VILLAGERS at Throop, close to the site where Red Four crashed, were quietly going about their business as the investigation into the crash gathered pace.

Many of them have placed floral tributes to Jon Egging at the police cordon, which is likely to remain in place for some time.

The RAF, officials from the recently-established Military Air Accident Investigations Branch (MAAIB) and police have now started their investigations into what brought down the Hawk jet – a process which could take weeks or months.

The MAAIB was established in April this year after a review called for a radical overhaul of military airworthiness regulation.

A large area of countryside remains sealed off, as it is vital the crash site and debris field remains uncontaminated by ramblers or macabre sightseers.

The cause of the crash is unknown though sketchy details have emerged.

Flt Lt Egging had been assigned plane number XX308 – which was 26 years old – and two people with Air Festival links told the Echo he managed to make a mayday call.

Amateur video shows his plane quickly losing height after a low level turn with its display smoke still on.

That would suggest the engine was still working, although some witnesses said the plane appeared to be gliding silently when it crashed.

One source said they understood an engine overheating light had come on. However one pilot said: “The video footage is really inconclusive.”

Investigators may also be able to establish whether Flt Lt Egging decided to stay in the plane and steer it away from the village, as some eyewitnesses believe.

The planes are fitted with Martin-Baker Mark 10B rocket boosted ejection seats that work even at zero altitude. Flt Lt Egging was found outside the plane but not with his ejector seat.

Denise Charles, who lives 300 yards from the crash site, said: “You could see from the way the plane veered away from the houses here how he had deliberately steered away from us.

“He’s a real hero.”