The vintage bomber's 15-minute demonstration was the highlight of a stunning show, held against a backdrop of clear blue skies and blazing sunshine.

Around 50,000 visitors poured through the gates of the air base, where they were treated to exhibitions by aircraft from across the ages, as well as daredevil displays from parachutists and wingwalkers.

Airshow manager Roz Clark described the event as a "huge success".

She said: "Without doubt the weather contributed to a great show — having a full programme of flying was fabulous.

"Seeing the Vulcan take to the air was definitely a highlight, particularly following last year, when it was unable to fly due to fog."

The star-studded programme of events also included a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, featuring a Spitfire, a Hurricane and a Lancaster, and a flypast by a Eurofighter Typhoon, a unit of which will arrive at Leuchars next year.

The RAF's aerobatic display team, the Red Arrows, lit up the sky above north east Fife with their thrilling formation flying and multi-coloured smoke trails, as did the Falcons, the RAF's parachute display team, who opened the show in style.

Among the aircraft on display on the ground were numerous fighter jets, helicopters and a giant American B-52 bomber all the way from Louisiana.

Hangars were transformed into exhibitions, including a Scottish fair, while elsewhere on the airfield, simulators and a funfair kept kids entertained.

However, the unanimously declared show-stealer was the Avro Vulcan, designed in the late 1940s to carry the British atomic bomb.

The aircraft that appeared at Leuchars — the XH558 — is the only flying Vulcan in the world, as well as being the oldest complete Vulcan anywhere.

Efforts to return the plane to the air began in 1997, and last summer XH558 made a triumphant return at air displays around the UK.