The History of RAF Aerobatic Teams From 1920: Smoke On . . . Go!

By David Watkins

"The Royal Air Force has long recognized the value of display flying for pilot training, prestige and recruiting purposes, and the standard of its formation aerobatic teams has always stood favorable comparison with those of air forces of other nations.Aerobatics have always played a prominent part in RAF training. They are not performed merely to provide a spectacle for the public but are an essential step in the making of a pilot, giving him confidence in himself and his aircraft. Formation aerobatics give him the added factor of confidence in his leader and other members of the team.This history of RAF aerobatic teams is the result of many years of painstaking and meticulous research from its early beginnings with five Sop with Snipes at the Hendon Pageant in 1920 to the present day 'Red Arrows'.The book also contains an introduction which details the gradual development from experimental and 'stunt' flying of the early aviators, through the aerial artistry of using smoke to highlight maneuvers and tied-together formation aerobatics, to the introduction of jet teams after the war. Also included in the book is a detailed index listing each team and its members from 1920 and it will undoubtedly provide an essential reference work on Royal Air Force formation aerobatic teams for aviation historians and enthusiasts."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jun 13, 2011
• ISBN: 9781783031597

David Watkins

David Watkins is a former member of the RAF and a keen aviation historian with previous works including a history of RAF Chivenor, the de Havilland Vampire and Venom, 501 (County of Gloucester) Sqn, RAuxAF and a history of RAF aerobatic teams from 1920.

Book preview

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Showing the variation in colour schemes used by the Meteor F.Mk8s of the RAF Flying College, Strubby, the All-Weather Jet Refresher Squadron’s formation aerobatic team put on eight shows during the 1962 season. (via John O’Neill)

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First published in Great Britain in 2010 by

Pen & Sword Aviation

An imprint of

Pen & Sword Books Ltd

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Copyright © David Watkins 2010

9781783031603

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Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Acknowledgements

Foreword

Preface

Selected Bibliography

Glossary

CHAPTER ONE - Early Days

CHAPTER TWO - RAF Squadrons

CHAPTER THREE - Auxiliary Squadron Teams

CHAPTER FOUR - Tripartite Evaluation Squadron

CHAPTER FIVE - FEAF Towed Target Flight / No. 1574 (Target Towing) Flight

CHAPTER SIX - Canberra Display Teams

CHAPTER SEVEN - FFS ‘A’ Acro-Team

CHAPTER EIGHT - Central Flying School

CHAPTER NINE - RAF College, Cranwell

CHAPTER TEN - RAF Flying College (School of Refresher Flying), Strubby / College of Air Warfare, Manby

CHAPTER ELEVEN - Flying Training Schools

CHAPTER TWELVE - The Red Arrows

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - RAF Aerobatic Display Teams 1920 – 2010

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A superb photograph of 92 Squadron’s Blue Diamonds coming out of a ‘Diamond T’ loop during a rehearsal for the Farnborough show in September 1961. The team’s sixteen Hunter F.Mk.6s are joined by two Hunter trainers (XL571 and XL605) in the centre of the formation. (Flight)

Acknowledgements

This book was made possible through the generous and enthusiastic support of many people and please forgive me if I have not included your name in the following list. I would, however, like to express my sincere gratitude to the following: Ray Deacon and Alan Pollock for their continual encouragement and well-informed advice on all matters relating to aerobatic flying; Air Cdre Roger Topp AFC** and AVM Peter Latham CB AFC for answering my many questions and kindly agreeing to write the joint Foreword; Colin Noad, who meticulously proof-read the manuscript and provided the many critical and intelligent comments to ensure that the work was completed with the minimum of disruption; and Reg Wyness, without whom the chapter on Treble One Squadron would be incomplete. My thanks also go to the following, who supplied information and photographs regarding the various display teams mentioned in this book: Jim Adams; Laurie Adlington; George Aird; Sqn Ldr John D Aldington; Sqn Ldr Brian C Allchin; Air Cdre Duncan Allison CBE; Peter Amos (The Miles Aircraft Collection); Harry Anwar; Sqn Ldr Dave Bagshaw; Capt G J ‘Bill’ Bailey; Air Marshal Sir Peter Bairsto KBE CB AFC; James Bayliss; Ian Bashall; Sqn Ldr Denzil J R Beard; John Beaumont; Wg Cdr Martin E Bee AFC; Flt Lt Derek A Bell; Air Cdre John A Bell OBE; Wg Cdr Anthony ‘Bugs’ Bendell OBE AFC; Capt ‘Benny’ Bennett; Sqn Ldr Peter G Biddiscombe; Sqn Ldr Maurice J Biggs; AVM George Black CB OBE AFC* FRAeS FI MgT; Sqn Ldr Roy Booth; Gp Capt Peter Botterill CBE AFC RAF (retd); Sqn Ldr Peter A Bouch; Sqn Ldr Roy Bowie MBE; Air Commodore H E C Boxer CB OBE; Gp Capt J Bradbury; Wg Cdr Mike Bradley AFC; Frank Brambley; John Brown; Air Cdre Desmond Browne CBE AFC*; James Budd; Chris Bushe; Mike Butt; Phil Butler; Tony Buttler; Lt Cdr Pierre Cadoret, RN; Richard Carey; Neil Carnegie; John Carr, Dudley Carvell; Allan Cawsey; Peter Caygill; Capt Nigel Champness; Sqn Ldr Roger Chick; Gp Capt C M Christie; Brian St Clair; Michael ‘Tup’ Clayton; Keith Wilson-Clark; Brian Clifford; Tim Cohu; George Cole; Al Colesky; Sqn Ldr Alan Colman; Jock Colston; Ross Colwill; Bob Cossey (Historian and Secretary of the Tiger Squadron Association); Peter Cowen; Wg Cdr J B Cowton; Sqn Ldr Brian Cox; Flt Lt Neil Crawley RAF; Air Cdre Bill Croydon; Geoff Cruickshank; Christine Cummings (log books of Flt Lt Matthew Kemp); Duncan Curtis; Sqn Ldr Eddie Danks; Air Cdre Harry Davidson; Commander Carl Davis RN; John Davy; AVM Ron Dick CB RAF; Dickie Dicken; Group Captain R J F Dickinson / Paul Dickinson; Peter Diggance; Group Captain Bob Dixon; Sqn Ldr Mike Dobson AFC; Sqn Ldr Tony Doyle AFC; Mike Draper (FAA Officers Assce); Air Commodore R B ‘Dickie’ Duckett CVO AFC; Gp Capt Ed Durham; Sqn Ldr Peter Dummer BA; Alan East; Dave Edmondston; Gp Capt Sidney Edwards OBE; Gp Capt Bill Edwards AFC; Gp Capt Tom Eeles; Peter R Evans; Sqn Ldr Eric Evers; John Farley OBE AFC; Malcolm Fillmore; Brian Moore / Mrs Enid Fitton (logbooks of Keith Fitton); Wally Forster AFM; Gp Capt J W Foster DFC AFC; Mike Fox; Peter Frame; Flt Lt P S Francis BSc RAF; Lt Cdr Rod Frederiksen RN; Gp Capt Mike French; David George AFC; Sqn Ldr Ivor Gibbs; Lt Cdr Brian Giffin RN; Norman Giffin; Bill Gill; Sqn Ldr Chris Golds AFC; Sqn Ldr Mike Goodfellow OBE; Dave Goodwin; Air Cdre Ken Goodwin CBE AFC; Geoff Green; Lt Alan Griffiths RN; Flt Lt Norrie Grove DFM; Mike Haggerty; John MacRae-Hall; Ian Harding; Group Captain T A Hastings OBE; Tony Hawes; Joe Hellyer; Wg Cdr David Herriot (Secretary, Buccaneer Aircrew Association); Bob Hillman; ACM Sir Patrick Hine GCB GBE FRAeS; Flt Lt Chris ‘Curly’ Hirst BSc; Wg Cdr P J ‘Curly’ Hirst; Bill Toozs-Hobson; Gp Capt Mike Hobson; Bob Holliday; Sqn Ldr Dave Holmes (3 Sqn Association); Dave Homewood; M C Bob Hope; Captain Derek Hopkins; Bert Horton; Gp Capt Brian Hoskins AFC FRAeS FCMI; AVM John Howe CB CBE AFC; Roger Hymans; Lt Col Dick Immig, USAF (Retd); Capt Bill Jago; George Jenks; Group Captain John Jennings DFC; Peter Jennings; Jim Jobie; W E P Johnson AFC CPA AFRAeS; Shiona Johnstone; Chris Jolliffe; Barry Jones; Wg Cdr Ernie Jones AFC; Peter Jones; Bob Joy; Charles Keil; Derek Kenyon; Flt Lt P B Kelly BSc, No. 43 (F) Sqn; Tim Kershaw (Jet Age Museum and Russell Adams archive); Terry Kingsley; Wg Cdr Olly Knight; E J van Koningsveld; Commander John Lamb RN: Colin Lamont; Gp Capt Philip Langrill OBE; Wg Cdr George Lee; Bob Lewis; Mike Lewis (610 Squadron Association); Richard Lewis; Flt Lt D M Lownds LLB RAF (111 (F) Squadron, RAF Leuchars); AVM Michael Lyne CB AFC; Air Marshal Ian Macfadyen CB OBE FRAeS; Beth Maitland (log books of Andy Maitland); Wg Cdr Douglas Marr AFC*; David Martin (RAF Sylt Association); Sqn Ldr Hugh Mayes; Wg Cdr J J ‘Cas’ Maynard; Sqn Ldr Bruce McDonald AFC*; Mike McKinley; Gordon McMurray; Ross McNeill; Brian Meadley; Sqn Ldr Brian P W Mercer AFC; John Merry; Air Marshal Sir Dusty Miller KBE; Les Millgate; Sqn Ldr H Minnis AFC; Don Minterne; Sqn Ldr Clive Mitchell BA; Derek ‘Mort’ Morter; Capt John Myers; Ted Nance; Tim Nelson; Sqn Ldr Bob Newall; Pete Newberry; Ian Newton; Sqn Ldr Bernard Noble (for his permission to quote from his excellent book, Noble Endeavours); Air Marshal Sir Peter Norriss; Flt Lt Mike A Oliver; Wg Cdr John O’Neill; Gp Capt G E Ord CBE; Gp Capt Iain Panton; Wg Cdr Arnie Parr AFC; Sqn Ldr Tony Pearce; George Pennick; J Desmond Penrose DLC CEng FRAeS FRSA; AVM Les Phipps CB AFC; Henryk Ploszek; Sqn Ldr Jerry Pook MBE DFC; Ernie Powell; Sqn Ldr W R Preece MCGI AFRIN RAF (Executive Officer, No. 43 (F) Sqn); Chris Preston; Sqn Ldr Henry Prince AFC; Roger Pyrah; Wg Cdr Bob Ramirez; Wg Cdr Bill Ramsey; Gerry Ranscombe; Mike Read; Wg Cdr David Reason; Clive Richards AHB(RAF); Colin Richardson; Roy Rimington; Alan Roach; Norman Roberson; Sqn Ldr Duncan G Robinson; Sqn Ldr John Robinson AFC* FRAeS; Wg Cdr Hugh Rigg AFC; Wg Cdr Mick Ryan (Jever Steam Laundry); AVM Sir John Severne KCVO OBE AFC DL; Gp Capt David Seward; Bob Screen; John Sharpe; Dave Shaw; Alan Shepperd; Bill Shepperd; Jerry Shipley; Sqn Ldr Bill Shrubsole; Duncan Simpson CBE CEng FIMechE FRAeS; Roy Sloan; Warrant Officer Frank Smith; Gp Capt Horace Farquhar-Smith BA; Dennis Southern; Air Cdre Reggy Speirs; Mike Stabler; Geoff Steggall; Eireen Stephen; Air Commodore Chris Stone AFC; Martin Stoner; Richard Storer; Gp Capt G J ‘Twinkle’ Storey; Barry Stott; Peter Taylor; Alex Thomas; Air Cdre Terry Thornton AFC FRAeS; Sqn Ldr Geoff Timms; Wg Cdr Fred Trowern OBE AFC; Colonel Al Tucker Jnr USAF; Gp Capt John B Veal CBE AFC; Steve/Dave Waddington; website – www.linton-gin.com; Faith, Lynne & Gray Walker (log books of Wg Cdr Johnny Walker OBE AFC*); Grant Walters; Wg Cdr Jim Watts-Phillips OBE; Gp Capt Tim Webb AFC MRAes; Toby Westoby; Neal Wharton; Sqn Ldr John Wheeler; Gp Capt Joe Whitfield; Dick Whittingham; Gp Capt Marcus ‘Oscar’ Wild; Roger Wilkins; Graham Williams; Capt Chris Wilmot; Richard Wilson; Bob Windle AFC; W C Bill Wood AFC / Katie Jones; Group Captain Ron Wood; Anne Wootten; Group Captain Ian Worby; ACM Sir William Wratten GBE CB AFC; Commander Richard Wren RN.

RAF College Library, Cranwell (Ms Mary Guy); National Archives, Kew; RAF Museum, Hendon; RAF Disclosures, RAF Cranwell (Ms Debbie Cawthorn); and finally, The Aerobatic Display Teams Special Interest Group / IPMS(UK), who I hope will forgive me for borrowing the title of their excellent house magazine for my own purpose?

Finally, I make no apologies for the quality of some of the photographs chosen to accompany the text, which provide an authentic contemporary record of little known, formal display teams. A great deal of effort has been made to trace and acknowledge the owner of each photograph used in this book. Many came from private collections where the photograph had been copied and passed on – therefore, please accept my sincere apologies if your name has not been justly credited.

Foreword

Air Commodore Roger Topp AFC

In this unique book David Watkins covers every aspect of the history of formation aerobatic flying by RAF teams including details of aircraft, of those that flew them and the personal comments and anecdotes of pilots, ground crew and detached observers. One can dip into this book for an informative read or for more detailed historical fact.

The usual and correct justifications given for aerobatic team displays include showcasing to the public what it is getting for its taxes, for recruiting and for displaying the competence of the RAF on the international scene. It is also obvious that spectators thoroughly appreciate and enjoy such displays. But away from the public arena, the RAF as a fighting force also gains important operational benefit from the inherent competition within a team.

In the days when squadrons of Fighter Command were allowed informal teams, pilots competed for a team position, knowing that to gain such a coveted prize was dependent upon their flying ability. In turn, teams competed with those of other squadrons to gain the honour of representing the RAF at home and the nation abroad.

On occasion no less than seven separate national air forces have displayed their teams at a single major continental international air show. Inevitably, competition pervades such an event, in the air certainly, but so too on the ground, where the discipline, dress and general conduct of the air and ground teams is noted and thus they will be judged as the ambassadors of their country, which they surely are.

This healthy competition, provided it is professionally dealt with, hones a team’s performance and sets air and ground standards others yearn to emulate. Such aspirations raise the overall performance not only of the unit involved but of all other squadrons equipped with the same type or similar aircraft. The process leads to many RAF pilots gaining a better ability to fly their aircraft to the ultimate of its operational performance; the better the pilot, the better the outcome.

For the formation team itself, maintaining its expertise, coaching new members, formulating new display patterns, meeting the relentless demand for more display performances and so on means practising away from the public gaze, evening flying, foregoing weekends and frequent absences from families. In short, much dedication and sheer hard work is required, and freely given by those determined to achieve and maintain the highest standards of display flying.

For the actual shows, the demands on the pilots continue. Close formation display flying, low to the ground, often in the turbulent air to be found there, with variable cloud conditions, and perhaps having to squint into the glare of the sun, all call for the highest degrees of professional, dedicated and skilful flying.

These days, ‘The Red Arrows’ continue to set world-class standards which lead to applications for vacancies being oversubscribed by the many aspirants wishing to join the team. They do so knowing that since 1920 to the present day and beyond only the best will be chosen.

In this book one meets many who, down the years, and in many different teams were so honoured and successfully responded to the challenges of their day.

Roger Topp joined the RAF as an apprentice in 1939. He remustered as aircrew four years later. Learning to fly in Canada, he returned to the UK in October 1944 and volunteered for a transfer to the Glider Pilot Regiment; in March 1945 he piloted a Horsa glider into Germany during the assault on the Rhine.

Remaining in the RAF after the war, Roger flew Mosquitos with 107 and 98 Squadrons in Germany and was awarded the AFC in 1950. Later that year he applied for a course with the ETPS and subsequently remained at Farnborough on the staff of the RAE. For the next few years he carried out flying tests of various aircraft and armament installations as well as being a regular demonstration pilot for the Canberra. In 1954 he demonstrated the aircraft to both the Emperor of Ethiopia and the Shah of Persia during their official visits to Britain.

Also in 1954, Roger shared the 100-hour intensive flight testing of the DH Comet airliner at Farnborough following the loss of two BOAC aircraft over the Mediterranean earlier in the year. In January 1955 he was posted to command 111 Squadron at North Weald and was awarded a Bar to the AFC for his work at Farnborough and a second Bar in January 1958 for work with the aerobatic team, ‘The Black Arrows’, which he formed and led.

Roger’s later career included the command of RAF Coltishall and the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment, at Boscombe Down. His final appointment was with the NATO Multi-role Combat Aircraft Management Agency at Munich, being extensively engaged on the Panavia Tornado project. Roger Topp retired from the RAF in March 1978 as an Air Commodore.

Air Vice-Marshal Peter Latham CB AFC

David Watkins has written a closely researched and highly detailed history of formation aerobatic flying by RAF pilots from 1920 until the present day. In it he traces the birth of flying displays from the earliest days and the enormous crowd pulling attractions which they have become.

Fighter pilots today, flying singly, have the blind flying and radar equipment to bring their very sophisticated missiles to bear on an enemy bomber in any weather. It was not always thus and only a few decades ago fighters had to operate as loose pairs to provide mutual lookout and protection. They also had to be able to meet large numbers of conventionally armed bombers.

With the early jet fighter’s limited endurance – often less than twenty minutes, recovery in bad weather by large formations after combat depended on splitting into tight sections of up to four aircraft. This allowed a ground controller to give directions only to the leader rather than to each of the four pilots. Such formation flying could often entail maintaining close visual contact whilst flying through thick turbulent cloud during the descent. This type of formation flying inspired the desire and the ability to carry out aerobatics at similarly close distances and it was rare to find a day fighter squadron which did not have an aerobatic team.

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In a vertical climb above the Gloucestershire countryside during 1954, ‘The Meteorites’ from Little Rissington. (Jet Age Museum/Russell Adams collection)

Today the operational training requirement of fighter squadrons leaves little time either for display training or for taking part in the numerous air shows which inevitably expect military participation. For this reason most air forces maintain dedicated display teams flying aircraft suitable for formation aerobatics. This is good for the spectator because the standard of flying and the safety record of the teams are outstanding.

Whether you are a pilot with aerobatic experience, or a spectator who enjoys the thrill and skill of the performers, you will find this book fascinating.

Air Vice-Marshal Peter Latham CB AFC, joined the RAF in 1944. He flew Spitfires and served on a Tempest II ground attack squadron in Germany immediately after the war. He was a member of the 263 Squadron Meteor display team which appeared at the RAF Display, Farnborough, in 1950 and subsequently flew all the RAF jet fighters up to and including the Lightning and Phantom. From September 1958 until November 1960, Peter Latham commanded No. 111 Squadron and led ‘The Black Arrows’ aerobatic team. His last appointment was as Air Officer Commanding No. 11 Group, which was responsible for the defence of the UK. He later served on the Flying Control Committee of the International Air Tattoo and retired as its Vice President in 1995.

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During the arrival loop, the Red Arrow’s Gnat aircraft changed to ‘Seven Arrow’ formation, which was more compact and manoeuvrable. This was the basic shape during the team’s display sequence and is seen at the RNAS Yeovilton air show in July 1971. (Ray Rawbone)

Preface

IN APRIL 1968, the RAF journal Air Clues published a list of RAF aerobatic teams from 1921 to coincide with the Service’s Golden Jubilee. Based on information supplied by the late Harry A Cooper of the MoD PR staff, this list of teams and respective members was the first of its kind to be published and, although incomplete and containing the occasional error, it gave a fascinating insight into the history of RAF display flying. Some years after Harry Cooper’s seminal list was published, I decided to update his work and this has now evolved into my tribute to his history of RAF Aerobatic Teams.

Between 1920 and 1937, RAF squadrons vied with one another to appear at the prestigious Hendon displays, which were seen as the culmination of their annual training and an opportunity to demonstrate their flying skills to the public. By 1929, as a result of the ‘crazy-flying’ antics of standard training machines of the Flying Training Schools and the highly-disciplined formation flying of the various squadrons’ ‘Aerobatic Flights’, Hendon had become one of the great events of the London Season alongside the Royal Tournament at Olympia and the Aldershot Military Tattoo. In addition to attracting Royal patronage, it was also extremely popular with the general public, who flocked to the aerodrome in large numbers to be entertained.

The choice of an aircraft type for a display team is purely historic in that any new front line aircraft had to be displayed to the public and during the early post-war years the formation aerobatic teams at Hendon were mostly drawn from the experimental establishments or the Central Flying School. In 1925, RAF fighter squadrons began to make an appearance on the display scene with a succession of outstanding performances by Siskins, Bulldogs, Furies, Gauntlets and Gladiators – sometimes with the aircraft looped whilst attached by elastic ropes and often tracing the pattern of their evolutions with coloured smoke trails. Although the Hendon displays came to an end in 1937, aerobatic teams remained a popular feature of the subsequent Empire Air Days until the outbreak of war.

After the war, numerous, informal formation teams flying the new Meteor and Vampire jet fighters were formed and by the 1950s it became the practice to either task a display team from an operational squadron or the Central Flying School, which was officially designated as the RAF Aerobatic Team. These teams achieved a high level of popularity and competition between most of the RAF Fighter stations which, at times, became quite intense. Between 1957 and 1960, one of the finest and most famous jet aerobatic teams in the world was that of 111 Squadron – The Black Arrows – led successively by Sqn Ldrs Roger Topp and Peter Latham. When Treble One Squadron stood down as the RAF’s premier aerobatic team at the end of the 1960 season, it was superseded by 92 Squadron – The Blue Diamonds – commanded by Sqn Ldr Brian Mercer. For the next two years, the squadron’s glossy blue Hunters continued to maintain the high standard expected of a leading team, introducing new and exciting formations into its routine. The squadron’s ‘Diamond Sixteen’ formation was demonstrated on various occasions, especially at the 1962 Farnborough air show where it shared the limelight with the Lightnings of 74 Squadron in a co-ordinated display. Both Hunter teams would become by-words for precision aerobatic formation display flying.

The subsequent Lightning formation teams of 56 and 74 Squadrons supplied a great deal of noise and excitement to air shows; but display restrictions, operational commitments, costs and the unsuitability of the new and more sophisticated jet aircraft for large formation displays eventually brought about the demise of the operational squadron teams.

Although formation display flying was secondary to its normal operational duties, the publicity gained from the aerobatic commitment of the squadron teams was important. With their loss, it subsequently fell to RAF Flying Training Command to provide a regular supply of aerobatic teams. These smaller teams also undertook a number of displays at which the premier teams had been unable to perform and, although these were no substitute, they were considered to be worth retaining since they contributed to the good name of the Service and moreover provided a nucleus of formation aerobatic pilots from which to draw future members. The delivery of the first Jet Provost trainers to No. 2 FTS at Syerston in June 1959 saw the formation of aerobatic teams of two, three or four aircraft drawn from the various flying training units and quickly replaced the earlier Vampire and Meteor teams. Notable Jet Provost teams included those from the RAF College, Cranwell, the College of Air Warfare, Manby, 1 FTS at Linton-on-Ouse, 2 FTS at Syerston and 3 FTS at Leeming. But it was the Central Flying School which maintained an unsurpassed reputation for aerobatic flying – forming a number of famous display teams. The first of the School’s aerobatic teams was seen at the Hendon Pageant in 1920. The following year, five Sopwith Snipes led by Sqn Ldr Chris Draper DSC, astounded everyone at Hendon with an extraordinary display of flying which included a formation loop and a radical and innovative manoeuvre – the inverted formation. The ‘Inverted Flying Flight’ subsequently became a tradition with the CFS teams and between 1932 and 1937 were distinguished by their own, highly original and distinctive colour schemes so that spectators could instantly decide which way up they were during the performance.

After the war, the CFS continued to produce many superb aerobatic teams, equipped with Meteor trainers, Prentices, Provosts, Chipmunks, Sioux and Gazelle helicopters. The delivery of the initial batch of Jet Provosts to the CFS in 1957 saw the formation of the first team the following year, and hence the revival of the ‘golden age’ of display flying. Variously named the ‘Redskins’ (1959) and the ‘Red Pelicans’ (1962 – 1973), these Jet Provost teams gave public demonstrations of their skills at the SBAC shows at Farnborough, the Paris air show and at events both at home and abroad. In 1964, The Red Pelicans became the first Jet Provost team from the CFS to be nominated the RAF’s premier team and flew a co-ordinated routine with the Gnat team from RAF Valley at that year’s Farnborough air show.

However, no mention of the Central Flying School would be complete without the RAF’s premier aerobatic team – The Red Arrows. Described as ‘Aerial Ambassadors’ the team has been watched by millions of people both at home and overseas and at the end of the 2008 season it had performed over 4,000 times in 53 countries. The formation of the RAF’s current premier aerobatic team in 1965 owes much to the enthusiasm and determination of Flt Lt Lee Jones, a flying instructor and former member of ‘The Black Arrows’, who had led a team of five yellow-painted Gnat trainers at RAF Valley, the previous year. Unofficially known as ‘The Yellowjacks’, the RAF Gnat Aerobatic Team was an immediate success and formed the basis of the RAF Formation Aerobatic Team – The Red Arrows. Established at Little Rissington and administered by the CFS, The Red Arrows was increased to nine aircraft in 1968. Under the individualistic and skilled professionalism of its early leaders, Lee Jones and Ray Hanna, the team’s reputation quickly developed and subsequently came to represent the very best of the RAF and the British defence industry.

Since its re-equipment with Hawk trainers in 1979, the team has undertaken even more regular and ambitious overseas tours to Eastern Europe, the Middle and Far East, South Africa and Australia, to promote the British Aerospace industry. In 1995, ten British companies gave their support to the team’s winter tour to South Africa and Malaysia and provided £2.5 million in financial support; this occasion being the first time that the industry had provided economic backing for a Red Arrows tour.

The oil crisis of 1973 and 1974 saw a wide range of economy measures affecting the use of RAF and other military aircraft, with the Government continually seeking ways to save fuel. Training Command was the hardest hit by the fuel cutbacks; displays by The Red Arrows were cancelled up to June and volunteer display teams, such as the ‘Red Pelicans’, ‘Macaws’, ‘Gemini Pair’, etc., were all disbanded.

Following a further Defence Spending Review in July 2004, there was speculation in the British media that The Red Arrows would also be disbanded due to its annual running costs of between 5 – 6 million pounds. Fortunately for the British public and its aerospace industry, the team survived and the expense was justified by the public relations value of the team, the promotion of business in the defence industry and its recruitment value for the RAF. The Red Arrows have subsequently come to represent the peak of precision flying throughout the world and to preserve the legacy originally laid down by those five Sopwith Snipes at Hendon in 1920.

Selected Bibliography

RAF Little Rissington: The Central Flying School Years, 1946 – 1976

Roy Bagshaw, Ray Deacon, Alan Pollock and Malcolm Thomas BEM

ISBN 1 84415 381 9

Published by Pen & Sword Aviation. 2006

Black Arrow, Blue Diamond

Sqn Ldr Brian Mercer AFC*

ISBN 1 84415 392 4

Published by Pen & Sword Aviation. 2006

Sabre: The Canadair Sabre in RAF Service

Duncan Curtis

ISBN 0-7509-4236-3

Published by Sutton Publishing Ltd. 2005

A Tradition of Excellence

Daniel V Dempsey

ISBN 0-9687817-0-5

High Flight Enterprises Ltd. 2002

Jet Age Photographer: The Aviation Photography of Russell Adams

Tim Kershaw

ISBN 0-7509-4009-3

Sutton Publishing. 2005

Noble Endeavours

Bernard Noble

Self-published. 1998

English Electric Lightning. Vol.1: Birth of a Legend

Stewart A Scott

ISBN 1 870384 78 4

GMS Enterprises. 2000

English Electric Lightning. Vol.2: The Lightning Force

Stewart A Scott

ISBN 1-904514-10-3

GMS Enterprises. 2004

Red Arrows

Sqn Ldr Ray Hanna AFC*

ISBN 0 85944 014 1

Balfour Book/Photo Precision Ltd. 1973

43 Squadron: The History of the Fighting Cocks, 1916 – 1966

J Beedle

Beaumont Aviation Literature. 1966

The Mad Major

Major Christopher Draper DSC

Air Review Limited. 1962

Upward & Onward: The Life of Air Vice-Marshal John Howe CB CBE AFC

Bob Cossey

ISBN 978 1 84415 820 1

Pen & Sword Aviation. 2008

RAF Top Gun: The story of Air Cdre E M ‘Teddy’ Donaldson CB CBE DSO AFC

Nick Thomas

ISBN 978 1 84415 685 6

Pen & Sword Aviation. 2008

War Birds: Diary of unknown airman

John MacGavock Grider

Texas A&M University Press. 1926

ISBN 1-58544-087-6

Éclat. The Red Arrows: Thirty Years of Brilliance

Éclat Initiatives Ltd. 1994

ISBN 0952391201

Periodicals and magazines

Flight, Aeroplane, Air Pictorial, RAF Flying Review, Air Clues

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In 1956 the CFS Meteor formation aerobatic team was renamed ‘The Pelicans’ and became the last to fly the Meteor T.Mk.7. Led by Fit Lt ‘Frank’ Franklin, the team gave 14 shows in its final season and is depicted before it was disbanded, on 17 September 1956. (Jet Age Museum/Russell Adams collection)

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Flying in the traditional inverted leader position, Fit Lt Norman Giffin leads the newly-formed CFS Jet Aerobatic Team, equipped with Jet Provost T.1s in 1958. (Norman Giffin)

Glossary

CHAPTER ONE

Early Days

THE FIRST organized international air meet is considered to be the Le Grande Semaine D’Aviation de la Champagne (The Champagne Region’s Great Aviation Week), held at a racetrack on the Bethany Plain outside Rheims, France, in August 1909. A quarter of a million people attended the event, held between 22 and 29 August, and were entertained by a long list of aviation pioneers such as Louis Bleriot, Henri Farman, Santos Dumont and Glenn Curtiss from America; Great Britain was represented by George Cockburn in a Farman biplane. A full programme for the week included various trials and races, culminating in the Gordon-Bennett Cup and a first prize of £1,500. Aeroplanes at this first great meeting included the Farman biplane, the Wright Flyer and the Antoinette monoplane.

The Rheims Meeting also witnessed the first public demonstrations of aerobatic flying by self-taught aviator, Eugene Lefebvre, in a Wright Flyer. Although Lefebvre’s ‘stunts’ were hailed as ‘outstanding and daring’, many remained cautious and it was widely believed by aviators at the time that to venture from straight and level flight through the air, apart from gentle banks and turns, was to invite disaster. A belief that was emphasized the following month when Lefebvre was killed in a flying accident at Juvisy aerodrome.

The first flying meeting in the United Kingdom was held at Doncaster between 15 – 23 October 1909. It preceded a second event at Blackpool by only three days and, although marred by bad weather which restricted the flying demonstrations, the meetings attracted many notable aviators, including Hubert Latham, Louis Paulham, Leon Delagrange and Samuel Franklin Cody.

Having attended both meetings, the editor of the weekly aviation journal, Flight, penned his aspirations for the development of display flying:

‘Yet in time to come when the conquest of the air is about as complete as the conquest of the elements of the sea, it is possible that the spectators will cease to be impressed because they no longer realise what it means. Then will be the day of evolutions in the air, skilful figure-making such as is practised by the accomplished skater. To the organisers of flight meetings this element must ever become of increasing importance, and they will be well advised to encourage this side of the art’.

Despite the rapid developments which accompanied the progress of practical flight, the art of aerobatics had made little advance until, on 27 August 1913, Lt Petr Nikolaevich Nesterov of the Imperial Russian Air Service went into the history books by becoming the first pilot to loop an aeroplane. A military designer and engineer, his historic achievement was made in a Nieuport Type IV monoplane over Syretzky aerodrome at Kiev in the Ukraine. Although Nesterov was subsequently arrested for risking army property, when it emerged that he had been declared a hero he was hurriedly released and promoted to Captain! Sadly, his fame was to be short-lived and he was killed almost a year after his pioneering manoeuvre when he deliberately rammed an Austrian reconnaissance aeroplane near Zholkva, on the Russian Front. He was buried with full military honours.

A few weeks before Lt Nesterov’s celebrated loop, a young French aviator named Adolphe Pegoud made a successful parachute jump from his own aeroplane over Buc aerodrome, near Versailles. This feat brought Pegoud to the attention of Louis Bleriot, who hired him to demonstrate the handling qualities of his Bleriot XI monoplane design. On 1 September 1913, Pegoud astounded a gathered crowd at Juvisy aerodrome with a series of basic aerobatic manoeuvres, including a demonstration of inverted flying – a manoeuvre previously considered impossible by many. Three weeks later, on 21 September, he went up again, this time at Brooklands aerodrome, and became the first European to loop the loop. Flying a specially strengthened Bleriot monoplane, Pegoud not only looped his machine but also demonstrated the tail slide, the roll off the top of the loop and the half of an outside loop, known as the ‘bunt’.

Opinions were again divided as to the value of Pegoud’s performances. Some dismissed them as ‘circus performances’, while others hailed them as ‘scientific achievements’ and within the ensuing weeks Pegoud repeated his aerobatic ‘stunts’ to British crowds at Brooklands aerodrome. English pilots were soon to follow Pegoud’s feat, including B C Hucks who became the first British pilot to loop and fly with his machine inverted at Buc aerodrome on 15 November. The first to loop in Britain was George Lee Temple in a Bleriot monoplane at Hendon on 24 November 1913.

Looping displays soon became a popular feature of the meetings at Hendon and, as more pilots learnt the manoeuvre, the ever-increasing demands of the crowds that flocked to the air meetings became the motivation for the early aviators to push themselves and their aeroplanes to the limits. In March 1914, Hucks and Gustav Hamel gave a co-ordinated display of looping and inverted flying at Hendon; Hamel also carried out a stall-turn in his Morane-Saulnier at the event, whilst Hucks provided a demonstration of eight consecutive loops from 2,000 feet.

To demonstrate the possibilities of aviation to a wider public, Hucks had earlier embarked on a series of exhibitions around the country; his most successful being that of the West Country in the autumn of 1911. He also became a frequent ‘attraction’ at County Shows and pageants, where he demonstrated that his ‘stunt flying’ was an accomplished achievement and not a dangerous experiment. Volunteering for the RFC at the outbreak of the Great War, Hucks was attached to the Aircraft Manufacturing Company and tested new aeroplanes until his untimely death in November 1918.

On Christmas Day 1913, Pierre Chanteloup, a former farm labourer and taxi driver, advanced the art of ‘stunt’ flying even further with a demonstration to the press at Hendon of cartwheel loops, outside loops, side slips and an inverted dive from 4,000 feet in a Caudron biplane. With his impressive ‘stunts’, Chanteloup had successfully demonstrated that the aeroplane was no longer an unknown quantity but a machine that could be mastered and controlled.

At the outbreak of the First World War, military pilots were used mainly for reconnaissance work and were not expected to possess any knowledge of aerobatics. As the war progressed, the design and performance of successful fighter aircraft increased and pilots began to engage in serious aerial combat. In the process, they discovered that aerobatic skills could give them a significant advantage in dogfights and began to acquire a growing range of aerobatic manoeuvres, albeit self-taught. By late 1916, the first steps were taken toward the teaching of aerobatic techniques in flying training schools, ensuring that almost every fighter pilot was able to complete certain aerobatic manoeuvres with a reasonable degree of skill and precision before he left the training establishment.

The early stages of the War had also seen remarkably high casualty rates at training establishments, with more pilots lost during training than in combat. An experienced RFC pilot, Colonel Robert Smith-Barry recognised the problem and went on to play a leading role in organising the training of British pilots with the establishment of the School of Special Flying at Gosport in August 1917. Aerobatics became an important feature of the training syllabus at Smith-Barry’s school for instructors, which included lessons in looping, rolling and spinning. He also placed great emphasis on exposing students to potentially dangerous manoeuvres in a controlled environment in order that they could learn to recover from any improbable attitude if the controls were handled properly. Before long, a flow of vastly improved pilots with complete confidence in their aircraft started to reach the front line and by 1918 some RAF squadrons were unofficially practising formation aerobatics. For years afterwards the Gosport system with its ‘patter’ (the standardized series of instructions given by instructor to pupil down the intercom tube) was used by numerous other countries to teach Service people to fly.

After the War, air shows became popular events, especially during the 1920s, with programmes that served to encourage the public’s interest in aviation, especially stunt flying, parachute jumping, ‘Barn Storming’ and air races. Many of these were often distinguished by the high spirits and unchecked enthusiasm of the pilots. Few people in Britain at this time, however, had done more to popularise flying and to bring it to the public attention than Alan Cobham. A former member of the RFC, in 1921, Cobham furthered the establishment of aerodromes throughout the country. In 1932 he started the National Aviation Day displays which, for the next three years toured cities, towns and villages with the popular ‘Cobham’s Flying Circus’, promoting ‘air mindedness’ by giving thousands of people their first experience of flying.

To many in the aeronautical world, the name Hendon was synonymous with race meetings, air displays, Aerial Derbies, Claude Grahame-White’s London Flying Club and, above all, the annual Royal Air Force Display. On 12 May 1911, the Hendon Demonstration was held in front of a remarkable gathering of Royal visitors, members of the Cabinet and Opposition and high-ranking Army and Navy officers, all of whom watched a series of flights by Grahame-White, Samuel Cody and Gustav Hamel, amongst others, to demonstrate the practical and military possibilities of the aeroplane. The following year, on 8 June 1912, thousands of spectators turned out to watch the First Aerial Derby at Hendon, which was organised by Grahame-White and was declared an outstanding success.

Hendon Displays

Regular air shows and races continued to bring the crowds to Hendon and it was during this period that the embryonic RAF suffered drastically under the demobilisation and budget cuts imposed by the post-war government. Against this background of uncertainty and with regard for its very survival it was decided by Air Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard to stage a huge RAF Tournament at Hendon aerodrome. The event would not only show off the RAF to the public but would also raise money for RAF charities.

The first RAF Aerial Pageant was held at Hendon on 3 July 1920. Despite the poor advertising that surrounded the event, it attracted an estimated crowd of 40,000 spectators and was run with military precision. In a programme dominated by wartime aircraft, including Bristol Fighters, Sopwith Camels and SE.5s, the simulated dogfights, balloon bursting and relay race attracted much interest. The pilots were also veterans of the Great War and included in the afternoon events were individual aerobatic demonstrations by former RFC pilots, Flt Lt Jack Noakes AFC MM, in a SE.5b and Flt Lt Walter Longton DFC AFC, in a Sopwith Camel. To continue the aerobatic theme, five Sopwith Snipes of the CFS at Wittering, led by Flt Lt J S T Fall DSC AFC, brought the crowd to its feet with a thrilling display of simultaneous looping and ‘Immelman’ turns. Despite the problems with traffic jams, the show was considered an overwhelming success and raised the sum of £7,261 19s 2d for the Memorial Fund.

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By 1926 the Hendon Display had taken a definite place in programme of Society movements during the London Season and perfect weather conditions attracted large crowds to that year’s event. The poster advertising the display features Gloucester Grebes, which demonstrated formation flying and bombing techniques by Nos. 25 and 19 Squadrons, respectively.

With this success the Air Staff decided that the Pageant would become a regular event, forming part of the annual RAF training and continue to raise support for RAF charities. The second Pageant in July 1921 was attended by Their Majesties King George V, Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra, who were entertained by ‘veteran’ Hendon display pilot, Flt Lt Jack Noakes, with his ‘crazy flying’ routine that included co-ordinated loops around a ‘jazz-painted’ BE.2c, flown by Flt Lt J F Roche. For an encore, Noakes returned in an Avro 504, painted in a pillar-box red colour scheme and did ‘everything a respectable aeroplane should not do.’ A spectacular attack on an enemy village by Bristol Fighters, with plenty of smoke bombs and fireworks, concluded the afternoon’s events. Further exhibitions of ‘Squadron Air Drill’, or formation flying, by up to four squadrons, converging bombing on moving targets, the obligatory ‘Major Sandbags’ and the final Set Piece demonstration, served to ensure that the RAF Display was to become the greatest exhibition of military aviation in the world.

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The RAF Display at Hendon in June 1937 featured five Gloster Gauntlets of No. 66 (F) Squadron, led by Flt Lt Vintras. In a final manoeurve the flight flew low along the aerodrome trailing a carpet of green, orange and white smoke, which proved effective against the grey clouds.

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Two Avro 504Ns of No. 2 FTS, Digby, flown by Fg Off George Campbell DFM and Fg Off Frank Whittle, demonstrate the ‘pupil and instructor’ routine at the Hendon Display in June 1930.

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Lightning F.1s of No. 74 Squadron’s Tigers at the Farnborough Air Show in September 1961. (Martin Bee)

Innovative routines had always been used by display teams to entertain the crowds at Hendon, including the use of trailing coloured smoke to enhance an aerobatic display, which was first demonstrated by two Gloster Grebes from the A&AEE, Martlesham, in 1929. One of the pilots was Jack Bradbury, who recalls:

‘When we were selected to do combined aerobatics for the display we wracked our brains to think up something new. Finally the A&AEE Engineering Officer, Hugh McKenna, contacted Major Jack Savage who was running Skywriters at Hendon using SE.5s and between them they evolved an installation in the Grebes. Long exhaust pipes were led from the manifolds of the Jaguar engines; the colour was a liquid aniline dye contained in a tank under pressure and fed into the exhaust pipe. The pressure was kept up in the smoke tanks by windmill pumps as fitted to the old Bristol Fighters and we shut the smoke on and off by a simple tap in the cockpit. The system worked well but there was a certain amount of leakage. My colleague, Freddie Guest and his uniform took on a greenish hue, whilst I with my red smoke became salmon pink! Subsequently the equipment was improved and the following year it was used in three Gamecocks. A far cry from today’s Red Arrows!’

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Three Gloucester Grebes of the A&AEE demonstrate the effectiveness of the use of white and orange coloured smoke during their routine at the RAF Display in June 1930. (CFS Archive)

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Gloster Gladiators of the No. 87 (F) Squadron display flight demonstrate tied-together aerobatics. The flight successfully represented the RAF at the French National air Display at Villacoublay in July of 1938. (C E Brown/RAF Museum)

With a succession of aircraft supplied by the A&AEE, the RAF waited another five years until 19 (F) Squadron from Duxford fitted ‘smoke-making’ apparatus to its Bristol Bulldogs and traced intricate patterns at the 1934 Display, using the RAF colours of red, white and blue. The use of coloured smoke to highlight a display routine was continued until 1937 and, although used intermittently by various teams until the outbreak of war, it was revived with great effect by the Vampires of 54 Squadron at the 1950 RAF Display, Farnborough. Subsequent premier teams have all used smoke to illustrate the artistry of their display sequence, including The Red Arrows.

The highlight of the 1925 and 1926 Displays was an exhibition of Squadron Drill by nine Gloster Grebes of 25 (F) Squadron led by Sqn Ldr Harry Peck, whose orders were relayed to the spectators on the ground by a series of loud speakers. The 1926 event also witnessed a fine display of aerobatics by Sqn Ldr Richard Atcherley in a Gamecock of 23 (F) Squadron, which included the first demonstration of an upward roll seen in this country.

Another innovation was tied-together aerobatics, which was pioneered at the 1930 Hendon Display by the Siskins of 43 (F) Squadron. Three flights of three aircraft, which all had their wingtips attached with lengths of rubber cords, performed a succession of loops with flights in line abreast and completed their display with a Prince of Wales Feathers at the top of a loop, thereby breaking the cords. These manoeuvres demonstrated a skilful and effective display of station-keeping and, following their success at Hendon, three of the squadron’s Siskins were sent to air meetings in Belgium and Holland in September to repeat the demonstrations.

Further demonstrations by squadron ‘Chain Gangs’ included 25 (F) Squadron with its Furies in 1933 and 1934 and 19 (F) Squadron with its Gauntlets in 1936. Two years later, 87 (F) Squadron’s Gladiators would achieve international success when it represented the RAF at the French National Air Display, Villacoublay, in July 1938 with a display of ‘tied-together’ formation aerobatics. Although demonstrations of linked flying would be later carried out by the CFS Prentice team from South Cerney and various Tiger Moth teams from the Reserve Schools during the early post-war period, mention should be made of the Vampires of 16 Squadron at Gutersloh in 1950 who became the first jet team to complete an aerobatic routine with their wingtips attached by rubber bungees.

In May 1931, No. 43 (F) Squadron at Tangmere became the first squadron to receive the Hawker Fury and went on to demonstrate the increased performance of their elegant, single-seat interceptor fighter at that year’s Hendon Display. Together with 1(F) and 25 (F) Squadrons, the squadron gave displays of synchronised and tied-together aerobatics by three-man teams at numerous events, both at home and on the Continent. In 1934, No. 1 (F) Squadron toured Canada and further represented the RAF at the Zurich International Air Meeting at Dubendorf in August 1937, when it became the first team to incorporate a fourth aircraft in the box position and achieve international acclaim for its outstanding performance.

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Four Meteor FR.9s of the aerobatic team of ‘A’ Flight, No. 208 Squadron in 1951. (Bert Horton)

The final RAF Display was held in 1937 and was possibly the largest and most successful of the eighteen annual displays, with over 600 aeroplanes taking part and approximately 195,000 people attending the event. In January 1938, it was announced by the Air Council that it was to discontinue the RAF Display as Hendon was considered too small for modern fast aeroplanes, which required more space to make a realistic spectacle within the boundaries of the aerodrome. Despite having become firmly entrenched as a social fixture, ranking with the Royal Tournament at Olympia, the Aldershot Tattoo, Derby Day and the Royal Regatta, Hendon had become regarded by many as being slightly superior and remote. The intimacy of Empire Air Days, where the general public could inspect aeroplanes and equipment at close quarters was to become a far greater success.

Empire Air Days began in 1934 when the Air League of the British Empire promoted a scheme to create greater interest in aviation among the general public. The idea was that flying and the use of the air should be encouraged and popularised, and so accelerate the rate of air progress and development – in Britain and throughout the Empire. Not only were Service stations thrown open but also the activities at civil aerodromes, flying clubs and aircraft factories were revealed to a much wider public. Empire Air Days were immediately popular and received a Royal blessing, with the King and Queen visiting RAF Bircham Newton.

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Four Hoverfly IIs (KN862, KN841, KN848 and KN842) were transformed into ‘elephants’ with the addition of eyes, a pink trunk and ‘waggling’ ears and became known as ‘Helicopter Circus’ or the ‘Pink Helephants’. This image depicts Hoverfly, KN842, and shows the airframe serial of the helicopter repeated under the fuselage. (C E Brown/RAF Museum)

The first Empire Air Day, held on 24 May 1934, saw forty-one RAF stations, forty flying clubs and various aeroplane firms opened to the public; these were attended by over 100,000 people. By 1938, the popularity of Empire Air Days had greatly increased, and although the flying programmes were hampered by low cloud and heavy rain – giving rise to the headline, ‘Empire Rain Day’ – eighty-four stations (including thirteen civil aerodromes) took part. Together with large formations of RAF bomber and fighter aeroplanes touring cities and towns to advertise the Service, various aerobatic display teams also visited stations to demonstrate their skills. These included: 17(F) Squadron at Odiham, Old Sarum, Farnborough and Andover; 43 (F) Squadron at Gosport, Calshot, Pembroke Dock, Exeter and Mount Batten; 54 (F) Squadron at Castle Bromwich, Ansty, Sywell and Hendon; 79 (F) Squadron at Manston and Eastchurch; and ‘three fighters of No. 11 (Fighter) Group’ at Marham, Mildenhall, Stradishall, Henlow and Martlesham. Despite the bad weather the events attracted over 421,000 people.

In comparison, when the last Empire Air Day was held on 20 May 1939, sixty-three RAF and sixteen civil aerodromes opened their gates and attendances reached nearly 850,000. The largest number was at Northolt, where some 56,000 celebrated the event. About 150,000 people also attended civil aerodromes staging Empire Air Display displays, bringing the total attendance to approximately one million. Almost every station featured displays by modern aircraft types and ‘travelling circuses’, whilst visiting aircraft laid on various demonstrations.

The war deprived the general public of seeing formation aerobatic displays, although unofficial teams were occasionally formed from sheer enthusiasm within the squadrons and training units. The numerous war-time fund-raising events also saw many informal squadron display ‘teams’ performing at local shows. In March 1944, mass demonstrations of aerobatic flying were reportedly staged by the RAF in a three-day air pageant at Damascus, which was described in contemporary reports as a ‘Syrian Hendon’.

Post War Teams

After the war it was decided to absorb the pre-war Empire Air Days and the Battle of Britain commemorations into one Royal Air Force Day and on 15 September 1945, the first post-war Battle of Britain Day was held. Ninety-three RAF stations opened their doors to the public and the large numbers of curious visitors were treated to a show of ground displays and formation flypasts by mainly wartime aircraft. Solo aerobatic displays by the then new Meteor aircraft also aroused great interest. One example of the stations being ‘At Home’ to the public was RAF Church Fenton, which laid on demonstrations of formation flying by Spitfires and Mosquitos before the main event of the afternoon. Some 12 – 14,000 people arrived at the station when it threw open its gates at 14.00 hours and they were allowed to inspect most of the thirty-six different types of aircraft on show before the three hours of flying began. A total

Reviews for The History of RAF Aerobatic Teams From 1920

[theoclarke · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Commendably comprehensive history of the RAF's aerobatic flying teams that is well-illustrated but diminished by its clear origins in bald lists. More of a reference book than a readable history.