FighterControl

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 each Squadron was reformed on the type.

A* 17 (Reserve) Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES). Now the F35 TES.
B* 29 Squadron Operational Conversion Unit.
C* 3 Squadron - NOT USED. The Squadron utilised the two letter code combination 'QO' they had previously used when operating the Hawker Typhoon during World War 2.
D* 11 Squadron.
E* 6 Squadron.
F* 1 Squadron.
G* 2 Squadron - NOT USED - but see below. The Squadron had opted out of the code systems when they operated Phantoms, Jaguars and Tornados. With the Typhoon they used single letters with T, W and O being early allocations.

41 Squadron the current TES seems to do its own thing using their WW2 code 'EB'.

Now, at last, the question.

Typhoon FGR4 ZK322 was coded 'S' with 2 Squadron in November 2015. The aircraft was one of the 2 Squadron contingent to later deploy to Akrotiri on Operation Shader duties. During that deployment its code was modified to 'GS'. The code was retained when the aircraft was transferred to Coningsby and operated, I believe, first with 3 Squadron and then 11 Squadron. It is still coded 'GS' but, I think, is with the Maintenance Flight so will probably soon gain '322' on the fin.

Although this code has stood out as an anomaly I have seen no comments or explanations anywhere. I presume a G was added to signify 2 Squadron, to those with an interest in such things, and the aircraft with code 'S' was chosen to indicate Shader?

I would be interested in any information on this subject.

Many thanks.

I can't read your question correctly, are you asking why a/c ZK322 was coded 'S'to start with? Are you thinking that all the codes were in alphabetical order starting for instance BA, BB, BC, BD, BE, BF and so on......?

From memory weren't 2 Squadron's codes allocated in order to spell out SHINY TWO II AC?

So their codes were, bar one, single letters:

A
C
H
I
N
O
S
T
W
Y

And then a two letter code - II.

When deployed, they just put the G back at the start, so they would have been GA, GC, GS, GW, etc. As for II, maybe GII?!

Equally from memory, when 2 Sqdn had Jaguars wasn't it SHINYER TWO JAG?

I thought it was "SHINY TWOER JAG" - same letters, but slightly different order.
Quote from Morecambe and Wise TV show "I'm playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order" said by Eric when playing piano for conductor Andre Previn.

Cheers, TM74

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 Squadrons show a sense of humour in this for example 60 Squadron Griffins were coded S I X T Y R U L E. Later the fleet was increased by two and the codes allocated by the Squadron was, surprise surprise, O and K.

I am saying that ZK322 just happened, in the normal course of things, to be coded S before deployment to Akrotiri. Nothing interesting or unusual in that.

However, the interesting point is that it became GS. G being the unused, until then, logical allocation for 2 Squadron.

What I thought I had clearly requested was does anyone really know if aircraft S was chosen because the detachment, of which this aircraft was a part, was deployed on Operation Shader?

There is much discussion and description pertaining to aircraft markings and colour schemes minutiae in various magazines but this anomaly has, as far as I have seen, been ignored.

Perhaps someone has the answer?

Many thanks.

I may be wrong but I thought at the time it was either the Sqn Bosses initials, or it was just given the full Sqn allocated G>

Somewhere around the time it was first noted, I recall the same question was asked on here..

Just like to point out that ZK322/GS did not deploy to Akrotiri on 3rd December 2015. It was one of the airspares, but never departed Lossiemouth in any connection with that deployment.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=122858&hilit=ZK322&start=40...3rd post down.

GS would not have been the Squadron boss' initials at the time.....http://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/COs/OCs_001-20.htm

However, a certain Sqn Ldr Graham E "Jock" Stirrup (later became MRAF) was awarded the AFC when based at Lossiemouth with 226OCU. Might it be to do with him?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jock_Stirrup