Iron Maiden launch Download set with fighter plane flyover

Heavy metal stars Iron Maiden opened their headlining set at Britain's Download Festival on Saturday (15Jun13) with a Spitfire flyover.

The classic World War II fighter plane crossed three times over the 90,000-strong crowd at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England, before the band took to the stage for a pyrotechnics-packed performance.

Frontman Bruce Dickinson, who is a qualified pilot himself, had planned to arrive at Download on a charity bike ride with a group of fellow musicians, but he had to pull out of the cycling trek after falling sick with a virus.

However, the singer appeared in good form onstage on Saturday night.

Speaking before Iron Maiden's set, Dickinson told the Derby Telegraph he was thrilled to be back at Download as it is "the only place where you can still make a proper noise in the U.K."

He joked, "Rustle a crisp packet in Hyde Park (in London) and you upset the old dowagers and Glastonbury (festival) is full of yurts and people reading The Guardian. Download is inclusive for everyone where you can make a great stonking racket."

Download wraps up on Sunday (16Jun13) with appearances by acts including Rammstein, 30 Seconds To Mars and Limp Bizkit.