RAF Wyton 1980-1995 Pt 4 - 100 Sqn Canberras and Hawks

[canberraman]

Part 4 of this series covers the aircraft and operations of 100 Sqn during the period they were resident at RAF Wyton from 1982 to 1993. 100 Sqn – colloquially known as the ‘Tatty Ton’, moved to RAF Wyton from RAF Marham In January 1982. As with 231 OCU (covered in Part 1), which also relocated from Marham to Wyton in July 1982, these moves were the result of the RAF’s decision to consolidate all remaining Canberra sqns at RAF Wyton to ease technical support.

 

For a time in the mid 1980s 100 sqn was the largest squadron in the RAF, being equipped with twenty Canberras of 4 different marks – the B.2, PR.7, TT.18 and E.15. The ‘bread and butter’ work of the squadron was to provide ‘silent targets’ – primarily targets for practice interceptions. On other occasions they would participate in joint maritime exercises to carry out raids on elements of the NATO fleet when on exercise. In addition, the sqn provided towed targets for gunnery practise, and with the TT.18s equipped with Rushton target darts, would provide targets for the Rapier, Blindfire and Blowpipe weapons used by the Army and RAF Regiment. A further less exciting role was that of flight checking and calibrating the radar and radio equipment at airfields and air traffic control centres.

 

With the ageing Canberra approaching retirement, 100 sqn began re-equipping with the Bae Hawk from September 1991. The last Canberra flight on 100 sqn took place on 18 December that year but it was not until February 1992 that the squadron build up of Hawk aircraft and manpower was completed. In transferring to the Hawk, the sqn lost some of its former tasks such as flight checking and the towing of the Rushton targets, but many former tasks remained. The sqn also gained a role of providing aircraft for Army co-operation exercises.

With the closure of RAF Wyton as a flying station looming, 100 Sqn relocated to RAF Finningley in August 1993 before finally moving to RAF Leeming where it remains to this day.

 

This photo shows Canberra B.2 WE113/H at  RAF Binbrook in October 1981 prior to the sqn’s relocation from Marham to Wyton in Jan 1982. Note the aircraft still wears the single letter sqn  code before the use of two letter codes that were adopted upon relocation to Wyton.

 

Canberra B2 WH670/CB at RAF Wyton in October 1986.

 

Another B.2, this time WP515/CD seen at Wyton in July 1987.

 

Canberra E.15 WJ756/CL at the RAF Alconbury Air Tattoo on 27 July 1986.

 

A rather worn looking E.15 WH981/CN at Pisa Italy in July 1989.

 

The 100 Sqn skull and crossbones unit markings adorn the fin of TT.18 WJ680/CT.

 

Another shot of Canberra TT.18 WJ680/CT seen at Wyton in May 1987. After retirement from RAF service, this particular machine flew for several seasons in the UK as a privately owned warbird, registered as G-BURM.

 

TT.18 WJ682/CU at Wyton in July 1982.

 

TT.18 WJ636/CX at Wyton in 1989. This aircraft retained its light grey and black/yellow striped c/s as a legacy from its former service with the RN FRADU from where it was reassigned to 100 Sqn in 1988.

 

TT.18 WK118/CQ taxying out to Wyton’s Runway 27 in August 1984

 

TT.18 WK123/CY at Wyton in April 1989

 

TT.18 WK124/CR at Wyton in August 1990

 

TT.18 WH718/CW heads a line up of 100 Sqn stablemates at the Canberra 40th anniversary event held at RAF Wyton on May 14th 1989.

 

Canberra PR.7 WT509/CG at Wyton in July 1991

 

Another PR.7 - WT519/CH, also photographed at Wyton in July 1991.

 

The start of the Hawk era. Ex 4 FTS Hawk T.1 XX164/CN at rest at Wyton in September 1992.

 

T.1 XX181/CB at Wyton in October 1992.

 

For the sqn’s 75th anniversary in 1992, 100 Sqn Hawk T.1 XX312 received these special markings. Seen here at Wyton in July that year.

 

Thanks for looking C&C always appreciated. In Part 5 I will cover the other aircraft types stationed at Wyton in the 1980s – the Nimrod and Devon, as well as yes, a few more Canberras!

 

Mark

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by canberraman

[Alpha Delta 210]

Hi Mark.

 

I hope you're well. 

 

Thanks for posting another wonderfully evocative set.

 

My favourite has to be the 100 Squadron line-up, although the Hawks look lovely as well.

 

I'm very much looking forward to the next instalment!

[Richard E]

More memories, thanks for sharing your pictures Mark.

 

One question: what is the purpose of the cover behind the cockpit canopy on some of the parked Canberras: I'm guessing it's a sunshade for the rear cabin ?

[petetasker]

Lots of happy memories there mate - cheers

[Lord Riot]

Fantastic! And that list of serials and codes is just what I'll need when I get around to building my 100 sqn Canberra. 

 

All I need now is that checkerboard fin marking! 

[PLC1966]

Great collection of Photo's there chap.

 

Remember Tatty Ton changing jets, having been used to dealing with the Fly Away Packs of spares for Canberra, the spares for the Hawks looked like toys.

 

Good Camp, lots of detachments, all 3 Sqns regularly away.

[stever219]

4 hours ago, canberraman said:

 

This photo shows Canberra B.2 WE113/H at  RAF Binbrook in October 1981 prior to the sqn’s relocation from Marham to Wyton in Jan 1982. Note the aircraft still wears the single letter sqn  code before the use of two letter codes that were adopted upon relocation to Wyton.

 

For the sqn’s 75th anniversary in 1992, 100 Sqn Hawk T.1 XX312 received these special markings. Seen here at Wyton in July that year.

 

Thanks for looking C&C always appreciated. In Part 5 I will cover the other aircraft types stationed at Wyton in the 1980s – the Nimrod and Devon, as well as yes, a few more Canberras!

 

Mark

 

 

 

I remember being shown round WE113 at Marham in 1976 I think but can’t remember if she was with 100 Squadron at the time.  I didn’t have a camera then and my sketch block that I was keeping at the time has gone AWOL.

 

Somewhere though I do have photos of XX312 in her anniversary colours from Mildenhall I think; I wish someone would do decals in 1/72th and /1/48th for her in those colours.

 

Wyton was our home for a week around Easter 1976 when our CCF unit had our annual camp there.  We were over at 39 Squadron’s area being shown round XH165 when one of my fellow cadets blurted out “Can we go over there and have a look at those Nimrods?”  Our guide looked in the direction indicated and replied “I can’t see any Nimrods over there and I strongly suggest that you can’t either.”  “But they’re over there!”  was the response..  “Trust me, unless you’d like to visit the guardroom next, there are no Nimrods here.”  I’d love to see some photos of 51 Squadron’s Nimrods as one of my Airfix Nimrods is intended for their colours, but as they wasn’t there......😉😉

 

A friend and I stopped briefly at the main gate on our way home from the IPMS Brampton show last year: I took a few snaps of XH170 on the gate but it was a bit of a bitter-sweet moment thinking back to those few wonderful days that I spent there.

Edited February 23, 2020 by stever219

[Richard E]

17 minutes ago, stever219 said:

Somewhere though I do have photos of XX312 in her anniversary colours from Mildenhall I think; I wish someone would do decals in 1/72th and /1/48th for her in those colours.

In 1/72nd scale your wish has been granted: Xtradecal Sheet 72031

 

48 minutes ago, Lord Riot said:

Fantastic! And that list of serials and codes is just what I'll need when I get around to building my 100 sqn Canberra. 

 

All I need now is that checkerboard fin marking! 

Also in 1/72nd scale 100 Squadron's E Mk.15 aircraft WJ756 C L is one of the options on Modeldecal's sheet MD085 which would probably give you a starting point for number of the squadron's aircraft.

 

Edited February 23, 2020 by Richard E

[Timbo88]

Great to see a photo of WP515. I have the Form 700A  maintenance logs for this airframe, going right back to its first flight, as well as numerous folders full of related documentation. Shame it no longer exists.

[Timbo88]

1 hour ago, Richard E said:

In 1/72nd scale your wish has been granted: Xtradecal Sheet 72031

 

Also in 1/72nd scale 100 Squadron's E Mk.15 aircraft WJ756 C L is one of the options on Modeldecal's sheet MD085 which would probably give you a starting point for number of the squadron's aircraft.

 

MD085 is one of Modeldecals best sheets, in my opinion. It's got options for all of the Wyton Canberra units, as depicted in the mid 80s, including full stencil items (plus Italian Starfighters). I still can't understand why modern decal sheet manufacturers don't cram as much into their sheets as Modeldecal did.

All we need now is a 1/48 scale equivalent of that sheet, so I can crack on with my Airfix Canberras. 

[Richard E]

13 minutes ago, Timbo88 said:

MD085 is one of Modeldecals best sheets, in my opinion. It's got options for all of the Wyton Canberra units, as depicted in the mid 80s, including full stencil items (plus Italian Starfighters). I still can't understand why modern decal sheet manufacturers don't cram as much into their sheets as Modeldecal did.

All we need now is a 1/48 scale equivalent of that sheet, so I can crack on with my Airfix Canberras. 

MD085 was the first aftermarket decal sheet I invested in when I used ye olde C Scale set to convert Airfix's Canberra B Mk.2 into a T Mk.17, the other half of the sheet is still in a folder waiting for the day I have the time and inclination to build an Italian Starfighter. 

[stever219]

2 hours ago, Richard E said:

In 1/72nd scale your wish has been granted: Xtradecal Sheet 72031

 

Also in 1/72nd scale 100 Squadron's E Mk.15 aircraft WJ756 C L is one of the options on Modeldecal's sheet MD085 which would probably give you a starting point for number of the squadron's aircraft.

 

Thanks Richard: I’ve an order going in to Hannants soon so this might well get added to it.

[Lord Riot]

17 hours ago, Richard E said:

In 1/72nd scale your wish has been granted: Xtradecal Sheet 72031

 

Also in 1/72nd scale 100 Squadron's E Mk.15 aircraft WJ756 C L is one of the options on Modeldecal's sheet MD085 which would probably give you a starting point for number of the squadron's aircraft.

 

 

Ah, if only they would do these in 1/48th!

[Britman]

WE113 appears to have an extra row of cheques and appears unique among the others. Not a rivet counter but couldn't help counting just out of curiosity!

 

Keith

 

[canberraman]

Thanks everyone for the comments, observations and likes - much appreciated.

 

To answer Richard E's question, yes, I do believe the lagging draped over the navigator's station was to reduce heat. The goldfish bowl canopy Canberra variants  got extremely hot inside,even on temperate days, so this was a measure deemed to provide some relief.

 

Stever 219- that's an amusing anecdote regarding the non existent 51 Sqn Nimrods! I do seem to recall it took the RAF a very long time to publicly acknowledge their existence and even then they were simply described as a communications relay aircraft. More on these in the next instalment.

 

Mark

[Jabba]

1 hour ago, canberraman said:

 

 

Stever 219- that's an amusing anecdote regarding the non existent 51 Sqn Nimrods! I do seem to recall it took the RAF a very long time to publicly acknowledge their existence and even then they were simply described as a communications relay aircraft. More on these in the next instalment.

 

Mark

 

When I joined 51 in Nov 81 I was told that if anyone asked what the aircrafts role was it "Radio and Radar Calibration". We did have some fun with some armourers at Kinloss, whilst talking about the picture that had appeared in Flight magazine taken by Swedish Viggens. I said to them that the aircraft were hired by the Swedes and that we could do most of their airfields from the height that the Nimrod flew at , to which my Sgt that was with us just got up walked away giggling.

[Smudge]

1 hour ago, canberraman said:

.......................More on these in the next instalment.

Loving the Canberra photos, and looking forward to pictures of the sneeky beeky Nimrods.

 

The PR.7's are of particular interest to me, mainly because I wonder what their use/role may have been?

 

Thanks for posting.

[canberraman]

4 minutes ago, Smudge said:

Loving the Canberra photos, and looking forward to pictures of the sneeky beeky Nimrods.

 

The PR.7's are of particular interest to me, mainly because I wonder what their use/role may have been?

 

Thanks for posting.

Hi Smudge,

According to Ken Delve, in the MCP book on the EE Canberra, the PR.7s were handed down to 100 sqn upon the deactivation of 13 Sqn in 1981. The few PR,7s is use with 100 Sqn in 1991 had no specific photo task but were used as general work horses including target towing. It was one of the best loved variants on the sqn though because of its superior avionics fit and the extra performance. 

[72modeler]

Sigh...the Canberra is such a beautiful airplane, no matter the version or the scheme...talk about sensory overload! I think I've exceeded my rapture quotient! Thank you so much for sharing the photos with us!

Mike