No. 1417 Flight RAF
Encyclopedia
No.1417 Flight RAF was formed on 1 March 1941 from No. 417 (General Reconnaissance) Flight RAF as a General Reconnaissance unit at RAF St. Athan, but dis-banded shortly afterwards on 18 March 1941. This Flight has probably had the most interesting incarnations of all the independent aircraft flights of the Royal Air Force
, introducing new technologies and operating complex fast jet aircraft in challenging and austere conditions, across the globe.
I aircraft on maritime patrols. The flight had a very short life, being disbanded on 18 march 1941.
flight established to carry out trials and develop tactics for the use of ASV Radar/Leigh Light
equipped Vickers Wellington
GR Mk VIII maritime reconnaissance-bombers. Formed on 8 January 1942 at RAF Chivenor 1417 Flight was re-formed as No. 172 Squadron RAF
from 4 April 1942 onwards.
and Percival Pembroke
C.1. Once again 1417 Flight formed the basis of a full squadron when No. 152 Squadron RAF
was formed at Bahrain on 29 September 1958 under the command of Flt. Lt. F. Rimmer, flying Percival Pembroke
C Mk.1 transport aircraft,
Arabian Peninsular Reconnaissance Flight
From 1956 Gloster Meteor
FR Mk.9 aircraft from No. 208 Squadron RAF
were deployed to Aden for operations against rebel tribesmen and Yemeni insurgents. This Squadron was withdrawn at the time of the Suez Crisis
, but some aircraft returned from 1958 to 1960 operated by the Arabian Peninsular Reconnaissance Flight.
FGA Mk9 and FR Mk,10 aircraft. Lack-lustre results from recce missions and difficulties maintaining the recce jets prompted the forming of a dedicated recce flight as No.1417 (Fighter Reconnaissance) Flight, flying the five FRMk.10 Hunters from 8 Squadron and a T Mk7 two seat Hunter.
The five aircraft were given tactical codes to represent the initials of the five pilots: RP for Roger Pyrah, JM for Johnny Morris, PL for Peter Lewis, JM for Jim Dymond and GT for Geoff Timms. (Geoff Timms was to carry on flying fast jets well into his sixties, becoming probably the oldest active fast-jet pilot in the RAF, until retiring to the Harrier Simulator at RAF Wittering in the early 1990s.)
March 1965 was a busy month with the pilots, groundcrew and aircraft of 8 Squadron, plus two 1417 Flight FR.10s departing Khormaksar for a two-week detachment to RAF Masirah, an island in the Gulf of Oman
, to undergo strike and photo recce training in an area not familiar to many pilots. The detachment left on 8 March 1965 and returned on 19 March 1965.
The following table of flying hours for Khormaksar in March 1965 aircraft illustrates that the Hunter FRMk10's of 1417 Flight were well utilised, with each aircraft averaging well over 20 hours flying for that month.
A typical month saw 1417 flight fly 63 recce missions in June 1964, which was quite an achievement considering there were only five pilots and five aircraft, with some on standby duty at up-country airfields and other normal flying and training being carried out simultaneously.
1417 Flight continued providing pre and post strike reconnaissance up to the draw-down of British forces in Aden. Missions were carried out on a daily basis until 1417 Flight was disbanded and re-absorbed into 8 Squadron on 8 September 1967, shortly after evacuating to RAF Muharraq at Bahrain.
in the grip of a bloody civil war, there was a real fear that Guatemalan forces might invade Belize
and at the very least widen their Caribbean
coastline. To bolster the resident British Army garrison, a detachment of six Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1As from No. 1 Squadron RAF
was sent to the international airport at Ladyville in November 1975. There they set about waving the flag and discouraging Guatemalan aggression. After several months the threat was perceived to have subsided and the Harriers returned to the UK in April 1976, only to return on a more permanent basis in June 1977, as part of a complete package, of the Queen's regiment of the British army, in a Vickers VC10
C1 and six Harriers from No 1 (Fighter) Squadron flying direct with support from ten Handley Page Victor
tankers.
Thus was born HarDet Belize; the six aircraft were operated from semi-permanent hides, named using the NATO phonetic alphabet
. Alpha and Bravo hides were set up in the grounds of the Belikin brewery outside the gates to the garrison; Charlie and Delta hides were set up on the other side of the garrison access road. Echo hide either never existed or formed the basis of the Tie-down engine running pan at the eastern end of the runway. Foxy (contracted from Foxtrot) and Golf hides were set up around the airport fire station (which remained active), even using some of the fire station buildings. Hotel, India and Juliet hides were arranged around the access taxiway to Williamson Hangar and the edge of the airport apron.
After operating as a rotating roulement for two years, the Hardet was put on an even more permanent footing with the formation of 1417 (Tactical Ground Attack) Flight from 18 April 1980 until closure on 6 July 1993. Much flying was done, with plenty of flag-waving and sabre-rattling, the aircrew enjoying the post due to the lack of restrictions, and challenging missions. Eventually operations were confined to Charlie/Delta and Foxy/Golf hides which went through a slow metamorphosis to permanent semi-hardened hides with concrete surfaces and taxi-ways and block built buildings (including accommodation, kitchen and bars).
Several aircraft were lost due to various reasons, but one of the most spectacular incidents occurred when XZ132 encountered a large vulture
which tore straight through the birdstrike armour in the intake, making a large hole in one of the forward fuselage fuel tanks. The contents of the fuel system promptly gushed out of this hole, causing a large cloud of fuel vapour as the aircraft approached to land. After stopping on the runway, the pilot could see the damage caused by the vulture and said he would have ejected if he had known the extent of the damage. XZ132 was casevaced back to the UK, repaired and sent off to war in the Falkland Islands
, albeit with a leaking front tank.
Other losses included:
Harriers of 1417 Flight were also instrumental in securing diplomatic assurances for the future of Belize, after taking part in air shows at La Aurora International Airport
, Guatemala City
, for the 69th and 70th anniversaries of the Guatemalan Air Force
, in 1990 and 1991, supported by a Puma from No. 1563 Flight RAF.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, introducing new technologies and operating complex fast jet aircraft in challenging and austere conditions, across the globe.
RAF St. Athan
1417 (General Reconnaissance) Flight was first formed at RAF St. Athan, from No. 417 (General Reconnaissance) Flight RAF, on 1 March 1941, flying Avro AnsonAvro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
I aircraft on maritime patrols. The flight had a very short life, being disbanded on 18 march 1941.
RAF Chivenor
No 1417 (Leigh Light Trials) Flt was a Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
flight established to carry out trials and develop tactics for the use of ASV Radar/Leigh Light
Leigh light
The Leigh Light was a British World War II era anti-submarine device used in the Second Battle of the Atlantic.It was a powerful carbon arc searchlight of 24 inches diameter fitted to a number of the British Royal Air Force's Coastal Command patrol bombers to help them spot surfaced...
equipped Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
GR Mk VIII maritime reconnaissance-bombers. Formed on 8 January 1942 at RAF Chivenor 1417 Flight was re-formed as No. 172 Squadron RAF
No. 172 Squadron RAF
No. 172 Squadron RAF was a Second World War Royal Air Force anti-submarine squadron that operated the Vickers Wellington equipped with the Leigh Light.-History:...
from 4 April 1942 onwards.
RAF Muharraq
1417 (Communication) Flight was re-incarnated on 1 November 1953, as a communications unit in the Middle East, at RAF Muharraq, Bahrain with Avro Anson XIXAvro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
and Percival Pembroke
Percival Pembroke
-See also:-Bibliography:* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 . London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X....
C.1. Once again 1417 Flight formed the basis of a full squadron when No. 152 Squadron RAF
No. 152 Squadron RAF
No. 152 Squadron of the Royal Air Force .-History:No 152 Squadron was formed on 1 October 1918 at Rochford as a Camel night fighter unit. 30 June 1919, the squadron disbanded....
was formed at Bahrain on 29 September 1958 under the command of Flt. Lt. F. Rimmer, flying Percival Pembroke
Percival Pembroke
-See also:-Bibliography:* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 . London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X....
C Mk.1 transport aircraft,
Arabian Peninsular Reconnaissance FlightArabian Peninsular Reconnaissance Flight- Aden Protectorate Reconnaissance Flight :From 1956 Gloster Meteor FR Mk.9 aircraft from No. 208 Squadron RAF were deployed to Aden for operations against rebel tribesmen and Yemeni insurgents. This Squadron was withdrawn at the time of the Suez Crisis...
, RAF Khormakshar
From 1956 Gloster MeteorGloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
FR Mk.9 aircraft from No. 208 Squadron RAF
No. 208 Squadron RAF
No 208 Squadron is at present a reserve unit of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales. It operates the BAe Hawk aircraft.-World War I:...
were deployed to Aden for operations against rebel tribesmen and Yemeni insurgents. This Squadron was withdrawn at the time of the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, but some aircraft returned from 1958 to 1960 operated by the Arabian Peninsular Reconnaissance Flight.
1417 (Fighter Reconnaissance) Flight
The reconnaissance (recce) task at Aden was taken over by No. 8 Squadron RAF, from 1960, flying Hawker HunterHawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
FGA Mk9 and FR Mk,10 aircraft. Lack-lustre results from recce missions and difficulties maintaining the recce jets prompted the forming of a dedicated recce flight as No.1417 (Fighter Reconnaissance) Flight, flying the five FRMk.10 Hunters from 8 Squadron and a T Mk7 two seat Hunter.
The five aircraft were given tactical codes to represent the initials of the five pilots: RP for Roger Pyrah, JM for Johnny Morris, PL for Peter Lewis, JM for Jim Dymond and GT for Geoff Timms. (Geoff Timms was to carry on flying fast jets well into his sixties, becoming probably the oldest active fast-jet pilot in the RAF, until retiring to the Harrier Simulator at RAF Wittering in the early 1990s.)
March 1965 was a busy month with the pilots, groundcrew and aircraft of 8 Squadron, plus two 1417 Flight FR.10s departing Khormaksar for a two-week detachment to RAF Masirah, an island in the Gulf of Oman
Gulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman is a strait that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. On the north coast is Pakistan and Iran...
, to undergo strike and photo recce training in an area not familiar to many pilots. The detachment left on 8 March 1965 and returned on 19 March 1965.
The following table of flying hours for Khormaksar in March 1965 aircraft illustrates that the Hunter FRMk10's of 1417 Flight were well utilised, with each aircraft averaging well over 20 hours flying for that month.
| Aircraft type | Allocation | Hours flown |
|---|---|---|
| Hunter FGA.9 | 25 | 662.35 |
| Hunter FR.10 | 5 | 116.40 |
| Hunter T.7 | 3 | 78.25 |
| Shackleton MR.2 | 4 | 190.00 |
| Total flying hours | 1,047.40 |
A typical month saw 1417 flight fly 63 recce missions in June 1964, which was quite an achievement considering there were only five pilots and five aircraft, with some on standby duty at up-country airfields and other normal flying and training being carried out simultaneously.
1417 Flight continued providing pre and post strike reconnaissance up to the draw-down of British forces in Aden. Missions were carried out on a daily basis until 1417 Flight was disbanded and re-absorbed into 8 Squadron on 8 September 1967, shortly after evacuating to RAF Muharraq at Bahrain.
British Forces Belize
In 1975, with GuatemalaGuatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
in the grip of a bloody civil war, there was a real fear that Guatemalan forces might invade Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
and at the very least widen their Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
coastline. To bolster the resident British Army garrison, a detachment of six Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1As from No. 1 Squadron RAF
No. 1 Squadron RAF
No. 1 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated the Harrier GR9 from RAF Cottesmore until 28 January 2011.The squadron motto is In omnibus princeps , appropriate for the RAF's oldest squadron and one that has been involved in almost every major British military operation since...
was sent to the international airport at Ladyville in November 1975. There they set about waving the flag and discouraging Guatemalan aggression. After several months the threat was perceived to have subsided and the Harriers returned to the UK in April 1976, only to return on a more permanent basis in June 1977, as part of a complete package, of the Queen's regiment of the British army, in a Vickers VC10
Vickers VC10
The Vickers VC10 is a long-range British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long-distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports...
C1 and six Harriers from No 1 (Fighter) Squadron flying direct with support from ten Handley Page Victor
Handley Page Victor
The Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company during the Cold War. It was the third and final of the V-bombers that provided Britain's nuclear deterrent. The other two V-bombers were the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. Some aircraft...
tankers.
Thus was born HarDet Belize; the six aircraft were operated from semi-permanent hides, named using the NATO phonetic alphabet
NATO phonetic alphabet
The NATO phonetic alphabet, more accurately known as the NATO spelling alphabet and also called the ICAO phonetic or spelling alphabet, the ITU phonetic alphabet, and the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet, is the most widely used spelling alphabet...
. Alpha and Bravo hides were set up in the grounds of the Belikin brewery outside the gates to the garrison; Charlie and Delta hides were set up on the other side of the garrison access road. Echo hide either never existed or formed the basis of the Tie-down engine running pan at the eastern end of the runway. Foxy (contracted from Foxtrot) and Golf hides were set up around the airport fire station (which remained active), even using some of the fire station buildings. Hotel, India and Juliet hides were arranged around the access taxiway to Williamson Hangar and the edge of the airport apron.
After operating as a rotating roulement for two years, the Hardet was put on an even more permanent footing with the formation of 1417 (Tactical Ground Attack) Flight from 18 April 1980 until closure on 6 July 1993. Much flying was done, with plenty of flag-waving and sabre-rattling, the aircrew enjoying the post due to the lack of restrictions, and challenging missions. Eventually operations were confined to Charlie/Delta and Foxy/Golf hides which went through a slow metamorphosis to permanent semi-hardened hides with concrete surfaces and taxi-ways and block built buildings (including accommodation, kitchen and bars).
Several aircraft were lost due to various reasons, but one of the most spectacular incidents occurred when XZ132 encountered a large vulture
Vulture
Vulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
which tore straight through the birdstrike armour in the intake, making a large hole in one of the forward fuselage fuel tanks. The contents of the fuel system promptly gushed out of this hole, causing a large cloud of fuel vapour as the aircraft approached to land. After stopping on the runway, the pilot could see the damage caused by the vulture and said he would have ejected if he had known the extent of the damage. XZ132 was casevaced back to the UK, repaired and sent off to war in the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, albeit with a leaking front tank.
Other losses included:
| Date | Aircraft serial no. | Crash location | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 December 1975 | XV788 | Engine problems due to bird strike | |
| 26 May 1981 | XW923 | Belize River | Loss of control during short take-off |
| 14 July 1981 | XV807 | Georgeville | CFIT (Controlled Flight into Terrain) |
Harriers of 1417 Flight were also instrumental in securing diplomatic assurances for the future of Belize, after taking part in air shows at La Aurora International Airport
La Aurora International Airport
La Aurora International Airport serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua. It is administered by the Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil....
, Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
, for the 69th and 70th anniversaries of the Guatemalan Air Force
Guatemalan Air Force
The Guatemalan Air Force is a small air force composed mostly of U.S.-made aircraft throughout its history....
, in 1990 and 1991, supported by a Puma from No. 1563 Flight RAF.