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They were formed in 1965 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by various RAF commands. Initially they were equipped with seven Folland Gnat trainers, these being less expensive to operate than the front-line fighters. In their first season they flew at 65 shows across Europe and had been awarded the Britannia Trophy by the Royal Aero Club.

In 1966 the team was increased to nine members, enabling them to develop their trademark 3*3 Diamond Nine formation. In 1979 they switched to the BAE Hawk trainer. The Red Arrows have now given shows in over 50 countries, all over the world.

Since December 21, 2000, the Red Arrows have been based at RAF Scampton, near Lincoln.

1 See also:

• Red Arrows' predecessors, the Black Arrows
• RAAF aerobatic team: the RoulettesThe Roulettes are the Royal Australian Air Force formation aerobatic display team. They provide about 150 flying displays a year, in Australia and in friendly countries around the South-east Asian region. The Roulettes form part of the RAAF Central Flying
• USAF aerobatic team: the ThunderbirdsThe Thunderbirds are the Air Demonstration Squadron of the United States Air Force, successors to the " Skyblazers. The Squadron was activated, after 6 months training in an unofficial status, on June 1, 1953 as the 3600th Air Demonstration Team at Luke A
• USN aerobatic team: the Blue AngelsUS Navy Blue Angels in tight diamond formation. The United States Navy's Blue Angels or Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, was formed at the end of World War II, by order of Admiral Chester Nimitz, the Chief of Naval Operations, to keep the public intere
• Canadian aerobatic team: the SnowbirdsThe Canadian Forces Snowbirds is Canada's aerobatic team. Unlike The United States' Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, the Snowbirds perform with nine airplanes, which give them more variations in formation and flying patterns. The Snowbirds have flown for ove
• Indian aerobatic team: the Surya KiranSurya Kiran (literally meaning, Sun Rays), is the aerobatic demonstration team of the Indian Air Force, successors to the Thunderbolts . The squadron is primarily composed of the indigenously manufactured fighter, the Kiran Mk II, and they're based at the
• Italian aerobatic team: the Frecce TricoloriFrecce Tricolori (Tricolor Arrow) is the precision aerobatic demonstration team for the Italian Air Force. The team flies the Aermacchi MB-339-A/PAN, a two-seat fighter-trainer and anti-tank craft capable of roughly 898 km/h at sea level. Unfortunately, m

2 External link

• Red Arrows home page