while en route from Habbaniya to Diyarbakir . It is most regrettable that it was impossible to recover these almost intact aircraft since the ground was impassable to Queen Mary transporters. A small piece of Squadron History was made in April, 1957 when Flight Lieutenant Briggs and Flying Officer McKee, returning from Aden, landed at Diyarbakir, Turkey. The last occasion when 208 Squadron had visited Turkey was in 1923.


Between July and August a detachment of three aircraft was based at Bahrain in the Persian Gulf to support the Sultan of Muscat and Oman against rebels fighting in the Imam of Oman. September brought the news that the Squadron was to be re-equipped as a Day Fighter Ground Attack Squadron with Hunter Mk 6 aircraft within the following six months. By the end of the year the Squadron had commenced its running down period at Ta Kali as new pilots were being trained on the Hunters in UK in the DFGA role. Eventually the Aden detachment of five pilots and four aircraft became the fighter reconnaissance flight of 8 Squadron.


In January, 1958, whilst 208 proper was running down at Ta Kali the new 208 was crystallising at Tangmere under the command of Squadron Leader J.H. Granville-White. They came into being immediately after 34 Squadron disbanded and inherited the latter’s buildings, Hunter Mk 5 aircraft and nine of their

History - 1956 - 1966 (2)

…...continued

Interception exercises were practiced with Navy Sea Hawks, carrier based, during October. By the end of the month the Squadron was brought to standby from dawn to dusk for, with the bombing of the Suez Canal bases, it was thought that attempts might be made to bomb Malta. All aircraft approaching the Island were intercepted though no unfriendly ones were identified. By 10th November normal Squadron training was resumed and was practised until January when once more a detachment of four aircraft was required to provide tactical reconnaissance against the Yemeni tribesmen who were raiding across the border into Aden territory.


The detachment in Aden assisted, through reconnaissance and photography, in establishing the border and its access routes. It also carried out coastal patrols of the Western Aden Protectorate, shipping reconnaissance, pre- and post-strike photographs liaising with 8 Squadron and suppressing insurgent small- arms fire during these strikes. During February three Squadron aircraft were compelled to force land in Iraq

History 1956 - 1966 Page  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11

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