The Red Arrows
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Posted by Fotopoulou Sophia in Alternative Arts section |
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Aerobatics have always played a prominent part in Royal Air Force pilot training. The RAF has long recognised the great value of display flying in pilot training as well as for prestige and recruiting purposes. The standard of its aerobatic teams has always been of the highest.
Aerobatics are an essential step in the training of a pilot, allowing him to develop complete confidence in himself and his aircraft. Formation aerobatics give him the added factor of confidence in his leader and other members of the team.
Since the first RAF pageant at Hendon in 1920, the original formation aerobatics by the old biplanes have been replaced by sophisticated shows by jet aircraft. The last RAF biplane teams consisted of Gauntlets and Gladiators drawn from front line squadrons. In 1938, No 87 Squadron displayed with three Gladiators tied-together at the wingtips.
Since the first RAF pageant at Hendon in 1920, the original formation aerobatics by the old biplanes have been replaced by sophisticated shows by jet aircraft. The last RAF biplane teams consisted of Gauntlets and Gladiators drawn from front line squadrons. In 1938, No 87 Squadron displayed with three Gladiators tied-together at the wingtips.
The Second World War deprived spectators of seeing many interesting types of aircraft in formation aerobatics, but in 1947 the Odiham Fighter Wing provided the RAF’s first jet team of three Vampires.
Various teams flew the Vampire until 1950, by which time No 72 Squadron was flying a team of seven. No 54 Squadron with a team of five Vampires became the first jet RAF formation team to trail smoke. Meteors eventually took over from the Vampires.
The first team using Hunter aircraft appeared in 1955 when No 54 Squadron flew a formation of four aircraft. The following year the Squadron team adopted the name The Black Knights and all the pilots wore black flying suits.
No 111 Squadron (Treblers or Treble-One) provided the official RAF team in 1956, and for the first time the aircraft bore a special colour scheme, an all-black finish. After a performance in France, they were applauded as Les Fleches Noires and thereafter were known at home and throughout the continent as The Black Arrows. They became the first team to fly a five Hunter formation and their polished performances included a formation landing.
By the 1957 Farnborough Display, the Black Arrows team had been increased to nine aircraft. Their formation loop and roll by nine aircraft caused something of a sensation - this had not been seen since the inter-war years. New manoeuvres and formations were added each year.
In 1958 came the bomb burst, in which the aircraft break formation at the top of a loop, trailing smoke, and pull out in different directions. Perhaps the most noteworthy performance by the Black Arrows was the celebrated loop and barrel roll of 22 Hunters during the 1958 Farnborough Display week. This is the greatest number of aircraft ever looped in formation, and is still a world record today.
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, was initially based at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire, then a satellite unit of the Central Flying School (CFS). The first team had seven display pilots and were equipped with the Folland Gnat jet trainer.
At the end of their first season, the Team had performed 65 displays in Britain, France, Italy, Holland, Belgium and Germany and was awarded the Britannia Trophy by the Royal Aero Club in recognition of its outstanding contribution in the field of aviation.
In 1968 the Team was increased in size to nine and adopted the Diamond Nine formation, which has come to represent the peak of precision flying. It is now the Team’s trademark and is recognised worldwide.
The Red Arrows took delivery of the Hawk trainer in the winter of 1979/80. During that winter the pilots converted from the Gnat and worked up a display using the new aeroplane in time for the 1980 Summer Display Season.
Since being introduced into service with the Red Arrows, the Hawk has taken the Team on tours of Eastern and Western Europe, the USA, the Middle and Far East, Africa and Australia - in all, the Red Arrows have displayed in 50 countries.
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