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 A36 & Hawk T2
Using Grandson as an excuse, we flew to Valley and visited IV Sqn. The Boss (Wg Cdr Dan Beard) kindly had a Hawk towed to Visiting Aircraft Section so we could have a photo together. Note the IV patch on the tail of the Bonanza! Received the sad news from the HFA that Ron Pattinson died last week. Ron served on IV Sqn from 1976 to 1979 as a pilot, QFI, IRE and Deputy Flight Commander at Wildenrath and Gutersloh when the Sqn was equipped with the Harrier GR1/T2/GR3 and T4. When he left the Sqn he served a short tour on the OCU at Wittering before retiring from the RAF to enter civil aviation. His first civil job was with Britannia Airways but he quickly moved on to Dragon Air in Hong Kong where he finally retired in 2002 as Chief Training Captain. A service for Ron will be held on Monday 16th March at 1345pm in the South Chapel at Cheltenham Crematorium. His wife Sue has written the following: ‘In memory of Ron we would like to ask that, in lieu of any flowers, you may like to make a donation to Gloucester Hospital NHS Fund for Lilleybrook Ward. All money received would be put directly towards improving the quality of life of future cancer patients during their time in hospital. Our experience of this ward really opened our eyes to the amazing work the staff do and the benefit that new equipment would bring to people during a very difficult time.’ Donations may be made by cheque and either collected at Ron’s service or posted to: Selim Smith & Co, Funeral Directors, 74 Presbury Road, Cheltenham, GL52 2DJ or Cheltenham Crematorium, Bouncers Lane, Cheltenham, GL52 5JT.  XZ131 at Gutersloh in 1977. Photo: Spotters Group Gutersloh Another photo of a GR3 with white stripes. This one is XZ 131 ‘M’ at Gutersloh in 1977. Does anybody remember why we had the stripes? Photo from the Spotters Group Gutersloh. Pete Mears, Mike Aynsley and Arfa Hancock visited the HFA Heritage Centre at Wittering last December. It was a great afternoon out; Mike Aynsley and Arfa Hancock had last seen each other 42 years ago at Wildenrath with XV779 being one of the initial batch of Harriers issued to 4 Sqn. A special thanks also to Phil Willsher and Ned Kelly for looking after us all so well.  Pete Mears, Mike Aynsley, Arfa Hancock and XV779 at HFA Wittering Dec 2014. Photo Pete Mears  Falklands Spoils of War HFA Wittering Dec 2014. Photo: Pete Mears From David Rogers:  HMS Illustrious at Greenwich in 2012 (Photo from greenwich.co.uk) We are trying to locate those of 4 SQN that served in HMS Illustrious in 1982 on our first deployment to the Falklands as we would like to make them aware that we are arranging a reunion at the Guildhall in Portsmouth on the 11th April 2015 and we would be delighted if they could attend. More details of the event may be found at: www.hmsillustrious-reunion.com From Fitto:
From Mike Jenkins: I’m trying to do some research about financial services for the military and veterans and their families. I have started a survey with a financial development firm Monitise and I’m trying to get a large sample of people to fill in an online survey – anonymous and data protected. I particularly seek to catch veterans of all ranks, their families and children of all ages. If you would are able to help, please complete this short survey. Many thanks. From the HFA: To mark the fifth anniversary of the retirement from UK service of the Harrier, a dinner will be held on the 24th October 2015 for pilots and other officers of the Harrier Force Association. Partners are very welcome to attend. The dinner will be held at The Haycock Hotel in Wansford, a short distance from RAF Wittering and Stamford. The Harrier Heritage Centre at RAF Wittering will be open during the afternoon for members and guests to visit. If there is sufficient interest then golf can be arranged at a local course. The price will be £50 per person. This will include a 3 course meal (with 3 to 4 pre-ordered choices for each course) and wine. The dinner will finish with coffee and port and a few words from the chairman of the Harrier Force Association, AOC 1 Group, AVM Gary Waterfall. The hotel will provide a private bar before and after the dinner. The hotel is also offering 10 rooms at the significantly reduced rate of £95 per room (2 adults plus B&B). For more information and booking details, please see the HFS website. From the HFA: To coincide with the Annual HFA reunion/Christmas Drinks on 5 December, the Harrier Heritage Centre at RAF Wittering will be open on two occasions, the first on Friday 5 December at 1400hrs and the second on Saturday 6 December at 1200hrs. For more details, please go to the HFS website.  Harrier T4 ZB600 ‘R’ 1984  Harrier GR3 ‘P’ 1983 Torsten at sg-etuo.de has found these photos taken by Markus Jakobsmeier. They were taken in 1983 and 1984. He asks why we had the white colour scheme. I suggested it might be to do with Exercise Maple Flag 13 which IV(AC) participated in in April/May 1984. But we didn’t take any T4’s with us, and the GR3 photo was taken in 1983. I’ve got someone checking the Sqn diaries for me (another Parker!), but in the meantime, does anybody remember why we had this paint scheme? Bob Marston has volunteered to compile a Harrier book!  harrierboys Harrier Boys will join Hunter, Lightning, Buccaneer, Phantom, Jaguar, Victor and Vulcan Boys in the series published by Grub Street. I am looking for interesting personal accounts of working with the Harrier, which together will give the reader an impression of what it was like to live that life. Pictures to illustrate the stories are also needed. Contact me by email harrierboys@gmail.comfor further details. If you have any stories about the Harrier days – Germany, Belize, Falklands, Balkans, Afghanistan – please contact Bob. From the HFA: CHRISTMAS DRINKS – FRIDAY 5TH DECEMBER 2014 It’s that time of year again and the fourth Harrier Force Association Christmas Drinks will be on Friday 5th December. Unfortunately last year’s venue has closed down so this year it will be held in the Lord Burghley, 17 Broad Street, Stamford. This is for engineers, aircrew and anyone associated with the Harrier over the many years. We had a great turn out last year and are hoping to keep the trend going. The HFA will be putting on a barrel of beer at 5pm. There are over 900 members of the Association, so if you’re in and around Stamford on the Friday, it would be great to see you and meet up with old faces.  1973 Binns Red 6
From Liliane: Dear Friends, It is with deep sadness that I must tell you that David passed away very peacefully at 15.10 this afternoon (22 August). He was comfortable and pain-free to the end and we were with him. The Memorial Service to farewell David will take place at St Laurence Church, Winslow, Bucks on Tuesday 2nd September at 2pm. If you are available and in the country and would like to join us, we would love to see you. With love from Liliane, Sarah, Fiona and Sam Dave was a highly-respected pilot and friend to many. I first met him as a Flight Commander on IV(AC) Sqn in 1979. He’d already served a tour on the Red Arrows in their early days on the Gnat. After he left the RAF he had a long successful second career as a Boeing 747 Captain with Virgin Atlantic. He also took up marathon running and raised much money for charity. Dave and Liliane have supported fourfax since the beginning. He will be missed by many.  Red 6 Low Flying – Image from “The Red Arrows” by Ray Hanna, photo by Arthur Gibson Squadron News: Flt Lt John ‘Dot’ Letton  John ‘Dot’ Letton
On Friday 4th July 2014, Flt Lt John ‘Dot’ Letton flew his last flight in the Royal Air Force in the Hawk T2 on IV(R) Squadron, RAF Valley. After an amazing career spanning 32 years of fast jet flying in the RAF, Dot’s last flight was as part of a graduation flypast sortie for two recently graduated fast jet student pilots. Flt Lt Letton joined the Royal Air Force on 19th October 1981. After initial officer training he commenced flying training in July 1982. He was initially posted to Phantoms in the summer of 1985, however in his own words Dot was never a ‘natural air defender’ and soon found himself ousted from his combat ready workup and sent to fly the Canberra. He joined 360 Sqn to fly the Canberra T17 in an EW role, where he remained until 1988. He then crossed over to No1 PRU (Photo Reconnaissance Unit) where he flew the Canberra PR9 between 1988 and 1990. After a refresher at RAF Valley and Tactical Weapons Training at RAF Chivenor, Dot crossed over to the Tornado GR1 at the end of 1990. He was subsequently based at Cottesmore, Honnington, Marham and Lossiemouth on a variety of squadrons, and spent 1999-2004 on secondment in Kamis Mushayt, Saudi Arabia. In 2005 Dot returned to the UK and began instructor training on the Hawk T1 on 19(F) Sqn, RAF Valley. As an experienced instructor he was instrumental in bringing the Hawk T2 into service, and crossed over to IV(R) Sqn to finish his RAF career representing the Central Flying School on the Hawk T2. Dot leaves the RAF with over 2700 hrs Tornado, 1200 hrs Canberra, 1000hrs Hawk T1 and 1000hrs (currently unbeaten) Hawk T2. In over 6000 hours and 32 years of service Dot has many memories, but some of his personal highlights include bringing the Hawk T2 into service and being part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Flypast, which saw 27 Hawks fly over Buckingham Palace in close formation. Never a man to be stuck behind a desk, Dot has managed back to back flying tours throughout his career. He says he is particularly proud of ‘peaking at the rank of Flt Lt for 26 years’- meaning he could keep flying. Dot leaves the Air Force to work for BAe Systems in Warton, and hopes to move closer to Chester with wife Victoria and daughter Emily.
From Mo’s wife Minna: We are bidding farewell to Mo on Friday 11th July 2014. The Ceremony will commence at 12:45 in Gurudwara Sahib Garib Nawaj, Springfield Rd., Hayes, UB4 0LT. From there , the procession moves onto Breakspear Crematorium, Ruislip, HA4 7SJ, via RAF Northolt , arriving promptly at 14:30. Here Friends and Colleagues may offer their last respects to Mo, lying in state in the Chapel. The Ceremonies will culminate in a final prayer and a meal back at the Gurudwara. You may attend all of the above or then choose to come directly to the spacious Crematorium, for 14:30 . Please do join us in supporting Mo one last time. No flowers please. Donations are welcome towards a supported charity . RSVP. =========================== From the fourfax records: Mo served on Britannias at RAF Brize Norton until their disbandment in December 1975; January 1976 to June 1976 on Lightnings at RAF Wattisham; July 1976 to July 1979 on Jaguars at RAF Coltishall, initially in ASF, then on 54 Sqn upon promotion to Sergeant. De-mobbed in July 1979 and in August of 1979 joined British Airways at Heathrow Airport. June 1989 left British Airways and joined Emirates Airlines in July 1989. Responsible for rescue of Sardo-voyager (PSI bus at Decimommanu) which broke down with a seized engine near an oil refinery due to lack of oil, during a day trip to the Grottos during the 1971 Sqn detachment. Personal assurance by Sqn.Ldr. Pat King that the Sardo-Voyager was fully serviceable during a briefing for a subsequent detachment! |
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