The Red Arrows

*** THE FIRST OFFICIAL HISTORY OF THE RED ARROWS ***

It's now over 50 years since the Red Arrows first took to the skies and transfixed the world with their jaw-dropping displays of daredevil precision and sky-high aerobatics.

The Red Arrows represent the very best speed, agility and precision of the Royal Air Force, and the pilots behind the planes are rigorously selected for their nerves of steel, lightning reflexes, and millisecond-perfect timing. Each one has years of distinguished service in the Royal Air Force under their belts, and plenty of stories to tell.

Written by the head of the Red Arrows, Wing Commander David Montenegro - himself a former Red 1 and Red Arrows team leader - and full of never-before-shared tales from pilots, past and present, this thrilling history celebrates the courage, daring and incredible skill of the Red Arrows and its pilots over the last 50 years.

The Red Arrows, officially known as The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, are the world-famous aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Scampton. Formed in 1964, the Red Arrows have a prominent place in British popular culture, and their aerobatic displays have become a fixture of British summer celebrations and events. The Red Arrows have performed over 4,800 displays in 57 countries worldwide. David Montenegro OBE MA RAF is the Wing Commander of the Red Arrows. He joined the RAF in 1999 and, after tours as a fighter pilot on the Tornado F3 and as a qualified flying instructor on the Hawk T1, he was selected to join the Red Arrows in 2009 where he rose to Synchro Leader over his three years with the team. In 2015, after tours in Afghanistan as a special projects officer within the US Marine Corps and as Flight Commander at the No. 1 Flying Training School, he was once again selected to join the Red Arrows as Red 1, Team Leader in 2015. He is now the Officer Commanding of the Red Arrows.