Full list of planes at Trooping the Colour 2026 | Royal | News
Flypast will take place at 13.00 (Image: Getty)
Members of the Royal Family will observe the annual Colored Troop Parade in central London today, featuring a spectacular display of pageantry and pageantry. The event features an impressive car procession down The Mall and culminates with senior royals taking to the Buckingham Palace Balcony to watch the RAF’s Flypast.
This event will take place at 13:00 when a number of jets will fly over the royal residence. A multitude of aircraft types and formations showcase the RAF’s contemporary capabilities and their critical contribution to recent and ongoing Operations. Below, the Daily Express looks at which aircraft will perform on the flight, which will fly directly along The Mall via Buckingham Palace.
Wave 1 – 3 Chinook
The flight begins from RAF Doiham with three RAF Chinook (CH-47) aircraft from 7, 18 and 27 Sqns. This year marks the Chinook’s 45th year of service in the RAF.
The Chinook is equipped with two Honeywell 55-L-714A Free Turbine engines. It can carry up to 55 soldiers or 10 tons of cargo. Secondary roles include search, rescue and battlefield Casualty Evacuation.
It has a maximum altitude of 15,000 ft, a maximum speed of 160Kt and a length of 30.14 m.
Flypast will take place over Buckingham Palace at 13.00 (Image: RAF)
Wave 2 – Dakota
The unmistakable sound of the iconic Dakota will form the second wave, operated by the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, based at RAF Coningsby.
The Douglas C47 Dakota is one of the most successful military transport aircraft designs in history and was used extensively by the Allies during World War II.
Dakotas served in all areas of the war, particularly in Burma, during the D-Day landings and the air raids on Arnhem in 1944.
Typhoon jets arranged in CR formation (Image: Getty)
Wave 3 – Phenom and Texan
The third wave of the flight includes RAF Cranwell’s Embraer Phenom 100 T Mk1. Joining this are two Texan T1s from RAF Valley.
Phenom T Mk1 has a length of 12.82 m and a wingspan of 12.30 m. Its maximum altitude is 41,000 ft. It can carry a maximum of 5-7 passengers.
Texans are used for basic flight training, with a wingspan of 10.20 m, a maximum speed of 316 knots and a maximum altitude of 31,000 ft. The aircraft can accommodate one pilot and one passenger/instructor.
Red Arrows will complete the flight (Image: Getty)
Wave 4 – A400M
The fourth wave of the flight includes the A400M Atlas from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
The A400M Atlas entered operational service with the RAF in 2014. It provides tactical airlift and strategic outsize lift capability, complementing the Royal Air Force’s C-17A fleet.
It has a wingspan of 42.4 m, a length of 42.2 m and a maximum speed of Mach 0.68. The aircraft can fly at altitudes as high as 40,000 ft.
Wave 5 – C17
Following the A400M comes the C-17, a long-range, strategic, heavy-lift transport aircraft capable of operating in combat, peacekeeping or humanitarian missions around the world.
Airplane, Queen Elizabeth II. He carried Elizabeth’s body for a state funeral. UK C-17As are also improving the ability to drop soldiers from the air and are improving their ability for night operations and landing on difficult runways.
It is 53 m long, has a wingspan of 52 m and a maximum altitude of 45,000 ft. It can carry up to 45,360 kg for 4,500 miles and is used for long-distance medical evacuations.
Flypast has 33 aircraft (Image: Getty)
Wave 6 – Voyager and Typhoon
Voyager has a Typhoon FGR Mk4 in each wing, based at RAF Coningsby and RAF Lossiemouth.
Voyager is the RAF’s only air-to-air refueling (AAR) tanker and also operates as a strategic air transport. The aircraft has the capacity to carry forty stretchers and three critical care patients.
The Typhoon can be used in a wide range of air operations, including air policing, peacekeeping and high-intensity conflicts.
Formation of RAF Flypast (Image: RAF)
Wave 7 – Poseidon MRA1
The seventh wave of the flight consists of a Poseidon MRA Mk1 (P-8A) from RAF Lossiemouth
Boeing Poseidon MRA1 (P-8A) is a versatile maritime patrol aircraft designed for anti-submarine warfare, surveillance and search and rescue missions.
It features cutting-edge technology to detect, identify and track enemy contacts both above and below the waves.
Royal Family members watch Flypast from the balcony (Image: Getty)
Wave 8 – Rivet Connection
The rear of the Poseidon features RAF Waddington’s RC-135W Rivet Mount.
The Rivet Link entered service in 2014 and has a proven track record of supporting coalition and NATO operations. It is 41.1 m long, has a wingspan of 39.9 m and a maximum altitude of 39,000 ft.
Wave 9 – Typhoons
Four Typhoons will fly in a fourth box formation and 29 Sqn will originate from RAF Coningsby. 29 Sqn is the Typhoon Operational Conversion unit responsible for training all new pilots how to fly and operate the Typhoon in all their roles before moving on to Front Line units.
With its multi-role capability and weapon diversity, the Typhoon FGR Mk4 is capable of targeting multiple target types.
Wave 10 – Şahin T1 and F35B
The Hawk T 1 is a fully aerobatic, low-wing, transonic, two-seat trainer aircraft used by the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team Red Arrows.
They are based at RAF Waddington. This year’s flyover will feature nine jets in a Red Arrow formation.
The aircraft supported Red Arrows shows around the world, appearing at shows as far south as Australia; on California’s Pacific coastline in the west; in Zhuhai, China, in the east; and widely across mainland Europe, the Gulf and every corner of the UK.
The entire team consists of approximately 150 people (both air and ground crew) and is commanded by Wing Commander Nash.
Following today’s Conscription, the Red Arrows will cross the Atlantic to represent the United Kingdom Armed Forces in a series of demonstrations in the United States to celebrate 250 years of American independence.
