RAFOC REMINISCENCES and RAMBLINGS - WEEK 25 – 25Th SEPTEMBER 2020 GREETINGS
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Order of Service for a Service of Thanksgiving
Westminster Abbey A Service of Thanksgiving and Rededication to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain Sunday 20th September 2020 11.00 am HISTORICAL NOTE This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the first decisive Battle in history fought entirely in the air. Battle of Britain Sunday commemorates a dramatic turning point in both the Battle itself, and the history of the Second World War. The German objective in the summer of 1940 was to eliminate the Royal Air Force, both in the air and on the ground, in order to obtain air superiority in preparation for a potential seaborne and airborne invasion. Operating principally from airfields in France and Belgium, the Luftwaffe began their first heavy onslaught early in July 1940, directed against British shipping and the Channel ports. The intent behind this first phase of the battle was not only to sink shipping but also to draw the Royal Air Force into combat and wear down its strength. The second phase, from 8th to 18th August, consisted of intensive day operations against coastal radar stations and fighter airfields. The third phase began after a five-day lull due to poor weather, with attacks on fighter airfields in the London area and increased night attacks on Britain’s cities. The first daylight assault on London was made on 7th September and marked the beginning of the fourth phase, lasting most of that month, during which the capital became the Luftwaffe’s primary target. These attacks, although serious in themselves, brought vital relief to the fighter airfields, which until that time had been under considerable pressure. -
A/C SERIAL No
A/C SERIAL No. ZA457 SECTION 2B PANAVIA TORNADO GR.1B ZA457 MUSEUM ACCESSION NUMBER X003-2283 1983 Built at British Aerospace Warton, Lancs. as one of 228 GR.1 aircraft for the RAF. Plane set 259, variant BS087. Batch No.3 airframe ordered 3 June 1979. Assembly Number 3123, using German and Italian built components. Serials batch ZA446 – ZA475. Batch 3 aircraft introduced under nose laser rangefinder and marked target seeker and improved radar. 21 Jun 83 First flight, from Warton. 4 Aug 83 To RAF St. Athan, Glamorgan. 6 Dec 83 To Tornado Operational Evaluation Unit at Boscombe Down; aircraft individual code ‘O’; photographed as such at RAF Waddington March 1984. 10 Sep 86 To No.IX Squadron at RAF Honington, code ‘AJ’. 1 Oct 86 Squadron moved to RAF Bruggen, West Germany as part of RAF Germany, completing the ‘Bruggen Wing’ of nos. IX, 14, 17 and 31 Squadrons. 6 Feb 87 To No. 617 Squadron at RAF Marham, Norfolk. 18 Feb 87 Returned to No.IX Squadron at Bruggen. 23 Jul 87 Aircrew logbook of A.J. Smith (X007-9179/002) records Hi-Lo-Hi and bounce; 1.55 hours; pilot Flt Lt Williams. 28 Jul 87 40-minute High Level transit flight, to Marham (Smith LB; pilot Flt Lt Burbidge); followed by lo-Hi return to base, 1.50 hours. 5 Aug 87 Smith LB records pairs low-level flight; diving and strafing Nordhorn ranges, 1.30 hrs. 17 Aug 87 Smith LB records 1.25-hr flight being No.3 of 4 bounced aircraft; diving attack on Nordhorn ranges. -
The Tornado Years
Continuing our brief history of RAF Honington, Part 4b. The Tornado Years (As mentioned last time, I had originally planned that ‘Part 4’ would include both the Buccaneer and the subsequent Tornado years but lack of time to research and space in the ‘Rag’ to tell the tale meant that I had to separate the two periods. This time we will take our delayed look at the Honington Tornados.) We concluded the previous episode of our tale when the last Buccaneer left Honington in 1984 but to ‘set the scene’ for the next phase we need to wind the clock back to the 1960’s. At that time, the United Kingdom had cancelled the procurement of the TSR2 and the US-built F-111, as previously discussed, but still needed replacements for the ageing Vulcan and Buccaneer strike aircraft. At the same time, aeronautical engineers were looking at variable-geometry, (or ‘swing-wing’), designs - as used on the F-111. These gave the manoeuvrability and cruise-efficiency of ‘straight’ wings with the speed-capability of swept wings. Britain and France had initiated the AFVG, (Anglo French Variable Geometry), project in 1965 but the French pulled out two years later. Britain continued to develop the project and sought new partners to achieve it. Whilst several other nations initially showed interest, ultimately it was only Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands who, in 1969, eventually agreed to form a multi-national company, Panavia Aircraft GmbH to develop and manufacture the MRCA - or Multi-Role Combat Aircraft as it then became known. (The following year the Dutch withdrew from the project citing that the aircraft would be too complicated and technical for their needs.) The new company was owned 15% by the Italians and 42.5% each by Germany and Britain. -
The Colours of the Fleet
THE COLOURS OF THE FLEET TCOF BRITISH & BRITISH DERIVED ENSIGNS ~ THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE WORLDWIDE LIST OF ALL FLAGS AND ENSIGNS, PAST AND PRESENT, WHICH BEAR THE UNION FLAG IN THE CANTON “Build up the highway clear it of stones lift up an ensign over the peoples” Isaiah 62 vv 10 Created and compiled by Malcolm Farrow OBE President of the Flag Institute Edited and updated by David Prothero 15 January 2015 © 1 CONTENTS Chapter 1 Page 3 Introduction Page 5 Definition of an Ensign Page 6 The Development of Modern Ensigns Page 10 Union Flags, Flagstaffs and Crowns Page 13 A Brief Summary Page 13 Reference Sources Page 14 Chronology Page 17 Numerical Summary of Ensigns Chapter 2 British Ensigns and Related Flags in Current Use Page 18 White Ensigns Page 25 Blue Ensigns Page 37 Red Ensigns Page 42 Sky Blue Ensigns Page 43 Ensigns of Other Colours Page 45 Old Flags in Current Use Chapter 3 Special Ensigns of Yacht Clubs and Sailing Associations Page 48 Introduction Page 50 Current Page 62 Obsolete Chapter 4 Obsolete Ensigns and Related Flags Page 68 British Isles Page 81 Commonwealth and Empire Page 112 Unidentified Flags Page 112 Hypothetical Flags Chapter 5 Exclusions. Page 114 Flags similar to Ensigns and Unofficial Ensigns Chapter 6 Proclamations Page 121 A Proclamation Amending Proclamation dated 1st January 1801 declaring what Ensign or Colours shall be borne at sea by Merchant Ships. Page 122 Proclamation dated January 1, 1801 declaring what ensign or colours shall be borne at sea by merchant ships. 2 CHAPTER 1 Introduction The Colours of The Fleet 2013 attempts to fill a gap in the constitutional and historic records of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth by seeking to list all British and British derived ensigns which have ever existed. -
Flags and Banners
Flags and Banners A Wikipedia Compilation by Michael A. Linton Contents 1 Flag 1 1.1 History ................................................. 2 1.2 National flags ............................................. 4 1.2.1 Civil flags ........................................... 8 1.2.2 War flags ........................................... 8 1.2.3 International flags ....................................... 8 1.3 At sea ................................................. 8 1.4 Shapes and designs .......................................... 9 1.4.1 Vertical flags ......................................... 12 1.5 Religious flags ............................................. 13 1.6 Linguistic flags ............................................. 13 1.7 In sports ................................................ 16 1.8 Diplomatic flags ............................................ 18 1.9 In politics ............................................... 18 1.10 Vehicle flags .............................................. 18 1.11 Swimming flags ............................................ 19 1.12 Railway flags .............................................. 20 1.13 Flagpoles ............................................... 21 1.13.1 Record heights ........................................ 21 1.13.2 Design ............................................. 21 1.14 Hoisting the flag ............................................ 21 1.15 Flags and communication ....................................... 21 1.16 Flapping ................................................ 23 1.17 See also ............................................... -
Of NWC for All of China Lake Community
September 21, 1990 """11£'";.'... 1IAGE 1~~""".,.,2 Skipper Sez • .. .. 3 ICoI1JPUI- Chatter. ..12 I AIIi_ Fea dback. •. 13 Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, california 93555-6001 Vol. XLV, No. 38, September 21, 1990 Saudi Arabia's NWC connection Center payroll technician receives special salute from Army unit in Operation Desert Shield Showing abe peqlle at home really do C8Ie a difference; read abe leiter China Lake's raiged in a home where we were taught 10 love and really do support abe men and women of DooaIdson received from 1st Sgt. John JodeII, our countty .... 1 have had brothers and a son Operation Oesen Shield.are thousands ofindi a soldier in abe 2nd Baualion, 24th Infantty in abe service and know what IeUers meant 10 viduals like Marge Donaldson who are willin Division, now stationed in Saudi Arabia as Ibem." mg 10 lake abe time and make abe effort 10 part of Desert Shield. To date, Donaldson has received three let send leiters 10 servicemcmbers. A payroll technician in abe Naval Weapons ters from servicemen ~ in Saxii Arft. "We have ... abe knowledge \hal what we Cenler l'ayroll Branch, CuslOOlel' Service Ilia, each one showing abe Iact of MJIeIIities are doing is right, and abe SUpport of th0u Division, Donaldson started writing 10 mem but radiating high morale and rQ( apprecia sands of rn.velous Americans, just like your bers of abe Armed Forces stationed in abe . tion of abe letter Donaldson senl • self, who care enough 10 take abe time 10 make Middle ~ because "I care," she said. "I was (Co". -
Bill Taylor 1951 - 2018
Bill Taylor 1951 - 2018 ill was born in Friskney, Lincolnshire, on 31 Group Captain Bill Taylor us, mainly on the Blackburn Buccaneer which then January 1951. A headmaster’s report from OBE, IEng, FRAeS, RAF (Retd), had a nuclear role. BFriskney Primary School commented that founding Chief Executive Officer of I have to say that Bill absolutely shone from there was some unquantifiable outstanding latent the first. He bubbled with enthusiasm and was quality about Bill Taylor, not yet even age seven! de Havilland Support Ltd., just simply a natural at every phase of his training. While at Skegness Grammar School in 1964, died on Friday 13 April 2018. He was really keen on military airfields and Bill first submitted a proposal for a magazine This is a transcript of the tribute knowledgeable on their history, right down to every article to Railway Modeller and although the article to Bill’s life and work which was detail of equipment such as runway arrester gear. was rejected it presaged Bill’s future prodigious delivered at Bill’s funeral by Although Bill did not particularly mix socially, written output. DHSL’s Chief Engineer, I did not care to think of him falling into the ways In 1967 he joined the Royal Air Force, straight Dr MARK MILLER of the Sergeants’ Mess and propping up the bar. I from school, inspired by the military aircraft felt sure that this man had massive potential to go activity (and long history of same) in his native non-commissioned rank of a Sergeant Apprentice, further and so I reported up my chain that Corporal county and also by the TSR-2, Cold War strike becoming a Corporal on his first posting. -
May 2007£1.00
ROYAL AIR FORCE & DEFENCE FIRE SERVICES ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE Wanted For Model- urgent! ling project, june 2007 catterick air publication arMY event cancelled due specs on dp2? to operational coMMitMents! see page 22 see PAGE 18 – ‘one For tHe diarY!’ INSIDE THIS 24 PAGE ISSUE 25th AnniversAry of the FalklAnds WAR IN 1982 robert cApA - WW11 photogrApher & rAf crossley crAsh creW - mAgnum photos london member, W/o dAve stArkings mbe RETIRES from rAf mArhAm After 37 yeArs service neW cobrA 2 fire vehicle @ mod st AthAn - AssociAtion shop Maywww.fireservicesassociation.net 2007 www.fireservicesassociation.net 1 Flashpoint Magazine - May 2007£1.00 brief history of the Association Formation of the Association CONTENTS The formation of the Royal Air Force & Defence Fire Area Coordinators were subsequently elected to cover 2 Brief History of Services Association took place at Shoreham Airport in East the U.K. the Association Sussex, on the13th. May 1995, when 23 ex-service personnel The Intervening Years got together to settle the question of why there wasn’t an 3 Who to Contact Many changes have taken place since then as the organisation relating to the trade of firefighter when most and front cover Association established itself over the intervening years other trades had formed one of their own many years ago? photo detail and, with its formation, colleagues, past and present, Inaugural Committee Formed now have a better chance of finding each other again, 4 Editorial renewing old friendships and making new ones. On that day, when those founder members turned up from The Association publishes Flashpoint magazine 3 all over the country, they went on to form the inaugural 5 Chairman’s times per year with information, news, updates, articles, committee of the Association and elected the following reunion report anecdotes, photos. -
The Journal of the Royal Air Force College VOLUMELXXXIV
THE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE COLLEGE THE ROYAL THE JOURNAL OF The Journal of the Royal Air Force College VOLUME VOLUME LXXXIV May 2013 Volume LXXXIV Designed and Printed by Media Services, Serco UK & Europe, Royal Air Force Cranwell Foreword Air Commodore David Stubbs OBE ADC FRAeS RAF, Commandant Royal Air Force College elcome to the 2013 edition of the Journal of the Royal Air Force In addition to providing training, College personnel are also tirelessly WCollege. This is the first publication of the journal that I have working in support of operations, both overseas and in the UK. The presided over as Commandant of the College, and I am pleased to take campaign in Afghanistan is moving inexorably towards the withdrawal of this opportunity to illustrate the College’s ongoing and vital contribution combat forces, but the RAF will no doubt remain heavily committed for to today’s RAF. The Journal this year reminds us that, beyond the effects of some time in support of the nascent Afghan Air Force. Recent operations the most recent Strategic Defence and Security Review, our organisation in Libya and Mali have further demonstrated our ability to react rapidly, at has an exciting future. The collection of articles here demonstrate that the reach, in response to emerging global issues. We are always looking for ways Armed Forces are as relevant now as they ever have been, and the Royal to work smarter and, aside from the continued procurement of world-class Air Force, in partnership with industry, remains at the cutting edge of equipment and aircraft, we maximise the benefits of Intelligence to provide defence technology. -
And Then… (Accounts of Life After Halton 1963-2013)
And Then… (Accounts of Life after Halton 1963-2013) Compiled & Edited by Gerry (Johnny) Law And Then… CONTENTS Foreword & Dedication 3 Introduction 3 List of aircraft types 6 Whitehall Cenotaph 249 St George’s 50th Anniversary 249 RAF Halton Apprentices Hymn 251 Low Flying 244 Contributions: John Baldwin 7 Tony Benstead 29 Peter Brown 43 Graham Castle 45 John Crawford 50 Jim Duff 55 Roger Garford 56 Dennis Greenwell 62 Daymon Grewcock 66 Chris Harvey 68 Rob Honnor 76 Merv Kelly 89 Glenn Knight 92 Gerry Law 97 Charlie Lee 123 Chris Lee 126 John Longstaff 143 Alistair Mackie 154 Ivor Maggs 157 David Mawdsley 161 Tony Meston 164 Tony Metcalfe 173 Stuart Meyers 175 Ian Nelson 178 Bruce Owens 193 Geoff Rann 195 Tony Robson 197 Bill Sandiford 202 Gordon Sherratt 206 Mike Snuggs 211 Brian Spence 213 Malcolm Swaisland 215 Colin Woodland 236 John Baldwin’s Ode 246 In Memoriam 252 © the Contributors 2 And Then… FOREWORD & DEDICATION This book is produced as part of the 96th Entry’s celebration of 50 years since Graduation Our motto is “Quam Celerrime (With Greatest Speed)” and our logo is that very epitome of speed, the Cheetah, hence the ‘Spotty Moggy’ on the front page. The book is dedicated to all those who joined the 96th Entry in 1960 and who subsequently went on to serve the Country in many different ways. INTRODUCTION On the 31st July 1963 the 96th Entry marched off Henderson Parade Ground marking the conclusion of 3 years hard graft, interspersed with a few laughs. It also marked the start of our Entry into the big, bold world that was the Royal Air Force at that time. -
Taking Stock WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR DEPLOYMENTS 1998
Taking Stock WORLDWIDE NUCLEAR DEPLOYMENTS 1998 BY William M. Arkin Robert S. Norris Joshua Handler NRDC Nuclear Program MARCH 1998 NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, INC. 1200 New York Ave., NW, Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20005 202/289-6868 VOICE 802-457-3426 (Arkin) 202-289-2369 (Norris) FAX 202-289-1060 INTERNET [email protected] [email protected] Worldwide Nuclear Deployments 1998 i © Copyright, Natural Resources Defense Council, 1998 ii TAKING STOCK Table of Contents Introduction . 1 Methodology . 4 Arms Control and Nuclear Weapons Deployments . 6 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) . 6 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START II) . 7 The Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty . 8 Unilateral Initiatives . 8 Future Nuclear Deployments . 11 The United States . 14 Nuclear History . 16 Nuclear Organization . 19 Nuclear Weapons Deployments . 24 Russia . 26 Nuclear Organization . 29 Nuclear Weapons Deployments . 33 Britain . 39 France . 42 China . 45 Appendix A: Locations of U.S. Nuclear Weapons, by Type . 53 Appendix B: U.S. Nuclear Weapons by Location . 55 Appendix C: U.S. Nuclear Weapons, Location Profiles . 56 By State California . 56 Colorado . 57 Georgia. 58 Louisiana . 59 Missouri . 60 Montana . 61 Nebraska . 61 Nevada . 62 New Mexico. 63 North Dakota . 65 Texas . 68 Virginia . 70 Washington . 70 Wyoming . 72 Overseas by Country Belgium . 72 Germany . 73 Greece . 76 Italy . 77 The Netherlands . 78 Turkey . 78 United Kingdom . 79 Appendix D: Location of Russian Nuclear Weapons, by Type . 81 Appendix E: Russian Nuclear Weapons by Location . 84 Appendix F: British Nuclear Weapons by Type and Location . 88 Appendix G: French Nuclear Weapons by Type and Location . -
THE JOURNAL of the ROYAL AIR FORCE COLLEGE the Journal of the Royal Air Force College VOLUME LXXXII
THE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE COLLEGE THE ROYAL OF THE JOURNAL The Journal of the Royal Air Force College VOLUME LXXXII Designed and Printed by Media Services, Serco Defence, Science & Nuclear, Royal Air Force Cranwell March 2011 Volume LXXXII Foreword By Air Commodore Paul Oborn, Commandant Welcome to the RAF College Journal for 2011. This enthralling Distinguished Flying Crosses and other operational awards coming edition is packed full of noteworthy, fascinating and stimulating back from Afghanistan, we are not doing too bad – but we will keep articles focused on the theme of ‘Leadership’ in the broadest sense trying to do even better. but also with plenty of articles outlining the wide range of activities Finally, and while many of the articles in this Journal are about looking conducted by students and staff within the Recruiting and Initial back over the year that was, I am aware that it will be published at a Training Directorate. We also have two outstanding academic time that looks and feels quite different than the one just described. ‘think pieces’ presented by our Senior Leadership; one written Weapon System Operator and Pilot reduction measures will have by our Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, occurred along with the personal trauma and turmoil that these on “Creating and Exploiting Decision Advantage” and one by our measures will introduce. Whilst this is one of the unfortunate fallouts previous Commander-in-Chief, Sir Christopher Moran, on “Progress, from the Strategic Defence and Security Review, the blow to both Vision and Co-operation: AF Building in the 21st Century-The RAF students and the staff who have trained them will be a very bitter one.