The Red Arrows have unveiled a new livery ahead of an overseas tour in what is thought to be the first major alteration since the aerobatics team took delivery of the Hawk aircraft in 1979.
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© Crown Copyright/MODThe new livery varies only slightly - the RAF logo becomes part of what was a continuous white stripe on red background |
Wg Cmdr Jas Hawker, Red 1, says: We needed to keep a careful balance between making our famous aircraft recogniseable and reminding people that we are proud to represent the Royal Air Force."
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© Crown Copyright/MOD |
The team leaves the UK on 4 November for a six-week tour that will take in 13 countries. During the 15,000 mile trip the team will perform 18 times during visits to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE and the Far East, including Malaysia.
The BAE Systems Hawk is flown by nine display pilots who operate on front-line RAF squadrons. The aircraft has a top speed of Mach 1.2 and is powered by a Rolls-Royce Adour engine which produces 5,200lb (23kN) of thrust.
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© Crown Copyright/MODThe old livery with its continuous white stripe across the fuselage |
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Source: FlightGlobal.com