Spectacular isn’t it? I know you’ll have looked at the images before reading these words, I would have done exactly the same thing too, so hopefully your immediate reaction will be the same as ours was at RAF Linton-on-Ouse last week.
It was there, on a visit to meet the 2011 Tucano Display Team for a forthcoming feature, that Flt Lt Dan Hayes handed me a sheet of paper with a printout showing this year’s scheme in all its glory.
Very little had been given away up until that point and we had barely been given a clue as to what to expect, so, to find ourselves looking at such a striking all over silver, blue, red and white scheme was a pleasant surprise.
The scheme is very different to anything we’ve seen on a Tucano before and should prove just as popular as last season’s commemorative Battle of Britain markings, albeit for very different reasons.
“I guess the silver is a throwback to the old days when more military aircraft were left in a bare metal state or painted silver,” Dan says.
“The red, white and blue flashes on the tops of the wings, tailplanes, sides of the rear fuselage and the tail seem to fit in well with the natural lines of the Tucano and bring some more colour in to play. They represent the UK and the Royal Air Force so that works well too.
“Finally, I’m hoping the dark blue underside will provide a good contrast to the silver and it should result in an interesting effect when the aircraft is rolling – especially in sunny weather.”
The Team will be hoping for plenty of that this summer and Dan, along with Display Manager Flt Lt Nathan Dales, have a busy schedule ahead of them, commencing with a public debut at Abingdon on the 8th May.
“Dan has got his PDA (Public Display Approval) before then obviously,” Nathan tells us, “but we can’t wait to get out and about displaying and meeting everyone. Dan is practising hard at the moment and there is a lot of other preparation to do but all the other planning is going well.”
Having seen the scheme I’m quite sure they are now not the only ones who can’t wait and you’ll be able to read more about what to expect from the 2011 Tucano Display right here on GAR on 15th April when we’ll be publishing a full feature along with exclusive film footage and interviews courtesy of our partnership with PlanesTV.
GAR wants to interact with its readers so if you have a question for the author or a comment to make on this feature, please click on the button below. The best comments will appear right here on GAR.2011-04-01 - Chris Barkby
The scheme looks great and I look forward to seeing it 'in the flesh' on this year's airshow circuit. Well done.
2011-04-01 - Phil
Looks brill - looking forward to seeing it in the flesh.
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