Engineers and pilots of the iconic Red Arrows gathered to share memories and watch the team’s display at Cleethorpes Armed Forces event to commemorate their aiamond anniversary.
Formed in 1964, the current Royal Air Force Red Arrows display team carried out a 25-minute display at Cleethorpes, culminating in two jets writing a 60 in the sky using smoke trails. The display was watched by thousands who lined the streets to catch a glimpse of what is widely referred to as the greatest aerobatic display team in the world.
Also watching on were a number of former Red Arrows pilots and engineers who have worked on the team . In a special reunion, members of the Red Arrows Association were invited to attend the event organised by RAA member and former Engineering controller Gavin Marshall.
Amongst them was engineer Bill Green and fitter Mike Souter, who worked with the team in 1965 and from 1968 to 1972 respectively.
Bill began his career in the RAF at Little Rissington, Gloucestershire, in 1963, spending two years with the Red Pelicans who were one of many display teams prior to the formation of the Red Arrows.
Eventually, Bill was selected to be part of the Red Arrows engineering team, something he looks back on with delight. He said: “It was great fun and everything I had ever dreamt it would be.”
Asked about some of his greatest memories, Bill stuck to a mantra that many of the team follow, saying: “What happens in the team stays in the team, but it’s a year I remember very fondly.
“I don’t regret a single moment of it.” However, in his role as engineer, he didn’t solely work on the aircraft.
“The ground crew were also the people who gave feedback to the pilots after a flight. Being up in the sky, they’ve no idea how they performed so we would have to tell them how they got on.
“Sometimes they would come back grumpy thinking they’d done a bad job when actually they’d performed well and other times it was the opposite.”
The day was made even more special for him by watching his beloved Red Arrows perform right in front of his eyes.
“I was really looking forward to watching them perform. It always makes me happy seeing them in the sky.”
Meanwhile, “fitter” Mike was selected to be part of the team back in 1968, staying with them for a period of four years. “When I was told the news, I was over the moon.
“In my first two years I organised a number of things for the engineers before spending the next two years as part of the “Circus”.”
Those in the Circus sit in the back of each Red Arrow jet while it’s in flight and are tasked with the service and maintenance of a specific plane for the display season. Mike said: “To be in the air with them was quite the experience. The camaraderie between everyone was just amazing.”
He added; “If I could do it all over again, I certainly would.”
Dicky Patounas was Red 1 in 2005/06. He said: “When you’re told you’re going to lead the team, it fills you with pride, but also trepidation of needing to deliver such high standards with everyone looking at you. It’s a huge challenge, but one that’s highly rewarding too.”
He added: “It isn’t just the pilots that make it work, there is a whole team of engineers, fitters and much more that make everything come together.”
Having spent a number of years with the team, Dicky has a whole host of amazing memories. ”Some of my best moments include leading the team down the Mall for the Queen’s Birthday and the display we carried out for our 40th anniversary.”
However, some of his favourite moments had nothing to do with flying. “I used to love speaking to people, both young and old.
“We would go to Great Ormond Street Hospital at Christmas and speak to children and even engage with the Royals at certain events. I really enjoyed visiting the children, seeing us made their day and it was a way for the team to inspire a younger generation.
“As well as being enjoyable, it was an incredibly humbling experience that I never forgot. I look back on it all with such fondness.”
