The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team touched down at Wittman Regional Airport on Wednesday afternoon. It was a watershed moment in EAA AirVenture’s 73-year history—the first time the legendary Red Arrows have ever performed at the world’s largest experimental aircraft gathering.
Nine Hawk T1 jets executed a crisp 10-minute non-aerobatic arrival show before landing. Thousands lined the flight line as the iconic red, white, and blue formation came into view. Their signature diamond and arrow formations were unmistakable even at approach speed.
Historic Tour Lands in Oshkosh
The Red Arrows had just completed a grueling transatlantic deployment spanning six weeks and five U.S. states. Dubbed Operation Eagle Hawk, the tour marks one of the most ambitious overseas missions in RAFAT’s recent history—a carefully orchestrated hop from RAF Waddington through Iceland, Greenland, and Canada. They reached American soil on June 26 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Unlike modern fighters equipped with air-to-air refueling probes, the Hawk T1s required eight carefully planned stops to bridge the Atlantic.
“The whole Red Arrows team are greatly looking forward to this tour,” said Wing Commander Sasha Nash, Officer Commanding RAFAT, in a statement ahead of arrival. “The power to inspire through aviation is something felt by airshow crowds on both sides of the Atlantic, and we’re hoping to meet countless individuals and families at these locations.”
Rick Larsen, EAA Vice President of Communities and Member Programs, confirmed the historic booking. “The Red Arrows have long been on the list of teams that aviation enthusiasts have wanted to see at Oshkosh,” he said. “The team’s extended U.S. tour schedule fortunately allowed them to include AirVenture on their itinerary. Now in their 62nd season, the Red Arrows represent the speed, agility, and precision of the Royal Air Force.”
Full Aerobatic Performances Friday Through Sunday
Three full-length aerobatic displays are scheduled for Friday, July 24, Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26. Friday and Saturday performances start at 2:15 p.m. Central; Sunday’s finale begins at 1 p.m. Central time. Spectators will see signature RAFAT maneuvers including the camera-friendly “Tornado,” where two jets roll around the remaining seven aircraft as the entire formation bends in front of the crowd line.
Over 700,000 aviation enthusiasts and 10,000 aircraft are converging on Oshkosh this week. The Red Arrows’ three-day run shares the schedule with the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, the F-22 Raptor, Canada’s Northern Stars in vintage Pitts Specials, and Austria’s Flying Bulls—making their first-ever American public debut with a restored P-38 and DC-6.
Why This Matters
RAFAT’s Oshkosh debut required serious logistics work. The team extended its originally planned U.S. itinerary and secured explicit British government authorization to add the Wisconsin stop, recognizing AirVenture’s unmatched drawing power among serious aviation enthusiasts. The Red Arrows’ signature tight formation flying at 350+ knots—executed with wingtip-to-wingtip spacing measured in feet—demands a runway and spectator footprint that few North American venues can accommodate.
This tour also carries diplomatic weight. It’s a visible reaffirmation of UK-US military cooperation during America’s 250th anniversary year, with ground engagement events targeting young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics throughout the tour’s duration.
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