Post by Focus on Jun 9, 2013 15:07:17 GMT
Prince Harry has been taking part in an Army attack helicopter display team at an air show.
Harry, known as Captain Wales in the Army, was part of the Apache Attack Helicopter Display Team at today's RAF Cosford Air Show in Shropshire.
The 28-year-old, a co-pilot gunner, serves with the RAF's 662 Squadron of the Army Air Corps from which the display crew members have been selected this year.
Prince Harry with the team that flew today at the RAF Cosford Air Show in Shropshire
The Cosford Air Show attracts thousands of people annually with aerial demonstrations including this year the Red Arrows, RAF Chinook transport helicopters, and the RAF Falcons parachute display team.
Harry was among crew selected given his experience in the deadly Apache helicopter.
Lieutenant Colonel Tim de la Rue, commanding officer of 3 Regiment AAC - part of helicopter attack force in 16 Air Assault Brigade - with responsiblity for the display team, said Harry had been "delighted" to have been selected as part of the display team for the summer.
"The display team, unlike some other display teams, is not a permanent assignment; rather it is drawn from a pool of suitably qualified and experienced, operationally ready, Apache aircrew and ground crew, and uses aircraft drawn from the operational Apache Squadrons," added Lt Col de la Rue.
Harry returned to the UK in January following a five-month tour in Afghanistan co-piloting an Apache.
Lt Col de la Rue said: "This year the pool of display aircrew have been drawn from 662 Squadron AAC which has recently returned from a very successful operational tour of Afghanistan.
B-17 Flying Fortress of the type flown by US airmen in the Second World War and made famous in the Hollywood film Memphis Belle
"Today's aerial display crew was Staff Sergeant Jamie Boakes, as pilot, and Captain Phil Wilson and Captain Wales as the two front seat co-pilot gunners; all of whom are delighted to have been selected for their respective roles this summer."
The Apache team performs manoeuvres in the helicopter, rather than aerobatics like the Red Arrows team.
Also scheduled to appear at today's air show were some more venerable aircraft, including a Spitfire, a restored Cold War-era Vulcan bomber and a B-17 Flying Fortress of the type flown by US airmen in the Second World War and made famous in the Hollywood film Memphis Belle.
Prince Harry - the royal with a sense of humor (takes after his late mum, England's Rose, Princess Diana) - ya gotta love him! - Fx
