A celebrated Swiss aerial display team has performed an impressive fly-by … just over the wrong town.

The Patrouille Suisse was due to fly over Langenbruck, south of Basel, to honour the centenary of the death of a Swiss flying pioneer.

However, the team flew over the nearby town of Mümliswil, which was hosting – of course – a yodelling festival.

A spokesman for the Swiss Defence Ministry apologised for the error.

Patrouille Swiss is a the Swiss equivalent of Britain’s Red Arrows or the Unites States’ Blue Angels, and had been scheduled to perform for the 100th anniversary of the death of Oskar Bider, who was the first person to fly over the Alps in both directions in 1913 aged just 22.

Bider was born in Langenbruck.

When the squadron leader saw a tent pitched for the yodelling festival in Mümliswil, about six kilometres away, he sent the jets there by mistake.

A spokesman for the Swiss military told the German language Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper that the F-5E Tiger II aircraft were not equipped with GPS technology.

The squadron leader said he was “most embarrassed” by the incident, and that this was the “first and last time” that such a mistake would occur.

The Swiss air force has offered to pay the $6500 insurance contribution paid for by the parish of Langenbruck for the display.

The yodelling festival patrons are, however, reported to have thoroughly enjoyed the impromptu show.

-with agencies