Last updated 16:02, Wednesday, 04 June 2008

MEET the man who will have the ultimate bird’s-eye-view of today’s proceedings – air display pilot Flight Lieutenant Dave Davies.

high-flier: Flight Lieutenant Dave Davies will be putting the At 11.20am he will put his BAe Hawk T MkI through its paces over Whitehaven harbour from 11.20am during the Royal visit. it can reach a maximum speed of 610mph and a height of 48,000ft

At 11.20am he will put his BAe Hawk T MkI through its paces (it can reach a maximum speed of 610mph and a height of 48,000ft).

Dave, 33, currently teaches fast jet training with 208 Squadron at RAF Valley, Anglesey. In May this year he was successful with his application in joining The Red Arrows. He joins the team after completing his season as the 2008 Hawk Display Pilot.

The badge on the fin of the Hawk dates from the 1930s when 208 Squadron was serving in the Middle East. The wings denote flight, whilst the eye is that of the Egyptian god, Horus.

Together they depict the Squadron’s role of aerial reconnaissance. The verb ‘to look’ in Arabic is ‘shouf’, which over the years came to be pronounced ‘shufti’ by English speakers. Thus, 208 Squadron came to be known as the ‘Flying Shuftis’.

The 208 Squadron you see today started life in October 1916 as No 8 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service. On 1 April 1 1918, “Naval 8” was incorporated into the newly formed Royal Air Force as No. 208 Squadron.

In November 1919, 208 Squadron returned to the UK and was disbanded. It was to reform in 1920 and began a period of duty in the Middle East, that was to last for 51 years.

Up to disbanding in 1971, 208 Squadron flew Supermarine Spitfires, Gloster Meteor FR9s, Hawker Hunter F6s, De Havilland Venoms and finally Hawker Hunter FGA9s.

The squadron was re-formed in 1974 at RAF Honington, flying the Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2A. In 1983 it moved to RAF Lossiemouth, flying Buccaneer aircraft.

In 1994, the Buccaneer was retired from service and, on April 4, the Squadron was re-designated as 208 (Reserve) Squadron, flying Hawk T.Mk.1/1A aircraft. Today the Squadron continues to operate as part of No.4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley, training newly qualified pilots in their final stages of advanced training.