From The Archives: Fast Formations 65 Years Ago In Aviation Week

Aviation Week & Space Technology’s July 3, 1961, edition featured the first formation aerobatics by Mach 2 aircraft being performed at the Paris Air Show by pilots of the Royal Air Force No. 74 "Tiger" squadron flying English Electric F.1 Lightnings with full combat armament of two de Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missiles. 

The nine-plane aerobatic formation demonstrated the extremely short turning radius of the interceptor, keeping the demonstration largely within the perimeter of Le Bourget Airport while a single aircraft executed almost "square" turns, kicking in the afterburners of its twin Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets just before starting the turn. The Lightning remained in RAF service until 1988.

(Photo credit: Russell Melcher).

Read the full issue dated July 3 1961 | Aviation Week

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