The Silver Tiger story started in 1977, when the Tiger Meet was hosted for the first time by the International Air Tattoo at RAF Greenham Common. As an old tradition in the military community, at the end of meeting there is an exchange of presents, and at this event a precious tiger made of silver was donated to the tiger community by London silversmith Mappin & Webb on request of the director of the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund, The late Paul Bowen.
This silver tiger soon became a trophy to be awarded during tiger meets, the winner would keep it until the next edition of a full flying tiger meet and is then honoured to stick a little silver tag with the date his unit won the trophy on the wooden base of the trophy for all to see in perpetuity.