RAF bids a fond farewell to its Pumas as they take part in goodbye flypast
The RAF is bidding farewell to an aircraft that's served the British Armed Forces for more than 50 years.
The Puma is being retired from service at the end of March having been part of the British military since 1971.
Since then, they've been used in a whole variety of roles, from carrying troops and logistics to the battlefield as well as casualty evacuation and humanitarian relief operations.
Two days of flypasts – today and tomorrow – are taking place to mark the end of their long and illustrious career.
Squadron Leader Niall Davidson, 2IC of 33 Squadron, said: "It's a great aircraft for the operations we've been on.
"Be that Northern Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan.
"It's a great aircraft for getting in and out of really tight urban sites, even in high altitudes of Kabul we are able to lift troops out of really tight sites and keep them off the roads."
Three Puma HC2 aircraft are flying from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire for a farewell flight across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The aircraft will be passing by airfields at RAF Odiham, Middle Wallop and MOD Boscombe Down.
After flying over Hereford and RAF Shawbury they head towards RAF Valley and on to Aldergrove in Northern Ireland.
The formation – call sign WARLOCK – then flies over Giant's Causeway and heads across the Irish Sea and north towards the Ribble Viaduct, Catterick Garrison and RAF Leeming.
From there, it's south, overflying the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, then east to RAF Marham and RAF Honington.
The flight path then takes the Pumas over Duxford Aerodrome and on towards central London.
After a loop out to Halton and RAF Brize Norton, they'll finally return to Benson.
Puma Force commander Wing Commander Nick Monahan said: "It is quite a complex plan.
"I've had one of the team working away at it for about two months now.
"Working out the different ways in which we could achieve everything we wanted to and go through all of the sites that have got significance for the Puma, and that includes going across to Northern Ireland, where we served for over 37 years.
"And now obviously refuels at various different points as well, but hopefully we've come up with a really good plan."
A similar flypast will also take place in Cyprus to mark the end of 54 years of service for the Puma.
The RAF Jupiter helicopter will take on the role of the Pumas in both Cyprus and Brunei.
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