Originally Posted by
GeeRam
I've tried to find it online, but maybe it was a book it was in....ageing brain cells can't remember
but IIRC, there was a crew(s) group photo taken on the old Ark in the 70's, and there was quite a high proportion of light blue in both the Bucc and the F-4 crew group photos, so even back then crew make up wasn't all dark blue.......
There would be a reason for that. Something to do with the announcement in 72 that Ark would pay off without replacement and that the Buccs and Tooms would transfer to the RAF, perhaps? Following on from the cancellation of CVA01 in 66 and the progressive closure of RN training pipelines, drawdown of branch numbers?
Similar happened post formation of JFH, move away from VLN, disposal of SHAR and Tx of JFH from 3Grp to 1Grp STC - among other factors.
Context tends to be important in these things.