RAF Shawbury helicopters to take part in historic flypast
Aircrew from RAF Shawbury will take part in a historic flypast that will see up to 100 aircraft fly over Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
To formally mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force, up to 100 aircraft will fly in a mass formation over Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
Aircrew from RAF Shawbury and RAF Valley will be part of this historic flypast in a formation of 3 helicopters.
The aircrew are all part of the Defence Helicopter Flying School and Central Flying School (Helicopter) Squadron.
They will fly in the new Airbus H135 Juno and H145 Jupiter helicopters, which recently came into service at RAF Shawbury as part of the rotary element of the Military Flying Training System.
The Royal Air Force marked its official centenary on 1st April but decided to wait for exactly 100 days until the 10th July to have the formal parade and flypast.
This will take place on the Mall, London, with a parade at 11.25am of over one thousand servicemen and women.
Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by Prince Charles, will present a new Queen’s Colour to the Royal Air Force at a ceremony on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace. This will be followed by a spectacular flypast, which will route directly overhead Buckingham Palace at 1pm.
Up to 100 aircraft, representing the RAF across the decades, will take part in the flypast including the UK’s only airworthy Lancaster and the Red Arrows display team.
Group Captain Chuck Norris, Station Commander of RAF Shawbury said: “This is a once in a lifetime flypast of historic and modern aircraft. It is a great honour for the Defence Helicopter Flying School and Central Flying School (Helicopter) Squadron to be part of this historic event to celebrate and commemorate 100 years of the RAF and inspiring future members of the RAF.”
