Black arrows

[capney]

A little aviation history for you

One of the display teams that preceeded the Red Arrows, the Black Arrows flew black Hawker Hunters.
Specialising in close formation flying, they were the display team for 111 Squadron.
They set a record for the number of aircraft in close formation that has never been broken.

I was at the Farnborough air show when the team did a low level loop with 16 aircraft.
This has never been beaten to this day.
The Black Arrows set a record for close formation flying when they barrel-rolled and turned twenty-two aircraft in close formation.

[DAG]

Very interesting, thank you for the info. Robert, I should imagine that more recent safety regulations would prohibit such a display with so many aircraft in close formation?

[capney]

It is true DAG that airshows are not what the used to be. Gone are the days when you see a Buccaneer at just under the speed of sound about 30 foot off the runway. Lightnings doing a max rate take off and Vulcans doing a QRA takeoff.
Its also true that if you where in the RAF as I was and invited to a closed shop airshow those parameters where pushed lower and lower and faster.

[pete]

I was only very young, some time in the early sixties, but I remember my first visit to the Farnborough air show.

I'm sure the black arrows were there then.
Must have been 62 or 63.

Its true, airshows are not what they were, the english electric lightning was my favourite in those days, and you would not just see one, but a formation of them.

These days your lucky if you see the planes in the air, its all very static, if you do see them flying its usually a single example.

Combined with all the security involved now, I tend not to bother any more.

[mikkel]

Thank You for such a Wonderful memory. I saw them two years running at Biggin Hill and when they WERE displays, unlike today and mere flypasts through H&S.
;D