Black Arrows
In 1955 111th squadron forms an unofficial team from four Meteor F8 airplanes. In 1956 they move on Hawker Hunter F6 and receive a statute of an official RAF aerobatic team. In the same year the airplanes are five and are specially painted in black. They receive its name after display at Paris Air Show in 1957, when French journalist referred the team as Black Arrows. Next year they increase their number to 9 planes and in 1958 during the demonstration week in Farnborough they perform looping and roll in formation of 22 Hunter airplanes which is a record until now. In that year the team's planes are equipped with white smoke generators.
On 30 April 1957 during the five-ship landing after a short demonstration at North Weald, the last fifth plane landed much harder then others and starts to bounce leaving the runway. Pilot survive with minor injures and the following day he flies again. Again bad luck follows the Black Arrows in 8 June same year, when during practice flight in five-ship formation, two of the Hunters collided in mid-air, causing the fatal crash for a one of the pilots. The other involved in the collision pilot succeed to land its plane with a lot of damages.
At the end of 1960 the Black Arrows aerobatic teams is disbanded.
Thanks to Wagner Nascimento for a help to increase this page
We present you only old Red Arrows airplanes, because it's not difficult to find today's Red Arrows gallery.
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