Red Pelicans
The Central Flying School’s Jet Provost team: briefly the RAF’s premier display team in 1964, it flew on beside the Red Arrows until the 1973 oil crisis grounded it.
Red Pelicans: how the team came to be and what it flies today
Sparrows, Redskins and Pelicans
The team’s line runs back to 1958, when the Central Flying School at RAF Little Rissington formed a four-ship of Jet Provost T.1s known as the Sparrows, renamed the Redskins a year later. In 1960 it moved to the Jet Provost T.3 and took the name Pelicans, after the school’s mascot, still in standard silver and dayglo training colours. Halfway through 1962 it re-equipped with four Jet Provost T.4s fitted with smoke, became the Red Pelicans and flew at that year’s SBAC show at Farnborough.
Premier team for 1964
In 1963 the team grew to six aircraft painted overall dayglo red, and at the end of the season the RAF chose it as its premier aerobatic team for 1964, led by Flt Lt T.E.L. Lloyd, in place of No. 56 Squadron’s Lightning team, the Firebirds. From 1965 the Red Arrows took over that role and the Red Pelicans were cut back to four aircraft without smoke, repainted in post-box red. They kept displaying, often on the same programmes as the Red Arrows, until the 1973 oil crisis forced the team’s disbandment at the end of that season.
Red Pelicans in numbers
A equipe
- Formação
- 4–6 aircraft
- Four-ship 1958–1962
- Six-ship 1963–1964
- Four-ship from 1965
A aeronave
- Voou
- BAC Jet Provost T.4
- Jet Provost T.1 (1958–1959)
- Jet Provost T.3 (1960–1962)
- Jet Provost T.4 (1962–1973)
Lar
- Com sede em
- RAF Little Rissington
- Escola Central de Voo
A exibição
- Aeronaves em exposição
- 4
- Fumaça
- fitted 1962–1964
- Libré
- overall dayglo red from 1963; post-box red from 1965
Every type Red Pelicans has flown
| Aeronave | Anos | Número | Observação |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.1 | 1958–1959 | 4 | As the Sparrows and Redskins. |
| Hunting (BAC) Jet Provost T.3 | 1960–1962 | 4 | As the Pelicans. |
| BAC Jet Provost T.4 | 1962–1973 | 6 | Six in 1963–1964, four from 1965. |
What Red Pelicans is known for
- Selected as the RAF’s premier aerobatic team for the 1964 season (Wikipedia).
- Displayed at the SBAC show at Farnborough in September 1962 (Wikipedia).
- Flew on alongside the Red Arrows for nine seasons until 1973 (Wikipedia).
Red Pelicans, year by year
CFS forms the Sparrows, four Jet Provost T.1s at Little Rissington.
Renamed the Redskins.
Re-equipped with the Jet Provost T.3 and renamed the Pelicans.
Jet Provost T.4s with smoke; becomes the Red Pelicans; Farnborough display.
Expanded to six aircraft in overall dayglo red.
Flies as the RAF’s premier aerobatic team.
Red Arrows take over; team reduced to four aircraft without smoke.
Disbanded at the end of the season because of the oil crisis.
Everything people ask about Red Pelicans
What aircraft did the Red Pelicans fly?
Where were the Red Pelicans based?
Were the Red Pelicans the RAF’s official display team?
Why did the Red Pelicans disband?
Around Red Pelicans
Todos os fatos foram verificados.
Verificado em 02/10/2026.