Granby Memories
From my book:
30. Gulf War 1 or Saddam Hussein, my part in his downfall.
a snippet:
As we approached the target of Sadam’s missile attack, Dhahran (now called Ad Damman to avoid confusion with a city of the same name in the west of Saudi Arabia) the Scud missiles arrived en masse. The US response was immediate and effective and several Patriot missiles were launched in defence. Sadly for us we presented a larger and vulnerable target. Of course, all other military aircraft possessed a defence against this form of ‘blue on blue’ in the form of IFF (Identification Friend or Foe). Though the VC10 was equipped with IFF, our 1960s equipment did not contain the all important Mode 4, necessary to alert the automatic tracking mechanism of a Patriot missile that we were indeed friendly. Hence we presented a nice fat juicy target and at least one of these huge missiles locked on to our aeroplane.
We watched one of these huge missiles spiralling up towards us, its rear end emitting a red hot plume. We had minutes to live! My copilot froze, but a frantic radio call from me to the American air traffic control seem to do the trick. Some 1000 or so feet below us the deadly missile exploded in mid air. We felt nothing and expelled a sigh of relief. Yet another reason that day to fill in our laundry list!
30. Gulf War 1 or Saddam Hussein, my part in his downfall.
a snippet:
As we approached the target of Sadam’s missile attack, Dhahran (now called Ad Damman to avoid confusion with a city of the same name in the west of Saudi Arabia) the Scud missiles arrived en masse. The US response was immediate and effective and several Patriot missiles were launched in defence. Sadly for us we presented a larger and vulnerable target. Of course, all other military aircraft possessed a defence against this form of ‘blue on blue’ in the form of IFF (Identification Friend or Foe). Though the VC10 was equipped with IFF, our 1960s equipment did not contain the all important Mode 4, necessary to alert the automatic tracking mechanism of a Patriot missile that we were indeed friendly. Hence we presented a nice fat juicy target and at least one of these huge missiles locked on to our aeroplane.
We watched one of these huge missiles spiralling up towards us, its rear end emitting a red hot plume. We had minutes to live! My copilot froze, but a frantic radio call from me to the American air traffic control seem to do the trick. Some 1000 or so feet below us the deadly missile exploded in mid air. We felt nothing and expelled a sigh of relief. Yet another reason that day to fill in our laundry list!
Blunty, old bean, were you flying the Dhahran BDZ arrival procedure?
Without RWR, how did you know that the Patriot had 'locked on' to you?
Without RWR, how did you know that the Patriot had 'locked on' to you?
So - did the RAF do anything to commemorate the start of GW1?
Or are they waiting for 28th Feb, the day on which the cease fire was declared?
Or are they waiting for 28th Feb, the day on which the cease fire was declared?
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Slightly less heroically than those above, I recall waking up in my digs near Dhahran and turning on my radio (plugged in with bare wires held in with bic lids) to hear the shooting had started.
My room mate spent the next few hours worrying about his girlfriend "'chelle" and asking me if we'd win.
At the time I was quite dismissive.
Now I'm not so sure.
My room mate spent the next few hours worrying about his girlfriend "'chelle" and asking me if we'd win.
At the time I was quite dismissive.
Now I'm not so sure.
When GW1 kicked off I was 8. There was a collection card/sticker book released that I was all over. Provided a good distraction from the violent divorce going on in our house at the time. I would have swapped with any of you!
I'd still swap with those doing low level airfield attacks and running star wars (?) canyon. I don't think I could ever feel so alive as doing that.
I'd still swap with those doing low level airfield attacks and running star wars (?) canyon. I don't think I could ever feel so alive as doing that.
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Scud launch detected.....
I seem to remember being in Lyneham Ops on a very busy nightshift doing our best to outload the contents of UK (or at least it felt like that!). I was chatting with SLOPS when the ASMA Terminal bleeped.....little green message popped up 'Scud Launch Detected'. As the hairs on our necks raised we looked at each other and simultaneously said 'Sh1t'! 
It's perhaps worth recalling that Op Granby was mounted against a background created by the Options for Change announcements of July 1990, with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait occurring about a week later. I stand to be corrected here but, as I recall, by the time the Air War was over, crews of a Laarbruch squadron had to return to the UK as the squadron had already disbanded in RAFG. It was a little odd to be in a HQ simultaneously tasked with supporting deployed forces in action in Granby and the subsequent Watch operations whilst planning a rundown in-Theatre that finally led to the demise of the Command itself.
I was on nights at Lyneham too. Things obviously were busier prior to the shooting match. DC8's that barely got off the ground before lumbering almost horizontally toward Chippenham. Thank *** for that hill. On the night itself it was a time for reflection. Hoping that the kit those at the front end worked if it were needed. Wondering what was happening, and feeling a little helpless. Yes it's true. Lets be honest. we'd trained for years we all, (nearly all) wanted to see if we'd been right all along, as well as being a bit scared.
Not to worry. Our REMF status didn't last long as come daylight the instruction came through that we were all to wear DP. Just like we did for the fake wars. Oh the joy. Thankfully, somebody somewhere realised after a couple of shifts, what a bag o ****e idea that was, given we all only had one pair. - Or was it so we didn't panic the locals?
I also recall, everybody stopped playing F16 on the PC.
Not to worry. Our REMF status didn't last long as come daylight the instruction came through that we were all to wear DP. Just like we did for the fake wars. Oh the joy. Thankfully, somebody somewhere realised after a couple of shifts, what a bag o ****e idea that was, given we all only had one pair. - Or was it so we didn't panic the locals?
I also recall, everybody stopped playing F16 on the PC.
Gentleman Aviator
Thought I'd retransmit a previous post on a similar earlier thread a while ago here and found out 
that it was 9 years ago!!
Here it is:
And there are 117 other answers to the then OP's question "16/17 January 1991-What were you doing?" - and only one from BEags!
that it was 9 years ago!!Here it is:
Working as an augmentee in the SF Cell at PWHQ at High Wycombe. We'd just got a couple of further augmentees from R Sqn as watchkeepers, so the SO1 decides to take his regular SO2s (two brown, two or three light blue) out for a meal as it's the first time we could all escape together.
Check in by 'phone when we get back from the fleshpots of High Wycombe, "to see if all is quiet".
"Very quiet in the office ...." says very laid-back watchkeeper, "....but we appear to be bombing Baghdad!"
Instant sobriety, back down the hole and a long time 'til the next evening off .......
Check in by 'phone when we get back from the fleshpots of High Wycombe, "to see if all is quiet".
"Very quiet in the office ...." says very laid-back watchkeeper, "....but we appear to be bombing Baghdad!"
Instant sobriety, back down the hole and a long time 'til the next evening off .......
I was in XV 181 at Akrotiri at night ready to set off for Jubail when ops told us to shut up shop and come back for a briefing. Did not go that night but went the next day. Had a Scud alert at Jubail and we hid under a bulldozer. The alert was for real but it luckily fell harmlessly elsewhere. Biggest danger for us Truckies was the many transponder code changes and the liklehood of friendly fire. Oh and a midair due to the traffic.
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DC8's that barely got off the ground before lumbering almost horizontally toward Chippenham.
Although not involved in GW1, I did visit some of the target areas in late '91 as part of a UN inspection team. Boy, you fliers did some damage! Baghdad, buildings collapsed like a pack of cards with little damage to those adjacent; Airfield H1 destroyed, even the gym was flattened. One of the base EOD lads explained that the stn cdr ordered evacuation when he realized there was no hope of recovery. No evidence of WMD though, there or any other place we 'inspected'; mind, some team members wouldn't have known one if they tripped over it.
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DC8's from Thanet Air IIRC. One of their skippers was a larger than life Texan chap complete with stetson and Cuban cigar.
Also AN124 and IL-76's from Metro Cargo complete with Russian crews. Confused the hell out of the RAFP when they were faced with Russian aircraft and crews on an RAF airfield.
I also recall the change in mood when hostilities started as a number of good friends were 'sandy side' while we were safe & sound in Deutschland. We did endure some unpleasantness with the local anti-war protesters, although one chap did regret attacking a car being driven by an RAF Regt gunner. I'm not sure the subsequent 'realignment of opinions' did much to improve his feelings towards the Krieg am Golf!
Also AN124 and IL-76's from Metro Cargo complete with Russian crews. Confused the hell out of the RAFP when they were faced with Russian aircraft and crews on an RAF airfield.
I also recall the change in mood when hostilities started as a number of good friends were 'sandy side' while we were safe & sound in Deutschland. We did endure some unpleasantness with the local anti-war protesters, although one chap did regret attacking a car being driven by an RAF Regt gunner. I'm not sure the subsequent 'realignment of opinions' did much to improve his feelings towards the Krieg am Golf!
