It seems like they do the same moves each year, but re-title them for effect.
(yes i know its not as simple as that).
However they are looking a little stale, jaded, old hat, and even poor.
What doesnt help is the fact that the reds are using non front line aircraft, and as such i feel that the T2 needs to fit the bill, although the government wont pay that bill.
Also, has anyone thought of painting a typhoon in Reds colours and having it display with the reds, filling in with fast passes and moves of its own. giving a 9+1 'super display team'.
Might that be the cheapest cure to what ails thee? It might also be the most cost effective dynamic shift that the team needs
The photoshop looks great, and is very cleverly done. However, the L2 / L3 links look better still, being an interpretation to suit the Typhoon rather than just a straight copy of the scheme.
Now, can we see one with the current tail, pretty please...?
And as the smart ship grew, In stature, grace and hue, In shadowy silent distance grew the iceberg too....
I remember posing the question of Typhoon replacing the Red Arrows Hawk some time ago. The out of service date of the Hawk T1 means the whole cost of maintaining the Hawk T1 falls on the team. Major servicing ect can not be spread across the whole RAF, even pilot training / conversion must now be factored in. Discounting this year's reduction in pilots / aircraft this puts extra pressure and cost on the teams pilots and ground support.
Several years ago the Coningsby based Typhoon T3 were retired while these aircraft would undoubtedly be more expensive to operate as a display team their maintanance and pilot training would be shared across the whole RAF. A certain common sence reduction in aircraft number to a four ship I believed would have provided the necessary dynamic and the current Typhoon solo display could come team leader and in affect 'save' the cost of 29sqn providing a frontline aircraft each year. The other pilots would have been provided by the much talked about but never actually seen 'adverserary' squadron.
Now a pointless thought and I am afraid we are stuck with the current 7 ship untill in the very near future the team will cease to existing.
Agreed IXsqn was reformed using some of the older ZJxxx airframes but I have yet to read any accounts of the squadron operating in any special way as adversary tactics or training. My comments on "not seen" is probably based on the lack of any special identity or deployment of Lossi jets to CBY. No offence intended to IX sqn and their contribution.
