Queens Jubilee Fly Past: All that “practise and experience pays off” for RAF Valley pilots

The Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force celebrated Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee today with Trooping the Colour and a spectacular flypast in London today.

Over 70 aircraft from the three Services began the weekend’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations with a flypast over The Mall and Buckingham Palace whilst the Royal Family watched on from the famous balcony.

Eight aircraft and crew from RAF Valley took part in the historic flypast which began at 1pm on Thursday.

Four Texan advanced turboprop trainer aircraft accompanied an Embraer Phenom multi-engine trainer in the flypast.

RAF Valley Texans followed directly on from the Spitfires and Hurricanes of the Battle of Britain Flight – as a number of these Texan aircraft now proudly bear the name of Welsh Battle of Britain heroes.

Wing Commander Chris Ball OC 72(F) Squadron described his squadron’s participation as a ‘tremendous honour for him and his fellow pilots’.

The pilots of four RAF Valley Hawk T2 fast jets kept a “nice tight formation” over the Mall before heading back to their Anglesey for a “cuppa and a small slice of Jubilee cake.”

RAF Valley Hawks are a familiar sight and sound above Deeside and the jets are regular visitors to Hawarden Airport.

Posting an update after the flypast on the RAF Valley Facebook page, a spokesperson said: “Jubilee Salute Accomplished!”

“Our Hawk T2 four-ship now safely back home.”

“Am sure you will agree they put on a cracking display.”

“All that practise and experience pays off in the end – with a nice tight formation and the appearance of effortless excellence.”

“I think they have probably just about earned a cuppa and a small slice of Jubilee cake.”

Before the flypast, more than 1,400 soldiers and 250 horses from the British Army’s Household Division took part in the Trooping of the Colour in front of 7,500 ticketed spectators on Horse Guards Parade and another 7,000 at the Queen Victoria Memorial in London.

The Queen’s Birthday Parade is the epitome of ceremonial precision and pageantry but this year it has a special resonance because it marks the Platinum Jubilee, celebrating 70 years of loyal service to Her Majesty The Queen.

Swords, medals, buttons and breast plates shined while horses and soldiers carried out complex battlefield drill manoeuvres to a spectacular, specially composed programme of music.

15 Typhoon aircraft from RAF Coningsby and RAF Lossiemouth flew over London in a special ’70’ formation for Her Majesty to mark the landmark occasion.

Full order of the flypast:

• 1 x Wildcat (Royal Navy), 2 x Merlin (Royal Navy)
• 1 x Wildcat (British Army), 2 x Apache (British Army)
• 1 x Wildcat (Royal Marines, Royal Navy), 2 x Merlin (Royal Navy)
• 3 x Puma
• 3 x Chinook
• 1 x Lancaster, 2 x Spitfire, 2 Hurricane (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight)
• 1 x Phenom, 4 x Texan
• 3 x Hercules (C-130J)
• 1 x Atlas (A400M)
• 1 x Globemaster (C-17)
• 1 x Poseidon MRA1
• 1 x Rivet Joint
• 1 x Voyager, 2 x Lightning (F-35B), 2 x Typhoon
• 1 x Voyager, 4 x Lightning (F-35B)
• 4 x Hawk T2
• 15 x Typhoon
• 9 x Hawk T1 (Red Arrows)

[All photographs: RAF[