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The Farnborough Airshow, held at the historic Farnborough Airport in the UK, is a significant event in the aviation industry. The site has been pivotal in aviation history since hosting the country's first powered flight in 1908 and serving as the headquarters of the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. Richard Gardner, chairman emeritus of the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Museum, explained that after several successful aircraft were developed there during WWI, "the British government decided it would change the RAE’s role." The facility shifted focus to development, evaluation, and testing.
Gardner noted that this shift established Farnborough as a leading aviation research center. Early successes included advancements in material sciences and aerial radio communications. By 1945, more than 100 aircraft were based there for research and development.
The origins of today's airshow date back to an RAF Pageant held in 1920. Organized by the Society of British Aircraft Constructors (SBAC), it evolved into a showcase for British-built aircraft and eventually found a permanent home at Farnborough in 1948. Gardner remarked on this transition: “Most of the UK industry had been geared up for wartime production...there was a slowly growing civil market that could do with new designs.”
