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Old 18th Dec 2003, 20:53
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Aerohack
 
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The Yellowjacks were formed in 1964 at 4 FTS, RAF Valley. The name was derived from a 4 FTS R/T callsign prefix. Leader was Flight Lieutenant Lee Jones, a veteran of 111 Sqn's Black Arrows. It was a five-ship team, drawing from a pool of nine (or maybe ten) Gnats. Their first public show was at RNAS Culdrose 25 July 1964, and at the 1964 Farnborough Air Show The Yellowjacks formated with the CFS's JP-equipped The Red Pelicans before starting their individual displays. The Gnats were painted in a bright lemon yellow overall, but I don't think they had any distinguishing logo or badge, except for a pair of 'moon eyes' above the nose light. The Red Arrows was formed as a permanent RAF display team by the CFS in 1965, again with Lee Jones as leader, and using the former Yellowjacks aircraft, repainted, and initially flew as a seven-ship, increasing to nine in mid-1966 under Ray Hanna's leadership.
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