The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT)

We have long-wanted to take The Boy Child to the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire but were deterred by the size of the crowds. This year, however, my best friend came up with a workable plan … we rented car parking space in a farmer’s field just north of the runway.

My best friend and her family are seasoned campers and we filled the car boots with everything we might need – chairs, table, picnic, gazebo, ear defenders – for a day in the sunshine watching some 245 aircraft from 25 different nations take to the skies.

There were several stand-out performances …

A British Airways 747, painted in retro livery to mark 100 years of BA, flying with the Red Arrows is always going to turn heads.

The Italian Air Force’s Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team were outstanding.

France’s national aerobatic team, the Patrouille de France were eye-catching and easily had the prettiest aircraft.

And what of The Boy Child? He ranked the day as one of the best he’s had this year. He watched every single display (some from the front seat of the car when the wind got up) and cheered and hollered with the best of them.

Never did I think he would cope with spending from 8.15 am to 6.30 pm in a farmer’s field, but he did and did so brilliantly. Roll on next year’s Tattoo.