Question - Cold War RN carriers
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Question - Cold War RN carriers
Here is something for veterans of the the 1960/1970s RN carriers and Scimitar/Sea Vixen/Phantom days.
It is not hard to find 1980s pictures of Sea Harriers intercepting Soviet Bears, but not at all easy to find pictures of RN carrierborne fighters intercepting the Soviets during the 1960s or 1970s. Why not? Surely the Soviet Naval Air Force turned up regularly during NATO exercises, and the carriers would have launched aircraft to intercept?
One interception during the 1970 Exercise Northern Wedding was captured on camera - see here and here. Were any other interceptions caught on camera? Were Ministers informed of them? Why did long range interception (and the NATO theatre) not form part of the staff work for CVA-01?
Does anyone have any tales of being catapulted off the intercept the bogey for real?
It is not hard to find 1980s pictures of Sea Harriers intercepting Soviet Bears, but not at all easy to find pictures of RN carrierborne fighters intercepting the Soviets during the 1960s or 1970s. Why not? Surely the Soviet Naval Air Force turned up regularly during NATO exercises, and the carriers would have launched aircraft to intercept?
One interception during the 1970 Exercise Northern Wedding was captured on camera - see here and here. Were any other interceptions caught on camera? Were Ministers informed of them? Why did long range interception (and the NATO theatre) not form part of the staff work for CVA-01?
Does anyone have any tales of being catapulted off the intercept the bogey for real?
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 28th Jul 2023 at 17:40.
There was mention in I think Tuggs obituary that when he was running the Phot section on Eagle they'd had multiple visits from the Soviets and each time they'd tried getting photos of the Vixens in formation the cameras had failed. In the end he knocked up a composite image, which I seem to remember ended up raising more questions than he'd have liked.
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Ark Royal, 1971, many really good interception photos were taken of Phantoms and Bears which were quickly disemminated to Ships Crew periodically.
Bucs also on Deck but rarely saw any Buc photos
I had some for years.
IG
Bucs also on Deck but rarely saw any Buc photos
I had some for years.
IG
Re #2, Bing
Significant truth in that event.
A photo from my 23 Sqn F6 interception of a Badger included a Sea Vixen, which for some reason was in stand off mode. The navy acquired a copy which was doctored to enlarge the Sea Vixen - moved it closer to the Russian aircraft.
The fake was spotted by a national newspaper; however the 'airships' in command decided not to help the Navy, instead saving the photo for a rainy day.
Significant truth in that event.
A photo from my 23 Sqn F6 interception of a Badger included a Sea Vixen, which for some reason was in stand off mode. The navy acquired a copy which was doctored to enlarge the Sea Vixen - moved it closer to the Russian aircraft.
The fake was spotted by a national newspaper; however the 'airships' in command decided not to help the Navy, instead saving the photo for a rainy day.
The following users liked this post:
There was mention in I think Tuggs obituary that when he was running the Phot section on Eagle they'd had multiple visits from the Soviets and each time they'd tried getting photos of the Vixens in formation the cameras had failed. In the end he knocked up a composite image, which I seem to remember ended up raising more questions than he'd have liked.
https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/...24-baf-k09-010
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I'm sure that my old man had photos of the Soviets that he'd taken from either Ark or Eagle, can't remember if it was from a Bucc or on-board. Many years since I've been through his slides so my memory may be incorrect. I know that he spoke about dumping fuel from a Bucc on a Russian "trawler" that was in a bombing range (possibly Tain?)
SoBrommers.
Soviet "Trawlers" were an irritation off Rosehearty range back in the early/mid 60s. We never had time for pictures though.
However the LABS euipped Buccs may have picked them up off Garvie Island at that time. Fuel dumping was perfectly legal !
Also remember seeing a "trawler", bristling with aerials, leaving the Rosehearty area at very high speed, following a piggyback pair of RPs dropping conveniently close. All SOP of course !
Soviet "Trawlers" were an irritation off Rosehearty range back in the early/mid 60s. We never had time for pictures though.
However the LABS euipped Buccs may have picked them up off Garvie Island at that time. Fuel dumping was perfectly legal !
Also remember seeing a "trawler", bristling with aerials, leaving the Rosehearty area at very high speed, following a piggyback pair of RPs dropping conveniently close. All SOP of course !
Post #6 Vixen photo above appears to carry fuselage number 125. If so, I think it's the one preserved at Duxford.
