The Red Arrows appeared to have another near miss shortly before a bird strike forced an emergency landing during an air show on Sunday (August 28). New pictures show a bird flying perilously close to Squadron Leader Tom Bould's (Red 1) aircraft as the team took off.
The Red Arrows had used Hawarden Airport in Wales as a base for their Rhyl Air Show displays at the weekend. Photographer Steve Ebbrell explains: "Red 1, the Red Arrows leader, very nearly had a bird strike on take off. The bird is large, and looks like a crow, it flew right across their flight path."
Dramatic later pictures show a Red Arrows jet with a shattered windscreen - after it was hit by a bird during the Rhyl show. The plane, Red 6 piloted by Squadron Leader Gregor Ogston, was forced to cut short the display a few minutes early - after the cockpit canopy was smashed.
