RAF Teams from the past
Black Arrows
Blue Diamonds
Civil Hunter(Blue Diamonds paint)
Firebirds
Red Pelicans
Yellowjacks
The Tigers
We present you only old Red Arrows airplanes, because it's not difficult to find today's Red Arrows gallery.
In 1955 111st 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 the name Black Arrows. Next year they increase their number to 9 planes and in 1958 during the demonstrative week in Farnborough they perform looping and roll in formation of 22 Hunter airplanes which is a record until now.
In 1961 the Blue Diamonds from the 92nd squadron become the official aerobatic team of RAF. They have 16 Hunter airplanes painted in blue and during a demonstration they split onto two formations - 7 and 9 aircrafts. The team is formed in 1960 and exists till 1962.
From 1962 till 1963, the official aerobatic team of RAF become the Tigers from 74th squadron. They are equipped with nine English Electric Lightning aircrafts and are the first team in the whole world which uses airplanes reaching Mach2 (twice as the speed of sound).
From 1963 till 1964 the official aerobatic team of RAF become the Firebirds which also fly on nine English Electric Lightning aircrafts but they are from 56th squadron and are painted in silver and red. This is the last RAF team which uses fighters.
From 1964 till 1965 the official aerobatic team of RAF become the Red Pelicans who fly on 6 training Jet Provost T Mk4 airplanes from the Central Flying School at the Kemble airbase.
In 1964 is formed another team from five yellow-painted training Folland Gnat aircrafts from Fourth Air School. The aim is to demonstrate the abilities of this kind of airplane in Farnborough. For the commander of this team is appointed the ex-Black Arrows member, Fl. Lt. Lee Jones. The team is called Yellowjacks and exists till 1965.
After the end of the war in 1947 is formed the first RAF aerobatic team on jet planes - three Vampire aircrafts from Odiham fighter wing. Later 54th squadron forms a team from five Vampire; that is the first RAF aerobatic team which uses smoke in its demonstrations and the first one which uses Hunter aircrafts.
54th Squadron
An instructor with the Central Flying School Flight Lieutenant C R Gordon led a team of four Gloucester Meteor T7 aircraft as the Central Flying School's official team during the 1952 and 1953 seasons. The Meteorites were the first RAF display team to be given a name; until that time display teams were known only by the squadron numbers. The Meteor aircraft retained their standard bare metal (silver) colours; towards the end of the season they gained high visibility yellow anti-collision training stripes. The Meteorites disbanded at the end of the 1953 season.
The Meteorites
Hawker Fury aerobatic team
Gloster Gauntlet aerobatic team
Thanks to Wagner Nascimento for a help to increase this page
