Pakistani Record

PAF Falcons make a record loop with 16 F-86 Sabres (C. 1958)

On 2 February 1958, the Falcons aerobatic team led by Wg Cdr Mitty Masud set a world record performing a 16 aircraft diamond loop in F-86 Sabres. 30,000 people were in attendance including, President of Pakistan Iskandar Ali Mirza, C-in-C Pakistan Army Ayub Khan, C-in-C Pakistan Air Force Asghar Khan, Air Commodore Nur Khan, C-in-C Turkish Air Force Hamdullah Suphi Göker, Air Chief Iraqi Air Force Abdul Kadhim Abaddi, Air Chief of the Imperial Iranian Air Force and Chief Guest King of Afghanistan Mohammad Zahir Shah in whose honor the performance had been organized.^[1][2]

British Record

In September 1958 the Black Arrows^[5][6] of No. 111 Squadron RAF were due to appear at the 1958 SBAC Air Show at Farnborough as the premier RAF Aerobatic team. Their Commanding Officer SqnLdr Roger L. Topp was about to hand over command of Treble-one squadron to SqnLdr Peter Latham and had requested permission from the ^[7] RAF hierarchy to attempt to break the current world record for the number of aircraft to complete a loop, held since February 1958 by the Pakistan Air Force who had successfully looped 16 North American F-86 Sabres.

Permission for the attempt was received^[8] and a number of pilots and aircraft needed to complete the formation were seconded from other RAF fighter squadrons to practice for the show. Initially Topp intended to loop 20 aircraft in five lines of four aircraft. Having four aircraft in each line introduced difficulties for the pilots in the rear aircraft who became "thrust limited" over the peak of the loop and would lose position. Topp then decided to make the formation 7 lines of three aircraft. After this was trialled successfully, a fourth aircraft was added to the centre line to improve the aesthetics of the formation and the "22 Hunter Loop" formation was born.

Each day of the Farnborouh show, the Black Arrows would start their display with the enormous formation of 22 Hawker Hunter F6's completing two consecutive loops; A world record which has never been equalled. After the loops, six outer aircraft would break off from the formation and the Black Arrows would return for a 16 aircraft roll, another unprecedented feat which, though subsequently equalled by other teams, remains unsurpassed.