THE skies around Swindon are expected to be busier than usual after the RAF marks its 100th birthday with a flypast over Buckingham Palace later today.

Up to 100 aircraft including a Lancaster bomber, Hurricane and Spitfire from the battle of Britain Memorial Flight, are due to take part in the aviation spectacular at 1pm.

The aircraft will form up over Suffolk and the North Sea before heading in towards London, but will fly out west afterwards and maps show the dispersal area stretches as far as the Swindon area, Brize Norton and Fairford, where final preparations for the Royal International Air Tattoo are under way.

Among the planes joining the flypast are the Red Arrows, Typhoons, Tornados, an A400m Atlas, Hercules transporters, Hawks, Tucanos, a Globemaster, a Sentinel and the UK's RC-135W Rivet Joint electronic surveillance plane.

Pumas, Chinooks, Junos and Jupiters will represent the RAF’s helicopters.