Black Arrows
Encyclopedia
The Black Arrows, one of the predecessors of the current Royal Air Force
Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows
, were an aerobatic demonstration team formed in the 1950s from 111 Squadron
(treble-one). One of the many memorable feats accomplished by the Black Arrows was the execution of a 22-plane formation loop in 1958 at the Society of British Aircraft Constructors' show at Farnborough This was a world record for the greatest number of aircraft looped in formation, and remains unbroken to this day.
The Black Arrows flew Hawker Hunter
s and were based at RAF Wattisham
in Suffolk
.
Prior to this the Black Arrows were actually formed at RAF North Weald. It was only later that they were transferred to RAF Wattisham.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows
Red Arrows
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton, but due to move to RAF Waddington in 2011...
, were an aerobatic demonstration team formed in the 1950s from 111 Squadron
No. 111 Squadron RAF
No. 111 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland until March 2011, when the squadron was disbanded, ending the Tornado F3's RAF service.-In World War I:...
(treble-one). One of the many memorable feats accomplished by the Black Arrows was the execution of a 22-plane formation loop in 1958 at the Society of British Aircraft Constructors' show at Farnborough This was a world record for the greatest number of aircraft looped in formation, and remains unbroken to this day.
The Black Arrows flew Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s and were based at RAF Wattisham
RAF Wattisham
RAF Wattisham was a Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold War it was a major front-line air force base...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
.
Prior to this the Black Arrows were actually formed at RAF North Weald. It was only later that they were transferred to RAF Wattisham.
Aircraft used
| Airplane | Number | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Hawker Hunter Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary... |
4 | 1955 — 1956 |
| 5 | 1956 — 1958 | |
| 9 | 1958 — 1960 |
External links
- Videos of the Black Arrows' last ever show, in Barcelona
- Red Arrows website, accessed on 1 May 2007.
- Black Arrows history at RAF website through the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
- Black Arrows history at RAF website through the Internet Archive