Farewell 617 Sqn (for now...)

[OutlawPete]

http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/final-flight-of-the-dambusters-30012014

Proud to have served on this fantastic Squadron, wishing them all a safe trip home. Well done to all!

Pete

[CoffmanStarter]

Cracking video released by the RAF to mark the occasion ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viQAkquQ-Dc

OP's Link ...

RAF MOD Final Flight of the Dambusters (http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/final-flight-of-the-dambusters-30012014)

[just another jocky]

2 tours, 1 war, great memories. <propose.toast.gif>

[Evalu8ter]

Ah good - the expanding Chinook force needs a new numberplate; 617 should go rather nicely alongside other famous 'bomber' units such as 7, 18 and 27.....:E

Banter aside, I hope the guys n gals get meaningful roles/postings...esp the back seaters....

[Wensleydale]

I wondered where the MOD were going to source the manpower for aid to Somerset. This explains why there was a delay in getting flood specialists to the area - they are all in Afghanistan.

[500N]

Reverted back to "manual" labour and HQ Royal Marines and a few boats. :O


That is a superb video :ok:

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

We'll suspend banter just this once..

Every airborne check-in I heard from 617 included "on track, on time" - Good operators who were aware of their heritage.

Cheers:ok:

[Lima Juliet]

There was a missed opportunity of a low pass over the Kajaki Dam!

Nice vid :ok:







For mudmovers....

[TomJoad]

Here's to you 617 Sqn, pleasure to have been part of your story even as a mere support act. Haste ye back:D

Excellent video, really enjoyed that, how I miss it:ok:

[racedo]

May be gone but when every you hear the engines
you will remember why you know it.
A slip of someones pen does not wipe out
honour, heritage or courage.
Long remembered when those who cut it
are not even a memory.

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Correct me if I'm wrong but does that just leave 9 and 12 as the last real Bomber Squadrons?

[1.3VStall]

GBZ - IX(B) Sqn please!

[Wensleydale]

"IX(B) Sqn please"


And what have the Romans done for us....?......http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/yeees.gif

[melmothtw]

Did anyone else catch Channel 5 News last night referring to the "infamous" Dambusters?

'Famous' yes, but 'infamous'?

[99 Change Hands]

Nice video, it all looks a bit slicker than when we re-formed with the GR1. The use of the term 'On State' on the arming board gave me a little shiver though.

[Martin the Martian]

No.12 or IX(B) Squadron will be disbanding at the same time as 617, I believe. Only they won't be coming back...

This has been missed by the media.

[melmothtw]

No.12 or IX(B) Squadron will be disbanding at the same time as 617, I believe.
Only they won't be coming back...

This has been missed by the media.


From Jane's in November...

'The RAF's five remaining frontline GR.4 squadrons (2, 9, 12, 31, and 617 Sqns) will be trimmed to three by mid-2014 with the disbandment of 12 and 617 Sqns.'

[1.3VStall]

There's a certain serving 4*, ex CO of IX(B) Sqn, who might just have a vested interest in ensuring the numberplate continues!

[Martin the Martian]

At this rate the University Air Squadrons will be getting numberplates, as there's not much else in the RAF that hasn't got one.

[Wensleydale]

"At this rate the University Air Squadrons will be getting numberplates, as there's not much else in the RAF that hasn't got one."




The "Special Reserve" squadron numbers are the 500 series.

[SRENNAPS]

How I remember things:

2, 9, 12, 14, 15, 15(R), 16, 17, 20, 27, 31, 45(R)

and then to this:

'The RAF's five remaining frontline GR.4 squadrons (2, 9, 12, 31, and 617 Sqns) will be trimmed to three by mid-2014 with the disbandment of 12 and 617 Sqns.'

How sad :(:(:ugh::*

No disrespect to the ADV boys and girls but I was always a GR1/GR4 man.

Being a 14, 27 and 31 boy I never had a lot of time for 6 foot but what an excellent video :D:D:D

[Dan Gerous]

That is some pic on the wall, at the beginning of the vid.

[melmothtw]

That is some pic on the wall, at the beginning of the vid.


Yep, 7 crew per Lancaster, 5 per Vulcan, 2 per Tornado, 1 per JSF. Won't see the likes of a pic like that again...

[clicker]

When do their fly back to the UK and is there going to be a photo shoot or similar in the UK?

I would like to catch them before their Tornado's go.

[Just This Once...]

How I remember things:

2, 9, 12, 14, 15, 15(R), 16, 17, 20, 27, 31, 45(R)

It did get a bit musical-numberplates for a while but when I started:

2, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 27, 31, 617, 45(R) & TTTE.

At the same time we seemed to have some Buccs, Jags and Harriers playing with the mud too. What have we become...

[f4aviation]

12(B) Sqn for the new Chinook unit, anyone?

[SRENNAPS]

It did get a bit musical-numberplates for a while but when I started:

2, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 27, 31, 617, 45(R) & TTTE.

ooh........I forgot 13, 617 and TTTE from my list......that shows my brains cells are also not what they used to be. And considering I started my Tornado career at TTTE in 1981 I am well embarrassed :O:O

Thank you for the reminder "Just This Once...." and I remember Bucs, Jags, Lightnings, Phantoms, Vulcans, Victors, etc etc :):)

PS I also served on 27 Sqn Tonka's and 27 Sqn Chinooks......:ok::ok::ok:

[Just This Once...]

Ah but you did well to include the morphing of 27 Sqn into 12 Sqn.:ok:

As for TTTE, I could not believe they were paying me to have such fun. Easy flying, easy beer, easy life; I could have stayed there forever.

[Lima Juliet]

7 per Lancaster, 5 per Vulcan, 2 per Tornado and 1 per JSF...

http://static.progressivemediagroup.com/uploads/imagelibrary/f.jpg

...after the PM's signature with the French today for FCAS in 2030 and following this sequence can you guess what's coming next? :eek:

LJ

[Hangarshuffle]

Good bit of publicity for the RAF (at the end of a relatively difficult week in the papers). 617 are out of it but not fully out.
Nobody who watches telly knows what a Lightning is btw - need more publicity about this, RAF people?
As for the modern Tornado squadrons including 617 I had and have mixed memories - very well remember listening to the shambolic arrogance of the aircrew taxiing out at Yeovilton in 91 and also witnessing first hand the drunken bumbling groundcrew in Deci. in 1994, but also remember seeing first hand the pretty high end ability of the units in later years, overhead in Arabia and closer to home.
Like all British military units - don't big yourselves up too much, you are simply mortal men.

[melmothtw]

7 per Lancaster, 5 per Vulcan, 2 per Tornado and 1 per JSF...

http://static.progressivemediagroup.com/uploads/imagelibrary/f.jpg

...after
the PM's signature with the French today for FCAS in 2030 and following this
sequence can you guess what's coming next? http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/eek.gif


LJ

True Leon, there does seem to be a certain inevitability about it.

[CoffmanStarter]

...after the PM's signature with the French today for FCAS in 2030

Yes ... But he did choose a rather nice Pub for lunch Leon :ok:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/01/31/article-2549286-1B1A648C00000578-979_634x400.jpg

The Swan Inn at Swinbrook in Oxfordshire ... A Mr & Mrs Coff stay/eat recommendation :)

[Onceapilot]

Ah yes, that pub. Where aircrew have led, PM's follow.
Not as original as it used to be, pity.:hmm:

OAP

[Lima Juliet]

Coff

And a nice pint of Old Hooky to boot! :ok: