Have the red arrows ever had casualties...?

[spitfire boy]

The title speaks for itself.

The fact that many display teams have had relatively recent crashes (blue angels, snowbirds) sets me thinking; I have never heard of the red arrows having a crash in which someone was killed. Has anyone heard of one? If so, link to it please.

[Hagar]

According to this the Red Arrows have lost eight crew members in training accidents. http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/AEROBATIC/Red_Arrows/RED_ARROWS.htm

The only incident I recall during a public display was at Brighton on May 1980 when Squadron Leader Steve R. Johnson hit the mast of a yacht that shouldn't have been there. He ejected at mast height & fortunately survived. http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/PROJECT/Biographies/J/Johnson_S-red-arrows/Johnson_S.htm
The Reds have never displayed at Brighton since.

[spitfire boy]

Thanks - I was only born in '93, but I 've heard of that one...

[expat]

Having checked out the link, I had no idea just how many aircraft and pilots the Reds had lost. I was rather surprised.

Matt

[C]

Have a search of SimV - a few months back someone asked a similar question and I came up with a fairly comprehensive list. Certainly Steve Johnson has been the only ejection in fornt of the crowd during a display, although another did a premeditated ejection out to see after a problem during a show in the south west IIRC a few years later.

Note - I've noticed Doug link covers this fairly well!

[spitfire boy]

It seems like they've only ever had 1 pilot killed - the rest of the incidents listed were either minor or non-lethal.

I knew the job was dangerous, but sheesh......

O.K., lets change the subject slightly.

Does anyone know of a team that has NOT had any casualties?

[Hagar]

It seems like they've only ever had 1 pilot killed - the rest of the incidents listed were either minor or non-lethal.

I knew the job was dangerous, but sheesh......

I make it eight. Did you check out my link? (K) means killed.

1) FLt J Bowler (K)

[C]

Does anyone know of a team that has NOT had any casualties?

Nope, although there are a few teams who've only been around a very short time.

The Reds have been lucky in that all fatal accidents have been in practice, and only the one whilst operating the Hawk. That, of course, is no accident in itself as the RAF's flight safety system is very good at its job, and the same mistakes will rarely be made twice.

[spitfire boy]

It seems like they've only ever had 1 pilot killed - the rest of the incidents listed were either minor or non-lethal.

I knew the job was dangerous, but sheesh......

I make it eight. Did you check out my link? (K) means killed.

1) FLt J Bowler (K)

[machineman9]

Thanks - I was only born in '93, but I 've heard of that one...

hey, exact same as me *confused why i brought that up*


i remember the yacht one. i thought someone died or got injured then though. (fortunately not as it seems)

for that 8 guys dead, didnt 4 planes collide at one time?

[Hagar]

for that 8 guys dead, didnt 4 planes collide at one time?

Check out the quote in my previous reply. It's all there if you care to read it. Two Gnats collided with two crew in each.

[i]5) FLt C Armstrong (K)

[sma11fry]

[[i]5) FLt C Armstrong (K)      

[Saitek]

According to this the Red Arrows have lost eight crew members in training accidents. http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/AEROBATIC/Red_Arrows/RED_ARROWS.htm

The only incident I recall during a public display was at Brighton on May 1980 when Squadron Leader Steve R. Johnson hit the mast of a yacht that shouldn't have been there. He ejected at mast height & fortunately survived. http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/PROJECT/Biographies/J/Johnson_S-red-arrows/Johnson_S.htm
The Reds have never displayed at Brighton since.

An old friend of mine was there and saw it happen.

[Layne.]

This is very interesting   It has intruiged me and i wonder if any one has been in an accident in the RAAF Roullettes? I am not sure  :-?

[C]

This is very interesting   It has intruiged me and i wonder if any one has been in an accident in the RAAF Roullettes? I am not sure  :-?

Yep. In fact one was in the last year or two (mid air collision 21st January 2005). The pilot of one ejected, I believe the other landed...