Hi Mogwi,
....[INo 1 (F) Sqn GR3s did not carry sidewinders at all during the conflict[/I]...
We did actually,
There was just one day when we had the chance of an AA engagement with the ‘winders. That was 19 May, our one and only ‘training’ day, before we began mudmoving ops, having arrived in theatre on 18 May.
We flew all that day with Limas, practising ACM. All switches had to be made ‘live’ to get acquisitions, but we found no real problem locking on the Lima with boresight aiming. Most of us had already fired a ‘winder on Aberporth, using the same technique. We thought it was a magic weapon.
We were briefed that we could become part of the local Task Group CAP whilst airborne and indeed GOV and the Boss were directed to intercept a suspected enemy B707. Unfortunately it turned away and no intercept resulted, much to our disappointment.
Later on we hoped the Navy might let us join in the CAPs, flying in company with SeaJets if they ran short of airframes, but it was not to be.
Regards