History was made over Oshkosh on Friday, July 24, when the Royal Air Force Red Arrows took to the skies for their first full aerial display at EAA AirVenture. Nine jets in perfect formation painted red, white, and blue across the Wisconsin horizon—signature close-proximity maneuvers, smoke trails, the works. This is just the beginning. The team has two more days ahead: another performance Saturday at 2:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. (the evening show under Hartzell Propeller sponsorship) and a final run Sunday at 1 p.m., capping what EAA officials are calling a watershed moment for the 73-year-old event.
It’s been a whirlwind week for the British aerobatic team. They landed Wednesday, July 22—their first-ever arrival at AirVenture—and flew a brief flypast that left thousands stunned. By Friday, they were ready. The full demonstration was what everyone had been waiting for.
“The Red Arrows have long been on the list of teams that aviation enthusiasts have wanted to see at Oshkosh,” said Rick Larsen, EAA Vice President of Communities and Member Programs. “Thousands of attendees are expected to pack the flight line for these performances.”
The Aircraft and the Team
Nine BAE Systems Hawk T1 jets. Each pilot brings frontline fast-jet experience. The Hawk T1—a single-engine advanced trainer and light combat jet—is the workhorse of the Red Arrows’ display arsenal. These machines can sustain formation flying at speeds exceeding 400 knots with turning radiuses few other teams can match. Back home at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, more than 100 support personnel and technicians keep the operation running. Leading them all: Wing Commander Sasha Nash.
“The Red Arrows are a team of dedicated, diligent and enthusiastic people who exemplify the ethos and values found across the Royal Air Force,” Wing Commander Nash said. “Our dynamic shows and vibrant flypasts represent what can be achieved through teamwork—both in-the-air and on-the-ground.”
This marks their first North American visit since 2019’s “Western Hawk 19” tour—a sprawling 22,000-mile journey across 25 U.S. and Canadian cities over 11 weeks. That tour included 21 full displays and 30 flyovers. But Oshkosh? Never before. The 2026 deployment, dubbed “Operation Eagle Hawk North American Tour,” celebrates 250 years of American independence and represents something the Red Arrows have never done at this event.
What’s Ahead This Weekend
Saturday brings two performances: 2:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday caps things off at 1 p.m. The team’s expanded aerobatic box requires crowd lines to form early—1:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon on Sunday. It’s a security measure familiar to anyone who’s watched previous high-profile military demonstrations.
AirVenture itself runs through July 26. The Red Arrows aren’t the only draw. The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor and F-16 Viper demonstration teams are also here, competing for attention across 1,500 acres. Last year, the event pulled in 704,000 attendees.
Operation Eagle Hawk Beyond Oshkosh
Friday’s display is the centerpiece of something bigger: a six-week U.S. tour that already included Airshow Baltimore (June 27–28), a Fourth of July flypast over New York City, the FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach (July 5–6), the Great State of Maine Air Show (July 11–12), and Thunder Over Michigan (July 17–19). After Sunday wraps up, the Red Arrows’ 2026 North American commitment is done.
If you’re planning to catch Saturday night or Sunday afternoon—arrive early. Word’s already spreading through the warbird and formation-flying community that these are once-in-a-lifetime performances.
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