A regular, and fun, feature in the calendar of most RAF Stations, Families’ Day is an opportunity for hardworking personnel to relax and enjoy themselves for an afternoon with their families, spouses and partners.
Months in the planning, Families’ Day is a huge project and around 10,000 tickets were issued for the event which took place on Friday July 25.
Squadron Leader Kat Janes was the Project Officer for the event. She said: “It’s a big project, but it’s a big project for a good reason. Our aim is to make sure that we say thank you to as many of our personnel and their families as possible, and to give them a memorable and fun day. Our team of volunteers did just that, they were brilliant.”
With fairground attractions, classic vehicles, artisan food stalls, historical re-enactors, and some stunning air displays, there was no shortage of interesting things to see and do. The weather up until Families’ Day had not been promising, but the clouds broke on Friday, and the Lincolnshire airbase was bathed in warm weather.
The Red Arrows opened the event with their usual flair; captivating the crowd with a spectacular display of precision flying. They were followed by a host of interesting and historic aircraft, and of course the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. A member of one of the service families said: “Honestly, that was absolutely brilliant; stuff for the children to do, air displays, it was everything we could have wanted.”
Group Captain Paul O’Grady is the Station Commander at RAF Coningsby. He said: “There is a very real link between life at work and life at home; families and friends are that vital link, and it’s only right that we recognise our service families for everything they contribute to the Defence of or country.”
The Typhoon Display Team stole the show with an awe-inspiring presentation of the Typhoon’s agility and power. Squadron Leader Nathan Shawyer at the controls expertly demonstrated the speed and manoeuvrability of the UK’s leading operational combat aircraft.
Group Captain O’Grady said: “Firstly I would like to thank our project team and all the volunteers for all their hard work in making today such a success. You only get success like this through careful planning, lots of hard work, and dedication. They have done a fabulous job, and you could tell from the cheerful atmosphere, the conversation, the laughter, across the entire site that everybody who came had a great time.”
1. Pictured: RAF Coningsby's Families Day on the 25th July 2025. RAF Coningsby's Families Day included displays from 1200-1530 which intailed The Red Arrows, Vampire, Harvard, Pitts, Global Stars, CAP 10, Spitfire Mk19, The Battle of Britian Memorial Flight, The Typhoon Display Team and the Strikemaster. There were also fair ground rides, food trucks and verious companies showing what they do, for example, BAE Systems and Rolls Royce.
Crowds were stunned by the Typhoon Display Team. Photo: AS1 Joshua Whiting Photo: AS1 Joshua Whiting
2. Pictured: RAF Coningsby's Families Day on the 25th July 2025. RAF Coningsby's Families Day included displays from 1200-1530 which intailed The Red Arrows, Vampire, Harvard, Pitts, Global Stars, CAP 10, Spitfire Mk19, The Battle of Britian Memorial Flight, The Typhoon Display Team and the Strikemaster. There were also fair ground rides, food trucks and verious companies showing what they do, for example, BAE Systems and Rolls Royce.
Among the exhibitors were several historical groups. Photo: AS1 Joshua Whiting Photo: AS1 Joshua Whiting
3. RAF Coningsby Families Day was held on 25 July 2025 to welcome family and friends of station personnel onto camp to enjoy and learn about service life. Families Day gave the station the opportunity to thank families and friends for supporting our service personnel, with Air Displays, fairground attractions, trade stalls and stands elaborating on service life. Aircraft displaying including the Royal Air Force Red Arrows, the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Typhoon Display Team as well as visiting civillian display teams, including the Strikemaster Pair and the Gold Stars display team. RAF Coningsby is a main operating base in Lincolnshire, England and is home to two frontline combat Typhoon Squadrons, a joint UK-Qatari Training Squadron, a Typhoon training Squadron and a Test and Evaluation Squadron. It is also home to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and provides 24/7, 365 days a year Typhoon Quick Reaction Alert cover to the United Kingdom.
The iconic Lancaster Bomber. Photo: Sgt Nicholas Egan RAF Photo: Sgt Nicholas Egan RAF
4. Pictured: RAF Coningsby's Families Day on the 25th July 2025. RAF Coningsby's Families Day included displays from 1200-1530 which intailed The Red Arrows, Vampire, Harvard, Pitts, Global Stars, CAP 10, Spitfire Mk19, The Battle of Britian Memorial Flight, The Typhoon Display Team and the Strikemaster. There were also fair ground rides, food trucks and verious companies showing what they do, for example, BAE Systems and Rolls Royce.
A climbing wall was one of the attractions at Families’ Day. Photo: AS1 Joshua Whiting Photo: AS1 Joshua Whiting