Red Arrows to honour Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Armed Forces Day celebrations

The nine-strong aerobatic team will fly over the celebrations at Aylesbury Rugby Club as part of HM The Queen’s Birthday fly past at Buckingham Palace. The Red Arrows will be followed by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight which includes a Lancaster bomber, a Spitfire and a Hurricane fighter as well as other military aircraft including Tornadoes and Typhoons.

Later in the afternoon the skies over the rugby club will play host to a spectacular flying display featuring a range of classic planes including an ex-military YAK 52 training aircraft, a WW2 P51 Mustang, a North American Aviation Navion and a Cessna L-19 Birddog 24550.

A Pitts Special will perform a programme of breath-taking aerobatics alongside a fast and furious Yak 3 Soviet fighter.

Mayor of Milton Keynes, Cllr David Hopkins, said: “How magnificent to have the legendary Red Arrows flying over the Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Armed Forces Day celebrations.

“They will not only be thrilling the crowds of visitors, but also honouring the dedication and courage of our Armed Forces here in Milton Keynes and throughout Buckinghamshire.”

In addition to the air show and fly-past the event includes live music and entertainment, rides and amusements, stalls and even an attempt to break a world record for a group Swing dance.

Buckinghamshire’s Lord Lieutenant, Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher encouraged everyone to come along and enjoy a fun, family day out. He said: “Armed Forces Day is a fantastic opportunity for us all to give thanks to the men and women who have served and are serving in our Armed Forces. They do and have done so much for us and our country so what better way to pay tribute to that than to come out and show your support on 17 June.”

Sir Henry added: “In the light of the 2015 Shoreham tragedy, we would like to reassure local residents that our Air Display has been arranged to minimise the areas where unauthorised spectators may gather and to limit the overflying of those areas. Special warning signs will be displayed in these areas. 

“We would like to warn those people who wish to risk spectating at areas other than in the organised crowd enclosures at Aylesbury Rugby Club that they may place themselves in obvious danger if they try to view the display from areas such as along New Road near Weston Turville Golf Club or some of the public footbaths to the North of Aylesbury Rugby Club.”

Tickets for Armed Forces Day are available to buy online at www.buckscc.gov.uk/armedforcesday where you can also find up to date information.