The Square D marking on the 100th ARW KC135's at Mildenhall relate to the time when the darn 100th operated B17's out of Thorpe Abbots. The US ARMY AF used a symbol on the fin to indicate the DIVISION that the Bomb Group was assigned. The Ist Division used a Triangle, the 2nd Division used a Circle ...

Sorry for missing the green in the photo - a result of the weather.

Very interesting shot of these two Puma's. Can anyone say how long Puma's have been all black? Also is this to be a fleet wide scheme for the Puma?
Would be interested in any info on this. Thanks in anticipation.

Further to my note of yesterday regarding named 72 Squadron aircraft. I list what I believe to be a complete list of 76, not 72, Squadron named Tucano's. ZF 170 MP-A The Black Prince 02/04/2009, 03/07/2010 172 MP-D Dorothy 04/04/2008, 02/04/2009 269 MP-O Oh-De-Oh 13/09/2011 264 MP-Q Queenie 13/09/20...

I can offer the following sixteen named 72 Squadron Tucano's. ZF 515 Argonaught 11/06/2006 447 Basuto 27/06/2004 513 Basuto 30/03/2006 in store Shawbury. 448 Basuto /2007 Squadron 90th Anniversary scheme. 512 Basuto 13/09/2011, 29/05/2012 205 Black Horse 08/06/2008 287 City of Leeds 15 07 2011 209 E...

Lossiemouth has three C Type hangars. Hangar1 is for 6 Sqn Hangar 2 is Typhoon engineering. I am sure this will not change. Hagar 3 is for 1 Sqn. Two HAS's in the Northern HAS site are for QRA. The Southern HAS site is for 2 Sqn. The two hangars for the P8's are to be built to the east of the Northe...

This is getting silly. 617 Squadron was never an Auxilliary Squadron. They were 600 to 616 (less 606 until a few years ago) and 500 to 504 (originally Special Reserve Squadrons). As for the Reapers being 'based' at Creech AFB, Nevada - 39 Squadron is based at Creech but the Reapers are based / opera...

This is getting sillier! 617 was never an Auxilliary Squadron. They were 600 to 616, less 606 (until a few years ago) and 500 to 504 (originally Special Reserve).

Thank you for your responses. I will attempt to qualify. The allocation OF THE INITIAL LETTER was issued alphabetically as each Squadron was reformed on type. The individual aircraft code within the Squadron is apparently variable not necessarily alphabetical - it is up to the Squadron. Some Squadro...

I suppose everyone knows about the, now dropped, Typhoon coding system but to clarify things before the question I will give the list. The code is two letters the first indicating the Squadron and the second the individual aircraft within that Squadron. The allocation was alphabetical and issued as ...

Thank you for the sad information. I remember Joe displaying a Vulcan at Swinderby (the last show there?) and it was VERY impressive. I am convinced he completed the whole demonstration within the airfield boundary and at what seemed to be a slow speed with plenty of power and a highish angle of att...

The use of the last three of the serial as a code on the Typhoon fleet started in March this year. The reason, I am led to believe, is that on a Lossiemouth based Squadron they had two aircraft with the same code. Some work was required on one of the two aircraft then 'sharing' that code. The work w...

With only 14 airframes - er less one with Thomas Cook (G-VYGK) which would take how long (?) to get back and then convert it back into tanker configuration and less most probably one always on overhaul and, again, one for the Prime Minister as recently announced then another in the Falklands - we se...

Many thanks for the clarification. The Voyager PFI took too many years to finalise and has now caused a problem of the MoD's own making. All the PFI's seem to be problematical in some way and usually seem to take ages to come into operation.

Have I missed something here? What do Air Tanker have to do with the RAF Hercules?

When I first saw a Tornado GR4 with a 'Fleet Code' in the static park of a certain Air Display I asked the crew what it was all about. They were not amused about the recent decision 'by the GR4 Force Commander' to replace Squadron Markings with a Fleet Code. They followed this by saying that the int...

About 20 years ago the main spar of PA474 was replaced by BAe / BAE Systems at there Chaderton facility north of Manchester. The work since has been painting and various levels of overhaul and smaller replacement work. Another new main spar is not required for an aircraft that does so few hours / so...

Many thanks for the replies.

I hope the airframe survives and gets a good home. As has been said not many Meteors about.

Would be gratefull if someone local to Leconfield could post an update on the status of the Meteor that was going to have been a Gate Guard for the SAR Flight.

Many thanks.

I wish I could answer your question. However, can I say that the wide use of the word 'Crest' in relation to RAF BADGES is incorrect. The correct word is Badge.