THRILLING aerial displays by aviation giants past and present gripped the crowds at Dunsfold Park for the 12th annual Wings and Wheels extravaganza.

Despite the sunshine at the airfield on Saturday, a freak electric storm in Oxfordshire where the Red Arrows were due to fly from meant they remained grounded.

But the show favourites put on an extra-special display of precision aerobatics on Sunday to make up.

Displaying a “God-like amount of power”, the RAF Eurofighter Typhoon boosted by 40,000lb thrust, commanded the air show on both days, closely followed by a jaw-dropping display by XtremeAir, piloted by British champion Gerald Cooper; split-second timing by the “Ferraris of the sky” – aka The Blades – and a spot-on parachute drop by The Army’s Tigers, including a two-stack landing, for an official welcome from Dunsfold Park chief executive Jim McAllister and Waverley Mayor Chris Storey.

Wartime greats were fondly remembered with displays by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the B25 Mitchell Bomber, and the last airworthy B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Sally B’.

As well as wowing spectators with runway displays on the BBC Top Gear track, Brooklands Museum showed off legendary super cars in the wheel zone’s motoring paddock.

New parking measures implemented both inside and outside the aerodrome to reduce the lengthy exit times that have plagued Wings and Wheels in the past were an overwhelming success, ensuring people were off site within a record 30 minutes.

Event director Jamie McAllister said: “We couldn’t be happier with the success of this year’s show.

“The air display demonstrated just how fantastic the RAF and private display teams are, the motoring buzzed all weekend with the sound of so many different engines, our military zone showcased the aerodrome’s history and Siddeley the Bear, our show mascot, popped up everywhere delighting young and old alike.

“We finished up with some fantastic evening entertainment, which left the crowds wanting more. We couldn’t put on the show without a huge team effort from everyone involved and it is all made worthwhile when we see so many happy and smiling visitors leaving at the end of the day.”