CARS lined the road outside Elvington Airfield this weekend as their owners gazed skywards at the aerobatics of the country's most famous flying display team.
The Red Arrows and the Red Devils parachute display team were acknowledged by many as the stars of the show during Sunday's Yorkshire Air Museum Airborne Forces Day, which, although held under threatening skies, stayed dry.
Another highlight was the finale to the show, a spectacular display of explosives provided by a Chesterfield-based pyrotechnics company to create a re-enactment of the taking of Pegasus Bridge, re-named Pont-du-Semlyen, after the museum's founding chairman, Rachel Semlyen.
Spectators looked on in amazement as the mock battle took place and the Allied Airborne Forces took on the German troops and tanks to destroy the commu-nications and radar bunkers and go on to capture the bridge.
Meanwhile, families set up camp on the grass and had picnics and there was plenty for children to do with many choosing the daredevil option of having a go on the Parachute Regiment's parachute jump.
David Grimbley, from Oldham, visited the show with his family including daughter, Nina, who went on the parachute jump.
He said: "The Red Devils and Red Arrows gave a brilliant show with their roll-overs and corkscrews and acrobatics. They couldn't do it at the height they require because of the weather but they did a brilliant job."
James McCormack, visited the show from Hebden Bridge, with his sons, Daniel, eight, and Sam, three.
He said: "We liked the Red Arrows and the bridge assault and there's plenty to look at inside, too."
Meanwhile Marjorie, Joyce, Queenie, Sam and Charlie, from the Bolton branch of the Parachute Regiment Association, also had a good time.
"It was brilliant," was the verdict of them all and they also enjoyed seeing the cadets on parade.
If you missed the Red Arrows this time, you can catch them at this year's Great Yorkshire Air Show at Elvington airfield.
The spectacular event to be held over the August Bank Holiday weekend is spon-sored by the Evening Press.
Updated: 09:10 Monday, July 09, 2001
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