Vernon Harrod, 29 Sqn Phantom pilot - pic of the day #6

".. Just about to get airborne on my last patrol sortie before going home. RAF Stanley, June 1983, Vern Harrod

" From my logbook the a/c was XV 495. We flew a FIPZ patrol as a pair of F4s with AAR support. Practice intercepts and practice visual identification. Couple of days later it was Airbridge back to Blightie. The sensory difference from a South Atlantic winter to England in mid summer was quite something..."

Was the starting / warm up procedure vastly different in the Falklands? Thinking icing , lubes coming to temp etc?

VH "..no it was the same. As long as you had a short taxi the engines had time to heat through..."

The a/c is well armed, even has a gun. I read that you were usually armed to the teeth on every sortie ..just in case

VH "..we weren't there to be messed with so routinely flew with a full weapons load..."

Below Vernon Harrod photo - flying to Ascension Island 1983

Vernon Harrod's FB page here

also on this blog;

British Phantom pilot training here

F-4 Phantom Squadrons in the RAF in 100 photos  here

Phantom Pharewell - German Air Force JG 71 Richthofen F-4F's retiring this weekend here

More on RAF Phantoms - a brief history here

Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) Lightning F6 XS 932 of 11 Sqn RAF Leuchars

 

by Steve Gyles

"..I took this one on 23 April 1970 from Lightning F6 XS932 of 11 Sqn RAF Leuchars. It was approx 3 hours into a Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) sortie at 0700 hours. Got back in time for breakfast.

I was scrambled at 0400 hours against 80 unknown inbound tracks to the north. The Victor tanker had been on a lower alert at Leuchars and got airborne 15 minutes behind me. The other Lightning had been on turnround following an earlier scramble that morning. He followed about 5 minutes after the tanker.
Between us we got 20 intercepts. I got 10; the other Lightning 7; and the Victor tanker 3. We probably saw another 40 to 50 aircraft either on radar or visually. It was more a case of avoidance than interception. On one occasion I was with a 4-ship of Badgers when a shadow went over me. I looked up to see 4 more of them about 500ft above crossing on a 90.

I took the photograph with the QRA camera when we were on recovery. The Bear was heading straight at Leuchars. With about 200nm to go he rocked his wings and turned away. I never saw the original photo. My entire roll of some 70 happy snappies was sent immediately down to UKMoD. It was the following weekend that this one appeared in the Daily Telegraph. Apparently the Soviet Union were celebrating Lenin's centenary with a massive air and sea exercise..."