One of the men accused of killing Fusilier Lee Rigby bought a five-piece set of kitchen knives and sharpener from his local Argos hours before the Woolwich attack, a court has heard.
Michael Adebolajo, 28, drove the Vauxhall Tigra used in the murder to the store's Lewisham branch the day before the 25-year-old father of one was murdered in the street.
Harrowing details of the moment the fusilier was killed were heard at in Court 2 at the Old Bailey at the opening of the trial.
One witness described the defendant's actions as being "like a butcher attacking a joint of meat".
Accused: Michael Adebolajo (left) and Michael Adebowale (right) during their trial at the Old Bailey
Video footage of the moment two men allegedly ran down soldier Lee Rigby with a car before they attacked him with a knife and a meat cleaver was shown to a jury.
There were gasps in oak-panelled Court Two of the Old Bailey as CCTV clips were played, and relatives of the fusilier left the room in tears.
The CCTV clip shows a Vauxhall Tigra that prosecutors claim was being driven by Adebolajo swerve across Artillery Place in Woolwich, south east London, and mow down the fusilier.
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The jury was told that the car was driven "straight at" Fusilier Rigby at speeds of 30-40mph.
The court heard that Adebolajo and a second man, Michael Adebowale, 22, then dragged the unconscious soldier into the middle of the road and attacked him with the bladed weapons.
Both men deny the charges.
Prosecutor Richard Whittam QC told the jury: "What unfolded after that had happened was shocking to those who observed it."
Michael Adebolajo (left) and Michael Adebowale (second left)
Relatives of murdered fusilier Lee Rigby, his stepfather Ian Rigby (2L), his sister Sara McClure (L) and his mother Lyn Rigby (R), arrive at the Old Bailey
Shopkeeper Ibrahim Elidemir saw the driver leave the car with a "chopper" and said the passenger got out with a "knife in his hand", the court heard.
"He saw the driver attacking the throat of Lee Rigby with the chopper and the passenger stabbing him to the body," Mr Whittam said.
Another eyewitness, Amanda Bailey saw the events from inside her Peugeot 206, the jury heard.
She saw the Tigra strike Fusilier Rigby and carry him until the car crashed into a road sign.
"The young man flew off the bonnet and landed about two feet in front of the car," Mr Whittam said.
"She (Bailey) saw that his eyes were open but they looked frozen."
Mr Whittam said the men left the car. He went on: "The driver was carrying a cleaver in his hand. He knelt down by Lee Rigby and took hold of his hair. He then repeatedly hacked at the right side of his neck just below the jawline."
Describing Ms Bailey's account, Mr Whittam told the jury: "As she put it, 'I was so shocked that all I could do was sit there and stare at what was happening. I couldn't believe what was going on. He was determined and he wasn't going to stop. He didn't care'."
Another witness, Gary Perkins, described the defendant's actions as being "like a butcher attacking a joint of meat".
The jury was shown further images of the two men dragging Fusilier Rigby's body into the road.
More relatives of the soldier left the court in tears before the images were shown.