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Buccaneer 1  [1 of  3]

 1974 Squadron
 reforms with Buccaneers at Honington





























1976
The Squadron wins the Gilroy Trophy











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Buccaneer Chapter 1974 – 1981
(Graham Pitchfork – Flight Commander 1974-76 and CO 1979-81)

Three years after disbanding at Muharraq, 208 Squadron reformed on 1 July 1974 at Honington as the RAF’s fourth Buccaneer squadron.  It was a quiet start with just four officers, twenty groundcrew and no aircraft. ( 1 and 2)  On 6 September, the Boss, Wing Commander Pete Rogers, and I picked up the first aircraft (XT 275) from Sydenham (3) and, within minutes of landing, immediately disappeared into Eng Wing for the next three weeks. Finally, on 1 October we flew the squadron’s first sortie when we took part in Exercise Blue Moon over Denmark.(4)

During the enforced inactivity, thought was given to the markings to be displayed on the aircraft and we decided to resurrect the 1930’s ‘Flying Eye’ and the fighter flash from the Hunter days.  The ‘Flying Eye’, which was to be painted on the fin, was also selected to be the badge awarded to aircrew on reaching operational status and to be worn on the right breast of the flying suit.(5 and 6)

The squadron was given a unique role and was one of only two RAF squadrons permanently assigned to the Northern Region of NATO.  Hence, a great deal of training, and nearly all our squadron detachments, was to Norway with a few forays into Denmark. (8)

The squadron inherited some outstanding air and ground crews from the Germany squadrons who, not only had to get over the culture shock of no LOA, cheap petrol and booze and a holiday gateway to Europe, but to the Strike Command version of Taceval.  This was a somewhat more casual affair than those of RAFG and the concept of actually going into an air raid shelter dressed in NBC kit, was a novelty we decided not to dispense with. (9)

An annual event for the Honington Buccaneer Wing (12 and 208 Squadrons, 237 OCU and 809 Squadron FAA) was the Gilroy Trophy weapons competition.  On our first showing, the ten participating crews soundly thrashed the others – a feat that was to be repeated the following year. (10)

An exhausting two-week detachment to Aalborg in Denmark, when we also endeavoured to do a spot of flying, was soon followed by the squadron’s first visit to Goose Bay under the command of the new Boss, Phil Pinney.  This provided an outstanding opportunity to fly long distances at very low level over terrain similar to that of the Kola Peninsula, one of the squadron’s most likely war zones. (11 and 12)

Goose Bay also provided the ideal training ground to perfect operating at 100 feet prior to participating in 1977 in the USAF’s Exercise Red Flag at Nellis AFB, near Las Vegas.

Red Flag was a unique exercise designed to provide tactical squadrons with the most realistic operational scenarios against modern SAM and fighter air defence systems.  Flown over the vast Nevada Desert, the aim was for each crew to fly eight ‘combat’ missions in an increasingly demanding threat environment.  208 Squadron had the great distinction of being the first non-US squadron to be invited to participate. (14) Depending on the results, a decision would be taken for future participation by other RAF and NATO squadrons.  The legacy of 208’s brilliant performance, which          
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