Madbob,
The memories stirred up by your post brought tears to my eyes!
I, too, was going to suggest 1974 as that was the year we were all wheeled in to the Station Briefing Room to be informed by the Staish of the planned British withdrawl from East of Suez. For the remaining 20-odd years of my service all I saw were cuts, drawdowns, retrenchment, downsizing, civilianisation, overstretch, etc, etc.
Looking at your list it is incredible to to see what has been lost forever. I know they say that nostalgia isn't what it used to be, but when you look at that list of aircraft, squadrons and RAF Stations we were a worldwide force to be reckoned with in those days. (And we had fun too!).