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Old 1st May 2007, 10:14
  #25 (permalink)  
HTB
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
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JimLad

Some of your questions have been answered. 27 Sqn was disbanded shortly before the Flaklands conflict started, the crews being dispersed to a variety of posts, including remaining V Sqns (Vulcans and Victors); some ended up on ground tours, holding posts, staff training, etc.

The Nav Radars (I think there were 9 or 10 of us) were summoned to attend the war to exercise their former skills once it became apparent that the Argentines had a navy of sorts that might pose our lads some problems - principally an aircraft carrier. As the 27 Sqn aircraft had also been shared out, or reduced to spare parts, the MRR missions were flown in the Victor, which had the same radar as the MRR Vulcan.

The missions were mainly Instow (named after a small town in North Devon - town names were allocated to a series of trials), which entailed straifgforward ship counting. The resulting plot (backed up by R88 imagery - radar screen camera) were analysed back on Ascension. Any contacts of note were passed by HF (or later during the Task Groupos' progression south directly to the surface units by UHF).

I beleive the best source of MRR intel was provided by the Naval Attache in BA, who would stroll down to the harbour and count 'em tied up alongside (or note if any had decamped).

Could go on about other techniques, such as ASDID, but I'm having enough trouble staying awake in the current heat wave.
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