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I cannot remember the first time I saw the Red Arrows. Perhaps it was at one of the air shows that used to be held at Staverton back in the seventies, but since then I have watched them perform over many places and every time is a marvel and a wonder. Chris Ellis was an engineer with the Red Arrows from 1965 to 1977 so it was with great anticipation that we were going behind the scenes and learning more about the greatest aerobatic team in the world.
During the time Chris served with the team the aircraft used was the Folland Gnat and for the most time was based at Kemble. We were given a history of the Red Arrows from its inception concentrating on the plane used for the first 15 years. Close up the aircrafts were quite small and not very heavy with a dedicated team for each aircraft. The total workforce required to support the operation was in excess of 130 skilled personnel, although somewhat reduced today. There are ten display aircraft, including a spare, logistically supported by a Hercules transport plane. The aircraft were fuelled with paraffin and could only fly for 45 minutes before refuelling, which took about 17 minutes to load.
Detailed descriptions of the aircraft were given. including how the red, white and blue smoke is produced. The red and white smoke is all gas, which dissipates in the atmosphere, but the blue smoke contains a dye residue that falls to earth. Chris told us the tale of one occasion in the English Channel when the sails of a racing yacht turned bright blue in the middle of a race. To smooth over the unfortunate incident, the yachting club were placated with a special display.
When flying in formation the aircraft appear to be very close. Chris indeed confirmed that they do fly only a few feet away from each other. The superbly skilled pilots normally serve for three years after training
The team is an expensive operation to run, but is a National Pride, admired throughout the world and brings The United Kingdom immense public relations benefits.
The beauty, the elegance and skills of this remarkable team were illustrated by a collection of 36 slides and Chris kept us all enthralled.
Richard Sugdon