Post 1945 campaigns

[Steve Bond]

I am working on a major project looking at the various wars and lesser campaigns that the RAF has been involved in post 1945, and am anxious to contact anyone who took part in them in any way - aircrew, ground crew, etc) - please.

The non-definitive list includes:

Berlin airlift
Korea
Suez
Biara oil lift
Kuwait
Indonesian confrontation
Kenya anti-Mau Mau
Malayan Emergency
Congo
Brunei
Iceland - Cod War

and anything else I have missed

I would be most grateful for any offers of help.

Thanks

Steve Bond

[air pig]

Falklands, Oman, Aden, Northern Ireland, Sierra leone, Balkans in the 90s, Belize and Antigua, all come to mind.

[airborne_artist]

But how many aircraft has the RAF brought down in air-to-air combat in this period?

[Roland Pulfrew]

Iraq x 2 and Afghanistan?

[Fareastdriver]

They were too frightened of the RAF to come up.

[rubberband2]

Cyprus - August 1974 Turkish invasion

RAF Akrotiri and Sovereign Base Areas defence – August 1974 Turkish invasion of the island of Cyprus

[salad-dodger]

London Olympics 2012

S-D

[Roadster280]

Libya.

Beirut/Lebanon.

Edited to add:

Two VERY large items that will be missed if you don't explicitly include them, but are SO large that they have had a profound effect:

1. The Cold War! There hasn't been a RAF airfield in Germany for years, but it used to be the frontline.

2. Annual spending rounds.

[Steve Bond]

Yes thanks chaps, including listing some other items I missed. With respect though, it's not just about how many aircaft we may or may not have shot down, as in most of these cases the answer is none.

What I am looking for is the memories and experiences of people who were involved in these events.

Thanks.

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

various wars and lesser campaigns

Is it only military actions you're after? If you include humanitarian operations, that would significantly expand the list

[Ken Scott]

But how many aircraft has the RAF brought down in air-to-air combat in this period?

As soon as I saw the thread title I thought 'how long before someone mentions the number of ac shot down since WW2?'

Answer: post 3! Good effort.

Now if someone posts the Jaguar kill by post 12 I win £5......

[LXXIV]

The rather inappropriately named Operation Titan springs to mind. Memories of the hardships we endured at the International Hotel at Port Vila linger still.
LXXIV

[Al R]

Op Determinant.

[Steve Bond]

Yes, humanitarian actions too. Anything that required reaction to a major situation if you like.

Op Determinent?

[salad-dodger]

Op Fresco

[Old-Duffer]

Rhodesia/Zimbabwe transition.

Zambia protection against possible Rhodesian 'agression' - 29 Sqn Javelins

Radfan, Aden, Oman 1957 and 1970s already mentioned.

May I suggest that having sorted out a chronilogical summary of the 'campaigns' and other operations, you next do a bibliographical search. In some cases there is widespread coverage but in others it is scant.

You won't be able to do justice to all that has been done in the last 67 years in a single volume - this project will keep you occupied for years - good luck.

Old Duffer

[foldingwings]

Oh fer fa*ks sake,

But how many aircraft has the RAF brought down in air-to-air combat in this period?

airborne artist - give it a rest!

Steve, ignore him it's his bandwagon and anyway, the answer is one! F-4 v Jaguar in 2 ATAF and yes, we've all heard it before and we all know how it came about!

Foldie

[Kitbag]

But how many aircraft has the RAF brought down in air-to-air combat in this period?

Not as many as US Patriot batteries have managed with their allies.

Now do give it a rest

[Pontius Navigator]

The first MiG-15 fell to an RAF pilot when Flight Lieutenant John Nicholls completed 100 missions in six months with No.335 Fighter Interception Squadron USAF at Seoul, shooting down a MiG on his last but one mission in Korea in December 1952
Flight Lieutenant RTF Dickinson, shooting down One MiG-15
Flight Lieutenant John Granville-White, One MiG 15 kill
Flight Lieutenant Graham S Hulse, Three MiG 15 kills

[Ken Scott]

the answer is one! F-4 v Jaguar in 2 ATAF and yes, we've all heard it before and we all know how it came about!

Actually I think it's a few more depending on how you count them. Ignoring all the ones (6) by RAF pilots in SHARs during the Falklands & those flying Sabres in Korea (6) with USAF, I believe there were a couple of Egyptians around 1948 (confirmed) plus a couple of Israelis (unconfirmed) & possibly a few more including a C130 by a Javelin during the Indonesian conflict that was too politcally sensitive to confirm. There was also an Iraqi Mig 29 believed destroyed whilst taking off during GW1 by a Tornado & JP233 although as it was still on the runway it's not really an air-to-air kill!

There was also a Harrier shot down (deliberately) by a Lightning to prevent it crashing uncontrolled after the pilot had ejected.

Not that it matters one jot as you can't measure the worth of the entire RAF by such a simple measure although there are plenty of simpletons who try!