Guernsey Air Display

The Red Arrows are set to make an exciting return at Guernsey’s Air Display on Thursday, 13th June as they mark 60 years of displays which have inspired millions of people.

Accompanying them will be Team Raven, Navy Wings Harvard, The Titans and Rich Goodwin’s Jet Pitts, all very experienced teams and firm favourites on the display circuit.

There will also be two new aircraft in this year’s display, including the French military’s Mustang X-Ray/PC21 team (pictured), which is rarely seen outside of France and has only displayed once previously in the UK, and the Hawker Hurricane Mk1 R4118, said to be one of the most original and historic fighter aircraft to have survived the Second World War.

The Guernsey Air Display Foundation has been advised that the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will not be conducting any displays or flypasts in the week commencing 10th June, whilst investigations continue following the tragic accident on 25 May. This means that the historic planes will not be included in this year’s Guernsey Air Display.

The Foundation has secured a replacement aircraft for the display on Thursday 13 June, the Navy Wings Fairey Swordfish which will also attend Meet the Pilots the day before.

The Fairey Swordfish entered service in 1936 and sank more tonnage than any other Allied plane during World War II.  It had the capability to serve as a dive-bomber, perform night missions, and pioneered the use of Air-to-Surface Vessel (ASV) radar.  It was affectionately nicknamed ‘Stringbag’ as it was compared to a housewife’s string shopping bag, common at the time, due to its ability to carry an unlikely combination of loads.

The Navy Wings Swordfish Mk1 W5856 is one of the oldest surviving airworthy Fairey Swordfish in the world and will be flying in its new D-Day livery.

The final line up for the display is currently: Hawker Hurricane MK1, Navy Wings Harvard and Fairey Swordfish, Mustang X-Ray PC-21 Team, Poseidon MRA1, RAF Red Arrows, Rich Goodwin’s Jet Pitts, Team Raven and The Titans.

The display will take place between 11am and 1.15pm.

The Guernsey Air Display Foundation offers its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Squadron Leader Mark Long and his colleagues at RAF Coningsby.

The safety of the display pilots, crew, support teams and the viewing public is paramount to the Foundation.