Red Arrows History

The Red Arrows were founded in 1964 by amalgamating several existing RAF display teams, under the leadership of Squadron Leader Lee Jones. The decision to form a dedicated aerobatic team was driven by a desire to create a single, cohesive team representing the RAF's best pilots.

Their first public performance took place on 6 May 1965 at Little Rissington, Gloucestershire, flying seven Folland Gnat T.1 aircraft. The Gnat — a compact, agile trainer jet — proved ideal for tight formation flying, and the team completed an impressive 65 displays in that debut season.

Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, the team based at RAF Kemble refined and expanded their display repertoire. In 1968 the team grew to nine aircraft and adopted the Diamond Nine formation that remains their signature shape to this day.

The Gnat era established many of the traditions and values that define the Red Arrows: a commitment to precision, the importance of the support team, and the use of coloured smoke to enhance the visual spectacle. The team quickly became one of the most popular attractions at airshows across the UK and Europe.

In 1979 the team transitioned to the BAE Systems Hawk T1, a more powerful and capable aircraft that enabled new manoeuvres and higher performance displays. The team moved to RAF Scampton in 1983, a base that would be synonymous with the Red Arrows for nearly four decades.

The Scampton years saw the team achieve global reach. The 1995–96 World Tour took the team to 52 countries across six continents. The 2012 London Olympics flypast was watched by a worldwide audience. The 2016 Asia-Pacific Tour — including the team's debut in China — reportedly reached over one billion people.

In 2010, Flight Lieutenant Kirsty Moore became the first female pilot to fly with the Red Arrows, a landmark moment in the team's history.

Mission: The Red Arrows serve a dual purpose — delivering world-class aerobatic displays to the public, and acting as ambassadors for the UK, promoting British excellence in aviation, engineering and defence diplomacy.

Team structure: Nine display pilots (Reds 1–9), each with front-line fast jet experience. Red 1 leads the team. Red 10 serves as safety supervisor and commentator. Three new pilots join each season for a three-year tour, ensuring continuity while refreshing the team.

Training: The pre-season begins in autumn at RAF Waddington, building from basic pairs to the full nine-ship formation over months of progressively complex work. The season culminates in Public Display Authority (PDA) certification before the summer display season begins in May.

The Circus: The ground crew — known as "the Circus" — travel with the team throughout the season, providing essential engineering, avionics and technical support. Each Circus member is paired with a specific aircraft and pilot, building the close working relationships essential to safe operations.

In 2022 the Red Arrows left RAF Scampton — their home for nearly 40 years — and relocated to RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. The move marked a new chapter, combining the team's rich heritage with modern infrastructure and operational capability.

The team celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2024, marked with special anniversary artwork on the jets honouring six decades of the Red Arrows and the legacy of RAF Scampton. The 2026 season sees the team on a landmark US Tour, with appearances at Baltimore, New York, the Jones Beach Air Show and EAA AirVenture Oshkosh — the team's largest North American programme in years.