New displays will be flying at Eastbourne’s Airbourne this year

The Ultimate Warbirds and T-33 Shooting Star will join the world’s largest civilian jet display team, the Breitling Jets, in signalling the arrival of new displays to Eastbourne International Airshow this year – and the films will be Christopher Robin, Peter Rabbit, Lego Movie 2 and Mamma Mia:Here We Go Again!

Featuring 55 flying displays at the free seafront show from August 15-18, the new teams will join Airbourne favourites the Typhoon, Chinook, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Wingwalkers and The Blades in four days of awe-inspiring aerial action.

Also joining the line-up of brand new displays for Eastbourne, is the first appearance of a Sea Fury T-20, the Strikemaster as a pair display and the first visit of the Gazelle Squadron duo.

Airbourne favourites the Red Arrows will not be making their regular annual appearance this year as they are on a nine-week tour of North America.

While the Breitling Jet Team travel over from French shores in their six L-39 Albatross jets to bring their first ever display to Sussex, flying the flag for Norway is the T-33 Shooting Star, which will perform alongside its former cold war ‘enemy’ the MiG-15.

For fans of historic fighters, the inaugural arrival of the Ultimate Warbirds will see a co-ordinated four-ship display of four of the most iconic fighters in history in an Eastbourne first, featuring the Spitfire, TF-51 Mustang, Hispano Buchon and P-47 Thunderbolt.

Eastbourne Borough Council director of tourism and enterprise Phil Evans said, “This year sees one of our most varied displays with teams from France and Norway and plenty of new aircraft to enjoy, including the only south coast visit by the world renowned Breitling Jet Team.

“Our thanks go to Ginsters and our many other sponsors for their support in keeping Airbourne flying high!”

The new displays join other returning favourites including the Tutor, Mustang, Rich Goodwin Pitts Special, Fireflies, The Tigers Parachute Display Team and the Tucano, which flies back as part of a farewell tour after a five year hiatus from the airshow circuit.

On Sunday evening, the FireFlies look set to delight with a shimmering twilight performance using LED lights and wingtip pyrotechnics, co-ordinated for the first time to both music and aerial fireworks.

A firework finale follows at the earlier time of 9.30pm, sponsored by Ginsters and supported by the Eastbourne Hospitality Association and Frontier Fireworks.

As well as the flying displays, there will also be a military exhibition and Virtual Reality zone, big wheel, helicopter pleasure flights, simulators, children’s entertainment, Bandstand concerts and film screenings.

To donate online or to book hospitality, seating or trade space, visit www.eastbourneairshow.com.

• A breakdown of each day’s is as follows:

THURSDAY:

- Breitling Jet Team

- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

- Dakota

- Tucano

- The Blades

- Wingwalkers

- Sea Fury T-20

- Strikemaster

- Mustang

- The Tigers

FRIDAY:

- Breitling Jet Team

- Typhoon

- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

- Dakota

- Tucano

- The Blades

- Wingwalkers

- Sea Fury T-20

- Strikemaster

- Mustang

- The Tigers

SATURDAY:

- Breitling Jet Team

- Typhoon

- Chinook

- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

- Dakota

- Tucano

- Tutor

- The Blades

- Wingwalkers

- Sea Fury T-20

- Strikemaster Pair

- The Ultimate Warbirds

- Norwegian MiG-15

- Norwegian T-33 Shooting Star

- Gazelle Squadron

- Rich Goodwin Pitts Special

- FireFlies

- The Tigers

SUNDAY:

- Breitling Jet Team

- Typhoon

- Chinook

- Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

- Dakota

- Tucano

- Tutor

- The Blades

- Wingwalkers

- Sea Fury T-20

- Strikemaster Pair

- The Ultimate Warbirds

- Norwegian MiG-15

- Norwegian T-33

- Gazelle Squadron

- Rich Goodwin Pitts Special

- FireFlies

- The Tigers

SUNDAY EVENING:

- Fireflies