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.