yes, whats the point? i did my formation work with a Alpha 160, cruise 120Kts, and a Savannah VG, cruise 87 Kts, to keep formation with a Savannah required full flap.
and what relevance does the full flap formation have to do with the tragic events that unfolded? trying to imply something?
Come off the grass. To the average experienced formation pilot there certainly was something out of the ordinary to be flying in very close formation with landing flap down in an LSA.. That's a helluva lot of drag. The OP simply made a casual observation. There was no inference that the pilot of the Alpha concerned was being a smart-arse for the photographer.
Normally in formation flying one uses the power to adjust the required speed; not putting the flaps up and down. Have you watched the RAAF Roulettes aerobatic team doing their formation aerobatics? Have yet to see them drop landing flaps to keep in formation.