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Chinook Display Team

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Royal Air Force Chinook Display Team
RAF Chinook Display Team patch
Country United Kingdom
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Air Force
RoleAerobatic display team
Size
  • 6 Air crew
  • 5 Engineering & support staff
Part ofJoint Helicopter Command
Home stationRAF Odiham
Websiteraf.mod.uk
Commanders
Officer CommandingAir Vice-Marshal Alastair Smith
Team CaptainFlt Lt. Matthew Smyth
Team ManagerSergeant Gav Anderson
Aircraft flown
HelicopterBoeing CH-47 Chinook

The Chinook Display Team is an aerobatics display team in the Royal Air Force based at RAF Odiham. The team flies the UK variant Boeing CH-47 Chinook, and is composed of volunteers from front-line aircrew who train and execute air show performances between day-to-day primary military operations. Their regular performances are popular due to public support for the Chinook's military role, its recognizability, and the variation in display and maneuvers it provides to an air show.

Background

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The Royal Air Force's 60 UK-variant Boeing CH-47 Chinooks[1][2] are based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire.[3][4][5][A] This is the largest fleet of Chinooks other than those operated by the United States Army.[6] The aircraft is capable of carrying up to 55 troops and 10 tonnes of mixed cargo.

The Odiham squadrons provided Chinooks for demonstration and display flights in the UK. As demand for aerobatic maneuvers grew, a designated Chinook Display Team was created. Unlike the RAFs dedicated aerobatic display teams (e.g.: Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight), the RAF Chinook Display Team is composed of volunteers from front-line aircrew. They continue day-to-day primary military missions as they train, plan and execute air show appearances.[7][8][9][10] In 2013, they were serving in Afghanistan, while continuing to provide displays at air shows.[11] Similarly, the Chinooks they fly are also used for resupply, trooping, and battlefield casualty evacuation.[7][8] Their routines are carefully choreographed, so as to not put too much stress on the airframe.[12]

RAF Odiham received a new £53m Lockheed Martin helicopter training flight simulator in 2018, greatly reducing the training costs for Chinook crews, including the Chinook Display Team.[13]

Displays

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Chinook HC2 displaying at Kemble Air Day, UK

Solo Chinook shows returned to the UK display circuit in 2004 after a 12-year absence.[14] Since then, they have made regular appearance at air shows[6] where their maneuvers include the "Rollercoaster" – a series of steep climbs and dives at an angle of up to 70 degrees.[15][16]

At the Duxford Air Show in 2019, the team used Chinook ZA708. This was built in 1981 and so has had extensive operational service, including overseas deployments in which it saw action and suffered combat damage. Built originally to Helicopter, Cargo Mark 1 (HC1) specification, it has been upgraded to the latest specification. To maintain its life and operational serviceability, the stunts performed at airshows are carefully regulated to minimise damage to the airframe.[12]

In 2018 and 2019, the Display Team partnered with Land Rover for support.[17][18][19][20] The vehicle wrap – which was Chinook-themed – was recognized as artistically successful, and was designed by a member of the aircrew.[19][20] As one site noted: "This project was completed within the Ministry of Defence and not under Dynamic Vectors. It serves only as an illustration of what some of our designers can do."[18]

The Display Team made a notable appearance at the Battle of Britain Memorial in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the RAF.[21]

The Chinook Display Team's popularity has been attributed by Flight Lieutenant Stuart Kynaston, the 2018 team captain, to the Chinook's high-profile role in evacuating injured personnel in Afghanistan, its recognizability, unexpected agility, and the display variation it provides in contrast to smaller, faster aircraft.[10]

Team members

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The flight team consists of a captain, three pilots and three crewmen. In 2021, these members were:[22]

  • Captain: Flight Lieutenant Matthew Smyth
  • Pilots: Flight Lieutenants Simon Flynn and Paul Huyton
  • Crewmen: Sergeants Thomas Best, Stewart Gibson, and Danny Gilderson

The team also has five engineering and support staff (ground crew).[23]

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ One Chinook, with air and ground crews from Nos 7, 18 and 27 Squadrons is also operated from Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands in support of the chopper.[6]

Citations

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  1. ^ Perry, Dominic (December 10, 2015). "Final new-build Chinook HC6s delivered to UK RAF". BBC News. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  2. ^ Slessor 2004, p. 153.
  3. ^ Marshall, Andrew (August 26, 2019). "What is the RAF Chinook Display Team". Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  4. ^ "RAF Odiham Royal Air Force". Royal Air Force. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  5. ^ "RAF Odiham – Who's Based Here". Royal Air Force. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c "The 2006 RAF Chinook HC Mk2 (25th Anniversary of Chinook Ops at RAF Odiham)". A guide to military airshows in the UK. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Chinook Display Team". Royal Air Force. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Mercer 2019.
  9. ^ Place, Clarissa (August 21, 2019). "First look at Chinook display team heading to Sidmouth air display". Sidmouth Herald. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Interview – Chinook Display Team". airshowinfo.eu. April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2021.
  11. ^ Allen, Patrick (January 27, 2014). "Royal Air Force, Chinook HC.2 Display Team 2013" (Video). Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved March 31, 2021 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ a b "RAF Chinook in Duxford display debut", Aerodrome, Hornby Hobbies, 2019
  13. ^ "RAF Odiham Chinook helicopter crews train on new £53m simulator". BBC News. November 22, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2021. The RAF said it delivers virtual reality battlefield training to pilots and rear crew at a fraction of the cost of flying.
  14. ^ "Chinook H2C Display 2004". A guide to military airshows in the UK. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
  15. ^ "Trouble in the air", Britain's Ultimate Pilots, BBC, October 23, 2015
  16. ^ "Britain's Ultimate Pilots: Inside the RAF, Episode 3". BBC. October 27, 2018.
  17. ^ "Land Rover partners with RAF Chinook display team" (Press release). www.automotiveworld.com Automotive World. September 13, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2021. Land Rover will be assisting the famous RAF Chinook Display Team with ground support throughout the remainder of 2018 and 2019
  18. ^ a b "It all started when ..." Landrover. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  19. ^ a b Healy, Jack (September 24, 2018). "Land Rover to provide support for RAF Chinook Display team". www.carkeys.co.uk. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  20. ^ a b Fossdyke, James (September 3, 2018). "Land Rover gift wraps Discovery for RAF Chinook Display Team". motor1.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  21. ^ Scull, Olivia (August 17, 2018). "A Battle of Britain first…". Battle of Britain Memorial. Retrieved March 31, 2021.[permanent dead link]
  22. ^ "The Team - Chinook Display Team". Royal Air Force. 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  23. ^ "Chinook Display Team". Royal Air Force. 2022. Retrieved March 26, 2023.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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