ABOUT 100,000 people will face a thrilling airshow combining real life air force planes and high-tech films.

The spectacular two-day air show, the Spirit of Adventure, takes to the skies over Abingdon on May 26 and 27 and is billed as the World's Most Spectacular Airshow.

It will be one of two air shows being staged in Abingdon in May.

The central theme of the event at Abingdon airfield is an interactive 30-minute feature film projected on to huge screens. Through a fictitious storyline, the film will take the audience through a crisis that highlights the role and function of each element of the RAF.

The film is broken into six, five-minute segments. At each break point RAF personnel will introduce live display aircraft to reinforce the video messages. The organisers say the film, and not the aircraft, will be the centre-piece of the event.

On the ground in the display area of the airfield - the former RAF Abingdon station - will be flanked by an array of interactive and hands-on displays from the RAF's tactical teams.

The key themes of adventure, lifestyle, sport and technology will be conveyed through aircraft demonstrations and direct contact between RAF servicemen and women and the public on the ground.

In addition to the ground displays, aircraft fly-pasts, balloon rides and parachute displays by members of the RAF Falcons team, the event will feature live music, extreme sports, theme park activities, competitions and many other attractions.

In the air the famous Red Arrows formation team will give displays and also in the skies will be Typhoon, Tornado and Harrier attack jets, Merlin helicopters from RAF Benson and C130 Hercules transport planes as will as a World War Two Spitfire. A Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is also being planned.

Terry Jervis, from Jervis Entertainment Media, said the show would be a " spectacular entertainment experience" in particular for young people.

He said: "The Spirit of Adventure is designed to promote the image, reputation and profile of the RAF through a range of activities. It will be a major public event which will be the flagship for a series of initiatives to keep Defence in the public eye while reinforcing Royal Air Force reputation and identity."