Ghats of the RED ARROWS in excellent formation atthe top of & loop, 1970 scheme, (Fight Intemational) AEROBATIC TEAMS Without doubt the most colourful military aircraft of the post war years have been the various types flown by the Aerobatic Teams of the Worlds Air Forces. A few of these teams have performed year in and year out for nearly twenty years but the majority appear for one, two or three seasons, their places to be taken by another squadron or unit as they are phased out of service for one reason or another. Three of the longest performers on the Aerobatic scene, more or less consistent with their markings for the entire period are the Thunderbirds and Skyblazers of the United States Air Force and the Blue Angels of the United States Navy. Other teams which have performed over a longer period of time than the average are the Red Arrows of the Royal Air Force, Patroulle de France of the French Air Force and Les Diables Rouges of the Belgian Air Force, on the other side of the world the Blue Impulse team of the Japanese Air Self Defence Force have been in being since shortly after the North American F-86F Sabre went into unit service. The team which probably reached the pinnacle of mass formation aerobatics was the never to be forgotten all black Hunters of Treble One, No, 111 Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force, and at the other end of the scale are the impeccable performances by Les Manchots from the Elementary Flying Training School of the Belgian ‘Air Force. Illustrated in this volume are many of the well known and a few of the lesser known teams, volume two will contain a similar selection but with more Iesser known teams such as the following; F-84G ‘Thunderjets of the Greek Air Force; Hunter F.6 Blue Diamonds of 2nd TAF, Germany; Northrop F.5 ROK Air Force; the many and varied teams of the Italian Air Force, the early Seahawk and Scimitar teams of the Fleet Air Arm, the teams of ‘Sweden, Brazil, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, Brazil and Mexico. The Skyhawks of the Air Barrows, Glenview NAS Demonstration ‘Team; the Minutemen of the Colorado Air National Guard; Red Devils, Silver Sabres, Sabre Knights and the Skyblazers, all of the United States Air Force.Move ai I Provost T Mi-é of THE VIPERS, No. 7 Flying Training Schoo), te basic scheme is natural metl with red Daygio bands, see colour (Pf March) “Above: Starboard side view of a Jet Provost of the LINCOLNSHIRE POACHERS, 1969 team, (PA. March) low: Jet Provost ofthe No. Flying Training School LINTON IN team, 1969 scheme, (P. R, March)AIRCAM AVIATION SERIES No. S7 (VOL. 1) North American F-100D Supar Sabre, SKYBLAZERS Acrobatic Team, United ‘States A Fora AEROBATIC TEAMS 1950-1970 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Without the co-operation of many friends round the world this pictorial survey of some of the Aerobatic Teams which have per- formed over the past twenty years would not have been possible. Volume 2 will cover all remaining teams and fill in certain gaps Illustrated and Compiled by present in this volume. My thanks to all those who have assisted ‘with photographs and information, whose names are listed below Richard Ward in alphabetical order. P. Bergagnini, Flight International, R. W. Harrison, Herkenning, Maj. A. P. dadong, G. H. Kamphuis, P. R. March, Medonnell D.W. Menard, S. P. Peltz, Royal Navy. Ministry of Defence, Republic, J. W. R. Taylor, N. E. Taylor, Lt. Col. M. C. Terlinden, J.T. Thompson, USAF. Marcel Dassault MO 450 Ouragan, PATROULLE DE FRANCE Aerebatic Team. French Air Force. Published by: Osprey Publications Limited, England Editorial Office: P.O. Box 8, Canterbury, Kent, England Subscription & Business Office: P.O. 80x 28, 707 Oxford Road, Reading, Berkshire, England The Berksite Printing Co, Lid. © Osprey Publications Ltd. 1971 $BN 86045 046 2 Not forsale in USA.pove: The AED PELICANS. PP) at: Imoretsive “bomb by ie HED PELICANS "02 ch)‘Above: Neat “vi” by trae Jet Provosts of THE MACAWS, 1968. (P. F. March) Below: Jat Provost of the FTS team LINTON GIN, 1969. (S. P. Pee) yO es th in AItthe variations in Dayal.‘Above: Fermation tate-off bythe RED ARROWS, coivo aircraft is XRQDZ, and below a very good starboard sde detail shot. note the thin blue lina round the Unign Jack, (SP Pitz top. P-. March botiom)RA A AA pe 4Right: Hunter MONDS, "awerait fetter’ Vin winite Above fn fash, seria! XLBM1 In black below white cheat tne Below: Another 7 of the BLUE DIA MONDS showing starboard side deal ‘erat etter Tin Black above fin Hach feral XLG08. In block above wits oat ina. (S. P. Paltz) [Above & right: Port and starboard wiows ofa TRESLE ONE Hunter F5, Nott Squadron. ena of tho most famaus of Royal Air Force Aerob Teoms, Top photo wes taken before the odatton of the thin wns stapes to the fin fiesh Top photo Is of Keats, Below: Hunter 1.7 in the overall Bick scheme of TREBLE ONE, sehatiaiedp ape a4 note only vertical white edging (0 2 mm Fin fagh.(S-. Peltz)‘Above: Seahawks of No, 738 Training Squackon, wahawks FB Mk3 of No. 728 Squadron, FAA, coming infor a formation landing/Above: Neat formation by he ROUGH DIAMONDS, No. 738 Squadron this time fying Hawker Hunter GA,11's. Se colour ilstation fr 781 1967. (8. P. Plt) { ‘Above: Staosrd side view of XF287 781, the Leader’ seat. (P. R, March) ‘Above: XEB80 another Huntor GA.11 of the ROUGH DIAMONDS. Flet Air Arm, ins (PR Maren) cheme a8 781, photograph taken duting 198. PHOENIX FIVE, Ne, 800 Squadron, Fleet Ait As Below: Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer ‘900d starboard side view showing all dots (PR Maren)‘Avove: Soa Viren S: pt Air em, 1968. (P. R. Match) Below: XNBSO of SIMO! let 202 below has the whit Under surtace ered aight fo Bolow: Good storbosrs side dotsit shot of 902 XN7OS, SIMONS SIRCUS, 1968, (P. R. March)Ee = y= per » a a ‘Above: Vary neat formation by SIMONS SIRCUS, No, 692 SqUadton, Feat Air Ar, during & 1968 display. (SP. Peltz) yal Navy SIMONS SIRCUS, 1968. (P.R, March) Below: XNBBO texying down the runway, note the Boom join above‘Above & bolow: Nest dion nd 6770 in the slot (USA formation by the THUNDERBIRDS curing @ pros light over the Avzona desert, serials 6771, 6750, 6732ions by North American F-100D Super Sabres ofthe THUNDERBIRDS in early scheme. (USAF) Below Dramatic formation take-off by tha THUNDERSIADS. (USAF via JW. R. Taylor)‘Above: Fantasitying by @pairof THUNDERBIRD Super Sabres, upper snd lower sehomss shown to good advantage, nate USAF and insignia Inboard on tne upporsuracbs. (8. i. Martison) ‘Below: Good tako-off shot of # THUNDERBIRD Super Sabre, note he rad and whit re-fueling probs. (SP. Poltz) Below: Super Sabra ofthe THUNDERAIROS in the atest scheme applied to these aircraft. (D, W. Menard)Nag‘Above: Starboard side view of Medonnell Ftc Phantom of the THUNDERBIROS, Gniflihs AFB, NY, June 19.fer Inviried, by the BLUE ANGELS, (P, Bergeanin vie J T. Thompson) 446189086, Photos taken view of BLUE ANGELS "1" fawn by Plot Commender Bil Wheat, USN, Flight Leader,toe. GP. Petz) Fight: Lockheed T-334 Shooting Star formating with four. AED DELS on a pracuce thant (i | 201 Mc. Terincan) Lat Anata view, the same femaio (it cal Me. TorinAbove: A RED KNIGHT Shooting Star of later po od, note fn fash and minor variations of insignia, (SP Pete)Above: Perfect diamond by Lockheed T-33A\s of WHISKY 4, Royal Nethalancs Alr Force, note the diforntspaling of “Whisky”. (Mal. A . dadong) Bolow: Starboard side view of a WHISKY 4, Shooting Star. (P. R. March)(34322 Ne Ih WR. eT“au mm I t f on 2AIRCAM AVIATION SERIES Each publication in the original AIRCAM series illustrates fone type oF major sub-type of @ famous aircraft in the colour schemas and markings of the Air Forces of the World. Each issue contains aight pages of colour side- view illustrations with supporting black and white plan view drawings showing where necessary both upper and lnder surfaces, one hundred-plus half-tone photographs, more than half of which have never previously been Bublished, and between three and seven thousand words Gf text. The AIRCAM SPECIALS cover a wide range of Subjects from the three singlo-seat fighters of the Battle (of Britain to present day Aerobatic Teams. Air Force Histories and Air Force Colour Schemes and Markings, and the Specials will have new titles added at regular intervals. The content of Specials will vary. depending fon subject to between five and ten thousand words and between fifty end one hundred half-tone photographs: all will have eight full colour pages. North American P-51D Mustang 2 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt North American Mustang Mk I/IV North American P-51B and D Mustang ‘Supermarine Spitfire Mk I/XVI, Merlin Engine North American P-51 B/C Mustang Curtiss (P-40) Kittyhawk Mk IV Curtiss P40 Warhawk eyveaae Supermarine Spitfire—Griffon Engine 9 Spad Scouts 10 Lockheed P-38 Lightning 11 Consolidated 8-24 Liberator 12 Avro Lancaster 13 14 Republic F/RF-84F Thunderstreak/Thunderflash 15 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 16 Mitsubishi A6M-Zero-Sen 17 North American F-86A/H Sabre Vol. 1 8 Nakajima Ki.27/Manshu Ki.79 19 Grumman F6F3/6 Hellcat 20 Canadair Sabro Mk I/VI: Vel. 2 Commonwealth Sabre Mk 30/32 21 Kawasaki Ki.61—1/IIl Hien/Ki.100 22 North American B-25C/H. Mitchell 23° Vought F4U-1/7 Corsair 24 Hawker Hurricane Mk 1/1V. 26 ima Ki.44-la/lIb Shoki 26 © Hawker Hunter 27 Douglas A-4 Skyhawk 28 De Havilland Mosquito 29 Nakajima Ki.84 Hayate 30 McDonnell F-4 Phantom AIRCAM ‘SPECIALS’ $1 Battle of Britain ‘Toe Suportatine Splice, Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt pate $2 Finnish Air Force ‘A complete history of the Finnish Air Force from formation fe tho present dav ‘Sharkmouth 84) hiv volumes. The hisiory of the SHARKMOUTH markings Hons origin in the German Air Fovce in tho fist Wore War te the present day $5 Czechoslovakian Air Force 1918-1970 ‘A picional history of the Ceechoslavalian Air Force through fowo Word Wars tothe pracant doy 86 1s & Markings 1896-1968, Vol. 1. Fighters anc Groung Ataoe types. S7 Aerobatic Teams 1950-1970 Vol 1 88 Luftwaffe Colour Schemes. & Markings 1995-1945. Vol. 2, Bombers Reconnaissance, Mantime, Training and Liaison types Royal Netherlands Air Force Belgian Air Force Regia Aeronautica: Coleur Schemes & Markings. Val. 1. Fighters and Ground Srnsck yoo. Regia Aeronautica: Colour Schemes & Markings Vol 2. Bombors, Reconnaissance, Maetine: Training and Liaison types, United States Army Air Force Bombardment Group Identification Markings and Codes 1941-1945. Aerobatic Teams 1950-1970 vol. 2 Netherlands East Indies Air Force West German Luftwaffe Battle of Brit Battle of Britain Bombers Vol. 2 in Bombers Vol. 1. Front Cover, top to bottom: C1 Republic F-B4F Thundersraak. WHISKEY-FOUR Aerobatic Team. Royal Netherlands Air For, Fed North Amotiean F-30F Sacre, BLUE IMPULSE Acrobatic Team, Japanese A Self Defence Fre, £C5 Pouge Walser LES DIABLES ROUGES/RED DEVILS Acrobatic Tesm, Belgian AN Force. £S2 Rouker Sicelsy Gnat TMi. YELLOWJAGKS Aarckatc Team, No. 4Fiying Traising School, Royal Air Feres. SBN 85045 048 2 Not forsale in USA,