In the run-up to the air show, fields all around RAF Fairford start to resemble the tented villages around Glastonbury, which has similar attendance figures to RIAT.
And from the best situated campsites, like Kempsford Camping, the views of the aircraft are almost as spectacular as on the flight line.
Michael Parker sent us these spectacular photos of the arriving aircraft.
A USAF U2S spy plane flew in on Monday afternoon, and flew out on Tuesday – the U2 is due for display at RAF Fairford’s annual air show, whose theme this year is ‘Eyes in the Skies’ looking at intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, but the U2 is also based at Fairford, and with various wars on around the world, is rather busy at the moment.
On Monday, one of the show’s stars appeared as the USAF B1B Lancer bomber flew in.
One of the relatively few swing-wing aircraft still in service – advances in materials science and computer-controlled flaps can now achieve the same performance – the Lancer in a heavy bomber, able to carry up to 34,000 kg of bombs.
The Bone, as it is nicknamed (B-One) is coming to the end of its service as the new B21 Raider and B2-Spirit stealth bombers are starting to replace it, and it is due to go out of service by 2036.