JerryG
it's a pity that the truth re the Fastnet has been suppressed, and you were too junior at the time to know what was going on.
The RN controlled the whole debacle and the professional assets of the RAF were rejected - to quote Culdrose Cdr Air "keep your nose out, it's a navy show". I had three SAR Wessex crews under my command and ready to go from Valley. Two Whirlwinds at Brawdy were available and at least one new Sea King HAR3 at Culdrose, manned by the most experienced RAF crews (instructors), was ordered to return to dispersal when they self launched.
Following the Fastnet tragedy, RN SAR came under the OPCON of the RAF RCC's.
I explained this to Nick Ward who was a tad surprised; unsurprisingly the BBC were not interested!
