Red Flag ‘77 - 04

…... That achieved, the Squadron moved on to carrying and releasing the normal Red Flag conventional weapon load of both live and inert 1,000lb bombs as well as BL755 cluster bomb units (CBU). Flying operations were conducted in large coordinated missions with US colleagues, who were flying an impressive array of aircraft. Briefings were comprehensive and, yes, 208 was always given the callsign ‘Limey’.

Perhaps the most complicated part of the mission was the taxi and take-off with many participants, lots of instructions and ‘last chance’ weapons safety checks before being given a departure clearance, which was difficult to understand (do we really speak the same language?) before being read back in a cool, laconic John Wayne voice that befitted the moment. However, once headed at medium altitude to the start point of Student Gap, the game was most definitely on.

As this was the RAF’s first participation, the Squadron was a relatively unknown quantity on the continental United States. The aim was to get to the target on time without being ‘killed’ by either the aggressors or by the ground defences in the target areas and then exit quickly and unscathed. Importantly, no-one wanted mistakes, incidents or accidents to happen.

The crews flew to their limits and employed the tactics that they had evolved during the lead-in training. The skills that everyone had developed over the difficult terrain and weather of Labrador worked even better in the desert where the more favourable environment gave a little more individual scope for thinking time and action. It was hot and the battlefield was relatively high and both factors dictated that everyone needed to watch thrust and energy levels whilst operating near the ground. The sun, the glare and perspective also were major factors for consideration.

208 Squadron crews were cleared to fly down to 100 feet minimum separation distance (MSD), in other words a clearance bubble of 100 feet around the aircraft. In truth, and despite legislation and the Buccaneer’s rather dated instrumentation suite, at ultra-low level the height flown becomes more of an individual comfort feel, which will vary, depending on terrain, speed, manoeuvre and individual skill. In the Buccaneer the pilot, particularly when very low and very fast, was responsible for avoiding the ground and obstacles and trying to spot any threat aircraft in the frontal sector. Navigators looked after the navigation, aircraft systems, most weapon inputs and

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