The Patrouille Suisse – part of the Swiss Air Force – had been due to a demonstration honoring the centenary of the Swiss aviation pioneer Oskar Bider, but instead treated visitors to a nearby yoeding festival to the high-flying display
But it was a lack of GPS and outdated instruments left that left the forces red-faced on Saturday
The fleet – the Swiss equivalent of Britain's Red Arrows and the USA's Blue Angels – were expected in Langenbruck, a municipality in north-western Switzerland that was the birthplace of Bider, the first aviator to cross the Alps in both directions.
According to the Patrouille Suisse's official Twitter account, the plans were due to perform for 1
But it was attendees at the 31st Northwest Yodeling festival in nearby Mümliswil that instead watched the aerial acrobatics – about four miles away from the intended location.
According to military spokesman Daniel Reist, the F-5E Tiger II aircraft are not equipped with GPS technology.
He customs CNN: '' Unfortunate circumstances led to this incident. Between Mümliswil-Ramiswil in the canton of Solothurn and Langenbruck are only a few kilometers.
"Preparations were carried out looking at a map, the measurement of 1cm on the map equates to 1km – and this equates to five seconds flight time."
