The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, or the Red Arrows, is the aerobatics display team of the Royal Air Force.
The Red Arrows often perform impressive aerobatic displays at British summer events.
On Friday May 8, the 75th anniversary of VE day, they will fly over Buckingham Palace to celebrate victory over the Nazis in World War Two.
Here we take a look at everything you need to know about the Red Arrows and the flypast:
What time is the Red Arrows flypast on VE Day?
The Red Arrows flypast will be over Westminster at 10.10am. They will take off from RAF Scampton at 9.37am before coming down the east coast of England and then heading to London.
The team will fly west from the city over Berkshire and return to base at 10.33am.
The flypast will be on the BBC's coverage at 3pm.
What is the history behind the Red Arrows?
The Red Arrows team was formed in late 1964, replacing a number of unofficial aerobatic teams.
They began in Gloucestershire, then moved to Cotswold Airport in 1966, and finally to RAF Scrampton, near Lincoln.
However, in July 2018 the RAF announced that by 2022 RAF Scrampton would close, and the Red Arrows would be relocated to another base.
They got their name after a French journalist described them in 1965 as “Les Fleches Rouges” – meaning “the red arrows”.
The team began flying in Folland Gnat trainers, as it was less expensive to operate than front-line fighter jets, although they switched in 1979 to the BAE Hawk trainer.
In their first season, in 1965, they flew at 65 shows across Europe. The team initially comprised of seven members, but increased to nine in 1966.
As of 2020, they have performed more than 4,800 displays in 57 countries.
The Red Arrows are a considerable attraction throughout the world, and so are unlikely to be disbanded in the foreseeable future.
Their badge shows the aircraft in their trademark diamond nine formation. Their motto is “éclat” – French for “excellence”.
What other events are taking place this Friday?
Because of the coronavirus lockdown, many planned events to commemorate VE Day have been cancelled.
However, throughout the day events will be broadcast on television and on the radio, and British people can celebrate in their homes.
At 11am there will be a two-minute silence to commemorate those who lived through the war, and think of coronavirus's impact today.
Winston Churchill's victory speech will be broadcast at 2.45pm, and at 3pm people are encouraged to go out to their doorstep and raise a toast and applaud those who sacrificed so much during the war.
A concert will be broadcast on BBC One at 8pm, where singers and actors will perform songs from the wartime era, and World War Two veterans will share memories of the conflict.
The Queen will address the public at 9pm in a pre-recorded speech. Directly afterwards, people are invited to join a sing-along to Dame Vera Lynn's We'll Meet Again.
