A Royal Air Force flypast led by an all-female crew will roar on the Lionesses from the skies above Wembley ahead of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 final today.
A C-130 Hercules transport aircraft from 47 Squadron, crewed by three women, will be flanked by two Typhoon fighter jets from 12 Squadron as they fly over Wembley Stadium before England’s historic fixture with Germany.
The aircraft will fly over at 4:57pm, immediately after the national anthems, before kick-off. The Hercules will fly from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and both Typhoons will take off from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire.
I wish the best of luck to the Lionesses as they take on Germany at Wembley. It’s a landmark day for English football and women’s sport and it’s fantastic that the Royal Air Force will be marking the occasion with a flypast featuring an all-female aircrew.
Ben Wallace MP
Defence Secretary
The Hercules is captained by Flight Lieutenant Lauren who has been in the Air Force for 12 years. She has deployed all over the world, including Afghanistan, where she helped train the first female Afghan pilots.
I am proud to be piloting the lead aircraft for the flypast over Wembley. I’ve flown missions all over the world with the RAF, but this will be one of the most memorable. It’s been inspiring to watch the Lionesses progress and I will be loudly cheering them on as soon as I land back at RAF Brize Norton.
Flight Lieutenant Lauren
Pilot 47 Squadron
Ahead of the match, the RAF and RAF Coningsby station Women’s football teams sent good luck messages to the Lionesses.
The Hercules aircraft flies a wide variety of operational missions including the delivery of humanitarian aid, with the ability to airdrop a range of stores and can operate from natural surface landing zones.
To conduct these missions, it is vital that Hercules crews are highly skilled in low-level flying. Recently the aircraft has been supporting NATO exercises in Eastern Europe, airdropping stores for the troops on the ground.
I am very proud that a Hercules from 47 Squadron has been able to lead the flypast for this special occasion. The women flying today have more than 6,000 hrs of experience and dozens of operational deployments between them. They are a credit to the Royal Air Force and the Air Mobility Force - I hope they’ll inspire the next generation of women to forge a career in aviation and with the Royal Air Force.
Wing Commander Sjoberg
Officer Commanding Number 47 Squadron
The Typhoon Fighter Ground Reconnaissance Mk 4 (FGR4) is the RAF’s fourth Generation Multi-role combat aircraft.
The Typhoon provides Quick Reaction Alert with Crews on 24/7 readiness in defence of the UK, and the aircraft has been flying daily NATO air policing missions in Eastern Europe.
What an honour to play a part in such a special event, everyone at 12 Squadron and across RAF Coningsby wishes England all the very best. Go Lionesses!
Wing Commander Wright
Officer Commanding 12 Squadron
