Before radios it was done with hand signals at close quarter when in formation, as it was when radio silence had to be maintained. It is also possible that morse code may have been used but an Aldis lamp would have been too big and heavy for the a/c of the day.

That’s nothing, same speed, same direction 😉 ! In the 80’s under command of Jim Upritchard it was proposed to do a nine ship formation flypast, this wasn’t given approval for a number of reasons but they did a two ship flypast with a third taking off and formating into the lead position of a vic as they went past.

RAF got it’s first VC10’s direct from the factory in the early 60’s, but the remaining ex-BA super VC10 airframes went to the RAF when retired from BA service in 1982(?) and after conversion probably came into squadron service around 1987.

The RAF got it’s first VC10 K2 in 1983, K3’s ( super VC10 ) started to arrive late 1984 iirc. 101Sq reformed in April 1983 without any a/c. The Official reformation was in May 1984. I remember the day well as I lost my front teeth falling down the steps in front of the mess after the celebratory party 🙁

Steve
( ex 101 Sqn )

Battler was a childhood hero ! In one story he flew a Spitfire back from France after the engine was shot clean off by German 88’s. All true stuff !

I’ll be there, I have my Hurricane model on static display and got free tickets for the family.

605 Sqn Mk1 Hurricane

Curious..what was it in the a/c that contained Mercury ?

Am I right in thinking it was Alec Ingle’s kite at some point?

According to the book by Peter Vacher, Alec Ingle only flew this twice with 605, 12th & 17th Sept 1940. Peter informed me that Alec Ingle was flying V7599 UP-U when he was shot down but I’m not sure if that was his regular aircraft.

Steve