The Red Arrows - A Personal Perspective
I was very impressed with the Italian Team when I saw them....and agree that the Snowbirds put on a good show too.
aa62 - 
Looking up the details on YT, there was an initial 'inter-breeding' from the Black Arrows but the Diamonds soon developed their own routines. As with the 'Blacks', they had the definite visual advantage of the Hunter - still the best looking fighter aircraft - by a country mile !!
Looking up the details on YT, there was an initial 'inter-breeding' from the Black Arrows but the Diamonds soon developed their own routines. As with the 'Blacks', they had the definite visual advantage of the Hunter - still the best looking fighter aircraft - by a country mile !!
I used to enjoy watching the Patrouille SuisseHunter teams, for that reason, up to 1994 when they stopped flying the Hunter. They were the only team I enjoyed watching after the Reds stopped using the Gnat back in 1979.
My Father was at Yeovilton Air Day in 1975 (?) when one flew so low across the airfield, the wing tip hit the ground, taking out the nav light! This event was verified by our neighbour who was a 'SHARKS' pilot on 705NAS who also witnessed it!
Scary stuff.
Scary stuff.
Annual Airshow at the Agusta factory in Vergiate.....PA announces the Italian Team.....no Team seen or heard.....me thinking typical Italians...never on time as usual.....when from behind the crowd which was in front of the factory buildings on the apron facing the runway......arrive the Team trailing smoke just barely clearing the roof of the buildings!
You did not hear them until they passed directly overhead at not very high above you.....terrific effect on the crowd!!!!
Multi-colored smoke curled down on the crowd and the team raced off into their performance where was absolutely professionally done with real elan!
That was followed up by a fellow in a Glider doing aerobatics to music.....which also was very well done.
You did not hear them until they passed directly overhead at not very high above you.....terrific effect on the crowd!!!!
Multi-colored smoke curled down on the crowd and the team raced off into their performance where was absolutely professionally done with real elan!
That was followed up by a fellow in a Glider doing aerobatics to music.....which also was very well done.
Gentleman Aviator
My Father was at Yeovilton Air Day in 1975 (?) when one flew so low across the airfield, the wing tip hit the ground, taking out the nav light! This event was verified by our neighbour who was a 'SHARKS' pilot on 705NAS who also witnessed it!
In 18 Farnborough Airshows, they always got 'on our wicks' somewhat every time, OC Flying threated to ground the singletons quite often for cutting it too close.
When I did a course at Leeming in '79, I was amazed that the same attitude was ripe there; frequent 'remarks' about them being cowboys eg 'precision pilots the Red Arrows, anybody else would have missed that mast'.etc. (ie the mast in the marina at Brighton)
When I did a course at Leeming in '79, I was amazed that the same attitude was ripe there; frequent 'remarks' about them being cowboys eg 'precision pilots the Red Arrows, anybody else would have missed that mast'.etc. (ie the mast in the marina at Brighton)
Teetering - no, it was definitely 1970s and they were flying the G91. Had that occasion been in the 80s, I would have been there too.
However, it wouldn't surprise me if they did it again at a later date! I've also seen an image of the mounted nav light been presented to the pilot...
However, it wouldn't surprise me if they did it again at a later date! I've also seen an image of the mounted nav light been presented to the pilot...
I suspect that all teams have their 'moments'. We were tasked from TH to do a photo sortie at Little Riss for the Reds wing man crash on the hill there. The foliage damage indicated just what a small margin there was between 'close' and the actual 'too close'. Tragic, RIP
Yes it was in the early 70's.. Photos were afterwards taken of a long curving gash across the grass!
Last edited by Haraka; 21st Sep 2022 at 10:08.
Haraka - thanks.
I have a pic somewhere (think it was posted of FB) of one of the early displays at VL - quite amazing and scary in equal measure. I believe Cdr Air at VL hit the roof as they just did what they wanted, ignoring all rules and instruction!
I have a pic somewhere (think it was posted of FB) of one of the early displays at VL - quite amazing and scary in equal measure. I believe Cdr Air at VL hit the roof as they just did what they wanted, ignoring all rules and instruction!
Actually within sensible parameters the lower you are the easier it is. Try to judge position over a ground feature at 50’ compared to say 200’. Similarly the closer the easier in formation. Some OC Flying’s didn’t appreciate that until someone had a word.
Chevron,
‘The Mast’ has been covered in depth. Suffice it to say that the synchro cleared the display on their first pass and then some clown sailed onto the display line to get a closer look. Rightly the boys were looking at each other not expecting a mast from stage right. The pilot was and is a very sharp professional aviator.
‘The Mast’ has been covered in depth. Suffice it to say that the synchro cleared the display on their first pass and then some clown sailed onto the display line to get a closer look. Rightly the boys were looking at each other not expecting a mast from stage right. The pilot was and is a very sharp professional aviator.
Chevron,
‘The Mast’ has been covered in depth. Suffice it to say that the synchro cleared the display on their first pass and then some clown sailed onto the display line to get a closer look. Rightly the boys were looking at each other not expecting a mast from stage right. The pilot was and is a very sharp professional aviator.
‘The Mast’ has been covered in depth. Suffice it to say that the synchro cleared the display on their first pass and then some clown sailed onto the display line to get a closer look. Rightly the boys were looking at each other not expecting a mast from stage right. The pilot was and is a very sharp professional aviator.
From the MoD's Accident Summary:
"There was no embargo on boat movements during the display and therefore no reason for the skipper of the yacht to suspect that his passage would hazard the Synchro Pair."
