UK Joint Helicopter Force 40th anniversary Chinook & 50th anniversary Puma take part in sortie to mark 90 years of combined service.

royalairforceuk A Chinook and Puma from @rafodiham and @rafbensonofficial have conducted a sortie to mark 90 years of combined service. The two uniquely painted airframes celebrated their individual anniversaries earlier this year, but this is their first formation flight as a pair.

The Puma (XW224), has completed 50 years of service, while the Chinook (ZD984) has completed 40 years of service. Each aircraft’s tail art was especially commissioned to commemorate the significant anniversaries of their entry into service with the Royal Air Force.

The flightpath included a number of iconic sites, stretching from the Isle of Wight to central London; with each location offering unique joint training opportunities for the crews who often work together on operations. The helicopters are expected to be returned to their standard operational markings early next year.

via RAFODIHAM Instagram Page