History – fourfax

RAFG Harrier Force History

webmaster — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 20:36:53 +0000

Tim Brandt writes: Some of you may know me as I was a JEngO on IV(AC) Sqn at Gutersloh from 1983-1986. About a year ago, and probably rather foolishly, I started to write a history of the Cold War RAFG Harrier Force. My aim is to document the story of the Harrier Force from [...]

IV (AC) Sqn Over the Years Slide Show

webmaster — Mon, 02 May 2022 09:01:11 +0000

Here’s a copy of the slideshow I made for the final beer call in April 2022.

Scotland 1990?

webmaster — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 13:16:07 +0000

I have received this email from Matthew Illsley:

Dear Mr Parker,

I am writing to you to ask if you can help me find any information regarding No. 4 Squadron’s activities in Scotland during August 1990.

I understand that at that time the squadron was based at Gutersloh in Germany and commanded by Malcolm [...]

Paddy Roberts – 11 December 1978

webmaster — Sun, 02 Aug 2020 12:42:21 +0000

From Dick Wise dick@ukwises.com:

I am a writer researching the Harrier sales campaign to China, during the 1970s. On 11 December 1978, Flt lt Paddy Roberts, based at RAF Wittering flew a demonstration flight for a Chinese minister at BAe Dunsfold. During his demo there was a problem, which caused John Farley, the Chief [...]

Black Arrows

webmaster — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 14:46:23 +0000

John White writes:

Some of you might like to see the short ‘film’ (16 mins) in the link below provided by Joe Dible. Some interesting live footage (a lot of very clever CGI), plus quite a bit on the individuals involved – some of those are still on the register.

[...]

Lt P H L Playfair 1913

webmaster — Sun, 13 Oct 2019 13:00:41 +0000

Giles Smith has sent me an email about Lt Playfair’s BE2a crash in 1913:

I have been researching the former WW1 airfield at Lilbourne for a while now and would comment that, whilst the first paragraph is mainly about the vagaries of the Breguet aircraft, the crash involving Chinnery and Playfair was in a [...]

No. 234 Sqn History

webmaster — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 09:10:52 +0000

From Nigel Walpole:

Gentlemen,

(Please see below – circulated on Nigel Walpole’s behalf – please respond directly to him)The heritage hunters of No. 234 Squadron (No. 1 Squadron, 229 OCU, RAF Chivenor) wish to publish a booklet of flight-line humour, ‘horror’ and achievement, entitled ‘Laugh with the Dragon’, modelled on those excellent books ,’Out [...]

Ferry Tips

webmaster — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 16:03:45 +0000

Does anybody remember anything about ferry tips? I remember we had them but don’t think I ever flew with them. Did they fall out of favour?

Pic via Harrier Preservation: @HPreservation

Perhaps they were more trouble than they were worth?

C-130 Crew in the Falklands

webmaster — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 11:06:24 +0000

Here’s a photo I noticed on Twitter: Al Holman with his Herc crew in the Falklands in 1982-83.

Harrier GR1 XV784 ‘D’

webmaster — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 12:04:10 +0000

This jet, as a GR3, had my name on it from 1980 to 1985. This photo was probably taken at Wildenrath in 1974-75 when it was a GR1. Thanks to Ian Black for the photo.