Think of memorable air show displays and the chances are you’ll recall some of the spectacular routines flown by thrust-vectoring F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, super-maneuverable Su-35 Flanker fighter jets, or perhaps one of the U.S. Air Force’s iconic heritage formations. This video, however, presents something completely different: a pair of Royal Australian Air Force CH-47 Chinook helicopters performing what can only be described as a formation courtship dance, with a rather literal — and totally unique — conclusion.
The footage was taken during an air show commemorating the Diamond Jubilee, or 60th anniversary, of the Royal Australian Air Force, or RAAF, which took place at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland, near the country’s eastern coast, on April 5, 1981. Billed as “the most spectacular air show ever staged in Australia,” the event was presented as…
