The missing man formation is an aerial maneuver used to honor dead or missing military members, astronauts, and politicians. Its origins date back to WWI, and it has since become a common practice at military funerals. The formation can be performed in various ways and is strictly regulated. Civilian pilots also practice the maneuver to honor local figures.
A missing man formation is an aerial maneuver that is meant to honor dead or missing members of the military, especially air force pilots. This military honor is also bestowed upon astronauts and sometimes even high-profile politicians such as presidents. Many people find the formation quite evocative and moving, as it is a grim reminder of the dead or missing.
The origins of the missing man formation lie in the First World War, when Royal Air Force (RAF) aircrews got into the habit of doing an organized flyby when returning to their home airfields, to alert ground crews that they were arriving. the overflight, the ground crews would also have taken note of how many men had returned from the mission, and since the arrangement of a close flight formation is very strict, the ground crews could have figured out who was missing.
According to RAF history, the first official lineup of missing men as a military honor occurred with the death of the Red Baron, famed WW1 flying ace. The pilots decided to pay him a spontaneous homage, performing a flyby, also known as a flyby, in which a plane was obviously missing, to symbolize the exit of the Red Baron from the world of the living. By 1938, the United States had revived the practice and it has since become common at prominent military funerals.
There are several ways to perform a missing man training. In some cases, planes fly in a formation that is missing one plane. In other cases, a pilot breaks out of a formation while flying over the site of a funeral or memorial, serving as a metaphor for the fallen or missing pilot. Such formations can be used to commemorate tragic events such as the attack on Pearl Harbor as well as individual deaths.
As with other military honors, there is strict etiquette to pilot formation, and only certain individuals are permitted this honor. However, civilian pilots sometimes practice their own missing man formations to honor fellow pilots or beloved local figures. Flying in formation is extremely challenging and demanding, so pilots usually practice this maneuver extensively before performing it in front of an audience.
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