Red Arrows Celebrating 50 Display Seasons

132 Pages·2014·30.5 MB·English

by  Tim Callaway

ThemostfamousoftheRedArrows’formationsistheperfectly
symmetricalDiamondNine,somuchsothatitisthebadge
andtrademarkoftheteam.Itisseenherein2013withthe
teamtrailingsmokeandpullingaloop.Manoeuvressuchas
thiscanbeseenfrommanymilesaway.EJvanKoningsveld
TheRedArrowsin‘BigBattle’lowovertheMediterranean
duringspringtraining.EJvanKoningsveld
Covermainphotograph:TheRedArrowsinthemiddleof
the‘Rollbacks’.PaulHeasman
Alluncaptionedphotographsinthispublicationare
RAFATPhotograpticSection/CrownCopyright.
Contents
6 Welcome to the Red Arrows 24 TheYellowjacks
50th display season 28 The sports car of the air
8 50 years of eclat – 34 Fifty years of eclat
Excellence in every way 1964 to 2014
10 Born in war – RAF 86 RAFAT from the inside
aerobatic teams 98 Inside the Hawk
4RedARRows-50yeARsofeClAt
S
U reD
B
P S
A
GC
E RI
1 B arroWs 50
3 E Celebrating
0
Displayseasons
Editor: TimCallaway
[email protected]
Publisher: DanSavage
Contributors: LuiginoCalario,Keith
Draycott,EJvanKoningsveld,
JosevanKoningsveld,
MauriceMcElroy,FltLtMartin
Pert,ConstanceRedgrave,
DavidIRoberts,SqnLdrJim
Turner
Designer: LibbyFincham
Reprographics: SimonDuncan
Groupproductioneditor: TimHartley
Divisionaladvertisingmanager: SandraFisher
sfi[email protected]
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[email protected]
01507529465
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Marketingmanager: CharlottePark
Productionmanager: CraigLamb
Publishingdirector: DanSavage
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Managingdirector: BrianHill
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Allrightsreserved.
Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedortransmittedin
anyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,including
106 The BAE Systems Hawk
photocopying,recording,oranyinformationstorageretrieval
systemwithoutpriorpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.
110 Formations
ISBNNo978-1-909128-22-4
116 Flying the flag
122 Big friends
Havingtrouble
findingacopyofthis
128 High G artist magazine?Whynot
justaskyourlocal
newsagenttoreserve
MemberofthePeriodical youacopy
Independentpublishersince1885 PublishersAssociation
Welcome
to the
Red Arrows
50th
Display Season
by Squadron Leader Jim Turner,
Red 1, the leader of the Red Arrows
Left:SquadronLeaderJimTurner,Red1.RichardAddison
Above:TheofficialbadgeoftheRAFAerobaticTeam,theRedArrows.Editor
T
he2014DisplaySeasonisa maintainthehighestlevelsofsafetyandto Forallthatthough,onceIhavecalledfor
definingyearinthehistoryofthe ultimatelygivethetaxpayervalueformoney. thesmoketocomeonandhavepulledupinto
RedArrows.Notonlyisitthe50th EverytimeIstrapintomyjetbeforeadisplay, thefirstmanoeuvreofthedisplay,anynerves
seasonofdisplayflyingforthe IamacutelyawareoftheresponsibilityIhave instantlydrainawayandIamconcentrating
team,italsorepresentsthedesire ofleadingtheteamsafely. completelyonbeingassmoothaspossible
oftheRoyalAirForcetodemonstratepublicly AsIrunintostartthedisplay,Iam forallthepilotsonmywing.Attimesduring
thatitspilots,engineersandsupportstaffare thinkingabouttheweather,thecloudbase thedisplay,Idogettheoccasional
amongthebestintheworld,capableof andwindmostly,andtheconditionsoftheday opportunitytolookatthecrowdalthough
achievingexcellencethroughhardwork requiresubtlemodificationstoeveryshowI theotherpilotsarenotallowedtodothat!
andteamwork. fly.WithgoodweatherImightbeabletostart Bytheendoftheshow,Iamfilledwith
IhavebeenflyingintheRAFforover20 withafulldisplay;thatisIcanflythevertical exhilarationanditcantakequiteawhile
yearsandinthattimeIhavebeenfortunateto manoeuvresthatrequire6000ftofairspace.I tocomebackdowntoearth.
haveflownsomewonderfulaircraft,travelled mayhavetoadjustthepositionofsome Formepersonally,leadingtheteamhas
extensivelyaroundtheworldonexerciseand manoeuvrestoputthelooporrollbetween presentedanumberofverysignificant
operationsandmetpeoplewhowillbefriends somecloudsorImayhavetochangetothe challengesoverthelastthreeyears,butI
forlife.Butthehighlightofmytimehas, rollingorflatdisplays. knowthatwhenIlookbackonmycareerin
withoutdoubt,beentheflyingIhavedoneon Weareoneoftheonlyteamsintheworld theRAF,mytimewiththeRedArrowswillbe
theRedArrowsandasIapproachtheendof thatcanmodifythedisplayintheairand theachievementIammostproudof.
whatwillbemyfinalyearontheteam,Ican changebetweenthethreedifferenttypesof Theteamoftodayisproudtocontinue
sensethatIwillneverbeabletorepeatthe displayatamoment’snotice.Wearealsoone thetraditionofexcellenceestablishedby
pride,jobsatisfactionandthesheer oftheonlyteamsintheworldthatwilldisplay pastteamsandwehopethepubliccontinues
exhilarationofflyingontheRedArrows. ina1000ftcloudbase.Wecandothissafely toenjoywatchingusdisplayformanyyears
Itiscertainlyfarfrombeinganeasyjob! becausewegetplentyofpracticewithlow tocome.
Weallfeelaconstantpressuretoperform,to cloudintheUKduringtraining! ■SquadronLeaderJimTurner,Red1
6 WELCOMETOTHEREDARROWS–50THDISPLAYSEASON

TheRedArrowsin‘BigBattle’.
EJvanKoningsveld
50 years of Eclat
Excellence in ever y way
I
nMay1996IwalkedintotheRed Onmanyoccasionstheteamwouldalsobe
ArrowsofficeatRAFCranwelltomeet ondisplaynotaspilotsandengineers,butas
SquadronLeaderTonyCunnane,their people,ambassadorsfortheRAF,forindustry
genialandenthusiasticpublicrelations andinfactforGreatBritain,meetingVIPs
officerandamanofmanytalents.My fromroyalfamilies,governmentsand
proposal:toprovidetheteamwithitsfirst industriesfromallovertheworld.Iknowhow
officialwebsite,freeofcharge,astheflagship tiredtheymusthavebeen,butin11yearsI
formynewwebcompany. neversawthemallowittoshowonce.
ThesitewentliveinJune1996withTony Ialsosawmistakesandaccidents,anatural
providingawealthofmaterialfromtheteam’s partofhumanbeingsinvolvedinsucha Theverywelltitled‘ShowStopper’,the
prodigiousarchiveandmaintainingthenews complexendeavourasanaerobaticteam, SynchroPaircross.SpencerTrickett
pageswithaflowofstoriesovertheyears.Iam especiallyonethatattainedsuchadegreeof
proudtosaythatweranthatsite,stillfreeof perfection.Iwasalsoawareofthedeathsthat
charge,untilMarch2007whenitwasabsorbed someofthesesadlycaused,andwhatthis ridingscootersfromLand’sEndtoJohn
intheMinistryofDefencereorganisationof degreeofexcellencecostinhumanterms.In o’Groats.
webservices.Idonotrelatethisstorytoboast, allofthisobservation,thelittleknownfactI Theyvoluntarilyachieveallofthisontop
buttoexplainhowIlearnedsomethinglittle discoveredabouttheteamisthattheir oftheirservicecommitmentsanddisplay
knownabouttheRedArrows. professionalismandspiritextendsfarbeyond flying.WhatIlearnedisthatbeingamember
IhavewatchedtheteamdisplaysinceI theaircraft.Itisaspiritthatmanifestsitselfin oftheRedArrowsisfarmorethanbeinga
firstsawthematRAFTernhillin1965;thenin manyways. pilotoranengineer.Itisaselfless
the11yearsIworkedonthesiteIlearneda Aswellastheirofficialengagements,on commitmenttoaheritageandareputation,to
greatdealmoreaboutthem,asateamandas everypossibleoccasionbetweenshowsthe belongingtoateaminitstruestsense.Inso
individuals.Iwatchedthenewpilotsunder teamtaketimetomeetwiththeirmanyfans, manyways,theytrulyarethebestofBritish.
training,thesheerefforttheyputinto signingjustabouteveryprogramme, Allbest,
learning,andjusthowtiredtheywereatthe brochureanditemofclothingimaginable,
endofeachlongday. chattingamiablyandansweringquestionson
DuringtheseasonImetupwiththeteam justaboutanything,fromflyingaHawkto
atlocationsallovertheworld,oftenduringa theirfavouritemusic.
dayofthreeorevenfourdisplays,interspersed Theyhaveformedtrustsandassisted
withlongtransitflightsandseveralflypasts.At manycharities,attendingavastnumber
farflunglocationsIwatchedengineerschange ofcharitableevents;theairandground
engineswithaminimumofequipment, crewalsoorganisingtheirownfundraising
swelteringintropicalheat. challengesasvariedasrunningmarathonsto ■Words:TimCallaway
8 50YEARSOFECLAT–EXCELLENCEINEVERYWAY

Born
war
in
RAF
Aerobatic Teams
From the First World War to the Red Pelicans
The establishment of the Red Arrows, the official Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team or RAFAT as it is
properly known, was presaged by a wide variety of display teams, some official, some less so. Many
of these teams were formed by groups of pilots within a single squadron or training unit, adopting
the unit’s name or some facet of their base’s location as the team’s identity; hence some of the
stranger names to be found within these pages.
F
romearlyinthehistoryof Thisofcoursemeantthatallthepilotsofa hadadvancedbeyondthem.TheoldFirst
militaryflight,formation formationhadtobeabletoseetheleaderin WorldWarstyleofconcentratingontheleader
manoeuvresbyaircraftwere ordertorespondtohisdirections.However, andholdingacloseformationpreventedpilots
foundtobeusefulinwar,initially oncebattlewasjoined,combatflyingtypically fromeffectivelyscanningthesky,andthe
amongmulti-crewaircraftwhere returnedtoeverymanforhimselfinthe formationsthemselvesweretoounwieldyand
thecloseproximityofothergunnerscould meleeofamulti-aircraftdogfight.The cumbersometoreactquicklytoattack.
covertheblindspotsofeachaircraftwithinthe necessityofgettingalargeformationof Themorespread-outGerman‘FingerFour’
formation,bettertoguardagainstattack. fightersintopositiontobeginanattackmeant or‘Schwarme’formationoftwopairsof
Asmilitaryflyingdevelopedduringthe thatcloseformationflyingbecamethenorm fighters,whichwasbothflexibleandallowed
FirstWorldWar,singlefightersonpatrolsoon evenforsingleseaters,withtheabilityto allofthepilotstolookforthepresenceof
gavewaytoflights,thenlargerformationsas manoeuvretogetherwhilemaintainingthe enemyaircraft,wasswiftlyadoptedandused
eachsideintheconflictstrovetoachieveair formationbecomingavitalpartofsquadron invariousguisesfortherestofthewarby
superioritytoallowtheirbombersand andlaterwingtrainingandtactics.Survival mostoftheairforcesinvolvedinit.
reconnaissanceaircrafttodotheirwork wasanunforgivingbuteffectiveteacher. ButtoreturntotheFirstWorldWar,
unmolested.Thelackofradiosmeanthand ThecontinuanceintotheSecondWorldWar experienceincombatshowedthatformation
signalsweretheorderofthedaytoallowa ofthesecloseformationtacticswastocause flyingwasarequiredskill,andtheabilityto
leadertocontrolhisformation,sometimes thelossofmanyRAFfighterpilotsearlyinthe manoeuvrefullywhileinformationwasa
supplementedbyflaresasarallyingsignal. conflictasthespeedandtechnologyoffighters particularskillrequiredbyfighterpilots.By
10 BORNINWAR–RAFAEROBATICTEAMS