The Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford will be marking the 60th anniversary of D-Day with an awesome aerial tribute.

The tribute, which is sponsored by the Ministry of Defence is one of the most ambitious D-Day events planned anywhere in the UK.

An impressive cast of aircraft includes a Spitfire credited with sharing the first D-Day kill over Normandy.

It will be joined by five other Spit-fires, four Mustangs, gliders, Dakota transport planes, a Lancaster bomber, Douglas Invader, a Grumman Wildcat, Avenger and a number of light observation aircraft.

Through a series of aerial demonstrations the vital role of aircraft in D-Day will be shown with bombing, para-dropping glider assaults and fighter sweeps.

On the ground visitors will be able to stroll around a D-Day airfield.

Tribute organiser, Sqn Ldr Andy Pawsey said: "Our aim is to mark this important anniversary with an appropriate tribute that will be both interesting and entertaining for the public.

"When people think of D-Day they rightly think of landing craft running up to the beaches and the troops swarming down the ramps.

"Yet none of this could have been done without the overwhelming use of air power."

The Air Tattoo will be staged on Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18.