Once again many thanks to all those who have had an input to this. Your help is really appreciated. After further research detailed below is the revised service history of Harrier XV752 as far as we can piece it together.
In doing this we have come across a mystery as to why XV752 is in it's current 3 Sqn colour scheme.
When 752 left R.A.F sqn service she was in the colours of IV (AC) Sqn. We have pictures of 752 in her last days with IV (AC) Sqn in 1990 and at the SoTT Cosford in August 1991 in the colours of IV (AC) Sqn. However, move on to the 1995 an there is another picture of 752 at the Cosford airshow and 752 is in a 3 Sqn livery coded 'B' with the pilots name Wg Cdr Profit on the starboard side of the canopy.
The mystery is this. When with 3 Sqn 752 was coded 'AG' and 'G'. There is no evidence of her ever being coded 'B'. Also, although Wg Cdr G R Profit AFC OBE was CO of 3 sqn between Oct 1977 and Mar 1981 there is no evidence of 752 being on strength with 3 Sqn during this time.
Therefore, was there and special celebration or events for 3 Sqn between 1991 and 1995 that would have result in 752 being put into her current paint scheme?
Is there any special significance to this paint scheme.
Any information anyone can give us would be really appreciated.
SERVICE HISTORY XV752
30/05/1969 First flight Harrier GR1 XV752 (c/n 712015) flown by
Duncan Simpson.
27/08/1969 Delivery from Hawker Siddeley Aviation Dunsfold to R.A.F Wittering.
28/08/1968 Harrier Conversion Team (HCT)
30/12/1969 1 (F) Squadron R.A.F Wittering.
13/05/1970 HCU / 233 OCU. Coded ‘52’
05/10/1972 Upgraded to GR1A.
08/11/1972 1 (F) Squadron R.A.F Wittering.
30/04/1974 Upgraded to GR3.
26/02/1975 ADA Cat 3R FLY i.e. temporarily out of service, on
maintenance or receiving modifications etc.
Post-categorization, the aircraft may be flown (or may have temporary repairs effected so that it can be flown), if necessary under special conditions, either to another site for repair or until a suitable date can bearranged for repair at its normal base
07/03/1975 71 MU R.A.F Bicester "Salvage and Transportation flight"
22/05/1975 ADA Cat 3R FLY i.e. Temporarily out of service, on
maintenance or receiving modifications etc. Post- categorization, the aircraft may be flown (or may have temporary repairs effected so that it can be flown), if necessary under special conditions, either to another site for repair or until a suitable date can be arranged for repair at its normal base
Sept 1975 1 (F) Squadron R.A.F.Wittering.
1 (F) Sqn night flying.16th Sept 1975
Decimomannu Armament Practice Camp Sardinia Oct 1975.
Deployed to Belize via Goose bay and Bermuda flown by Bob Holliday 6th Nov 1975
13/05/1976 1 (F) Squadron R.A.F Wittering.
Deployed Norway (Ørland), Sept 1976
Suffered a bird strike, so I landed after 15 minutes,
2nd March 1977.
04/05/1977 ADA Cat 3S i.e. Temporarily out of service, on
maintenance or receiving modifications.
07/07/1977 1 (F) Squadron R.A.F Wittering.
3 hours sortie including AAR. 2nd Nov 1977
23/12/1977 ADA Cat 3 FLY i.e. Temporarily out of service, on maintenance or receiving modifications. Post- categorization, the aircraft may be flown (or may have temporary repairs effected so that it can be flown), if necessary under special conditions, either to another site for repair or until a suitable date can be arranged for repair at its normal base.
06/09/1978 1F Squadron R.A.F Wittering.
15/06/1979 233 OCU R.A.F Wittering.
17/06/1980 1417 Flight Belize on rotation. Aircraft coded ‘M’.
Aircraft code blue "M" is from OCU. 1417 flt kept the original units code letter at this time.
29/05/1981 233 OCU R.A.F Wittering.
30/06/1981 ADA Cat 3 i.e. Temporarily out of service, on maintenance or receiving modifications. Repaired on site (ROS) by another unit or contractor.
AC ex 1417 Flt tended to suffer cat 3 damage that would be detected on their return. E.g. Tail structure damage due to engine runs without a proper tie down pan. Fuel leaks due to the effect of heat and humidity on the fuel tanks.
08/09/1981 233 OCU R.A.F. Wittering
28/09/1981 1 (F) Squadron R.A.F Wittering.
29/09/1981 233 OCU R.A.F. Wittering
19/11/1981 1 (F) Squadron R.A.F Wittering.
04.03/1982 233 OCU R.A.F Wittering.
12/03/1982 1 (F)Squadron R.A.F Wittering. Aircraft Coded ‘04’
Attended Leuchars air show September 4, 1982. Coded ’04’
04/07/1983 3 Squadron R.A.F Gutersloh, West Germany.
05/07/1983 IV (AC) Squadron R.A.F Gutersloh, West Germany.
08/07/1983 1 (F) Squadron, R.A.F Wittering.
17/08/1983 Transferred to R.A.F St Athan for a major service.
24/05/1984 1 (F) Squadron, R.A.F Wittering
19/12/1984 3 Squadron, R.A.F.Gutersloh West Germany.
17/12/1985 ADA Cat 3 Temporarily out of service for repair following a bird strike.
03/04/1986 Returned to service after repair with 3 Squadron,
R.A.F.Gutersloh West Germany. Coded ‘AG’
Deployed Sardinia for ACMI training, January 1987.
Last sortie was a 6 vs x2 F15.
July 1987 3 Squadron, R.A.F.Gutersloh West Germany. Coded ‘G’
Attended the Leeuwarden Netherlands air show July 10, 1987 Coded ‘G’.
1988 Attended the Aalborg Denmark air show November 3, 1988 Coded ‘G’
21/11/1989 IV (AC) Squadron, R.A.F.Gutersloh West Germany. Coded ‘S’
Affiliation sortie from Gütersloh against some Pumas 23rd January 1990
October 1990 Retired from operational service with IV (AC) Squadron,R.A.F.Gutersloh West Germany. Coded ‘S’.
1990 Transferred to SoTT R.A.F Cosford as a ground instructional airframe 9078M.
1995 On display in the Static park at the R.A.F Cosford
air show. Aircraft painted in 3 Squadron colors
coded ‘B’
2002 Displayed on the deck next to the ski ramp of H.M.S
Invincible as part of the events to mark the 20th
anniversary of the Falklands conflict. Aircraft
painted in 3 Squadron colors coded ‘B’
2005 Attended RIAT, R.A.F Fairford UK - England, July
16 & 17, 2005. The Harrier was displayed in the
static park on a lowloader to demonstrate the work
of RAF recovery teams. Aircraft painted in 3
Squadron colors coded ‘B’
18/07/2005 Delivered to 2366 (Bletchley Park) Squadron ATC for
ground instructional and gate guard duties.
Aircraft in 3 Squadron colors coded ‘B.
Ground instructional airframe 9078M.
Last edited by Kilonovember52; 27th Mar 2010 at 12:39.