Blue Diamonds

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Blue Diamonds

Die Blauen Diamanten

No. 92 Squadron’s royal-blue Hunter F.6 team, the RAF’s premier display team of 1961–1962, flying sixteen aircraft in formations of nine and seven.

1960Založeno
Hunter F.6Letadlo
16In the display
Disbanded 1962Postavení
OperátorKrálovské letectvoZeměSpojené královstvíTypFormation aerobatic teamHome baseRAF LeconfieldPostaveníDisbanded 1962
Příběh

Blue Diamonds: how the team came to be and what it flies today

No. 92 Squadron takes over

When No. 111 Squadron’s Black Arrows stood down at the end of 1960, the RAF’s premier team role passed to No. 92 Squadron. Sqn Ldr Brian Mercer, previously a flight commander and deputy leader of the Black Arrows, built the new team from late 1960 at RAF Middleton St George, and the squadron moved to RAF Leconfield in May 1961. Its Hawker Hunter F.6s were painted royal blue with a thin white flash along the fuselage and modified to produce coloured smoke from the gun packs.

Sixteen blue Hunters

The team flew sixteen aircraft, splitting during the display into formations of nine and seven. It flew at Farnborough and at the Battle of Britain display at Biggin Hill in 1961 and 1962, and in June 1961 the German press at Mönchengladbach called the squadron “Die Blauen Diamanten”. In October 1962 Mercer handed over to Sqn Ldr Paddy Hine, and from March 1963 the squadron converted to the English Electric Lightning, which ended the Hunter team.

The team flew sixteen aircraft, splitting during the display into formations of nine and seven. It flew at Farnborough and at the Battle of Britain display at Biggin Hill in 1961 and 1962, and in June 1961 the German press at Mönchengladbach called the squadron “Die Blauen Diamanten”.Blue Diamonds · verified 2026-10-02
Na první pohled

Blue Diamonds in numbers

The team

Formation
16 aircraft

  • Nine-ship and seven-ship sections
  • No. 92 Squadron pilots

Letadlo

Flown
Hawker Hunter F.6

  • Hunter F.6 (1960–1962)

Domov

Based at
RAF Leconfield

  • RAF Middleton St George until May 1961

The display

Aircraft in the display
16
Smoke
coloured, from the gun packs
Livery
royal blue with a thin white fuselage flash
Letadlo

Every type Blue Diamonds has flown

Letadlo Roky Number Poznámka
Hawker Hunter F.6 1960–1962 16
Known for

What Blue Diamonds is known for

  • Flew sixteen blue Hunters, splitting into nine and seven (AerobaticTeams.net).
  • Displayed at Farnborough in 1961 and 1962 (92 Squadron history).
  • Named “Die Blauen Diamanten” by the German press at Mönchengladbach in June 1961 (92 Squadron history).
  • A twelve-ship RAF Hunter team shared a display with Iran’s Golden Crown in 1961 (IIAF.net).
The pilots

Who leads Blue Diamonds

  • Sqn Ldr Brian Mercer · Leader 1960–1962
  • Sqn Ldr Paddy Hine · Leader from October 1962
Časová osa

Blue Diamonds, year by year

1960

Sqn Ldr Brian Mercer begins building the team at Middleton St George.

1961

No. 92 Squadron moves to RAF Leconfield.

1961

Display at Mönchengladbach; the German press coins “Die Blauen Diamanten”.

1961

Farnborough and Battle of Britain displays.

1962

Sqn Ldr Paddy Hine succeeds Mercer.

1963

Conversion to the Lightning ends the Hunter team.

Otázky a odpovědi

Everything people ask about Blue Diamonds

What aircraft did the Blue Diamonds fly?
Hawker Hunter F.6 fighters of No. 92 Squadron, painted royal blue.
How many aircraft were in the Blue Diamonds?
Sixteen, split during the display into formations of nine and seven.
Where were the Blue Diamonds based?
RAF Middleton St George, then RAF Leconfield from May 1961.
When were the Blue Diamonds active?
They displayed in 1961 and 1962 as the RAF’s premier team.

Pokračujte v prohlídce

Around Blue Diamonds

ProvozovatelKrálovské letectvoFleet, bases and order of battle of the service that flies the team.Přečtěte si stránku Královského letectvaFormation aerobatic teamPamětní let bitvy o BritániiThe RAF’s own airworthy Second World War aircraft, led by Lancaster PA474, flown from Coningsby to commemorate those who fell under the motto “Lest We…Read the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pageFormation aerobatic teamBlack ArrowsNo. 111 Squadron’s gloss-black Hunters, the RAF’s premier team of the late 1950s and the only formation ever to loop 22 aircraft, at Farnborough in 1958.Read the Black Arrows pageZobrazovací týmyEvery military display teamAll the formation, solo and helicopter teams in the Order of Battle, active and disbanded.Open the list
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Verified 2026-10-02.