A NEW tailfin design has been unveiled on jets of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, to celebrate its 50th display season.
The makeover is the most significant change to the look of the Team’s famous aircraft in its history.
In the shape of a Union flag, the striking new tail design reflects the Best of British and emphasises the Red Arrows’ role as ambassadors for the United Kingdom and as the public face of the Royal Air Force.
The new tailfin is in celebration of the Red Arrows’ 50th display season in 2014 and was unveiled today at the Team’s home – RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire.
All of the Team’s jets are receiving the fresh look, although their iconic red and white fuselage remains unchanged.
Squadron Leader Jim Turner, Team Leader and Red 1, who revealed the tailfin at this morning’s ceremony, had input into the design.
He said: “The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, are extremely proud of our heritage and we hope this tailfin design brings with it a sense of pride for both past members of the Team and for members of the public to share in.
“I wanted a design created that reflected the very British soul of the Red Arrows while keeping it simple and achievable in terms of both time and cost.
“Repainting the entire aircraft would have taken too long and been too costly and I think the balance has been struck perfectly.
“The Red Arrows capture both the spirit of British excellence and the quality of its engineering and I hope we are able to continue inspiring young people to join the Royal Air Force in the future.”
This year will be the 50th display season for the Red Arrows, whose motto is Eclat – meaning excellence.
Since that first performance in May 1965, millions of people all around the world have been thrilled with the Team’s trademark precision flying, impressive formations, close-passes and dynamic loops and rolls.
The Team originally flew Gnat jets but switched to the BAE Systems Hawk, which it still flies today, for the 1980 season.
Designed by the Air Media Centre at RAF High Wycombe, the tailfin design features outlines of both aircraft types as a tribute to the Team’s heritage and current operations.
Red Arrows 2014 Schedule
May
31 The Pendennis Cup, Falmouth, Cornwall
June
3 Isle of Man TT Races, Ramsey, IOM
3 Isle of Man TT Races, Douglas, IOM
5 Portsmouth D-Day 70th Anniversary and Commemoration, Portsmouth, Hants
7 Folkestone Airshow, Folkestone, Kent
7 70th Anniversary of D-Day Launching from RAF Lymington, Lymington, Hants
8 Bob Jones Memorial Airshow, Welshpool, Powys
8 RAF Cosford Airshow, RAF Cosford, Shropshire
14 1st Biggin Hill Festival of Flight, Biggin Hill, Kent
15 Isle of Wight Festival, Newport, Isle of Wight
20-21 Luchtmachtdagen, Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands
21 Weston Air Festival, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset
22 Karup Airshow, Karup, Denmark
23 Victory Day Celebrations, Tallinn, Estonia
27-28 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Goodwood, West Sussex
28 Armed Forces Day National Event, Stirling, Scotland
29 Clipper Homecoming Festival, Londonderry
July
5-6 RAF Waddington International Air Show, RAF Waddington
6 British Formula One Grand Prix, Silverstone
11-13 Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford
18-20 Farnborough International Airshow, Farnborough
24 Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week, Lyme Regis, Dorset
25-27 Sunderland International Air Show, Sunderland
26 East Fortune Airshow, East Fortune, East Lothian
27 Cleethorpes Festival of Flight, Cleethorpes, Lincs
August
8 Cowes Week, Cowes, Isle of Wight
9 Newcastle Festival of Flight, Newcastle, County Down
10 Blackpool Airshow, Blackpool
10 Whitby Regatta, Whitby, North Yorks
13 Minehead Summer Festival, Minehead, Somerset
13 Falmouth Week, Falmouth, Cornwall
14-17 Airbourne, Eastbourne International Airshow, Eastbourne, East Sussex
17 Sywell Airshow, Sywell, Northants
20 Cromer Carnival, Cromer, Norfolk
20 Weymouth Carnival and Airshow, Weymouth, Dorset
21 Fowey Royal Regatta, Fowey, Cornwall
22 Clacton Airshow, Clacton, Essex
23 Dawlish Airshow, Dawlish, Devon
23 Carfest South, Overton, Hants
24 Dunsfold Wings and Wheels, Dunsfold Park, Surrey
24 Coventry Festival of Motoring, Stoneleigh, Leics
25 Hoylake RNLI Open Day, Hoylake, Wirral
28-31 Bournemouth International Air Festival, Bournemouth, Dorset
29 Dartmouth Regatta, Dartmouth, Devon
30 Barry at War Weekend, Barry Island, Glamorgan
31 Rhyl Airshow, Rhyl, Denbighshire
September
5 Great Ormond Street Hospital Fundraiser, Pangbourne, Berks
6 Air 14 Airshow, Payerne Airbase, Switzerland
7 Northern Ireland International Airshow, Portrush, Coleraine
11 RAFA Guernsey Air Display, St Peter Port, Guernsey
11 Jersey International Air Display, St Aubin’s Bay, Jersey
13-14 Belgian Air Force Days, Kleine Brogel, Belgium
14 Duxford Airshow
20-21 Southport Airshow, Southport
21 Rennes Airshow, Rennes, France
22 Military Hospital Anniversary Celebrations, Mahon, Menorca, Spain
25 Athens Flying Week Preview, Athens, Greece
27-28 Malta International Airshow, Luqa Airport, Malta
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