Royal Air Force Red Arrows trailing red, white and blue smoke as they pass over the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics, UK
The RAF's Red Arrows are seen trailing red, white and blue smoke in ' Big Nine ' as they pass over the Opening Ceremony in the Olympic Stadium for the London 2012 Olympics. 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. The team was formed in late 1964 as an all-RAF team, replacing a number of unofficial teams that had been sponsored by RAF commands. The Red Arrows badge shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation, with the motto Éclat, a French word meaning "brilliance" or "excellence". Initially, they were equipped with seven Folland Gnat trainers inherited from the RAF Yellowjacks display team. This aircraft was chosen because it was less expensive to operate than front-line fighters. In their first season, they flew at 65 shows across Europe. In 1966, the team was increased to nine members, enabling them to develop their Diamond Nine formation. In late 1979, they switched to the BAE Hawk trainer. The Red Arrows have performed over 4,000 displays worldwide in 52 countries. 2014 is the team's fiftieth anniversary
Size: 3899px × 2584px
Location: Olympic Stadium, London, UK
Photo credit: © Avpics / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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