The Reds flew their first 9 ship formation today, look forward to seeing them flying over Lincolnshire for many more years to come!!

Don't the Blue Angels use bog standard Hornets instead of Super Hornets?

Not an argument in favour, merely an observation.

Does this include the Boscombe Down based aircraft, RAFCAM/ETPS?

No, they converted to the newer jet.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....11db8d4875.jpg

Not anymore, they're switching to Super Hornets this year.

Well I'm glad that you do, but if you live within a 10 mile radius of Scampton, for the past 2 years they have been a total pain in the rear. Roll on when they can go to Cyprus or Greece for their spring work up and give everyone a break.
Yes, I was here before they were and, yes, I did do 22 years on the much noisier V force.

Was wondering that myself...is it a serious possibility? Would the extra hourly cost be outweighed by the benefit of not maintaining an additional type? (They could always lock off the afterburners to save fuel!)

Chances of the Tranche 1 Typhoons going to the Reds........:ugh::rolleyes:

Which part of retired by 2025, along with the Hawk T.1s did you miss. Still you could always sweep round a few scrappies for the remnants of the Tranche 1 Twins seaters. or the 3 used for GIAs and as for the Tranche 2s. If you Borrow the jet Warton use, you can make a 6 ship.

Anyway I thought the Reds having taken a lot of newer ex TWU airframes on means they have had the replacement wings, fuselage behind the cockpit and triggers broom adaptions

They’ve dragged that out then! I heard the only new member was the one at the very front, everyone else in the same position as last year!!

Don't do yourself down, I think this might actually be the answer to the confusion over the announcement. Aren't the Reds aircraft all T1As? So the T1s are being retired, the T1As aren't, and the stockpile of T1 spares will keep the latter going into the 2030s?

The Canadian Snowbirds seem to have been doing ok as the sole remaining operator of the Canadair CT-114 Tutor since 2000....

It’s a shame they didn’t bin the Reds at the same time, there might have been an uproar over the cuts in the media then.

So do you think they will now stand down 736 Naval Air Sqn and stand back up their predecessors FRADU and hand them their Hawks as a Civilian operation?

The Blues have transitioned to Super Hornets.

Why not give the Reds a dozen to be pensioned off Typhoons and represent the cutting edge and not the blunt side of the sword..?

What, all six of them?.

Trumpet Trousers
 

Have they though? Really?

Remember the Snowbirds do not have an industry promotion remit.

BV

Decommissioning of 736 announced some months back and now imminent IIRC.

Which is why they won't get binned, as while they exist, Joe Public are oblivious to the ever shrinking RAF....because all they 'see' is the Reds.

The RAF could shrink to the size of the Irish Air Corps, and the Reds would likely still survive...!

Not for long, the RCAF is looking to replace its wider training force under the Canadian Future Aircrew Training Programme (FAcT). Contenders include Leonardo's M-345, which the company is also pitching as a Snowbirds replacement. Suggest whichever platform wins, it will be the new mount for the Snowbirds.