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Is being a Red Arrow just like being in Top Gun? Red 9 reveals all…
Today, the Red Arrows have been granted Public Display Authority for the 2017 air display season and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this year!
Flight Lieutenant Emmet Cox (Red 9)
In the run up to the season we wanted to find out all things Red Arrows from the team themselves and Flight Lieutenant Emmet Cox, aka. Red 9, was only too happy to give us an exclusive interview. Currently in his third year on the team, Red 9, has told us how to become a Red Arrows pilot and what it’s really like to be part of the world renowned Red Arrows…
What qualities/skills does a Red Arrow pilot have that are different to a regular RAF fast jet pilot?
“The Red Arrows look for the same qualities as the Royal Air Force when first selecting their pilots; motivated, reliable individuals who are team players, trustworthy with good hand-eye coordination. All Red Arrows pilots have previously been fast jet pilots on the frontline and to be eligible for selection they require 1,500 hours of fast-jet flying experience, as well as being assessed as above average in their flying role. A good degree of self criticalness and the ability to think on your feet is essential.”
“it is definitely nothing like Top Gun”
Are there (in your opinion) any common misconceptions that come with being a Red Arrows air display pilot?
“Well it is definitely nothing like Top Gun, and it is far from glamorous at times. But we do have the opportunities to get involved with some terrific organisations and events that as a frontline fast jet pilot would never come your way. Another common assumption is that we rely on some piece of technology or autopilot to maintain the shapes we fly, but all that is used is a bit of hand and eye coordination and a lot of practice.”
Do you have any nicknames that you call each other (when not using each other’s numbers)?
“Yes, most of us have some sort of nickname, most have been picked up along the way through training in the RAF and our time on frontline Squadrons. Largely they are unimaginative, just put the letter Y on the end of anyone’s surname and you won’t be far off. There is definitely no one named Maverick, Hollywood or Goose!”
“the difference between a well flown and a poorly flown manoeuvre is tiny”
Red Arrows in action
Which is the most physically demanding or scariest part of the display to perform?
“For new team pilots, it is definitely the Rollbacks. This is the last manoeuvre learnt in winter training and is the most dynamic, the difference between a well flown and a poorly flown manoeuvre is tiny. As you progress in the team you move position and some of the manoeuvres flown in the second half of the show by the Synchro Pair and the rear part of the formation are very demanding and can involve high amounts of G forces.”
How many times do you perform the display during the year?
“It varies from year-to-year but about 80 shows is normal. In addition, we also do numerous flypasts while transiting from one location to another and some dedicated flypast sorties like that for Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday celebrations or the rugby world cup final. Occasionally, after the UK season has finished, we conduct a tour further afield to places like the Middle East, Asia or the Americas to represent the country. This could make the total number of displays go well in to the hundreds.”
Hawk T1 jet
How long do you think the Hawk T1 will continue as your display aircraft and are there any plans towards its replacement?
“The Hawk T1 is in service with the Red Arrows for the foreseeable future. The Hawk T1’s nimble and manoeuvrable, yet forgiving, handling characteristics made it perfect in its original role of training new fast-jet pilots. These qualities, along with its high reliability, also make it great for our displays.”
“representing the very best of British values”
Why do you think the Red Arrows are so important as the face of the RAF and as a representative of the UK abroad?
“We take our role as ambassadors very seriously. The nature of what we do make us an effective soft diplomacy tool, both on the ground and in the air. We have a far reach and have the ability to effectively place the national flag overhead in any location all the while representing the very best of British values.”
As you can tell the Red Arrow pilots hold a lot of responsibility both as the face of the RAF and as ambassadors for the UK.
Official Red Arrows 2017 1oz Silver Proof Medal
If you are interested…
Today you can be one of just 2,017 collectors to own the Official Red Arrows 2017 1oz Silver Proof Medal
The medal 30 years in the making…
With the Battle of Waterloo reaching its 200th Anniversary this year, I have come across some fascinating commemoratives which have been issued to mark the historic event. However, there was one in particular that really caught my eye and has an intriguing story behind it…
Benedetto Pistucci was commissioned to design The Battle of Waterloo medal..
It all started in 1815 when The Royal Mint was commissioned by the Duke of Wellington to strike a medal honouring the leaders of the allied nations following the Battle of Waterloo.
The medal was to be of the grandest scale, finished with outstanding detail – a task perfectly suited to Royal Mint Chief Medalist Bendetto Pistrucci – whose proposed design was chosen from a shortlist.
Pistrucci was a masterful engraver with a mercurial personality. He had already completed a stunning design of St George and the Dragon (which famously still graces the Sovereign today). His design for the medal looked set to be one of the greatest ever undertaken…
But, there was a problem
Pistrucci was under the impression that Master of the Mint, William Wellsley-Pole, had promised him the position of Chief Engraver at the Royal Mint. However, as a result of politics and infighting at the Mint, it became apparent his ambitions would never be fulfilled.
In fact he soon recognised that once he had completed the Waterloo medal, The Royal Mint was sure to cut all ties with him. Determined not to let this happen, Pistrucci took his time, and prolonged the project – by 30 years.
By the time the dies were completed, all the intended recipients were dead, except for Wellington himself.
The end result was one of the most magnificent pieces of medallic art ever seen, but this wasn’t the end of the story. Pistrucci’s dies were so large and complicated that they proved impossible to harden and the medal that had taken three decades to complete was never even struck.
So the ill-fated Waterloo medal remains one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of The Royal Mint, and is still talked about to this day – despite the fact it never even made it to production!
Now the medal has been made…
Using the latest minting technology, a small batch of just 495 replica medals have been made for the anniversary year of The Battle of Waterloo. We still have some available if you’re interested, click here for details.
Battle of Waterloo commemorative issued… by France!
This year will mark the bi-centennial anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. But, despite Napoleon’s defeat taking place a distant 200 years ago, it seems that it is still a delicate subject for the French… or is it?
In March, Belgium planned to issue a €2 commemorative Waterloo coin in honour of the historic event. However, after 180,000 coins were minted with the design, France voiced such objection that Belgium destroyed the coins to avoid upsetting their neighboring country.
But earlier this week Belgium crushed the French resistance by invoking a little-known European Union rule. It allows countries to issue euro coins of their choice, provided they are in an irregular denomination – cue a new €2.50 coin – a first in Belgium.
The coin displays the Lion Hill memorial that marks the battle, with dotted-lines indicating the position of the troops when forces led by Britain and Prussia defeated Napoleon in the countryside near Brussels.
But, ironically, it was the French who issued one of the first Waterloo Commemoratives…
Remarkably, the French State Mint issued a Battle of Waterloo Medal after Napoleon’s defeat in 1815. It was designed for sale in the British market by renowned French sculptor Emile Rogat, depicting a fallen eagle on the reverse, symbolising the French Army.
The eagle is encircled by four vultures to represent the victorious British, Prussians, Austrians and Dutch and the obverse features an official effigy of Napoleon. It became a piece of history, stored in the British Museum.
It’s a great time for collectors during huge anniversaries such as this, as there are so many fascinating coins and commemoratives issued. But perhaps it’s time France looked back at their own history before they complain again!
If you’re interested… 
You can actually own a replica of the 1815 French Medal now in the British Museum, reproduced using the original dies.
