Force fighter pilot and the likelihood is he or she will be wearing a Breitling timepiece. The brand has a long history with the RAF, dating back to the 1930s when the Swiss company first started making cockpit chronographs for fighter aircrafts.
Today, all RAF pilots – as well as those from many of the world’s other air forces – are equipped with a Breitling Emergency watch that contains an internal, dual-frequency, personal locator beacon (PLB). When the wearer activates the beacon housed within the 51mm titanium case, it transmits an international distress signal. This potentially life-saving function is in addition to the more traditional time and date display, chronograph, second time zone, alarm, and countdown timer – all set by a single crown.
As well as this piece of official kit, Breitling also creates private commission timepieces for a large, yet unspecified, number of RAF squadrons. And, bearing in mind this strong relationship, it is no surprise that the brand has been an official partner of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, for more than 30 years.
Three members of the Red Arrows, Squadron Leader Martin Pert, centre
Three members of the Red Arrows, Squadron Leader Martin Pert, centre
Formed more than a half-century ago, th