An all-female Royal Air Force crew will take to the skies over Wembley today to cheer on England ahead of the Women's Euro final.
The Lionesses are looking to secure their first major win in the much anticipated fixture against Germany, following a stunning 4-0 defeat over Sweden last week.
A C-130 Hercules transport aircraft crewed by three women, and flanked by two Typhoon fighter jets, will fly over the iconic Wembley Stadium as England prepare to face the competition's most successful side, the PA news agency reports.
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The Hercules, an aircraft that has recently been used to airdrop stores to troops during Nato exercises in eastern Europe, is captained by Flight Lieutenant Lauren, who has been in the Air Force for 12 years.
Flt Lt Lauren, who helped train the first female Afghan pilots when she was deployed in Afghanistan, has said watching the England team's success has been "inspiring."
"I’ve flown missions all over the world with the RAF, but this will be one of the most memorable. It’s been inspiring to watch the Lionesses progress and I will be loudly cheering them on as soon as I land back at RAF Brize Norton," she said.
England played in front of a competition-record 68,871 attendance when opening their campaign with a 1-0 win over Austria at Old Trafford, and Sunday’s final at the national stadium is a sell-out. The aircraft will fly over Wembley at 4.57pm, immediately after the national anthems and just before kick-off at 5pm.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: "I wish the best of luck to the Lionesses as they take on Germany at Wembley. It’s a landmark day for English football and women’s sport and it’s fantastic that the Royal Air Force will be marking the occasion with a flypast featuring an all-female aircrew."
Ahead of the final game, England boss Sarina Wiegman said her Lionesses fear nobody and are "prepared for anything." The last time England reached a major final, they were beaten 6-2 by the Germans at Euro 2009.
As support for the women's game gained incredible momentum in recent weeks, political leaders voiced their support for the Lionesses ahead of the match.
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson tweeted images of England flags at Downing Street. He also wrote a letter to the team telling them they had inspired girls and women across England to "know beyond any shadow of a doubt that football is not just for boys."
He said: "Your passion for the game, your tenacity in tricky spots, and above all your astounding talent on the pitch have already created a summer of fantastic memories for millions of us.
"You can see it in the sold-out stadia, in the packed fan zones, in the small children dancing wildly to Sweet Caroline and the TV viewing figures that have seen records crumbling almost as comprehensively as Sweden’s defence did in the semi-final."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: "As a parent, I know how vital it is to see strong, successful role models in sport. What you and your team have accomplished this summer will not just be celebrated as a great moment for English football but as one that encouraged and inspired young women like my own daughter"
Sir Keir attended the Lionesses’ semi-final victory over Sweden on Tuesday which he said would "live long in the memory."
England will kick off against Germany at Wembley at 5pm.
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