The Office - Part Three

[wizzair]

My pre-OCU Hawk course at Chivenor coincided with the arrival of the final tail letter needed to make a formation spelling CHIVENOR possible. Special authority was given for two 4-ships to join up in echelon. Of course we had to practise first.

Getting the 4-ships together above cloud (this image is in colour - honest!)

CHIV2 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr

Then up close.

CHIV1 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr

In the final version I am in the back of 'N', I'm the only person with a white helmet if you can find a copy and look closely. BAe took the official photo and we were all promised a copy, needless to say it never arrived.

In March 1983 I arrived at Marham as part of the team that reformed 617 Sqn as a Tornado unit. Lots of learning was done very quickly, a real case of the partially-sighted leading the blind. That didn't stop some bright spark from picking us to lead the Queen's Birthday Flypast that year.
The two lead crews got to fly the route in a Sea King for a recce first. This is it beating up Duxford on the way home.

CHIV3 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr

On the actual day the weather was less kind and we had to pick our way through the East Anglian murk trying to get the other aircraft on board. I seem to recall that the Buccs didn't get in in time.

CHIV4 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr

CHIV5 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr

Learning air-to-air refuelling in time for a little trip abroad comes next.

Steve W

[Fibrous Freddie]

Excellent... a fabulous perspective and explanation. Thanks.

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these, a very interesting selection of shots and much appreciated by all.

[CLPSLFBT]

Hi, what an excellent set of images you've shared with us , from part 1 to this one all are very interesting and show us a different perspective that you were very privileged with .

Cheers Glenn

[raptor9]

SSSSSoooooooo jealous!!!!. Makes my efforts of flying a Cessna Aerobat in formation with a Tiger Moth feel pathetic!! [and you got paid for all that fun!!]

[PA200]

A lovely selection there especially the last two, but I'm biased joined 617 in March 1986. Lack of LRMTS dates the photos nicely, interesting as well that the underwings have the top fins removed. Yet when I arrived on the Sqn there were still lots of tanks around with the top fins fitted.

[wizzair]

It was during the first formation practice for the QBFP that our Junior Pilot had one of his tanks self-jettison somewhere near Downham Market. That led to the extended farce of flying with the weapons system safe in case it happened again. The tank landed in the garden of a retired RAF engineer who had served in the Victor Fuelling Bay; he wrote to the Station Commander saying he had stopped taking work home with him years ago. Of course, if we had been over the Mall at the time.....

[matt e]

Very nice especially #2

[DanBeeden]

Great shots and a really interesting narrative to go with them. Love the Hawk shots especially - these are 151 Squadron jets if I’m not mistaken? 151 was my ATC squadron and my first summer camp was to Chivenor in August ‘93. Thanks for sharing!

[The Phantom]

Excellent images again!

The line up of camo Hawks is superb