EYES TO THE SKIES FOR RED ARROWS FLYPAST
A military flypast by the Royal Air Force’s famous Red Arrows to celebrate 80 years since VE Day is planned to take place tomorrow and may be visible from local vantage points.
On the first of four days of national celebrations to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe, the skies over central London will be left red, white and blue as the Red Arrows soar over the London..
Military aircraft, including the Voyager transport aircraft, a P8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft, Typhoon, and F-35 fighter jets, will also be involved in the flypast, as well as historic Second World War-era aircraft.
The flypast by the distinctive nine aircraft will reach The Mall and Buckingham Palace at around 1.45pm on Bank Holiday Monday and will be visible in various spots during its route.
The flypast route has been split into zones, each with a time slot when airspace is restricted. The following is the period when the planes are due to be overhead:
Area A: North Sea, Suffolk and Norfolk, between 10.45am – 1.45pm
Area B: East Suffolk (Saxmundham) and Suffolk (East Bergholt), between 12.15pm – 1.10pm
Area D: Essex (Colchester and Witham), between 12.20pm – 1.10pm
Area E: Essex (Witham) and London City, between 12.25pm – 1.10pm
Area F: London City and London Heathrow, between 12.25pm – 1.10pm
Area G: Buckinghamshire (Denham) and Cheshire (Halton), between 12.45pm – 1.25pm
Area H: Cheshire (Halton) and Oxfordshire (Brize), between 12.45pm – 1.25pm
Area I: North west London, between 12.45pm – 1.25pm
They flew over RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire, with the site’s College Hall standing in for Buckingham Palace.
Flypast mission commander Andrew Watson said he expects the actual flypast to be a “good spectacle for the nation and Commonwealth”.