Despite a busy year there have been ample opportunities for fun with two overseas detachments. The Sqn conducted a two week air combat detachment to RAF Akrotiri in July 14 and a week of formation flying at Solenzara in Corsica during Mar 15. There have also been overseas training flights to Oulu in Finland, Ursel in Belgium, Laage in Germany, and a static display at the Malta International Airshow.
While back in the UK, members of the Sqn continued the challenge of climbing 1.1 million feet in the Snowdon National Park with the final footage being completed in Nov 14. The final total didn’t include climbing and descending the water park slides in Cyprus, which some members of the Sqn volunteered as their contribution!
Since the last newsletter the Sqn has been joined by six new QFIs plus the new OC. We’ve seen the return of Sqn Ldr ‘Wes’ Wesley from a tour with the Gliding School at RAF Syerston, Flt Lt James Mander following the closure of 617 Sqn and Flt Lt David Stark from IX Sqn. We’ve also welcomed Flt Lt Paddy Kershaw as a brand new B2 QFI, Flt Lt Darren French who has a background as a Sea King pilot and Tucano QFI and Flt Lt ‘Trigger’ Rigg, who threatened to leave the RAF if he wasn’t allowed to abandon IV Sqn to join 208! Trigger’s first two weeks on 208 Sqn were spent in Cyprus which certainly gained the attention of the IV Sqn Junta, given that their only detachment last year was to RAF Leuchars!
Of course we’ve also said goodbye to a few instructors over the last year with Flt Lt Charlie Butterfield moving to Ops Wing at RAF Valley to form part of the new 4 Flying Training School HQ, Flt Lt Rich Bradley taking up a NATO post in Madrid and a pair that shall not be named who decided to join ‘Happy’ IV.
With the
extension of 208 Sqn there was a need to restart the Hawk major service programme and so it is that this year we’ve received newly refurbished aircraft from our own engineers at RAF Valley along with aircraft serviced at RAF Marham and BAE Warton. The ‘new’ aircraft have performed very well but all too often we find them being poached by another Hawk unit who insist on having at least nine serviceable aircraft every day! When they are returned they tend to be in rather gaudy colours!
One product of the major service programme here at Valley was XX350 which has been painted in a special paint scheme to commemorate both the centenary of the First World War and the centenary of 208 Sqn. The paint scheme is based upon that worn by the Bristol Fighter of the Shuttleworth Collection, which is an ex 208 Sqn airframe.
