May 24, 2022 2.56 pm This story is over 31 months old

Crowd gathers outside RAF Cranwell for Queen’s Jubilee rehearsal flypast

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations are in June

Formations of military aircraft and helicopters were seen in Lincolnshire’s skies on Tuesday afternoon as a rehearsal flypast took place ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations next month.

Rehearsals started in the vicinity of The Wash, the North Sea and over RAF Cranwell before dispersing over North Lincolnshire and parts of Yorkshire, according to the Military Airshows website.

A large crowd gathered outside RAF Cranwell to try to catch a glimpse of the flypast and local freelance photographer Shaun Parkes, of Parkes Fine Art Photography, captured images of the iconic moment. The main college building at RAF Cranwell doubled as Buckingham Palace for the rehearsal, according to the BBC.

Three Hercules aircraft. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

A400M Airbus and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

This took place ahead of next month’s main event – a six-minute flypast of more than 70 aircraft, including Red Arrows, Spitfires and Hurricanes for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on Thursday, June 2, which is the first day of the royal celebrations.

Next month’s flypast will be made up of aircraft from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. Reports state the Queen will watch the event from the Buckingham Palace balcony with other members of the royal family, but the Duke of York and Duchess of Sussex will reportedly not form part of that group.

A Chinook helicopter. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

Lynx Wildcat attack helicopter. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

Typhoon fighter and a two seater training version. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

The main flypast next month will start in the vicinity of The Wash, the North Sea and Southwold, Suffolk and Southend then travel via Swaffham and Thetford and Colchester towards London to overfly Buckingham Palace, according to the Military Airshows website.

The website also states that the dispersal will occur to the south and west of the London Control Zone over Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

See more of the photo gallery from Shaun Parkes below:

A Phenom T1 and two AT6 Texan aircraft. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

Prefect T1. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

British Aerospace Hawk T2. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

Airbus KC2 Voyager. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

P-8A Poseidon with RC135 Rivet Joint. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

Airbus KC2 Voyager. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

Typhoon fighter and a two seater training version. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

Lynx Wildcat returning to Cranwell. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

Puma tactical transport helicopter. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography

A400M Airbus and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III. | Photo: Parkes Fine Art Photography