Red Arrows
| Red Arrows Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team |
|
|---|---|
The Red Arrows in 2011
|
|
| Active | 1965 – present |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Role | Aerobatic flight display team |
| Size | 9 Pilots 91 Support members |
| Base |
|
| Nickname(s) | The Reds |
| Motto(s) | Éclat (English: Excellence) |
| Colours | Red, white and blue |
| Commanders | |
| Team Leader/Red 1 | Sqn Ldr David Montenegro |
| Officer Commanding | Wg Cdr Martin Higgins |
| Insignia | |
| Red Arrows Squadron Badge |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Trainer |
|
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands.
The Red Arrows badge shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation, with the motto Éclat, a French word meaning "brilliance" or "excellence".
Initially, they were equipped with seven Folland Gnat trainers inherited from the RAF Yellowjacks display team. This aircraft was chosen because it was less expensive to operate than front-line fighters. In their first season, they flew at 65 shows across Europe. In 1966, the team was increased to nine members, enabling them to develop their Diamond Nine formation. In late 1979, they switched to the BAE Hawk trainer. The Red Arrows have performed over 4,700 displays in 56 countries worldwide.
The Red Arrows were not the first RAF aerobatics team. An RAF pageant was held at Hendon in 1920 with teams from front-line biplane squadrons.
In 1925, No. 32 Squadron RAF flew an air display six nights a week entitled "London Defended" at the British Empire Exhibition. Similar to the display they had done the previous year, when the aircraft were painted black, it consisted of a night time air display over the Wembley Exhibition flying RAF Sopwith Snipes which were painted red for the display and fitted with white lights on the wings, tail and fuselage. The display involved firing blank ammunition into the stadium crowds and dropping pyrotechnics from the aeroplanes to simulate shrapnel from guns on the ground, Explosions on the ground also produced the effect of bombs being dropped into the stadium by the Aeroplanes. One of the Pilots in the display was Flying officer C. W. A. Scott who later became famous for breaking three England Australia solo flight records and winning the MacRobertson Air Race with co-pilot Tom Campbell Black in 1934.
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Wikipedia