RSAF Black Knights
| RSAF Black Knights | |
|---|---|
Black Knights 2008 – Delta FlyBy
|
|
| Founded | 1973 |
| Country |
 Singapore |
| Branch |  Republic of Singapore Air Force |
| Role | Aerobatic display |
| Size | 6 Aircraft |
| Garrison/HQ | Tengah Air Base |
| Colours | Red and white |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lt. Col. Joseph Leong |
| Insignia | |
| RSAF Black Knights patch |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Six F-16C Fighting Falcons |
The Black Knights is the official aerobatics team of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) featuring six F-16C Fighting Falcons in formation flight. The Black Knights' emblem is sported on the red vertical tail of each of the team's aircraft and the team's name is emblazoned on both sides of the aircraft which are painted in red and white – the national colours of Singapore (see Figure 10 in photo gallery).
The team was commissioned in 1973 initially as the Osprey Red, five years after the creation of the RSAF and eight years as an independent nation. In 1974, the team was renamed as The Black Knights.
The Black Knights has its namesake of origin from the game of chess where the Knight is widely regarded as the most aggressive, flexible and manoeuvrable of all the chess pieces, having both the ability to breach barriers and move in nimble and strategically important directions, thus exemplifying flexibility and precision manoeuvrability as personified by the pilots of the team during their aerial manoeuvres.
The Black Knights is also the formation insignia of Tengah Air Base, home to the RSAF's fighter aircraft and the RSAF Black Knights.
In 1979, four members of the squadron were killed when their aircraft crashed into a cloud-covered mountain. One of the people who survived the accident due to mechanical problems grounding his aircraft was Tsu Way Ming, who would later pilot SilkAir Flight 185.
In tandem with the technological advancements and development of the RSAF, the Black Knights progressed from flying a four-ship formation of the Hawker Hunters in the 1970s to a five-ship F-5E Tiger IIs team in the 1980s.
In the 1990s, the Black Knights performed in a six-aircraft formation consisting of the locally re-engined A-4SU Super Skyhawks, using it until year 2000 (refer to performances).
Unlike the US Air Force Thunderbirds or the Red Arrows from the Royal Air Force, the Black Knights is not a full-time aerobatics team.
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Wikipedia