Daily PhotoI’ve added a new page – Squadron Age vs Seniority – from the official History of IV(AC) Squadron.
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I’ve added a new page – Sqn Commanding Officers – from the official History of IV(AC) Squadron. I’ve added a new page – Sqn Operating Bases – from the official History of IV(AC) Squadron. I’ve found an official – i.e. the RAF’s – version of the history of the Squadron, as a downloadable pdf on the RAF website. It’s now on the fourfax server. To download the file (6.3mb), click here to get it from fourfax or click here to get it from the RAF. To read a pdf file you will need a copy of Adobe Reader (or Preview, preinstalled on a Mac). A link to the Stamford Mercury report on the Disbandment Parade on 31 March 2010:  1987 Sqn Photo A late-80s Squadron Photo, I’m guessing 1987, Boss: Wg Cdr Pete Harris. Other faces I recognise: Des Dezonie, Mike Jenkins, Roger Robertshaw, Mark Taberham, Ashley Stevenson, Neil Ross, Tim Ellison, Simon Turner, Lance Brook, Steve Hicks, Tony Norris, Glen Edge, Clive Loader, Harry Karl, Pete Cockman. Who have I missed? Thanks to Roger O’Loughlin for the photo. This time from Karen, my better half. They’re also in the Harrier GR7/GR9 Gallery.
 IV(AC) Sqn Nine-Ship Click here for the article in RAF News about the renumbering of IV(AC) Sqn to IV(R) Sqn.  IV(AC) Sqn Nine-Ship … are now online in the Harrier GR7 & GR9 Gallery. If you have any photos of the parade to share, please upload them to the gallery or email them to me. (Brian, may I grab yours from your Flickr feed?) Sorry for the delay, my broadband connection went down for two days. More soon. Here’s a selection:
The parade itself went very well once everyone had negotiated their way past the guardroom. The Squadron had finished flying last Friday (with a nine-ship!) so it could concentrate on the parade. In the event winter returned so the parade took place in the Squadron hangar. A buffet lunch followed and Des Davies presented the Squadron with his latest painting. Squadron History Room was open all day so there was the traditional poring over the Squadron Diaries before we took our leave. IV(Army Cooperation) Squadron is now IV(Reserve) Squadron, the Harrier training unit at RAF Wittering. The Association is carrying on as before and plans are continuing for the 100th Anniversary in 2012. At this stage, all we can say is that it’s likely to be a hangar party at RAF Wittering.  Snowed In This picture shows the typical scene at RAF Cottesmore during Jan and part of Feb 10. Meanwhile, in sunnier climes, the Sqn took part in Ex RED FLAG from 25 Jan until 4 Feb 10 followed by a week-long heavy weapons detachment based at Nellis AFB. Ex RF was an extremely worthwhile detachment for the Sqn, meeting all of the exercise training objectives.
The Sqn deployed to Las Vegas, Nevada to participate in Ex RED FLAG 10-2 (RF) at Nellis AFB. The aim of the exercise was to regenerate the Sqn’s capability to participate in Large Force Employment (LFE) and Composite Air Operations (COMAO) whilst consolidating Paveway IV with Sniper capability at low and medium levels using PLAN mode. The Exercise lead-in was far from ideal as the Sqn returned from Christmas leave on 4 Jan to find the airfield under a thick blanket of snow, exacerbated by the fact that the Stn no longer had a snow-clearing capability. As the cold weather persisted, flying was cancelled for 2 weeks meaning that none of the pre-RF work-ups were completed. The month was mainly focused on final preparations for Ex RED FLAG in Jan 10 which included flying newly-upgraded Capability E(A) aircraft for the first time. The upgrade includes Paveway IV ‘Bogus Bomb’ mode and other enhancements including communication improvements. With the upgrade, Sqn pilots will now be able to practice using Paveway IV without actually having to carry a store on the wing. Ex RED FLAG will be used to exploit using Paveway IV in the pre-planned mode during large-scale Combined Air Operations (COMAO). The Sqn deployed to RAF Kinloss for 2 weeks for Tactical Leadership Training from 13 – 27 November 2009. The Ex was invaluable for exposing pilots to large COMAO aircraft packages prior to Ex RED FLAG in January 2010.  2009 IV(AC) at Cottesmore With thanks to Leslie de Garis (1947-1950), a short ode to Armament Practice Camp at Sylt: There came one fine morning a Squadron to Sylt, Equipped with Mosquitoes, of wood they were built, With cannon and bomb they determined to score Every point that they could and the Squadron was Four. The drogue had a rough time and that goes for List, Though half of the time they were thoroughly pissed All credit to ground crews, they worked at full bore But then that’s what you expect, ‘cos the Squadron was Four. There came the day they were on air-to-ground And four virgin targets were there to be found, Those four virgin targets were rogered and sore, But then that’s what you expect, ‘cos the Squadron was Four. Time will pass by, and other Squadrons will come They’ll look at our records and feel very glum, For there are Squadrons and Squadrons and Squadrons galore, But there is only one real one and that one is Four. (Added to the History Pages) October 2010 The main aim for the month was night flying for medium and low level work-ups with a small amount of day flying focused on the completion of the outstanding pairs work-ups, Operational Low Flying and potentially to begin 4-ship lead work-ups prior to the Tactical Leadership Training deployment to RAF Kinloss in November 2009. The Sqn officers held a Dining In Night at the George Hotel, Stamford on 9 October to say farewell to a number of departing officers and also to host a number of representatives of units affiliated to the Sqn including the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, No 4 Army Air Corps and First Queens Dragoon Guards (affiliated in February 2009 in recognition of the support provided by the Sqn to Land Forces based in Helmand province during the winter). On 14 October, Daily Mail Online published an article reflecting material that had been previously released to the media following briefings at MOD in September, which included participation by the CO, Wg Cdr Smyth. The article is summarised as follows: |
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