Largest all-female RAF flypast marks new display

The largest all-female RAF flypast has marked the unveiling of a new museum exhibition remembering the role of women in war.

An A400M crew from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire joined a Prefect T1 and Eurofighter Typhoon in the historic flypast.

The demonstration marked the unveiling of the new Women in War exhibition at the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln.

Ten steel silhouettes of women during wartime, created by Witney-based Standing with Giants, feature in the exhibition.

Standing with Giants was previously responsible for the display of 1,475 figures in Normandy to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day last year.

Every aircraft in the flypast marking the opening of the new display was flown by an all-female crew, making it the largest flypast performed solely by female aircrew.

The Atlas A400M from RAF Brize Norton was captained by Sqn Ldr Stewart, who previously flew an all-female crew over Wembley ahead of the Lionesses' European Championship Final victory over Germany in 2022.

"Today was really important to me because it gave us a chance to honour the work that women have done before us," she said.

"To commemorate and celebrate the pioneering work of women in defence that came before was so important to me."

She said it was a "fantastic atmosphere on the flight deck" with everyone on-board "really proud to put on a good show".

Following the flypast, the crews of the A400M and Prefect landed at nearby RAF Waddington to meet guests on the ground and take in the display for themselves.

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