered Englishman which brought the crowds to a standstill.

Martin Withers was in the right-hand seat as the venerable bird of prey, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, climbed, looped and banked majestically over RAF Fairford.

As the sun made a rare appearance through the clouds on Saturday, the unmistakeable ‘Vulcan howl’ from the delta-winged bomber’s Rolls-Royce Olympus engines tore through the air.

Martin, who lives near York, flew a daring mission in the Falklands conflict 30 years ago which knocked out an Argentinean runway, and is now chief pilot of the last flying XH558. The 66-year-old said: “It’s a magnificent place to display and I still get a huge kick out of flying the Vulcan.

“We want to demonstrate what a beautiful aeroplane the Vulcan is and how advanced it was in engineering terms at the time it was designed in the 1940s.

“We feel it is very important for us to keep this aircraft airborne for a younger generation to appreciate what came off the production line in the 1940s. Britain was leading the world.”

Chris Jennings, a 47-year-old property manager from Didcot, was watching from the ground.

He said: “It’s incredible that something designed to kill can look so serene. It came from an era when Britain was at the forefront of aviation engineering and saved many lives in the Falkands by taking out the Argentinean air fields. It’s been the highlight of the day.”

The Duke of Gloucester was among the Royal guests at RIAT, which also attracted one of the largest ever gatherings of overseas air chiefs in the UK. A volunteer army of 2,170 people formed the backbone of the event.

The Red Arrows were among stunt teams from Europe, the Middle East and Asia who completed loops, turns and corkscrews in front of the spectator line, which was dotted with tents, and main grandstand.

Squadron Leader Liz Parker, the Arrows’ team manager, said: “It is a privilege to be here. Our pilots are drawn from different parts of the Royal Air Force and being part of this team is a life-long ambition. It is the ultimate dream.”

The Black Eagles team, from Korea, benefited from a rare patch of sunshine to thrill the crowds with a performance described by many as the best seen at a British air show in 20 years.

Intermittent downpours failed to deter the thousands of aviation enthusiasts who packed hotels and campsites in the surrounding area. Thousands thronged around static displays included hulking military transport and refuelling planes belonging to the US military, some of which were open to the public.

Anisa Chu, 12, from Bristol, was among enthusiasts who walked through the gigantic hold of the Lockheed C-5B Galaxy, the US Air Force’s largest plane. She said: “It’s even bigger inside than I imagined. It makes you wonder how many people can fit inside.”

The unpredictable weather meant 27 RAF Hawk fast jets were unable to form up to repeat the ‘EIIR’ formation that passed over Windsor Castle to mark the Diamond Jubilee. Instead they flew in a diamond formation.

Aerobatics teams from countries including Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates left snaking con-trails as they took over the sky, while the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight provided a reminder of the courage of a previous generation of pilots.

The thunderous roar and orange after-burn of one of the few Mig 29 fighters still flying also left its imprint on the tattoo.

Japanese drums from a team attached to its air force could be heard across the site yesterday. The country was just one of many nations at the event who ensured their presence in the sky – and on the ground – will not be forgotten in a hurry.