August 1st History
The aerobatic team of the People's Liberation Army Air Force of China is established on February 12, 1962. In the beginning it contains 9 JJ-5 airplanes (which is Chinese combination of Soviet two-seat MiG-15UTI and MiG-17. The airplanes are equipped with smoke generators which release white, red and blue (later also yellow and orange) coloured smoke. Besides each airplane releases smoke with different colour. The machines are coloured red and white. Later the team moves on Chengdu F-7EB - the Chinese version of MiG-21F. In 1997 the team is named August 1st (Chinese army day). Since then it flies on 6 airplanes Chengdu F-7EB while having 5 more in reserve. The team's first demonstration under that name is on December 20, 1997 in Tianjin (team's base). The plains are coloured red and white. In the front all of them carry red-painted numbers from 01 to 11. The plains are equipped with smoke generators which release white and red coloured smoke.
On June, 1998 three pilots are killed in an accident during a training flight. The mishap happens in Tianjin base while performing loop in a row. Three of the plains collide.
In 2001 the team receives the statute of 81th aerobatic team but changes its colour scheme - it becomes white and light-blue.
