The 2019 Queen’s birthday flypast – What you need to know

BBMF Dakota DC3 (Image: Aviation Media Agency.)
BBMF Dakota DC3 (Image: Aviation Media Agency.)

Details of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday flypast have been revealed by the Royal Air Force (RAF) today and here is all the information you need to see this spectacular event.

The flypast will take place over central London on Saturday 8th June 2019 and will see a fleet of aircraft from the RAF’s history fly along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace as the RAF says Happy Birthday to the Queen.

All participants are due to “form up” over Southwold, Suffolk before reaching The Mall at 1 pm. The route to London will take the aircraft over Ipswish, Colchester and Chelmsford.

The aircraft will fly between 1,000 and 1,200 ft over the ground with each wave being just 30 seconds apart in a carefully coordinated flypast that is always spectacular.

The weather may yet play a role though as Squadron Leader Ben Smy, Lead Planner, explains “The weather forecast is suggesting it could be windy which may mean some last minute changes to which aircraft can participate. We never compromise on safety with something like this so fingers crossed the weather is kind.

The 2019 Participants

  • Battle of Britain Memorial Flight DC3 Dakota
  • 28 Squadron Puma HC2
  • 28 Squadron Chinook HC6A
  • Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster
  • Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire
  • Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hurricane
  • 14 Squadron Shadow R1
  • V(AC) Squadron Sentinel R1
  • 32(TR) Squadron BAe 146
  • 10/101 Squadron Airbus Voyager
  • 3(F) Squadron Typhoon FGR4
  • The Red Arrows (RAFAT) BAe Hawk T1
The line up for the 2019 Queens Birthday Flypast (Image: MOD/RAF/OGL)
The line up for the 2019 Queens Birthday Flypast (Image: MOD/RAF/OGL)

Is it on TV?

The flypast will be broadcast live on the BBC News Channel.

About Nick Harding 1897 Articles
Nick is the senior reporter and editor at UK Aviation News as well as working freelance elsewhere. He has his finger firmly on the pulse on Aviation, not only in the UK but worldwide. Nick has been asked to speak in a professional capacity on LBC, Heart and other broadcast networks.