112 Signals Unit, Stornoway, I.o.Lewis

[GeoffH_112SU]

As one of the first members of this unique unit I am interested in hearing from any V-force aircrew who can remember flying their ECM loaded machinery over this location please. There is a serious shortage of qualifiable references connecting this unit with their ECM measurement mission, particularly for operations SKYSHIELD, MICKY FINN etc.

[Timelord]

Geoff,

You really need an ex AEO to reply because they were the only ones that understood what was going on down those runs. My first 112SU run (Nav Radar) appears in my logbook for Dec 16 1974 in XL388. Thereafter every few months, especially when the AEO was being checked. If I recall correctly the low level link route had a spur going to Stornaway to enable us to do LL attacks at the same time, with us jamming the SU and them jamming us! Do I imagine it or did they put an RBSU there as well?

[CoffmanStarter]

Geoff ... I assume you are aware of the small piece on Wikipedia ?

During the height of the Cold War years Stornoway Airport was home to 112 SU, an RAF Signals Unit that was established in 1960 as an Electronic countermeasures (ECM) measurement and evaluation unit by RAF Bomber Command Headquarters (HQBC), High Wycombe. The unit measured the signal strength, frequency bandwidths and aerial performance of the operational Handley Page Victor and Avro Vulcan V bombers as they flew a course towards, over or away from the unit varying from straight-lines to polar patterns. Results were passed back to each aircrafts' base for the Electronics Engineers and Technicians to review for performance improvement of each piece of equipment that was measured. The combined success of the unit and each of the aircrafts' bases along with support staff at RRE Malvern (later to become RSRE Malvern) was demonstrated by the V-force during the Cuban missile crisis and Operation Skyshield exercises during the early sixties and subsequent exercises up to the time that the unit was closed in 1983.

Should be an interesting topic ...

[GeoffH_112SU]

Hello, thanks for your reply and yes, I wrote that paragraph in the "RAF Stornoway" article. And that is the problem, there is very little qualifiable material that cross-references 112SU and Stornoway and ECM together and what precious little there is, is in fact, incorrect! I have been looking to place a direct article about 112SU but because there is inadequate notability (qualifiable published material) the article was turned down pending suitable cross-references. I understand that view hence my digging around here. G.

[GeoffH_112SU]

Hello, thanks for your reply. I'm a reader at The National Archive so I'll look up your flight via the ORB for that date (they didn't record everything there though) the next time I'm at TNA.
112SU was up and running from the early 60's before the new Forward Operating Base RAF Stornoway was established 01/04/72. The unit did physically shift to the new buildings but I am not aware that a RBSU was installed but I will follow through on that thought as I still have contacts up there. There is one reference that might indicate that Gerinish in South Uist rather than Stornoway, Isle of Lewis was where the RBSU ended up at though. More researching at the TNA I suspect.

[NorthSouth]

In the early 1980s, shortly before it closed, it certainly did have an RBSU as well as the ECM facilities. The RBSU aerial - painted with RAF roundel colours - was on the roof of the main 112SU building to the east of the main runway. The ECM unit and its various antennae was on the opposite side of the runway. I remember seeing regular Vulcan low level runs over the airfield, with bomb doors open.
112 SU also supplied personnel for the Aird Uig HF radio station on the west side of Lewis (part of STCICS).

[Shaft109]

Sorry RBSU?

[pr00ne]

Radar Bomb Scoring Unit.

Normally a MBRSU, as in Mobile Radar Bomb Scoring Unit.

[Barksdale Boy]

Normally? I don't think so, unless for special occasions such as bombing competitions.

[Brian 48nav]

I did a stint as a CAA ATCO there from July '80 to Dec '82 and have a 112SU shield presented to me for my pains.

I spent my last 5 months there living in the RAF accommodation after I had moved my family down to my next posting at Boscombe Down. One thing I remember was how good the food was - I hadn't realised how spoilt the airmen were!

[pr00ne]

Barksdale bloke,

732, 735 and 738 were all badged as MBRSU, even if the Mobile bit was a slight exaggeration.

[Pontius Navigator]

pr00ne, the MRBSSUs were indeed mobile as they used to be moved to temporary sites for bombing comps. IIRC Devon BP was first set up for a competition about 1967 at Dunkeswell before it was later set up for regular use. Another competition site was Sleap.

I am not sure but one might have been set up in Yorkshire.

The second S was Signals as in 112 SU.

[ExRAFRadar]

Barksdale bloke,

732, 735 and 738 were all badged as MBRSU, even if the Mobile bit was a slight exaggeration.

Certainly was an exaggeration in the case of 735SU.

The RBS was in the Main Ops Building and was not going anywhere.

This was 83-87 but I think we got a mobile version towards the end of my time there.