8 Squadron, RAF, 100 years old.

[shawshank]

8 Squadron, of the Royal Flying Corps, was formed at Brooklands on 1st January 1915 and was quickly moved to the Western Front where it saw extensive action, it's battle honours including Loos, Arras, Somme and Cambrai. Captain Ferdinand West, a pilot on the Sqn during the First World War was the first member of the newly formed Royal Air Force to receive the Victoria Cross. The Sqn has seen extensive overseas operations across the British Empire and was later known as "Aden's Own". 8 Sqn's association with the Middle East is acknowledged in the Sqn crest with its Arabian Dagger.
The Sqn is currently based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire and flies the Boeing E-3D aircraft.
To celebrate 100 years of service, and to remember all those who have served over that time, 8 Sqn will be holding several events throughout 2015 which will be open to serving members of the Sqn and members of the 8 Sqn Association.
For details of the events, former members of the Sqn are encouraged to join the Association by emailing the Secretary ([email protected]).

[Lima Juliet]

Upsiam et Passim! :ok:

[Wensleydale]

8 Squadron History Introduction (http://www.8squadron.co.uk/history_intro.php)

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Everyone up to the Goldstars (31 Sqn) will be celebrating their centenary in 2015; including XI, the first squadron in the World formed for "fighting duties".

[fantom]

I'm sorry but Naval 8/208 wins.

[caped crusader]

Look forward to Naval Eight's centenary in 2016.

Were not 8 & 208 Squadrons co-located out in the Middle East in the 1960s during the Hunter days?

[Wensleydale]

Were not 8 & 208 Squadrons co-located out in the Middle East in the 1960s during the Hunter days?


I believe that one or two minor units joined 8 out in Aden during their 50 years of Middle East service.

[caped crusader]

Happy Birthday to 8 Squadron. I believe that some of the present day Squadron Members have travelled down to Brooklands to commemorate the Squadron's formation 100 years ago today.

It was 43 years ago today that the Squadron became an AEW Squadron, thanks to the handful of RAF aircrew who did their apprenticeship with 849 Squadron and then helped to set the Squadron up along with members of 849.

Does the Squadron still have the Ganneton Trophy? Is there an Uckers board in the crewroom? Ah, the days of mixi blogs and blowbacks!

[AARON O'DICKYDIDO]

Were not 8 & 208 Squadrons co-located out in the Middle East in the 1960s during the Hunter days?

No.8 were at Khormaksar, Aden, with No.208 from 1961 to 1964. No.208 were at Eastleigh (Kenya) previously. After Khormaksar No.208 went up to Muharraq until 1971 when they disbanded.

Aaron

[jindabyne]

After Khormaksar No.208 went up to Muharraq until 1971 when they disbanded.


And was joined there by No 8 Sqn in August 67, until Dec 71

[Shackman]

CC - I seem to remember it the other way around; a number of 'front-end' maritime crews introduced a handful of 849 trained RAF and Navy aircrew to a couple of MR Shacks, and eventually we all became one big happy Squadron. :)

Look at No 1 AEW course; one week long, no aircraft, and just presentations by each side on what we thought was going to happen. Just imagine the long version of that great evening's entertainment in the bar of a complete Shack (or Lincoln or any other 4 engine ac)crew going through the checklists, but with no beer (and no fire drills - unlucky if you represented No 4 engine!). :E

[Pontius Navigator]

CC, after the Nott cuts there were so few bods around that even a game of patience was a rarity.

When Dave Greenway came back as OC he would make the long journey across the hangar floor for a coffee and chat with the lads. More often as not he would find an empty crew room.

[caped crusader]

Shackman,

Yes, a visit to the 8 Squadron crew room always gave you the impression of 8 being a happy squadron.

The fire in number 4 engine, what a soda siphon was made for!! Great entertainment in the bar.

CC

[caped crusader]

PN,

He should have checked the Bothy Bar!

[Pontius Navigator]

CC, ah, but he rarely flew a mission sortie.

"And that'll be another beer in the Bothy"

[Wensleydale]

"More often as not he would find an empty crew room".


Not daft! If you were in the crew room then you were available for one of his SLJs (sh*tty little jobs).

[Pontius Navigator]

Reminds me of an AOCs clean up. I brought a concern duster with 6 foot cane and spent the day wandering around the San (no change there then) and no one said a thing.

[philrigger]

Does 8 still have many Arab style of rifles and knives adorning its crew room walls?

[haltonapp]

Were 8 in Khormaksar with 43? I was on 8 in '68 at Muharraq and some of our aircraft still had the "Fighting Cock" on the fin.

[kenparry]

Were 8 in Khormaksar with 43?

Yes, for a while. 43 moved down from Nicosia, and the Aden Hunter wing then comprised 8, 43, and 1417 Flight

[Wensleydale]

"Were 8 in Khormaksar with 43? I was on 8 in '68 at Muharraq and some of our aircraft still had the "Fighting Cock" on the fin"

8 were at Kormaksar from Feb 1927 to May 1945 and again from Sep 1946 until Sep 1967 (not for nothing were they known as "Aden's Own"). Hunters changed hands regularly at the end of the 1960s. The story goes that one day the pilots arrived on 8 to find that half of their aircraft had been painted up in the colours of the Royal Jordanian Air Force - the aircraft having been sold off at short notice!

[haltonapp]

If you had to spend thirteen months in Bahrain in 68, then being on 8 was not a bad place to spend your time, we had detachments to Sharjah and Masirah for live firing exercises. No air conditioning required in Masirah at night, and BBQ's on the beach and fishing off the pier, a pleasant change from the high humidity of Muharraq, and the souk in Sharjah was very different, much more traditional. Going to Dubai was a a world away from todays experience.

[Dougie M]

Though not a hunter pilot I was often entertained by the "offensive" wing boys in the Jungle Bar in Khormaksar Mess. 8 and 43 Sqns would build towers of tenants lager tins on the "fast end" of the bar. The pyrotechnic expertise of Dai H******-H*** was often demonstrated to an impressed audience.
When we all moved to Muharraq in 67, 8 Sqn was lodged with the incumbent 208 in the new block next to my Argosy Sqn HQ. The competition to "out decorate" the two hunter squadrons far exceeded the efforts displayed on the detachment blocks in Akrotiri, even down to the balcony rails.
We still had to retrieve all the Sgt Fletchers pickled off by mistake from Sharjah amd Masirah though.

[jindabyne]

Memories ---

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx147/Mal_Grosse/99f93e11-7543-4e76-b9f3-3c89ac9d5bea_zpsca820726.jpg (http://s750.photobucket.com/user/Mal_Grosse/media/99f93e11-7543-4e76-b9f3-3c89ac9d5bea_zpsca820726.jpg.html)

[oldpax]

It should have been were 43 with 8 in Khormaksar!!I was on 8 from nov 1961 until October 1963.

[BEagle]

Nice picture, jindabyne.

...and all those aircraft were British designed and built too!

[haltonapp]

I think the painter must have been sat in the "guard commanders tower" on the corner of the hanger. It was all still standing in 2012 when I was there last!

[fincastle84]

Happy memories of being on 210 (Shack) Sqn in Sharjah in 1971 when 8 came down for their APCs. Bill Stoker was the OC & got on very well with our boss, Dave Moule.

We had to fetch the all the pilots from Muharraq after a dining in night in June so that they could perform a flypast for the opening of the new Dubai airport. The AOC wouldn't allow either the Andover or the Argos crews to carry out the flight.

We used the SAR crew, airborne at 04.00. The 8 Sqn pilots, looking fairly shabby, were served a hearty breakfast of black coffee, eggs & bacon.

Happy days.

[ACW418]

Could it be that jindabyne was the artist?

ACW

[oldpax]

Held in a big hangar at RAF Waddington on sat 11th April.What a splendid do it was,attended by 500 of past and present squadron members.

[snippy]

Re celebration: So was another Sqn at BZN a couple of months ago.......did they get a lot of people not associated with them to parade?



( I feel we are going to get a lot of 100 year celebrations soon.....):rolleyes:

[jindabyne]

Unfortunately I wasn't able to make the celebration at Waddo. Delighted that it went well! I'd like to say next time :sad: