RAF establishment level early 60s
[QUOTE][
Tangmere was open in 1964 as far as I recall and I remember planes being there?
According to Wiki it closed in 1970.
/QUOTE]
Phil,
I belive it was Canberra B2s of 245 sqn at Tangmere at the time, but I admit the list needs going through again.
FB
Tangmere was open in 1964 as far as I recall and I remember planes being there?
According to Wiki it closed in 1970.
/QUOTE]
Phil,
I belive it was Canberra B2s of 245 sqn at Tangmere at the time, but I admit the list needs going through again.
FB
FB
Apologies! For some reason I read your Orbat as '65 not 63 so belay my remark about 215 Sqn. Jefford has 245 Canberras at Tangmere until 19Apr63 when it renumbered to 98,which moved to Watton on 1st Oct 63.
Around 1963 the boss telling my squadron, that had its fair share of Canadians, South Africans, Rhodesians, Kenyans and an Anglo Argentinian, that 30% of the active aircrrew in the RAF were 'Foreign, Dominion or Colonial'. It did not surprise us at all. Most stations had a handful of pilots whose names had lots of 'y's and 'z's.
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Finningley 18 Valiant B1 ECM
Finningley 230 OCU Vulcan B1/B2 Ops Conversion
Finningley BCDU Valiant B1/Vulcan B1/1A Role Development
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Valiants at Finningley - Vickers Valiant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Finningley re-opened in the spring of 1957, No 101 Squadron was re-formed in October that year to operate Vulcan bombers. A year later No 18 Squadron RAF with ECM Vickers Valiants was also established at Finningley. In 1961, No 101 Squadron RAF took its Vulcans to RAF Waddington changing places with the Vulcan training organisation, No 230 Operational Conversion Unit. It was two years from 101 Sqn leaving that in 1961, the Valiant having seen its day, No 18 Squadron was disbanded.
RAF Finningley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Looks like 1963 and therefore just before Alison went there.
Finningley re-opened in the spring of 1957, No 101 Squadron was re-formed in October that year to operate Vulcan bombers. A year later No 18 Squadron RAF with ECM Vickers Valiants was also established at Finningley. In 1961, No 101 Squadron RAF took its Vulcans to RAF Waddington changing places with the Vulcan training organisation, No 230 Operational Conversion Unit. It was two years from 101 Sqn leaving that in 1961, the Valiant having seen its day, No 18 Squadron was disbanded.
RAF Finningley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Looks like 1963 and therefore just before Alison went there.
If we are talking about ORBAT (order of battle) surely we should include the RAF Regiment squadrons - 16, 37, 48 and 51 at Catterick, 2 at Colerne, 15 at Seletar, 63 at Tengah, and a couple whose numbers I can't remember in Cyprus.
I count myself so lucky that I came in just at the end of the period when we had an air force of that size (1964), when overseas postings didnt automatically mean you were going to be shot at - full credit to the folk in today's RAF doing such a good job with such limited resources
Apart from the couple which I had for fire practice at Seletar - I've got a photo of myself somewhere standing in the doorway of one with blazing Avgas all around waiting to be "rescued". I had great faith in the crash crew!
I count myself so lucky that I came in just at the end of the period when we had an air force of that size (1964), when overseas postings didnt automatically mean you were going to be shot at - full credit to the folk in today's RAF doing such a good job with such limited resources
Sqn of Valetta's (52?). Not sure of the Sqn number but I do remember chopping them up in early 1966 when stationed on 390MU at Seletar (also home to the huge storage MU 389).
Never saw any Valiants at Finningley when I was there (arrived Aug 1963). Lots of nice Vulcans, expecially those of 230 OCU B Sqdn.
18 sqn disbanded in July of that year, the listing I posted is based on the circumstances as of 1st April 1963.
FB
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Good job too. Didn't want any of those nasty Valiants leading our well behaved Vulcans astray. And I don't want to hear any comments about 18 Sdn choosing to disband just because I had been posted there. 
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The Orbat misses 120 Sqn, which from1959 until 2010 served at RAF Kinloss.
Incidentally, 120 was at Aldergrove from 1951 to 1959. Aldergrove Approach freq is 120.0! (At least it was last time I was there, but that was a long time ago.)
Incidentally, 120 was at Aldergrove from 1951 to 1959. Aldergrove Approach freq is 120.0! (At least it was last time I was there, but that was a long time ago.)
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22 Sqn is missing too!!! Part
of 19 Gp.....having formed in 1955 as a SAR helo Sqn...as of this day...the worlds longest running such Sqn....
no mention of the vampire/ Hunter Sqn in the then Rhodesia either....one of the 60s outfits I think...
of 19 Gp.....having formed in 1955 as a SAR helo Sqn...as of this day...the worlds longest running such Sqn....
no mention of the vampire/ Hunter Sqn in the then Rhodesia either....one of the 60s outfits I think...
Finningley Boy has left the country, gone into hiding and can not be found, therefore is not available to take the flack over his posting of an incomplete ORBAT for 1st April 1963.
By the way Alison, he has advised me to pass on a correction or two, 18 Sqn actually disbanded on 31st April 1963. So not around the following day, as previously thought. Once again, apologies from FB to those whose units did not appear in their rightful place. 90 Sqn by the way, was a Tanker sqn, based at Honington. Once again, apologies for the imperfections!
Doncaster Sheffield Robin Hood Child!
By the way Alison, he has advised me to pass on a correction or two, 18 Sqn actually disbanded on 31st April 1963. So not around the following day, as previously thought. Once again, apologies from FB to those whose units did not appear in their rightful place. 90 Sqn by the way, was a Tanker sqn, based at Honington. Once again, apologies for the imperfections!
Doncaster Sheffield Robin Hood Child!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Heaven forefend Pontius old Plum, indeed my further investigation on the matter further gives credibility to Alsion's claim that there were no Valiants at Finningley in August 1963!
Nuther A2, yes indeed 60 were based at Tengah as you rightly point out but the info aI got for the specific day/month is that they were at Kai Tak at the time. On detatchment or a short tour perhaps? Squadrons did move about far more frequently from time to time back then I understand!?
FB
Nuther A2, yes indeed 60 were based at Tengah as you rightly point out but the info aI got for the specific day/month is that they were at Kai Tak at the time. On detatchment or a short tour perhaps? Squadrons did move about far more frequently from time to time back then I understand!?
FB
The RAF in 1964
I remember driving back from a course at Cranwell in about 2000 and my chum & I decided to do a modern quivalent of I Spy, except we counted operational RAF staions closed since we both joined. We counted 50. I wrote the following in my book about an Air Force that no longer exists, except in the memories of old gits like me:
However, for me the fun seems to have mainly evaporated. We have a job to do and a serious one at that. Forty years ago our Air Force was very much the archetypal flying club and we enjoyed enormous Espirt de Corps. This was definitely true of my Near East Air Force Squadron. Rules were indeed few and far between, we were not very professional, medals were non existent and operations were something we only practised for. Of course we were happy despite a distinct lack of facilities and amenities. There was no such thing as personal computers, microwave ovens, Internet, e-mails, digital cameras, mobile phones, DVDs, satellite TV, VCRs, PDAs, station exercises, MOTs, breathalysers or drink/drive regulations. GPS or inertial navigation systems were fitted only to Sputniks. Hence navigators were a necessary evil (only joking).
However, for me the fun seems to have mainly evaporated. We have a job to do and a serious one at that. Forty years ago our Air Force was very much the archetypal flying club and we enjoyed enormous Espirt de Corps. This was definitely true of my Near East Air Force Squadron. Rules were indeed few and far between, we were not very professional, medals were non existent and operations were something we only practised for. Of course we were happy despite a distinct lack of facilities and amenities. There was no such thing as personal computers, microwave ovens, Internet, e-mails, digital cameras, mobile phones, DVDs, satellite TV, VCRs, PDAs, station exercises, MOTs, breathalysers or drink/drive regulations. GPS or inertial navigation systems were fitted only to Sputniks. Hence navigators were a necessary evil (only joking).
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
and the front gate was open without guards. There was a separate gate for married quarters and the officers' mess on many stations. Registering your car was something you were supposed to do but often didn't. You could drink and drive. You could fly after midnight. Night fighters didn't. You could give lifts to airmen in uniform. Your bar bill had limits. You could not afford to drink off base (to excess). What happened on overseas jollies (I mean detachments) stayed private.
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Fear not FB....the EU Court of HR has yet to rule on whether your banishment to the Caves is legal...but thanks anyway for the effort....the main point was well made..as were the additions...so many places and so many squadrons slipped forever into history.
That said let us not forget that some f it was inevitable....Empire vanished and capability so improved....1 Typhoon or Predator can do in one sortie with much assurance what several squadrons might have failed to achieve on one mission not so long ago...so numbers are not always the issue....and when I was just a little younger, we could never foresee the end of RAFG....time moves on and soon the Rotuanda will have no space left for all those Standards!
That said let us not forget that some f it was inevitable....Empire vanished and capability so improved....1 Typhoon or Predator can do in one sortie with much assurance what several squadrons might have failed to achieve on one mission not so long ago...so numbers are not always the issue....and when I was just a little younger, we could never foresee the end of RAFG....time moves on and soon the Rotuanda will have no space left for all those Standards!
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Finningley Boy
My tour on 60 lasted from November 1963 until March 1966, there were certainly no detachments to Kai Tak during this period; we spent a fair amount of time in Borneo, but went no further east than that.
I know that when the “communist inspired “riots took place in Hong Kong in June 1967 four of 60s Javelins were detached to Kai Tak for a short period (9 days?) and there were a few similar visits soon after. The flight to Hong Kong, however, was only made possible by using the Mark 9R with its underwing tanks, staging by way of the Phillipines. In 1963 this would not have been possible; we didn’t get our first 9R until the beginning of 1964. I think the detail quoted in the Orbat has to be in error, in April 1963 60 Squadron simply didn’t have any aircraft with long enough legs to get from Tengah to Kai Tak.
I hesitate to query the accuracy of the 1 Apr 63 Orbat,if there is a better answer to the contradiction anywhere I would be very interested to see it.
60 were based at Tengah as you rightly point out but the info aI got for the specific day/month is that they were at Kai Tak at the time. On detachment or a short tour perhaps?
I know that when the “communist inspired “riots took place in Hong Kong in June 1967 four of 60s Javelins were detached to Kai Tak for a short period (9 days?) and there were a few similar visits soon after. The flight to Hong Kong, however, was only made possible by using the Mark 9R with its underwing tanks, staging by way of the Phillipines. In 1963 this would not have been possible; we didn’t get our first 9R until the beginning of 1964. I think the detail quoted in the Orbat has to be in error, in April 1963 60 Squadron simply didn’t have any aircraft with long enough legs to get from Tengah to Kai Tak.
I hesitate to query the accuracy of the 1 Apr 63 Orbat,if there is a better answer to the contradiction anywhere I would be very interested to see it.