July 26, 2023
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Flight Lieutenant Tom Hansford joined the Red Arrows as Red 3 at the beginning of the 2023 display season.
Tom was Robert Gordon’s College CCF RAF Section Best Recruit in 2000 at the age of 13. He went on to be appointed Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for Aberdeenshire and was awarded the John Cunningham Trophy for an outstanding performance during his Flying Scholarship.
His commitment to the CCF and to a career in aviation were then recognised by the award of the Sir John Thomson Memorial Sword as the top CCF RAF Cadet in the UK.
An Oxford graduate, Tom joined the Royal Air Force in 2008. He completed flying training on the Tucano and Hawk T2 aircraft before flying the Typhoon. He has participated in various multinational exercises and operations in Europe, North America, and the Middle East as well as undertaking Quick Reaction Alert duties in the UK and the Falkland Islands. More recent postings were as a qualified weapons instructor at RAF Coningsby.
Tom was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 2018 following a particularly hazardous and complex mission during Operation Shader, as reported by HRFCA in November 2018. Click HERE to read that report.
RGC cadets are keenly looking forward to a visit by Tom in the not too distant future!
