Roebuck: The F540 record shows that final formation was of just 5 aircraft on 28 February 1964, with the formal disbandment on the next day.
10 Squadron's rather longer era with the VC 10 was just over 2 years away.
I take issue with the record and am unable to 'unsee it' as I describe. To paraphrase, 'I counted them out, and I counted them in' as well as marshalling of course. Without prevaricating, 15 Sqdn over the runway from us with their Mk 1A's MAY have supplemented the number, bearing in mind the serviceability of the fleet, but a diamond nine most certainly did a flypast of Cottesmore as part of the disbandment as I claim. What I didn't mention was that as a finalé a single Victor did a high speed low level run down the centre line just like the short video posted above in response to my claim. A characteristic of this run was that pressure waves built up on the leading edges ilke a cloud and flipped backwards, to rebuild again, and flip off again. It was noted at the time that even hard bitten old Crew Chiefs had tears in their eyes. Two Crew Chiefs I remember fondly were 'Paddy' Algio, XA939 and Dave Forster (Not Foster) '938. '939 was the last Mk 1 to have a Major and i was part of Paddy Algio's ground crew that went in a crew bus to Radlett for the handover and to see it off. We took a brake parachute in the bus which meant no leg room for some of us (me!). The aircrew travelled separately of course. Just prior to emplaning, the Co as I remember, in the middle of the airfield, corrected an excessive hydration. I was shocked I tell you. One more little ramble, because we put in so much 'overtime', a book was raised to record it with a view to time off in lieu. We raised this with the Mk 2 Vulcan people that suddenly appeared and who immediately put us on 12 hour shifts, and guess what they said? In case the Vulcan mention raises an eyebrow, 3 Sqdns descended on Cottesmore from Scampton or Coningsby, 9, 35, & 617 from memory. I'll fetch m'coat.
Roebuck