How to Loop 22 aircraft at once - Black Arrow Style

[JohnT]

I was trawling through the net and came across this article with Roger Topp describing exactly how its done. Quite a bit more than pulling back on the stick then!

I found it very informative and hope its of interest.

http://www.111sqn.com/the-loop-narrative.html

I don't suppose its much easier with 9 these days !!

I wonder how much easier /harder the Hawk will be to handle than the Hunter? Probably an unfair comparison. Must have been tricky for the Lightning teams though even with a smaller number performing in the display routine

John

[heloman1]

Those were the days, large and impressive for the time demo teams. IMSM the Frece Tricolori had 15 Fiat G-91 in their diplay. The US Navy Blue Angels use the F-18A's as they say they are easier to handle in close quarters.

Colin

[JohnT]

Those were the days, large and impressive for the time demo teams. IMSM the Frece Tricolori had 15 Fiat G-91 in their diplay. The US Navy Blue Angels use the F-18A's as they say they are easier to handle in close quarters.

Colin

Colin - you are not wrong. Those were indeed the days.

[heloman1]

My first serious airshow was in 75-ish drove down from Manchester to Greenham Common traffic was so bad I watched the Italians from the main road. Still get goosies thinking of it.

Now I'm resigned to 737's dropping into George airport here in the Western Cape.

Colin

[Robin]

Remember this display well, I still have a shot somewhere taken with my box-brownie of the 22 Hunters in the climb into the loop. The airshows of the late 50s really were something, with the massed flypasts, V bomber scramble take off's and sound barrier supersonic runs.

Robin.

[JohnT]

Sadly I was born towards the mid 50's so have no recollection of those halcyon days of that decade but I can just recall the airshow for the closure of at RAF Turnhouse and am pretty sure the Blue Diamonds did a turn with their Hunters.

I can recall aerobatics with 4 ship Lightnings on a later occasion though and that was something noisy and spectacular to see. I can't imagine a line squadron flying a four ship of front line operation types these days. Imagine 4 or 6 Typhoons with bright markings tramping around the sky in formation.