Flying colours
Royals and huge crowds see 100 aircraf t salute RAF’s centenary
THE RAF marked its centenary in an astonishing flypast with 22 Typhoon fighter-bombers spelling out 100 over Buckingham Palace.
The Royal Family were among 70,000 spectators gazing up in awe at the pilots’ precision moves over London.
The Red Arrows showed their colours as they roared in from the East above the Mall.
And a Second World War flight of Spitfires with a Lancaster bomber were also among 100 craft in the aerial parade.
Before the flypast, the Queen paid tribute to the RAF’s bravery and gallantry.
Her Majesty added: “I remember the Battle of Britain being fought over the skies above us and we shall never forget the courage and sacrifice.”
The crews and planes were taking a brief break from operations on front lines throughout the world, with the Typhoon force also on Quick Reaction Alert against incursions by Russia.
The spectacle followed a march by personnel and was heralded by half a dozen Chinook and Puma helicopters. After 11 months of planning, the aircraft assembled off East Anglia, before flying down to London. The Queen, in royal blue, was joined on the palace balcony by the Duchesses of Sussex, Cambridge and Cornwall. Princes Charles, William, Harry and Andrew all wore their RAF uniforms. Young Prince George and Princess Charlotte were seen at a palace window waving at the crowds and pulling faces. Earlier, the royals attended Westminster Abbey, joining a congregation of 2,000 that included PM Theresa May, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. All gave thanks for the protection and bravery of the RAF, formed when the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service merged on April 1, 1918. Prince Harry and Meghan later flew to Dublin on their first overseas royal visit as husband and wife. The couple are due to return this evening in time for the England game.