Red Arrows 2024: When aerobatic jets will perform 60th anniversary season display in Merseyside

The Red Arrows will perform their special diamond anniversary display in the skies over Merseyside this summer and it could feature ‘manoeuvres that haven’t been seen in over 20 years’.

The world's premier aerobatic team launched their 60th anniversary season with a special performance at RAF Waddington on 8 March and will perform at Southport Air Show later this year. The daring RAF pilots will fly over the Sefton coast on both days of the 2024 show: Saturday 13 July and Sunday 14 July.

They will be hoping for better weather than in 2023, when a heavy shower caused the cancellation of the Red Arrows’ display on the opening day of the air show. They did return with a flypast late in the afternoon. It’s not yet known which aircraft will be joining the Red Arrows in Southport but tickets are already on sale for the seafront show. The 2023 event included displays from the RAF Chinook Display Team and flights from Spitfire, a Lancaster Bomber and a Typhoon fighter jet.

The Red Arrows’ inaugural 60th anniversary season display above the skies of RAF Waddington brought together teammates old and new. The flight featured a classic Folland Gnat alongside the modern red Hawks. The old RAF training plane has a special place in Red Arrows history, flown by them from 1963 to 1965 when the team were previously known as the Yellow Jacks.

Officer Commanding Wg Cdr Adam Collins revealed the audience were in for a treat as this year's air displays include ‘manoeuvres that haven’t been seen in over 20 years’ to mark the diamond anniversary event. He shared how the day was all about looking back to the origins of the team, comparing the present team and sharing experience with young people who will potentially be the team’s future.

Sqn Lrd Chris McCann, also known as Red Arrows pilot ‘Red 2’ said: “There’s lots of exciting things to look forward to this year, back to a nine-ship aircraft, a full display season in the UK and an overseas tour in Canada at the end of the year.”

If you miss the Southport Air Show in July, the Red Arrows will also make an appearance up the coast at the Blackpool Airshow on Saturday 10 August and Sunday 11 August.