Team History
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
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