RAF Puma 50 flypast: Today's route, timings and where to watch the celebrations

7 July 2021, 10:48 | Updated: 7 July 2021, 16:20

By Emma Clarke

To mark 50 years of its Puma service, the RAF will be conducting a flypast across the UK today.

Ten RAF Puma helicopters will be taking to the skies today to celebrate the aircraft's 50th anniversary.

As well as being decked with a new, bespoke Puma 50 logo on the cabin door, the helicopters have been given a fresh lick of paint for the occasion.

The Puma service has long provided relief in humanitarian operations, in places such as Afghanistan, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Mozambique.

RAF Benson shared an update on its social feeds on Tuesday, writing: “Tomorrow a formation of Puma helicopters from RAF Benson will mark 50 years of Royal Air Force service with a national flypast.

“The first Puma helicopters were delivered into service in 1971. A formation of up to 10 Puma helicopters will depart RAF Benson tomorrow morning as part of a training sortie that will include flypasts of notable locations for the Puma Force over the past 50 years.

“This includes sites that hold historical significance for the Puma Force as well as those that provide support to delivering current Puma operational capability.”

Here's everything you need to know about today's flypast - including the route and when you can catch the action...

Puma 50 flypast route & timings:

Kicking off at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire at 10am this morning, the flypast will work its way up to RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, before heading its way back down the coast.

Here is the full schedule: