Red Arrows: All about the Royal Air Force's famous flying squad

The Red Arrows are the UK Royal Air Force's team of skilled display pilots.

They are famous for flying in elaborate formations, often releasing plumes of colourful vapour in red, white and blue - the colours of the Union Flag.

In May, they performed a flypast at the 80th VE Day anniversary celebrations over The Mall and Buckingham Palace.

Keep on reading to find out all you need to know about the team.

What are the Red Arrows?

The red arrows are made up of nine aircrafts

The Red Arrows are the Royal Air Force's (RAF) aerobatic team.

The flying display team demonstrates to the public how skilled RAF pilots are, showing off the teams speed and agility.

During displays the Red Arrows fly in impressive shapes and formations, extremely close together, and are known for releasing colourful vapour as they fly in the sky, as you can see in the picture below.

The red arrows are known for their red, white and blue vapour that come out of the back of their planes

How many Red Arrows are there?

There are nine performing Red Arrow aircrafts

There are currently nine aircraft that make up the Red Arrows team, with additional aircraft for support.

The nine pilots who fly the planes need at least 1,500 hours of experience in the RAF, and must be considered exceptional in their role.

Back in 1965, when the team was first formed, there were only seven aircraft.

The team then scaled up to a nine display aircraft in 1968.

It's not just pilots who make up the Red Arrows though, there is also a whole support team known as the "Blues".

The Blues are made up of 120 people, including engineers and support staff who ensure the planes keep working and the team is run successfully.

The team are based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

Why were the Red Arrows created?

The Red Arrows started in 1964

Back in 1964 the RAF's existing unofficial display teams merged into one team - The Red Arrows.

"Red Arrows" is a combination of the names of two other teams at the time - the Black Arrows and the Red Pelicans.

Their first official display as a team were in 1965, at the RAF satellite station in Little Rissington on May 6.

Since their formation, the Red Arrows have gained recognition and become renowned worldwide.

They are considered to be one of the best aerobatic display teams in the world.

Where can I see the Red Arrows perform?

The Red Arrows perform across the UK and abroad

The Red Arrows perform flypasts and displays at many air shows and events in the UK throughout the year.

They also perform abroad and go on international tours.

According to the RAF, by the beginning of 2024 the Red Arrows had performed in 57 countries since 1965.