No. 10 Sqn to be reformed

[Exascot]

Formed, as part of the Royal Flying Corps, in 1915 during World War I at Farnborough, 10 Squadron served on the Western Front in France in the spotting and bombing roles with a variety of aircraft types. Like many other squadrons, it was disbanded in 1919 following the end of the war.

The squadron reformed as a bomber unit at RAF Upper Heyford in 1928, before moving to RAF Dishforth in 1937. During this time, the unit operated a variety of types, including Hyderabads, Hinaidis, Virginias and Handley Page Heyfords, beginning the Second World War equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. The squadron remained a part of Bomber Command throughout the war, re-equipping with the Halifax in 1941.Following the end of the war in Europe in 1945, the Squadron spent four years with Transport Command flying Dakotas, first in India and then, after a short disbandment, in Europe, taking part in the Berlin Airlift.

No 10 Squadron reverted to its original bomber role in the 1950s and early 1960s, seeing it take part in the Suez Crisis, equipped with the Canberra, and then flying Victors at RAF Cottesmore.

In 1966, the Squadron became the first to receive the new VC10, reverting to an air transport squadron at RAF Fairford in the July of that year. The unit moved to RAF Brize Norton in 1967, where it remained until disbanded in 2005.

The squadron will be reformed at RAF Brize Norton on 1st July this year operating the A330 tanker aircraft (KC-30 Voyager tanker). The Squadon's Commanding Officer will be Wg Cdr Dan James, RAF.

Long live 10 Sqn :ok:

[SRENNAPS]

Nice to read some good news here for a change.

Thanks for that:ok::ok:

[minigundiplomat]

Nice to read some good news here for a change.



You are right. Some good news at last!

Can't wait for the 'we should be spending that money on Harriers, Carriers, GR4's or Helicopters' whinging to commence.

[sharpend]

Hoorah! :D

But will they have me back age 65?:rolleyes:

[MPN11]

Huzzah ... good to see a major number-plate trucking on. :ok:

[Airborne Aircrew]

Surely we should be spending that money on Harriers, Carriers, GR4's or Helicopters...

Didn't want you to have to wait too long MGD... :E

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

But we need to buy Nimrods, shurely? (Ed)

[jamesdevice]

we should be spending it on Taranis, Mantis, Global Hawk, Predator, etc.
And lots of ground launched / ship launched missiles
Basically anything that avoids the risk of drunk pilots

[Airborne Aircrew]

Basically anything that avoids the risk of drunk pilots

Brilliant point... Never could trust them pilot types... :E

[Trim Stab]

I have to say that I rather hoped they would reform 601 squadron for that role, given that they are recruiting civvy pilots who (according to some posters here) only qualified because they were rich kids...

[ian16th]

.........or they could have reformed the original flight refuelling squadron.

http://www.214squadron.org.uk/Graphics/Squadron_crest.gif
(http://www.214squadron.org.uk/Graphics/Squadron_crest.gif)

[Exascot]

But will they have me back age 65?

Sharpend, my dear chap, we will form a Veterans Reserve. Purely for weekend Washington sorties of course. We know a certain retired senior officer ALM and her even more senior husband who would volunteer to assist. We could even put your little red roller skate into the hold to run about in. The only tanking up we will do will be on the ground. Any misdemeanours following champagne brunch in Georgetown should be no problem as I went through OCTU with the current Defence Attache. I know however that he would throughly disapprove of said activities. However, the only condition it that the jets are to be gleaming white with the go-fast blue stripe down the side. :ok:

[Fareastdriver]

But will they have me back age 65?

If you have a civil licence go to Australia. When my UK ATPL expired through age I went to Australia, did all the exams, etc and got a licence at the age of 65.
A year later I did the whole thing all over again in China and got a licence at the age of 66. Unfortuately it would not be possible to do that in China now.
Neither country has an age limit on their licences so if you can keep fit and hold down a job you can go on for ever.

[hanoijane]

we should be spending it on Taranis, Mantis, Global Hawk, Predator, etc.
And lots of ground launched / ship launched missiles
Basically anything that avoids the risk of drunk pilots

But... but... for the RAF to be on the winning side your boys HAVE to be drunk! Tourist has already done the maths!

You'd better get the PlayStation generation into hard-drinking mode pretty damn quick, else who'll fight and win with these pretty toys?

[jamesdevice]

but Jane, you're forgetting
Things like Taranis and the X-47B will be AUTONOMOUS UAVs
Basically fire and forget missiles that come back for a payload refill.
They'll even refuel and land on carrier decks without human input. All that needs to be done is for someone to mark the "x" for targetting on Google maps and away it goes!
Global Hawk's not so far from being autonomous now, unless you want real-time search enabled - which means someone deciding where to look next...
Now if you really want to be sensible about this, all these new tankers could easily be remotely controlled. However they WOULD need the Sony generation to put them in the right place - but just imagine how long you could keep a tanker on location.

[Geehovah]

but Jane, you're forgetting
Things like Taranis and the X-47B will be AUTONOMOUS UAVs
Basically fire and forget missiles that come back for a payload refill.
They'll even refuel and land on carrier decks without human input. All that needs to be done is for someone to mark the "x" for targetting on Google maps and away it goes!
Global Hawk's not so far from being autonomous now, unless you want real-time search enabled - which means someone deciding where to look next...
Now if you really want to be sensible about this, all these new tankers could easily be remotely controlled. However they WOULD need the Sony generation to put them in the right place - but just imagine how long you could keep a tanker on location. You've never flown a combat aeroplane, or been involved in the complexities of UAVs have you?

[MightyGem]

Always good to hear of Squadrons coming back to life. Happy flying.

[Fortyodd2]

"but just imagine how long you could keep a tanker on location".

Erm - right up until it's fuel runs out, where upon it gets up close and personal with it's "location".

[BANANASBANANAS]

Any misdemeanours following champagne brunch in Georgetown should be no problem

Now that brings back memories. Au Fruits de Mer. Table for 10 booked in the name of Mr Ascot I believe.

Rumours, Flaps/Rickenbackers, Dupont Circle and we never went to 14th and M - well, not very often.

Happy days.:ok:

[Exascot]

Banana:

Happy days.

The greatest flying years I ever had. We will not mention a few ground incidents in DC otherwise the prohibition police here will jump in with their bibles.

[sunshine band]

Does this mean that my 10 Sqn disbandment commemorative coin is worthless now?? I was keeping that to pay for my retirement...

SB

[BEagle]

It was indeed a sad day for the 'Dulles Dinosaurs' when the RAF dropped the schedule. Brize used to pull out all the stops to look after this, the last real Ascot schedule.

I was never on 10, but they all spoke with great affection about their times in Washington - which must have brightened up rather a mundane flying job. They still flew the aeroplane in a way which would have pleased any old BOAC North Atlantic Baron - including smooooooth landings! None of this 'slam it on, get off the runway quick' business of today's airlines!

I did like a story of one crew at a local watering hole. It seems that they were mistaken for a group of doctors..."Are you here for the AIDS conference?", someone asked them.

Whereupon one of their number, who, to preserve his anonymity, I will simply refer to as 'Drunken D**c*n' :hmm: simply replied "You should have shot all the poofs when you had the chance!". Whilst this piece of sagacity was being digested, DD continued "And whilst you were at it, you could have done for the n***ers as well!"

Pre-PC days. Magic!

[sharpend]

Ah yes, those were the days. When I became far too old for rushing around, upside down, with my ar*e on fire, the next best thing was 'The Dulles'. Three per week, deep joy, especially if you were the slip crew (Sat - Sat) and no Belize to spoil the week of frivolity. Memories of M Street, Fish Market (2.5 litre beers glasses) and sunday brunch (all you can eat lobster & unlimited champers) are almost stronger than wizzing down the A5 in the Welsh mountains at the speed of heat :p

Of course, there is always a down side; 'The Quickie Dulles'. Up at midnight, sleep across the pond, back the next night, sleep across the pond, home 36 hours after departure. :ouch:

[XV277]

Good news 10 is coming back, but presumably means the end for 101 and 216?

[BEagle]

There was only one thing worse than the 'Quickie Dulles' and that was instructing on it.....

Try to sleep during the day, then up at 2300-ish to go in and work out whether you could do it direct; if so, then waste 2 hours killing time as you weren't allowed to arrive early. If you went indirect, there was a QTR at somewhere like Halifax or Gander, then you arrived at 0830-ish local. After the usual arrival faff, there was probably a 30 min legal window to have a beer and sandwich in the shopping mall, then back to try to get some sleep before leaving the hotel at around 2000 to instruct home. Several hours of purgatory in the jump seat, although you might have to occupy an operating seat for take-off or landing, if it was a genuine instructional trip rather than an AT Role Cat.

I gather the trip timing was used by the airlines as a classic example of how NOT to run crew duty!

And now back to more helicopter heroes' tales of the sand....:hmm:

[MPN11]

Had the pleasure of doing the IAD run as pax a few times ... sadly missed. I do still have a couple of the Corporate cards for car rental that were handed out by the Dulles Support Staff ... I wonder if they still work? ;)

Good to see another fan of the Fish Market in Alexandria; now a bit more expensive, but the beers are still large and cold!

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/mm468/atco5473/PPRuNe%20ATC/213.jpg

[sangiovese.]

Happy Sunday brunches.........and after the fish market on the walk back to the metro you could always stop by the gunshop or cram down a last pint in the Irish bar

Then there was amateur night on a monday at Joanna's next to the sign of the whale :E

Or Tuesday night ribs at Front page

:)

Happy days before the desert spoiled the fun

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

presumably means the end for 101 and 216?


Almost inevitable, unless you want to delay the introduction of the Voyager until the VC10 and TriStar have been retired?

[Exascot]

Then there was amateur night on a monday at Joanna's next to the sign of the whale


Oh please, this was a very good reason not to get pickled :eek:

And, who was the Nav who didn't realise the bar just down from the hotel was a woofter place? Bought a beer and then saw a pair of hairy legs walking past him on the bar. Looked up and it was naked. He finished his beer as he was too tight fisted to rush out ASAP :yuk:

[MPN11]

Old Town is, sadly, now a bit anal ... and non-smoking. Cleaned up beyond clean, loads of places that were interesting have closed down, and Bullfeathers is now a plastic paddy place serving Irish Stew in a basket [old and bad joke, but a sign of the decline].

[MrBernoulli]

I am in DC right now, and will be flying a large twin-jet back to the UK in a few hours time! :ok:

If Dan is going to be Boss of a reformed 10 Sqn, has his sense of humour had a refurb? :E

[MPN11]

I am in DC right now, and will be flying a large twin-jet back to the UK in a few hours time!

On the 216, presumably? Now that was a proper numberplate, according to the OH who was Sqn Adj in the days of Very Shiny Fleet. She always gets a buzz flying back to UK on that BA flight number. ;)

[Roland Pulfrew]

If Dan is going to be Boss of a reformed 101 Sqn

Bit of wishful thinking there Mr B, understandable though. It would have been excellent if the RAF's future tanker went into service with the country's premier tanker squadron rather than going to truckie heaven ;) Dan is going to be the Boss of 10 not 101.

[Uncle Ginsters]

I gather the trip timing was used by the airlines as a classic example of how NOT to run crew duty!

...so much so that that RAF still insists on such timings for heading East :oh:

Happy days 'stuck' in Dulles in times when you weren't made to feel guilty for even being West of the meridian in the first place.

It will be good to see the old feathered arrow back at Brize.

Rem Accu Tangere
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/25/10_Squadron_RAF.jpg/200px-10_Squadron_RAF.jpg

[Exascot]

RAF 10 Squadron | 10 Squadron Association - Royal Air Force (http://www.10sqnass.co.uk/)

[Warmtoast]

So what's 10 Sqn's planned establishment of A330's?

[MPN11]

Both of them? :hmm:

[ICM]

There are to be 14 aircraft in all, building up till around 2016, if I remember correctly from the presentation given to the 10 Sqn Association at Brize Norton last Friday. Of these, 9 (or possibly 10) will be militarily registered, with the remainder having civil registrations. Given the hybrid RAF/civilian Sponsored Reserve manning that is proposed, I fear that I came away with no clear idea of the longer-term crew ratio proposed.

There are also to be two squadrons formed to operate the proposed fleet and accommodation has been provided accordingly in the new Air Tanker building - so there will be another numberplate renewed in due course.

For now, I wish Wg Cdr James all the very best as he starts to lay the foundations of a squadron ethos in what will, I suspect, prove to be very different circumstances from those facing Mike Beavis in 1966.

[BEagle]

Warmtoast, regrettably 10 Sqn will not 'own' any aircraft. It will operate aircraft leased under PFI from AirTanker.

Incidentelly, many congratulations to Wg Cdr Dan James - and all the very best for a successful tour!

A whisper tells me that the second Voyager squadron will be 101 Sqn.

[Blacksheep]

Aah! "Shiny 10" became quite grubby in the latter years. Its jolly good to see them become nice and shiny again.

Will all the pilots be Squadron Leaders like in the good old days?





(I say! Are you a REAL Squadron Leader, or just a VC10 pilot??) :suspect:

[MrBernoulli]

"Are you a real Sqn Ldr or just a VC10 captain?" :E

[NutLoose]

No. 10 Sqn to be reformed


Sounds like a really cheap meat product........... just about right then. :p


"Are you a real Sqn Ldr or just a VC10 captain?" http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/evil.gif

Was funny to watch as the RAF bought up all the remaining 10's and the cockpit reverted to being filled with any old rank.

[Exascot]

Sounds like a really cheap meat product........... just about right then.

So NutLoose which particular nut house do you reside in?

[NutLoose]

The one that used to be called LSS........ remember that? the real workhorse of the VC10 none tanker fleet.

[A2QFI]

I was at the ceremony in College Hall yesterday. Low key, but moving to see a standard I had carried on parade in 1962! That said somebody told me that they are replaced every 25 years, an expense that will soon go out of the window, I should think

The standards of 13, 14 and 214 Squadrons were laid up and that of 10 squadron was brought out, reconsecrated and handed back to the Squadron

13 will come back to life sometime, flying UAVs and based elsewhere in Lincolnshire, this thread discusses 10 Sqn and I heard nothing of the future of 14 and 214 Squadrons.

[Tallsar]

214? Have I missed something?

[A2QFI]

I could be wrong! 216 perhaps?

[6foottanker]

Ah, I remember marching off the 10 Sqn standard on the waterfront, then laying it up at Cranditz not too long ago. Phil '3 engine shutdown' King sliced his ear open with his bayonet on the first drill movement.
It went to the 'It'll be coming back out again soon' storage location of Minstrels' Gallery in CHOM, and it will be good to see it back.
At least the standard doesn't have the 'randomly twirling eagle' atop the staff that 101's standard has!

[FJ2ME]

I may not have helped the 'twirling eagle' situation by marching the standard into a low-hanging tree on one occasion...Now lets just hope that aeroplanes materialise on time unlike the many people that got posted to a flying tour on 5 before the Sentinel was actually online...

[ian16th]

Tallsar,

See my post #11.

After all we did prove that he probe & drogue system worked satisfactorily, and introduce it into the RAF.

[Fareastdriver]

After all we did prove that he probe & drogue system worked satisfactorily, and introduce it into the RAF.

Can we get this historically correct. Flight Refuelling were still knee deep in the flat fronted probe and drogue system. The Americans had developed a probe that used the rounded, bullet shaped, probe for aircraft refueling off a flexible pipe and drogue attached to the KC97 boom. This became the NATO standard and all of 214 Sqns initial efforts were to develop this system for the RAF even though USAF F100s and F105s were using this facility regularly.

A KC135 could use its boom to inject fuel into a B47 or a B52 at 8-10,000lbs/min. A Vulcan or Victor would receive from a Valiant , initialy, about 4,000 lbs/min. To pick up a reasonable amount of fuel he had to fly a close formation for eight of nine minutes with very little room for error. Your B52 man could mosey up to the tanker, watch the operater fire the boom into his aircarft and fly a casual samewaysameday for three or four minutes and it was all over.

When I did my initial tanker course at Marham in 1962 they already had the training boards for the VC10 tanker version. It did not happen then, but it should have happened before the Valiants folded in 1965.

[Art Field]

Fareastdriver

Whilst you are correct in stating that 214 Sqn used the Mk6 flat fronted probe nozzle in the early days of the trial it was what Flight Refuelling Ltd gave them. The Mk8 bullet nozzle came in 62 if I remember correctly and was indeed an improvement.

The KC135 may have been able to transfer 8,000 lbs/min at the start of a refuel but as with any transfer the rate drops off as the aircraft fills up so that the advantage to the receiver is reduced. I think your casual samewaysameday three or four minutes is debatable. One also has to consider the danger of overpressurising tanks with such a high rate in our delicate bombers of the day. One even had to be careful with the Vulcan during Corporate. .The hose attached to a boom has never been an ideal situation. The HDU was at that time still, as you will remember,a rather raw piece of kit and required considerable thought to bring it to the state it is as still in use today, thanks to the pioneering work by the squadron.

When I did my initial tanker course at Marham in 1961 the VC10 was already being mentioned as a replacement refueller but I had to wait till 1984 to get my hands on one although 101 got them a little earlier.

[Tallsar]

This is all good historic stuff..hope the RAF Museum has got it too! My query re the 214 laid up post was that I was not aware 214 was at all still active in any guise...thought it demised when the Victor K1s went out...216 is of course the TriStar Sqn.....so fascinated why the 214 Sqn standard is being mentioned in The Rotunda context at all? :8:eek::confused:

[PRO NCA]

I hope the new boss cares as much for his new Sqn as he did for jumping on people for the lenght of their sideburns:E plus I hope he has had a personality implant at last;)

[A2QFI]

Because I was there but in my dribbling dotage did not note the 4 numbers of the Squadrons involved, only 3 of them!

[Tallsar]

Maybe it was 206? Certainly of the 3 other recent ex Nimrod Sqns, I gather 42's has gone to Cornwall, 201's to Guernsey, and that leaves 120 & 206s presumably for the Rotunda. All very sad..along with all the other Standards moving in to the Rotunda....the carpet will be in perpetual shadow these days!:(

[Truck2005]

Ahh! Nutloose. When we were posted to 10 sqn from LSS nothing seemed to change initailly. There was always the the 'other side of the car park' feeling but after a few Bahrain detachments the sqn feeling seemed to take affect. I am one of the few left that can still remember the 19 & M and 'Please visit Joanna's and please be over 21' days, (remember the advert')? (ground crew).

I work with some of the 101 groundcrew now up here in the sticks but none of them remember the Dulles 19th & G sports bar, Florida 2000, Fleetwoods and the Fishmarket, (still remember the game of spoof with oysters and clams and the clam chouder).

Here's hoping the tradition continues!

[Roland Pulfrew]

Maybe it was 206? Certainly of the 3 other recent ex Nimrod Sqns, I gather 42's has gone to Cornwall, 201's to Guernsey, and that leaves 120 & 206s presumably for the Rotunda.

Tallsar. 206 is an active sqn (albeit as a "Reserve" Sqn) it is now based at Boscombe Down and has been for a couple of years. I assume their standard is with them at BD.

42's standard is being lodged in the Rotunda along with 120's. 201's standard is being lodged in Guernsey. Smart move by 201 as if they are ever reformed the Sqn will have to go on one of their jollies to Guernsey to get their standard back.

Sorry slightly off topic. Well done Dan for getting 10.

[sangiovese.]

19th and G sports bar.........wasn't that Mad Mikes?

[NutLoose]

Ahh! Nutloose. When we were posted to 10 sqn from LSS nothing seemed to change initailly. There was always the the 'other side of the car park' feeling but after a few Bahrain detachments the sqn feeling seemed to take affect. I am one of the few left that can still remember the 19 & M and 'Please visit Joanna's and please be over 21' days, (remember the advert')? (ground crew).

I work with some of the 101 groundcrew now up here in the sticks but none of them remember the Dulles 19th & G sports bar, Florida 2000, Fleetwoods and the Fishmarket, (still remember the game of spoof with oysters and clams and the clam chouder).

Here's hoping the tradition continues

I know what you mean, VC10's great, work ethic and atmosphere great........ 10 sqn...... well that's another story.

[Truck2005]

Yea, that's the one. Up above a Subway outlet, I recall. The barmen had a habit of giving you free drinks to stay there when all the office workers had gone.

[ICM]

Now that 1st July has come, I wish No 10 Squadron "ad multos annos" with the Voyager - but the unit's 39 years or so with the VC 10 may take some beating.

[Exascot]

All the very best to Wg Cdr Dan James and his boys and girls. Have happy and safe 'voyages'. However I bet they don't bring back the Dulles stopovers for you. The consolation is the A330 type rating :ok: