The famous Red Arrows have taken to the skies today to kick off the VE Day celebrations. On the first of four days of celebrations in the UK to mark the end of the Second World War in Europe, the stunning aerial display flew over the south of England, including Buckingham Palace, this afternoon.
Some of the jets that took part in the display include the P8 Poseidons, involved in tensions with Russia, Typhoon fast jets which are part of NATO Air Policing, and Voyager aircraft which have delivered equipment to Ukrainian forces are all taking part. A number of traffic and travel restrictions are in place in the capital, with Transport for London (TfL) issuing advice for people wishing to avoid the crowds.
A military procession took place in London, starting off at Parliament Square at 12pm before finishing just before 1pm. It consisted of around 1,000 members of the Armed Forces from the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, along with 23 aircraft from the Royal Air Force flypast. The procession began with chimes from Big Ben, followed by Sir Winston Churchill’s 1945 victory speech spoken by actor Timothy Spall. As the procession moved down Whitehall, it passed the Cenotaph, through Admiralty Arch and up the Mall, members of the royal family including King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Princess Royal, and the Prince and Princess of Wales watched the event along with veterans from the Second World War. Politicians including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, London mayor Sadiq Khan, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also joined veterans on the Buckingham Palace garden steps to watch the flyover.
Seven military bands were involved in the procession, including The Band of The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment on horseback. Shortly before 1.45pm, Charles and Camilla went out on the Buckingham Palace balcony with William, Kate, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Princess Anne, as well as a number of members of the royal family. They began watching the Red Arrows flypast route, which started off with a number of warplanes including a Second World War-era Lancaster from The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, a Voyager, the A400M Atlas, and the C17 Globemaster. Other aircraft included the P8 Poseidon MRA1, Typhoon FGR4, Rivet Joint, and F-35B Lightning. Members of the crowd could be heard cheering as the aircraft flew over the palace and the Mall this afternoon. The spectacular display ended with The Red Arrows flying through the sky, releasing their red, white, and blue smoke.
The Red Arrows flypast route began over the North Sea off the coast of Norfolk before heading inland over East Anglia, Essex, and London. The planes then dispersed over Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire. Each area covering the potential route was restricted, meaning other planes were not able to enter those areas at the following times and altitudes: Area A: between 11.45am-2.45pm, up to 10,000ft; Area B: between 1.15pm-2.10pm, up to 5,000ft; Area C: between 1.20pm-2.10pm, up to 4,000ft; Area D: between 1.20pm-2.10pm, up to 3,000ft; Area E: between 1.25pm-2.10pm, up to 2,500ft; Area F: between 1.25pm-2.10pm, up to 2,500ft; Area G: between 1.45pm-2.25pm, up to 2,500ft; Area H: between 1.45pm-2.25pm, up to 2,500ft; Area I: between 1.45pm-2.25pm, up to 2,500ft.
The Red Arrows, which are officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, are based at the RAF Waddington base in Lincolnshire and have been there since 2022. The team has been based in Lincolnshire throughout its history, at RAF Kemble from 1966, moving to RAF Scampton in 1983, and spending five years at RAF College Cranwell between 1995 and 2000. During displays, the Red Arrows fly extremely close together, with the exact distance varying depending on the stunt being performed, but the jets can fly as close as 6ft apart.
Residents of Surrey found themselves among the most fortunate in the South of England, as the flyover route was amended to include more of their neighborhoods. The Red Arrows zoomed through the skies of the county this afternoon. The expected flyover route saw the Red Arrows fly right through the heart of Surrey, arriving toward the end of their trip. Specific times indicated that residents could witness the roar of the jet engines in areas including Sutton, Epsom, Leatherhead, Guildford, Godalming, and more as the Red Arrows headed toward their destination in Bournemouth.
The near-cross country flyover began just after 1pm at RAF Waddington. From there, the celebratory squadron headed eastward, completing a route around the coast of Norfolk before turning back inland just south of Ipswich and heading toward the capital. On their journey to London, they passed over northern regions of Essex, such as Chelmsford, and by around 1.45pm, they reached the capital, being expected to be just east of Walthamstow by this time. Once in the capital, the squadron passed over areas such as Stratford, Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Chelsea, Wimbledon, and more in the minutes after, then headed southwest toward Surrey.
The Red Arrows first passed into Surrey's borders just over Worcester Park in the very northern tip of the county, then continued to pass directly over Epsom, Ashtead, and Leatherhead at an estimated time of 1.52pm. Next, the Arrows took a right turn to head toward their destination in Bournemouth. Before this, at around 1.55pm, the squadron was expected to fly over just south of Guildford, specifically in the Artington and Chantry wood area of the town. The best viewing spots in the town were expected to be in the southern parts of Guildford, as well as villages just outside Surrey's county town, such as Shalford, Chilworth, and Farncombe. Arguably the best spot in the entire county to witness the commemorative fly-by was Newland's Corner, one of the highest points in the town, expected to bear witness to the 23-plane squadron flying directly over the 103-acre nature reserve at an estimated time of 1.54pm.
The VE Day flyover concluded in Bournemouth at around 2.06pm in the West Parley region of the coastal town. The punctuality and specific routes of the Red Arrows may change due to weather conditions as well as other requirements. The event included the enforcement of restrictions on the airspaces flown through between 11.45am and 2.45pm. A document published by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport detailed the specifics of the airspace restrictions, stating: "These Regulations impose restrictions on flying in the vicinity of the North Sea, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, London, and areas to the West and North West of London over Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire for the VE Day 80 Anniversary Flypast which is due to take place there on 5th May 2025."
