Squadron tasks as it entered the new year were flying training and border patrols in the Beihan area from dawn to dusk as detailed by TACOPS. Having imbibed heartily of the cheering cup, the first few days were spent in ensuring that everyone knew their way round the local countryside and this was accomplished without losing anyone.
With a visit by a team from DFCS scheduled for the end of the month, a general programme of weapons and tactical training was drawn up for the rest of the month. The period 7 to 11 January was devoted to weapons training and while the R/P scores were good, the air-to-ground scores were a little lower than usual. As the Beihan patrol tasks varied daily, there tended to be few aircraft available for normal training. As a result, the weapons training was not as concentrated as desirable and the benefit derived from the programme decreased. From the 14th to the 18th, G-suit straps were tightened an extra notch for a period of practice low-level evasion tactics, a programme that was to generate much discussion of many cups of coffee.
Having performed a seven-ship formation flypast over Zingibar, the capitol of Fadhli, to celebrate the inauguration of the Sultan on the 20th, news came through that the DFCS visit would start on the 26th, a few days earlier than expected. A period of R/P training produced quite good results and a presentation on the background of Kuwait and the Squadron’s role in connection with the oil state was prepared for the end of the DFCS visit. The UK team’s remained with the Squadron well into February, the programme of flying being largely devoted to exercises in which it could display its ability to fulfil the various roles allotted to the Squadron. In general, it was felt that great benefit had been derived from the DFCS team’s visit and the hope was expressed that they in turn had learnt something about the conditions under which the Khormaksar Hunter squadrons operated.
Border patrols detailed from HQ MEC continued to occupy much of the Squadron’s flying commitment into February, but with the return of 8 Squadron from Bahrain on the 3rd, the commitment reduced to alternate days, except for odd occasions when the efforts of both squadrons was required. This enabled a weapons programme on the range to be run during the period from the 9th to 21st of the month but the need to have a number of aircraft on standby for border patrols limited the number of range sorties. Better serviceability rates from the latest mark of rocket provided encouraging results. With the imminent arrival of 43 Squadron at Khormaksar, the Squadron’s accommodation had to be left spick and span as 43 would occupy it until its own accommodation was ready. On the 25th, nine FGA.9s (XE530, XE552, XE645, XF376, XF431, XF454, XF462, XJ632 and XJ688) departed Khormaksar for Bahrain with an FGA.9 (XK139) and T.7 (XL613 - on loan from 8 Squadron) staging through Salalah, to relieve 54 Squadron which had been holding the fort at Bahrain while on detachment from the UK. Three FGA.9s (XE647, XF388 and XK140) remained at Khormaksar on second-line servicing whereas XF445 was re-allocated to 8 Squadron. The OC 208 Squadron, Sqn Ldr Mike Goodfellow, also remained at Khormaksar to await his successor, the Bahrain detachment being placed in the temporary command of Flt Lt Q. Oswell.
On the 6th of the month, the Squadron performed a nine-ship flypast for the AOC’s parade at Muharraq and on the following day, a seven-ship formation for the AOC’s parade at Sharjah. much to the astonishment of the gathering who were not expecting such treatment. This flypast had been cooked up during the AOC’s cocktail party held at Bahrain on the evening of the 6th. On the 8th and 9th, the Squadron took the opportunity to practice ‘snap-up’ attacks a form of attack which is almost the only way a Hunter could destroy a tail-armed bomber.
Sqn Ldr Graham Lewis assumed command of 208 Squadron on 17 March at Bahrain, allowing Sqn Ldr Goodfellow to return to a posting at the Air Ministry.
Having returned to Khormaksar at the end of April, the Squadron was stood-down for the first three days of May with a further three days allocated for aircraft rectification. An intense programme of range work then ensued, the emphasis being on the shallow dive-angle method of attacking a ground target. The results achieved were quite satisfactory with several senior pilots progressing to the operational 1-pass shoot phase. On the 13th, the Squadron provided close air support for the FRA as they penetrated into the Wadi Hatib area but was not called upon to fire its guns. As the month progressed, attention turned to air combat training giving the new pilots the opportunity to display their prowess and demonstrate their ability to stay in fighting formation during aerial warfare. On the 30th, the Squadron provided a farewell flypast for the C in C, Sir Charles Elworthy, GCB, CBE, DSO, MVO, DFC, AFC. Despite poor visibility, the formation managed to arrive over the saluting base in good order and on time.
The month of June saw limited flying outside operational sorties due to restrictions being placed on all Hunters operating in theatre. All aircraft were grounded on one day pending an investigation into an incident with a 43 Squadron Hunter, which had an aileron shackle break in flight. Although mod-kits were awaited from the UK, restrictions were eased sufficiently for high level battle formations of four aircraft plus a menace aircraft to be flown from the 12th to the 17th. Continued G-restrictions, however, prevented the use of a bounce aircraft so the menace aircraft was used to give formation leaders tactical problems that had to be overcome. A similar programme was operated towards the end of the month and in the intervening period, the Squadron was called upon to provide up-country support to the FRA. As tyre wear continued to be a cause for concern, average usage figures of 23 landings being deemed unacceptable, pilots were instructed to use their brake chutes on every landing a change that increased the average to 40 landings.
In early July, a local ruler reported being besieged by rebel tribesmen in a fort in the Hillyan area of Upper Yaffa. The Squadron was first called in to provide top cover for supply drops but live cannon attacks were carried out on the 9th on targets occupied by the dissidents, resulting in a truce called for by the dissidents. On the 17th, the Squadron Commander and three pilots took part in a formation flypast of nine Hunters of Tactical Wing on the occasion of the departure of His Excellency The High Commissioner. The Station Commander congratulated the Hunter Squadrons on their immaculate contribution to the farewell ceremony.
Arrival of the mod-kits allowed restrictions on modified aircraft to be lifted and an intensive R/P programme to be carried out on the range during the last week of the month. The programme continued into the first week of August and although initial results were disappointing, gradually the effects of continuity paid dividends. The average for the shoot was 12.9 yards, a fair score considering the experience level of the Squadron and the lengthy period since the previous range programme. The middle of the month was concentrated on low-level simulated rocket strikes the sorties consisting of long range, low-level cross-countries followed by a run-in and cine rocket attack. In order to simulate a hostile air environment, a pair of aircraft were used to ‘menace’ the strike aircraft and give them a more realistic withdrawal problem. This phase gave the inexperienced pilots invaluable insight into operations in the primary role of the Squadron. On the 17th, a one-day air-to-ground cannon programme was run for the new pilots to give them the opportunity to fire the guns in a Mark 9 aircraft before the upcoming Bahrain detachment, as there was little possibility of doing any academic shooting while up in the Gulf.
From then until the 21st, no further flying was carried out to allow all necessary rectification for the detachment to be carried out. On the morning of the 22nd, led by the Squadron Commander, six aircraft left Khormaksar for Bahrain, staging through Masirah en-route. One aircraft was left at Masirah with a minor unserviceability and was joined there by three more aircraft on their way up from Khormaksar on the following day. All four then continued on to Bahrain. The remaining officers and airmen flew up to Bahrain in a Britannia, arriving later that evening. Once settled in, owing to the runway at Bahrain being closed between 12:30 and 18:30 for repairs, pairs of aircraft were dispatched to Sharjah to carry out reconnaissance flight over Muscat and Oman.
It was during this detachment that several aircraft suffered a plague of leaks from the flexible mainplane Marston fuel tanks, a known problem that had been around for two years. A shortage of the Fireproof alternative tanks forced the Squadron into fitting more Marston tanks, some dating back to 1956 production. This only worsened the problem with one tank splitting in the air and causing the pilot to divert to Sharjah, where another two split on the ground. Many others rendered aircraft unserviceable due to their being porous. In all, thirteen wing tank changes were carried out in September as well as en experiment to ensure the fault was not in the fitment.
At the end of the detachment, the Squadron aircraft were ferried back to Khormaksar in three waves; two formations staging through Masirah on 24 and 25 October and the T.7 plus one FGA.9 via Salalah, also on the 25th. The groundcrew departed Bahrain by Beverley soon after the first wave had taken off. For the last three days of the month, recce flights were carried out round the WAP to re-familiarise pilots with the area.
Most of November was devoted to training sorties in which all aspects of recent training were combined together. These comprised gunnery sorties on the Khormaksar range, strikes under FAC with four aircraft, essential solo exercises, T.7 flying, ferrying of a refurbished aircraft (XJ687) from El Adem - it having gone unserviceable en-route from the UK, and a ground programme. In addition, operational standby for air defence of the Protectorate and six Operation Ranji flights to search for the illegal landing of immigrants from dhows, were undertaken in accordance with the rota system arranged by TACOPS. A thirty-minute standby was in operation until the 19th when it was extended to two hours. A number of scrambles took place in the early part of the month when three pairs spent most of the airborne time flying along the border.
The range was only available for use by the Squadron for seven days during the month as it was required by four other squadrons. A gunnery programme was arranged beginning with academic shooting in preparation for operational strike attacks on the range. The scores for both the academic shoots of unlimited pass type and the four-pass variety were disappointing but two-pass shooting and operational attacks were above average. Among the tasks assigned for a busy month on the T.7 were instrument flying, dual checks and, as part of the FAC training, air experience flights and demonstrations of strike attacks to student Forward Air Controllers.
The Khormaksar Open Day was held on 29 November, the flying display commencing at 15:00. The Squadron provided three pilots for the initial nine-ship formation flypast and this was followed by a solo display by Flt Lt Copplestone. A tactical demonstration was staged on the airfield as part of the flying programme, during which the Squadron provided ground attack and top cover, the Squadron Commander leading six aircraft a highly impressive show of firepower.
Beihan patrols became the order of the day on 1 and 2 December following reports of UAR reconnaissance aircraft operating in the area. One pair of aircraft (XF431 and XJ687), flown by Fg Offs Swain and Webb respectively, were scrambled on the morning of the 2nd and spotted an IL-14 Crate aircraft on the Lawdar airstrip, and a second pair (XF431 and XE647), flown by Flt Lts Grant and Dicken respectively, scrambled to intercept a Crate over Protectorate territory, but it safely ran for home despite signals ordering it to land.
From 5 to19 December, was detached to Embakasi in order to take part on flypasts in Zanzibar and Kenya as a contribution to the independence ceremonies of the two countries. On the 9th, four aircraft were flown to Dar-es-Salam and refuelled prior to rehearsing a practice flypast over the Sultan’s Palace in Zanzibar in company with a Victor of 10 Squadron from Cottesmore. After the flypast, a low-level tour of the islands was carried out before returning to Embakasi. The next day, the Zanzibar Independence flypast was carried out by a formation of eight 208 Squadron Hunters. On the 11th it was the turn of Kenya and the Kenya Independence flypast was flown by a nine-ship formation and the 10 Squadron Victor. The aircraft were flown passed the Uhuru Stadium in Nairobi, arriving on time at the crescendo of the first playing of the Kenya National Anthem. The Hunters and Victor then parted company to fly over the major Kenyan townships, the route taken by the Squadron being via Thika, Fort Hall, Nyeri, Thomson’s Falls. Eldovet, Kakwnega, Kigumu, Kericho, Nakum, Gilgil and Naivagha back to Nairobi. During the late afternoon of the 12th, Flt Lt Copplestone gave a solo aerobatic display for a Youth Rally in the Uhuru Stadium. On the 14th, seven pilots and five aeroplanes left Nairobi for Khormaksar leaving five pilots and four aircraft for continuation training for qualified Forward Air Controllers. Some airborne controlling using Alouette helicopters was also included. At the conclusion of the exercise, the remaining pilots and Hunters returned to Khormaksar.
Back on ‘home’ soil, the Squadron found itself manning the 30-minute standby, top cover being provided on the 19th over an up-country airstrip called Freddies Field, during a task to supply provisions for FRA troops deployed in the area.
On 30 December, Sqn Ldr Lewis lead a formation flypast over the funeral cortege of the Assistant High Commissioner, Mr. George Henderson, who died from injuries received when a bomb was thrown at the High Commissioner’s party as it crossed the tarmac at Aden Airport on 10 December.