World record loop

In September 1958 the Black Arrows of 111 Sqn RAF were due to

appear at the 1958 SBAC Air Show at Farnborough as the premiere

RAF Aerobatic team. Their Commanding Officer SqnLdr Roger L.Topp

was about to hand over command of Treble-one squadron to SqnLdr

Peter Latham and had requested permission from the RAF hierarchy

to attempt to break the current world record for the number of

aircraft to complete a loop, held since February 1958 by the

Pakistan Air Force who had successfully looped 16 North American

F-86 Sabres Permission for the attempt was received and a number of pilots

and aircraft needed to complete the formation were seconded from

other RAF fighter squadrons to practice for the show. Initially Topp intended to loop 20 aircraft in five lines of four

aircraft. Having four aircraft in each line introduced difficulties for the

pilots in the rear aircraft who became "thrust limited" over the

peak of the loop and would lose position. Topp then decided to

make the formation 7 lines of three aircraft. After this was

trialled successfully, a fourth aircraft was added to the centre

line to improve the aesthetics of the formation and the "22

Hunter Loop" formation was born. Each day of the Farnborough show, the Black Arrows would start

their display with the enormous formation of 22 Hawker Hunter

F6's completing two consecutive loops; A world record which has

never been equalled. After the loops, six outer aircraft would

break off from the formation and the Black Arrows would return

for a 16 aircraft roll, another unprecedented feat which, though

subsequently equalled by other teams, remains unsurpassed.

The pilots and aircraft who were involved in the record breaking

loop are listed below.

XG194 SqnLdr Roger Topp

XG170 FltLT "Oakie" Oakford

XG200 FlgOff Marcus"Oscar" Wild

XF515 FltLt Alan Brindle

XG201 FltLt Patrick Hine

XG171 FlTLT Brian Mercer

XG592 FLTLT George Ord

XE563 FlTLT Matthew Kemp

XJ715 FlgOff Ron Smith

XG189 FltLt Bob Smith

XF416 FltLt Bob Barcilon

XF424 FlgOff Roger Hymans

XE616 FlgOff Peter Jennings

XG190 FltLt Les Swart

XE656 FlgOff Norman Lamb

XE584 FltLt "Will" Scarlett

XG193 FlgOff "CJ" Clayton-Jones

XJ687 FltLt "Chas" Boyer

XG266 FltLt Frank Travers-Smith

XG160 FltLt Mike Thurley

XF506 FlgOff Tony Aldridge

XG191 FltLt David Edmondston

Airborne Spares

FltLt Channing Biss

FlGOff Barry Vaughan

Extra pilots

FltLT Les Elgey

FltLt Fred Hartley