smuj, I suspect it was not the Taceval but the security exercise if the aircraft had returned from away bases..
We certainly did a taceval launch. The first attempt at a master plan had Vulcans taxying out of their dispersal slots in a carefully prescribed order, turning smartly south and exiting through the ground equipment park.
AL1 had the turns reversed and the aircraft turning properly north.
Come the off the plan and AL1 went out the window and it was survival of the fastest
Naturally we would have all returned about the same time if it had been the Taceval.
The annual security exercise was always a farce. Professionals against the amateurs. The raiding battalion had always recced the base and probably knew the bundo even better than the resident Rocks. Every year we lost either all the aircraft or all the aircrew.
One year Mike Beavis, Gp Capt Ops had a master plan. Disperse all the aircraft to Malta. Masirah etc and put both aircrew and aircraft out of reach. It worked but it were hard work patrolling the streets of Malta.
