Russian Knights, History, Gallery

Russian Knights History

The Russian Knights are established on 5 Apr 1991 from the 237th Guards Proskurov Aircraft Demonstration Centre. From the beginning they use three Su-27 and three two-seater Su-27UB fighters, painted in blue, red, white and yellow. Teams foreign debut is on September same year, visiting Red Arrows in Scampton.

In June 1992 the team visits USA and Canada, making great impression on the public watched their display.

On 12 Dec 1995 Russian Knights suffer the most terrible accident in its history. During returning from Malaysian LIMA'95 airshow, the team going to land for refueling in Vietnam airbase Kam Ran. Formation is leaded from IL-76 transport plane, when its pilot leads the formation in wrong right turn direction to the airfield - straight to the nearest mountain. Reason is density fog weather condition. All three planes (2 Su-27 and 1 Su-27UB) from the right side, crashed onto mountain, killing four pilots. Other team planes and IL-76 succeed to avoid the impact and land on the Kam Ran airfield. On October 1996 on the tragedy spot is raised monument about four fallen Russian Knights.

In 1996 the team flies again but with only four planes. Year later on 21 June when team arrived to take part in SAID'97 airshow in Bratislava, Slovakia, one of the Russian Knights planes suffered in belly-landing crash, while its pilot forgot to set gears down. On the next day, team performs with three planes. Crashed plane get minor damages and shortly repaired.

In 2002 Strizhi and Russian Knights start to training in jointly formation of four planes of each team to flypassed during Red Square parade.

During 2003 some of the newest Russian multirole fighter Su-35 is painted with Russian Knights colors, but don't take part in formation flying. The team's pilots have mastered Su-35, but now these aircrafts do not fly at all and stay on the parking area as exhibits. Till now is renown that this plane flies just in some air events in solo display.

In March 2003 the Russian Knights aerobatic team together with the Swifts aerobatic team displayed their joint formation flight on ten aircraft (4 Su-27 and 6 MiG-29) dated to the 65th anniversary of the Aircraft Demonstration Centre. In 2004 the big joint diamond formation flight of the Russian Knights and the Swifts aerobatic teams involving nine aircrafts (5 Su-27 and 4 MiG-29) with the display of the whole complex of aerobatic stunts was included in demonstration programm. This fact has become the world record in the history of aviation.

On 9 May 2005 the Russian Knights aerobatic team together with the Swifts aerobatic team displayed their joint formation flight over the Red Square involving nine aircrafts dated to the 60th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patri�tic War.

On 5 April 2006 the Russian Knights aerobatic team celebrated its anniversary with a great show at Kubinka airbase.

Continuing the great traditions of air military parades on 9 May 2007 the Russian Knights and the Swifts aerobatic teams displayed their joint formation flight over the Red Square involving nine aircrafts.

What are Russian Knights

The team main count of planes during demonstration is six Su-27 planes, but some times they changed, not only count of planes but also modifications of the team planes. The pilots and ground crew are variable and don't usually practice like other aerobatic team to change their members on some period. All team members are from 237th Guards Proskurov Aircraft Demonstration Centre based in Kubinka airbase. Pilots permanent duty is fighter training, while its formation training is days before the airshow. Unfortunately team's public appearances are very rarely. Team planes don't use smoke generators.