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History
Since the first aerial pageant at Hendon in 1920, formation aerobatics have been held in high regard by the Royal Air Force. In the barnstorming days before the Second World War no air display would be complete without the sight of two or more biplanes flying in close proximity, often tied together. With the dawn of the jet age, piston engine aircraft were replaced by the faster and more dramatic of the new front-line jet fighters.
The first RAF jet team was formed in 1947 and consisted of three Vampires from the Odiham Wing in Hampshire. By 1950 72 Squadron was flying a team of seven Vampires and 54 Squadron, with their five aircraft, were the first to use smoke. This was achieved by injecting diesel into the jet pipe where the high temperature turned it to white smoke. Rivalry between the RAF fighter squadrons was high and it became the trend for each to form its own team. When 54 Squadron re-equipped with the Hawker Hunter in 1955 they put together a four ship team know as the Black Knights. In 1956, 111 Squadron (Tremblers or Treble One) became the official RAF display team with their five gloss black Hunters. After displaying in France they were applauded as Les Fleches Noires and they soon became know throughout the Continent as the Black Arrows.
Two of those original aircraft remained in service until 1995, being used for groundcrew training at RAF Scampton. The RAF sold one to The Royal Jordanian Historic Aircraft Flight and the other to a private buyer in South Africa. In 1957 The Black Arrows were increased to nine aircraft. These were supplemented in 1958 by an additional 13 aircraft from other squadrons in order to perform a 22 aircraft loop and barrel roll at the Farnborough Air Show. This is the greatest number of aircraft ever looped in formation and remains a world record to this day.
The Tigers, of 74 Squadron, became the official RAF display team in 1962 with nine Mach 2 Lightnings. At that time 92 Squadron, with the Blue Diamonds, and 56 Squadron, with The Firebirds, could also be seen on the display circuit. In 1964 six Jet Provosts of The Central Flying School (CFS) became the official RAF team, known as The Red Pelicans.
The RAF were soon to realize that training aircraft were a much cheaper option to operate than the Lightning. The Squadrons, afterall, seemed to be spending more time at airshows and less time flying operational sorties. The Red Pelicans were not without their rivals and in that same year a five ship of yellow Gnats, known as The Yellow jacks, were formed at RAF Valley in North Wales by Flight Lieutenant Lee Jones. The Folland Gnat was the RAFs advanced jet trainer and its speed and agility made it the perfect machine for formation aerobatics. The following year Jones formed the official RAF display team with a seven ship of red Gnats and called them The Red Arrows.
Initially The Red Arrows were based at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire which was operated by CFS. The team was equipped with a total of ten Gnats although they continued to display seven until 1968. Each had its own three colour smoke generation system and a distinctive red, white and blue colours scheme. In that first year The Red Arrows performed 65 displays in the UK, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. At the end of that year they were awarded the Britannia Trophy by the Royal Aero Club in recognition of their outstanding contribution to British prestige in the field or aviation. Initially The Red Arrows employed a spare pilot, but soon found this practice to be unsatisfactory. The display routine is a complex one and any reserve pilot would be required to learn all the skills of his colleagues. Since he would rarely be called upon to fly in a display it would be difficult to keep him current and in time he would become frustrated. In the nineteen sixties much of the Central Flying School were located at airfields around the Cotswolds in the heart of England. It was there that the Team remained, moving from Fairford to Kemble, near Cirencester.
RAF Scampton, in Lincolnshire, became the Headquarters of CFS, and in 1983 The Red Arrows were relocated there. With the end of the Cold war, Scampton fell victim to defence cuts and the airfield closed at the end of 1995. In February 1996, after returning from tours of Africa, Australia and the Far East the Team settled into their new home at RAF Cranwell, where they share the airfield with the Bulldogs, Dominies and Jetstreams of CFS.
Although the public have always known them as the The Red Arrows their official name is The Royal Air force Aerobatic Team (RAFAT). This is the title that appears on the Squadrons crest together with the diamond nine and the motto Eclat, with means brilliance. When the team was first formed the original badge depicted seven red Gnats in Vulcan formation superimposed over the RAF roundel. Since 1968 The Red Arrows have performed as a nine ship display team and from that time the Diamond Nine shape has been their trademark.
Number six and seven are known as the Synchronised or Synchro Pair and are well known for their breathtaking crosses in front of the crowd.
The display routine has always been designed to keep the attention of the crowd and is split into two distinctive segments. Each year the team pilots create a display routine around this basic format. The complete routine lasts about twenty minutes, which some spectators think is not long enough. The team, however, believe in the philosophy that is always better to leave the crowd wanting more.
The first half of their display consists of aerobatic manoeuvres performed by all nine aircraft flying a variety of different shapes. Six and seven spend most of the first half in line astern on the leader, forming what is called the stem. In the second half the Synchro Pair split off from the other seven aircraft to perform their crosses, these are interlaced with the splits and rejoins of the main section. In previous years all nine aircraft would rejoin for the Parasol Break as the finale to the show.
The Red Arrows fly as two loose formations of five aircraft when transitting between displays. The Team Manager flies the spare. For many years now the front five have been nicknamed "Enid" after the famous five books by Enid Blighton. Six to ten are known as Gypo which comes from the word Gypsy. Perhaps this was due to the appearance of some of the pilots. 1979 was the last year that the Team flew the Gnat. The British Aerospace Hawk became the RAF's new jet trainer and the Red Arrows converted to it during the winter of 79/80. The Team began the 1980 display season with the new aircraft and a brand new colour scheme.
Seventy-five support personnel are required to keep the Team airborn. Six of these are involved in administration and planning, commanded by a Warrant Officer.
The remainder are engineers, of which 25 are designated as First Line and 41 are Second Line. First Line are responsible for servicing the aircraft away from the home base. They are commanded by a Flight Lieutenant Engineering Officer (Eng 1), who flies, together with nine of his engineers, to the displays, and collectively they are known as Circus. The remainder, if required, will travel by road. Second Line are responsible for the in-depth maintenance back at base and are also commanded by a Flight Lieutenant Engineering Officer (Eng 2).
In the 32 years that the Team has been in existence it has displayed in fifty countries. They perform over one hundred displays each year and have totalled more than 3400 to date. The 1000th show was flown in the summer of 1977 at Greenham Common. Nine years later the 2000th display was achieved in front of holiday crowds at Bournmouth sea front. The 3000th display was performed over the estuary at Dartmouth in August 1995. The Team has always fulfilled its role in promoting a positive image of the Royal Air Force and as an aid to recruiting, but more recently they have been called upon to promote the British Aerospace industry through displays at home and abroad.
The Red Arrows, through the many displays they perform each year, have become a household name and there is almost no one in the UK that does not know who or what they are. It is true to say that following recent tours to Africa, Asia and North America they are also becoming a worldwide name. This is a rare position to hold and should ensure that the Team remains a useful asset for many years to come.
by Flt Lt Mark Zanker |
No 111 Squadron was the premier team until 1961 when No 92 Squadron, The Blue Diamonds, carried on the tradition of the Black Arrows, introducing some new formations and flying 16 blue-painted Hunters. In 1960 and 1961 this 16 aircraft formation was at times split into seven and nine, so that one or other of the formations was always in front of the audience, a principle retained by the Red Arrows on a smaller scale.
In 1960, No 74 Squadron, The Tigers, was re-equipped with Lightnings and in 1961 performed wing-overs and rolls with nine aircraft in tight formation. In 1962 they became the RAF's premier team and were the first display team to fly Mach 2 aircraft. For a time they gave co-ordinated displays with the Blue Diamonds.
Five Lightnings of No. 74 Squadron, "The Tigers"
The nine red and silver Lightnings of No 56 Squadron appeared in 1963 as the Firebirds. However, since then, in keeping with general practice amongst most air forces, the leading display teams in the RAF have not been drawn from fighter squadrons, but have been composed of lighter aircraft in smaller formations. These teams are less expensive to operate and do not interfere with operational requirements.
In 1964 The Red Pelicans, flying six Jet Provost T Mk 4s, became the first Central Flying School (CFS) jet team to assume the role of the RAF's leading display team. In that same year a team of five yellow Gnat trainers was formed at No 4 Flying Training School at Valley, in time to work up a display for the Farnborough Airshow. Flight Lieutenant Lee Jones, a former member of the Black Arrows and the first Leader of the Gnat Aerobatic Team, adopted the radio callsign "Yellowjack" and the team quickly became known as the Yellowjacks. The then commandant of CFS, Air Commodore Bird-Wilson apparently hated the title and insisted on a name change. Flight Lieutenant Jones appeared to acquiesce to authority and for a short time the team was known by the preposterous name "Daffodil Patrol". Lee Jones, who had no fear of senior officers, knew that Bird Wilson would hate the new name even more and in due course the name reverted to Yellowjacks.
Folland Gnats of the Yellowjacks
(or was it the Daffodil Patrol?!)
By 1964 there were so many unofficial display teams that there was a danger of pilots spending more time practising formation aerobatics than carrying out operational training, and Jones was given the job of forming and leading a new team to represent the RAF as a whole. According to Jones, the Gnats of the Yellowjacks had by this time been painted red - probably to ensure that the name "Yellowjacks" could no longer be used - so when asked to suggest a name for the new team to Bird-Wilson, he said "let it be Red Arrows: Red for the colour, and Arrows in memory of the Black Arrows." Thus were the Red Arrows born.
 1. The Early Days 2. Into the Jet Age
3. A Plethora of Teams 4. The "Reds" Arrive
Team Photo Archives - 1965 to date
Countries in which the Reds have Displayed
Previous Red Arrows pilots
The Scampton Story
RAF Scampton historical notes from bases of Bomber Command
 Probably most well-known of all Bomber Command stations, Scampton is located partly on the site of a First World War landing ground known as Brattleby or Brattleby Cliff. Located four miles north of Lincoln, the first of several airfields built on the rise known as the Lincoln Cliff running north on the west side of the A15, the original station opened in 1916. A number of timber administration and barrack huts were erected and six large wooden hangars. Reserve squadrons were the first residents, soon joined by a flight of No. 33 Squadron's FE2bs for home defence.
By the spring of 1917 Brattleby, then known as Scampton, had become a training establishment supporting No. 60 Training Squadron. No. 81 Training Squadron was formed at the station in the summer and a third Training Squadron, No. 11, arrived from Grantham in September. In July 1918 these squadrons were incorporated in No. 34 training Depot Station which endured until April 1919, although its activities were severely reduced during the last four months of its existence. The landing ground was relinquished in January 1920 and within the next five years all buildings, including six hangars, were removed leaving little trace of wartime usage.
With the expansion of the RAF to meet developments in Germany during the 1930's, the Air Ministry turned first to abandoned First World War landing grounds when looking to build the required new airfields. The Scampton aerodrome site proved suitable although a larger acreage was required taking in farmland to the south in the parish of Scampton, a village to the west of the B1398. Compulsorily purchased in 1935, work took the best part of two years and the RAF appeared before completion. The camp area was placed in the south-east corner and accessed from the A15 which formed the eastern border of the station. Substantial flat-roofed brick buildings and four Type C hangars were erected. The weapons stores were further north on the eastern side of the airfield.
 By October 1936, No. 9 Squadron and its Heyfords and No. 214 Squadron with Virginias arrived from Northern Ireland with No. 3 Group administering the station. No. 214 converted to Harrows early in 1937 only to be transferred south to Feltwell in April. In June, 'C' Flight of No. 9 Squadron became the reformed No. 148 Squadron, flying Audax biplanes for two months while awaiting Wellesley monoplanes. In March 1938, the recently-formed No. 5 Group was given bomber stations in Lincolnshire so Nos. 9 and 148 Squadrons moved south to No. 3 Group's new station at Stradishall. Their place was taken by Nos. 49 and 83 Squadrons, ex-Worthy Down and Turnhouse respectively. Both surrendered their Hawker Hinds for Handley Page Hampdens later in the year.
P1333, a Handley Page Hampden B Mk I of 49 Squadron
P2125, a Handley Page Hampden B Mk I of 83 Squadron
With the outbreak of war, the most frequent operational commitment of the Hampdens was minelaying approaches to the enemy's ports. The first two Bomber Command VCs went to men form the Scampton squadrons. On August 12, 1940, Flight Lieutenant Roderick Learoyd's No. 49 Squadron Hampden was badly damaged by ground fire when he pressed home a low-level attack on the Dortmund-Ems canal.
The award was made for his conduct in this action and bringing the badly mauled bomber safely back to base. Sergeant John Hannah was a wireless operator/air gunner in a No. 83 Squadron Hampden which was set on fire from a direct flak hit in the bomb-bay while attacking invasion barges on September 15th, 1940.
Sergeant Hannah could have baled out but he stayed and fought the fire which enabled his Canadian pilot to fly the crippled machine back to Scampton. Sergeant Hannah was the youngest recipient of the VC for aerial operations during the war.
In December 1941, No. 83 Squadron began to receive Avro Manchesters with No. 49 using the type the following April.
L7453, an Avro Manchester B Mk I of 49 Squadron
R5833, an Avro Manchester B Mk IA of 83 Squadron
This troublesome aircraft had a limited operational use before it was gradually phased out (starting in May 1942) in favour of its four-engined successor, the Lancaster. No sooner had No. 83 converted to the Lancaster than it was selected as one of the squadrons for the new Pathfinder Force and departed to Wyton.
ED441, an Avro Lancaster B Mk I of 49 Squadron
R5852, an Avro Lancaster B Mk I of 83 Squadron
LM624, an Avro Lancaster B Mk III of 57 Squadron
Its replacement was No. 57 Squadron from Feltwell. In fact, this former No. 3 Group Wellington squadron was re-built with Lancaster crews and aircraft, becoming operational in October.
Early the following month, No. 467 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force-manned unit, was formed at Scampton to fly Lancasters in No. 5 Group. As was current practice, once in being it was transferred to another station, in this instance Bottesford. Then in January 1943, No. 49 Squadron was moved from its home of nearly five years to the new Scampton satellite at Fiskerton, apparently to allow both Squadrons to expand to three flights and 30 Lancasters each.
On March 15, 1943, a bomb accidentally released from a No. 57 Squadron Lancaster detonated and destroyed this and four visiting No. 50 Squadron aircraft parked nearby. Six days later No. 617 Squadron was formed at Scampton for the task of attacking the Ruhr dams with Barnes Wallis's rotating mine.
ED912, an Avro Lancaster B Mk III Special of 617 Squadron with the Dams mine in the bomb bay
The raid, carried out on the night of May 16/17, 1943, brought No. 617's leader, the legendary Wing Commander Guy Gibson, the station's third Victoria Cross.
At the end of August 1943, No. 57 Squadron moved to East Kirkby and No. 617 to Coningsby so that Scampton could be upgraded with concrete runways. In the early war years, 36 asphalt hardstandings had been built around the airfield and several of these were lost when the hard runways were added. These were 05-23 at 2000yds, 01-19 at 1500yds and 11-29 at 1400yds. A total of 11 loop hardstandings were laid down among the perimeter track to replace those lost or isolated by the construction. New bomb stores were fashioned on land north of the north-west corner of the airfield and a T2 erected nearby. Total accommodation available at Scampton at this time was for 1844 males and 268 females.
Work was not completed until the summer when a fighter affiliation unit, No 1690 Flight, moved in to conduct exercises for bomber defence training. As of October 1944, Scampton passed to No. 1 Group which immediately moved in the newly re-formed No. 153 Squadron with its Lancasters. No. 1687 Bomber Defence Training Flight took up station in December 1944 to perform much the same duties for No. 1 Group as No. 1960 BDT Flt had done for No. 5 Group.
At the end of March this unit moved to Hemswell and Scampton once again had two operational bomber squadrons when No. 625 arrived from Kelstern. The two Lancaster squadrons undertook their last bombing raids from Scampton on April 25, 1945 when they mounted an attack on Hitler's mountain retreat at Obersalzberg. During the war the total losses of all squadrons operating from Scampton was 266 aircraft. Of these 155 were Hampdens, 15 Manchesters and 95 Lancasters.
In the weeks following the last bombing raid, Nos. 153 and 625 participated in food drops and the ferrying of POWs and displaced persons before the units were disbanded in the early autumn. Within a month, however, No. 57 Squadron returned and No. 100 Squadron joined it in early December.
Both units were flying Lancasters but No. 57 prepared to convert to Lincolns and had just done so when both were transferred to Lindholme in May 1946. As with many other former bomber stations, Scampton then became host to training organizations, Bomber Command Instructors' School appearing in January 1947 and remaining for the next six years. From July 1947 to April the following year, runway strengthening and other upgrading was carried out.
Between July 1948 and February 1949 Scampton played host to 30 B-29 Superfortresses of the 28th Bomb Group of the US Strategic Air Command, being relieved by the 301st Bomb Group with a similar strength. This was because Scampton was one of the few stations with runways long enough and strong enough to sustain these large aircraft. When Strategic Air Command had no further use for Scampton, it became the home of No. 230 Operation Conversion Unit, specialising in Lincolns. In 1953 the station once again supported regular bomber squadrons, Nos. 10, 18, 21 and 27, all Canberra equipped, but by June 1955 all had been moved elsewhere so that Scampton could be redeveloped for heavy jet bomber use.
   
WH667, an English Electric Canberra B Mk 2 of 10 Squadron
The main runway was re-laid to Class 1 standard and extended to 3000yds necessitating a diversion of the A15. On completion of this work, No. 617 Squadron was re-formed at Scampton in May 1958 to fly Vulcans, joined in 1960 by another former resident, No. 83 Squadron, also on Vulcans.
XL321, an Avro Vulcan B Mk 2 of 617 Squadron
The latter squadron was disbanded in 1969. No. 230 OCU appeared again that year, its task being the preparation of Vulcan crews, and in 1973 a second regular Vulcan squadron was again added to the station complement when No. 27 was re-formed. Two years later a third Vulcan squadron appeared - No. 35.
 The V-Force remained in being until 1982 from when Scampton again reverted to a training role, the Central Flying School taking up station in September 1984 and remaining until 1996 when the station was closed. During this period Central Flying School operated Bulldog, Jet Provost, Tucano and Hawk aircraft.
The Red Arrows who had moved to Cranwell in 1996, however, returned to Scampton on 21 December 2000, when the station was re-activated. The RAF Aerobatic Team, to give the Team it's proper title, is the only Service user of the airfield.
XX260, a BAE SYSTEMS Hawk of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows
A civilian company carry out servicing of Tucano aircraft and the Old Flying Machine Company have various aircraft, including Hunters and a Buccaneer, in various stages of restoration in No 3 Hangar.
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