THE 90th anniversary of the RAF was marked in style with a formation of aeroplanes flying over York Minster watched by hundreds of spectators.
The RAF was formed on April 1, 1918, by amalgamating the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.
Yesterday, at 11.50am nine Tucanos from RAF Linton-on-Ouse flew over the Minster.
Linton station commander Group Captain Mark Hopkins then took the salute and turned a page in the book inside the cathedral which commemorates the 18,000 airmen from more than 15 countries who died flying missions from air bases in Yorkshire and the North East during the Second World War.
Grp Capt Hopkins said: It's a great privilege to be here today to help in the celebrations that are going on throughout the country. It is our 90th birthday and I think it's great that we can commemorate the contribution and sacrifice of the airmen that are remembered in the Turning Of The Page Ceremony."
As well as serving RAF personnel, air cadets were there and the Royal Air Force Association was well represented.
Peter Carmichael, 84, from Clifton, was in Bomber Command in 1943 and 1944 before his Lancaster was shot down over Berlin.
He said: "I was a guest' of the Luftwaffe for 14 months. I went to five different camps and the most notorious was Stalag Luft IV.
"This means an awful lot, not just for me but my crew of seven as they did not survive."
At RAF Church Fenton, the Yorkshire University Air Squadron marched from the train station to the Fenton Flyer pub - where airmen were once billeted - and then on to the air base itself. They were accompanied by members of Tadcaster RAFA.
