On April 5, 2011, the Russian Air Force’s Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team marked its 20th anniversary. The team was established in 1991 on the basis of the 237th Guards Proskurov Air Force Regiment.
On April 5, 2011, the Russian Air Force’s Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team marked its 20th anniversary. The team was established in 1991 on the basis of the 237th Guards Proskurov Air Force Regiment. The team is made up of the best pilots from the Kubinka Air Base near Moscow.
Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) pilots fly the highly maneuverable and multi-role Sukhoi Su-27-P Flanker-B and Su-27-UB Flanker-C fighters either solo or in formation. They became the first Soviet aerobatic team to perform abroad, traveling to the United Kingdom in September 1991.
Colonel Igor Tkachenko, who commanded the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team for 18 years, was killed August 16, 2009, during a dress rehearsal for the MAKS-2009 International Aviation and Space Salon, after two Su-27 fighters on his team collided and crashed near Ramenskoye Airfield outside Moscow.
Despite the tragedy, the show continued, including the maiden flight of the new Sukhoi Superjet-100 airliner.
In 2006, the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team performed in Belarus for the first time, showing its new program there.
April 26-May 1, 2006, the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team was part of celebrations marking the 55th anniversary of the 61st Fighter and Air-Defense Base of the Republic of Belarus.
In 2007, the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team took part in an air show marking the 65th anniversary of the North Caucasus Military District’s Fourth Air and Air-Defense Army at the Rostov Military Airfield.
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© RIA Novosti
Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team and other Russian Air Force aerobatic teams training for Air Force Day in 2007.
Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team during joint demonstration flights at the opening ceremony of the Eighth MAKS-2007 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow in 2007.
Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team during demonstration flights at the Eighth MAKS-2007 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow in 2007. Nine warplanes executed a horizontal roll during that show for the first time in aviation history.
On May 9, 2009, the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) and Strizhi (Swifts) aerobatic teams flew over Moscow’s Red Square during the Victory Day Parade. They also performed at the Nashestviye (Invasion) 2009 rock festival.
The Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team training prior to the MAKS-2009 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow. Team commander Igor Tkachenko was killed during a similar flight.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum and Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters from the Strizhi (Swifts) and Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic teams, in August 2009, during a rehearsal prior to the opening ceremony of the MAKS-2009 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow.
Four Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team during demonstration flights at the MAKS-2009 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow.
In 2010, Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters from the Strizhi (Swifts) aerobatic team also flew over Moscow’s Red Square during celebrations of the 65th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War.
Training for a show dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) and Strizhi (Swifts) aerobatic teams in 2011.
Photo: A Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighter from the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team.
Photo: A Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighter from the Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) aerobatic team.
