Blue Eagles

Associated sites:
Army Historic Aircraft Flight | The Museum of Army Flying | Army Air Corps Recruiting

Blue Eagles Team Displays – Biggin Hill International Air Fair – 18 & 19 September 2004

The final display of the year turned out to be the crowning achievement on this long season for the Blue Eagles. At the award presentation, an annual feature of this prestigious event, the Blue Eagles were jointly awarded the Shell Trophy for the best Team display, along with their colleagues in the Army Historic Aircraft Flight. The Team display began as a joint one with the AHAF for the first and only time this season. The sight of eleven aircraft in a close formation flypast was a stirring one, reflecting the entire history of the Army Air Corps from its formation to the present day. After the flypast the Teams broke off to perform their individual displays, both of which were met with loud applause from the large crowds. After the display, the Blue Eagles pilots attended a poster signing at the Wingspan tent and a queue of over 200 people quickly gathered! The Saturday show was hampered a little by the weather, but the Sunday show was performed in bright sunshine. On the way back to Middle Wallop, the Team departed with the rotary winged section of the AHAF, then later flew two flypasts before returning to the home airfield for the last time. What a way to end the season!

All photographs Keith Draycott, Lee Barton and Tim Callaway.

The initial flypast ran in over the Battle of Britain set piece display….	….before the two Teams broke to perform their individual displays.

The Saturday crossover break….	….was caught from two angles.

Al Scott and Al Rickers did a perfect 90 up 90 down bunt.	The finale tail-chase was impressive against the dark sky.

Major Bill Wright, the leader of the AHAF, and AL Rickers, Eagle Lead, accept the Shell Trophy for the best team display.	The triumphant Teams!

Sunday morning, Adrian presented the Biggin Hill display organiser, Mr Jock Maitland, with a Blue Eagles presentation plaque.	The Team were also interviewed by Garrison Radio from the Aldershot area.

The Sunday flypast began just as the cloud broke.	Keith decided that closeups were the order of the day in the sunlight, as this shot of the crossover break testifies!

The Lynx in a pedal turn.	Al and Al in their simultaneous pedal turns.

Close up of Al Rickers coming out of the pedal turn.	Al Scott pulls round a 270 degree turn in….

….extreme….	….close up!

Graham and Ed in the backflip.	Nige in closeup going….

….over the top….	….and around the heart.

What did Adrian blag this week? How about a Spitfire Mk9! Paul Day kindly allowed Adrian access to everyone’s boyhood dream!

Click here to see highlights from the rest of Sunday’s display, the transit and the flypasts.

Archived news is available by clicking here.

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