Belgium Air Force Patch BAF Display Diables Rouges Magister

Belgium Air Force BAF Patch Display Diables Rouges Aerobatic Team Red Devils Patch Fouga Magister 1960s Embroidered on felt cut edge 61mm by 46mm two and three eighth inches by one and seven eighth inches.

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In 1957 the disbanded Acrobobs aerobatic team leader Major Robert Bladt formed an aerobatic team from 7 Fighter Wing at Chievres equipped with Hawker Hunter jet fighters and performed their first public display at Valenciennes France on 12 June 1957. On 10 October 1959 the still unnamed team displayed a formation of 9 Hawker Hunter aircraft with the underside of the wings in the colours of the Belgian flag along with 16 standard coloured Hawker Hunter at the Chievres air show.

Although Belgium Air Force commanders decided that these big formations were too expensive the new Station Commander at Chievres retained the team but flying only four bright red painted Hunters with two more as spares. The team then finally received its name Diables Rouges Red Devils in 1960 and carried out their last display with Hunters at Chievres on 23 June 1963 before disbanding.

In 1965 the Diables Rouges reformed equipped with seven Fouga Magister CM 170R jet trainers with the overall red paint scheme of the Hunter era with their first display on 27 June 1965 at Brustem.

In the early 1970s the team reduced the number of formation aircraft to just two in 1972 and three in 1973 due to the oil crisis returning to a six ship aerobatic team in 1974. The Diables Rouge disbanded in 1977.

The Red Devils was were reactivated as a four ship team in April 2011 equipped with SIAI Marchetti SF260 with instructors from Basic Flying Training School at the Beauvechain Air Base taking over from the Hardship Red display team.

This patch dates from the 1960s