Collating details as they are published of the various military aircraft flypasts over London and local area, as I do – and it is about as ready as it is likely to get.
Apart from the big flypast in June for the Queen’s Birthday, there isn’t a lot this year to see. I guess we Londoners were a bit spoiled last year due to the 70th anniversary commemorations.
Most of the flypasts are by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and sadly, nothing over London by the Red Arrows – although they are in the South-Coast area on the Queens Birthday, so I’d expect them to pop over to London for that.
Holding the Trooping the Colour in Horseguards without a corresponding colourful display in the sky is unthinkable.
Updated 9th June 2011: The Red Arrows will be part of the flypast – details here.
The Typhoon (Eurofighter) flypast details haven’t been released yet, but they rarely visit London, so I am not expecting too much from them.
I’ll update the details below as and when I get fresh information, and will try where possible to get flight plans.
| Date | Day | Key Location | Aircraft | Time |
| April | ||||
| 29th | Fri | Westminster | Lancaster, Spitfire, Hurricane, 2 Typhoons & 2 Tornado GR4s | 1:30pm |
| May | ||||
| 4th | Wed | Hyde Park | Lancaster | 12:20pm |
| 11th | Wed | Hendon (RAF Museum) | Spitfire | 12:30pm |
| 11th | Wed | Walthamstow | Spitfire | 12:40pm |
| 22nd | Sun | Rickmansworth | Lancaster | 2:45pm |
| June | ||||
| 11th | Sat | Buckingham Palace | Lancaster, Spitfire & Hurricane | 1pm |
| 25th | Sat | Hendon (RAF Museum) | Spitfire | 1:25pm |
| 25th | Sat | Stanmore | Spitfire | 1:30pm |
| 30th | Thur | Hendon (RAF Museum) | Lancaster | 7pm |
| August | ||||
| 7th | Sun | Upminster | 2 Spitfires | 12:25pm |
In addition to the fighter planes, there is usually a chance to get up close and personal with a Chinook helicopter at the annual open evening at the HAC.
Updated 1st April: Added more aircraft to the flypast for the Royal Wedding over Westminster Abbey.
Updated: 24th April: The Royal Wedding flypast will be over Buckingham Palace flying down The Mall along the same route as used for the Official Birthday flypast.
Don’t suppose anyone has a breakdown of which aircraft will be flying on Sat 11 June in London, apart from BBMF at 1pm?? I’m totally miffed that I’ll be out of town that day….! In that regard, does anyone have any background info about which direction the Royal Wedding aircraft will be coming in from? I hope to peek my head out of my house and catch a glimpse with the bins….Muchly thanks, Emma C (north London)
does anyone know which airport they will be flying from – will it be RAF Northolt?
http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/raf-flypast-07062011
details of the flypast has been added
Ian, this is absolutely amazing. I just don’t know how you do it…
There was a flypast over Thames Ditton this afternoon. Was listed to be at 14.35, but eventually took place at 14.50 … two flypasts by the Lancaster, which approached from the east. The Spitfire and Hurricane continued well south around the M25, and the Lanc went and re-joined with them out near Fairoaks after the flypast.
Future flypasts? – there should be the annual BoB flypast in the middle of September, and also there’s usually a flypast at the start of the Lord Mayor’s Show in November.
More:
10th Sept – display by the BBMF at Biggin Hill at 1.20pm
10th Sept – flypast by the BBMF (prob just a Spitfire) at the RAF Museum Hendon at 1.40pm
15th Sept – flypast at RAF Northolt (usually a Spitfire) at 6.30pm
18th Sept – BoB memorial service at St Clement Danes in The Strand, with a flypast afterwards (usually at about 12.20pm