43 Squadron Galleries

5 - On Ops

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Life on the line     

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Crème de la Crème     

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On the range     

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Aircraft     

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At ease!     

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Pilots

Flt Lt Roger Wilkins stands proudly by his Hunter FGA.9 at Khormaksar in 1964 (Roger Wilkins)

Of note is the hand-painted cockerel motief on the black and white chequered markings.

Swapping roles for this publicity shot, Roger Wilkins makes friends with a new mount as the Aden Levy tries the cockpit for size (Roger Wilkins)

Rod Dean gives his Hunter a friendly pat before departing Khormaksar on another up country sortie (Roger Wilkins)

Time has moved on to 1965 and Roger Wilkins poses by his 'new' Hunter, XE530, which bears dual 8/43 Sqn markings (Roger Wilkins)

Jeff Taylor has a word with a 43 Sqn airman after a sortie from Khormaksar in a 1417 Flt T.7 in 1964 .................

............ and then quietly walks away in deep thought (both, Roger Wilkins)

The Hunter is T.7, XL566-TW

Bill Stoker relaxes with his pipe while standing on a vantage point above Thumier when duty BASO at HQ 39 Brigade in June, 1964 (Paul Constable)

Waiting to be strapped in for a sortie up country towards the end of Hunter operations at Khormaksar is Tony Hawken (Richard Grevatte-Ball)

'Wally' Willman about to alight from the cockpit of his Hunter during the last days at Khormaksar (Richard Grevatte-Ball)

Performing the task

XJ683-L and XK137-P taking off 'low' at Khormaksar in 1963 (author)

XJ680-F and XJ692-K taking off 'high' at Khormaksar in 1963 (author)

Dramatic shot of an FGA.9 taking off from the rough, unsurfaced, up-country airstrip at Beihan in 1966 (Alan Pollock)

As the type of target dictated the actual armament carried, something rather solid was about to feel the force of these HE rockets (Roger Wilkins)

Roger Wilkins flying his 'own' FGA.9, XE649-R over the Aden mountains on 24 August, 1965, shortly before his return to the UK (Roger Wilkins)

Roger's name can just be made out on the fuselage side directly below the canopy. Note the dual 8 and 43 Squadron markings.

A full complement of twelve 43 Sqn FGA.9s fly in echelon formation over the sea off the east coast of Aden on 13 February, 1965 (Roger Wilkins)

The photograph was taken using a 1417 Flt FR.10 nose camera.

At the completion of their formation practice, the twelve 43 Sqn Hunters break over the Khormaksar Salt Pans, 13 February, 1965 (Roger Wilkins)

There may not be much 'boot space' but Roger Wilkins is determined that his bag fits in the radio bay before departing for Bahrain (Roger Wilkins)

Other personal belongings have been rammed into the rear section of the Sabrina seen laying on the ground.

The damaged caused by an in-flight engine fire is examined by the groundcrew after the aircraft made a safe landing (Roger Wilkins)

After his Hunter failed to start, the pilot has jumped out and is seen running towards the spare aircraft (Roger Wilkins)

Having been greeted by Station Staff Officers, 43 Sqn pilots begin a detachment to a hot Masirah in 1965, with a cool beer (Roger Wilkins)

The officers are: John Thomson, John Sweet (OC Masirah), Roger Wilkins, a GLO, Alan Pollock, Phil Champniss (OC 43 Sqn), Ron Loader (EO) and Ron Burrows.

After the long flight, the pilots relax on the Masirah tarmac while making the most of another long cool beer (Roger Wilkins)

Roger Wilkins, Tony McKeon, ANOther, John Sweet (OC Masirah), Andy White, Ron Loader (EO) and Ron Burrows.

Nothing like a little light-hearted banter to unwind after a long flight (Roger Wilkins)

Andy White, John Sweet (OC Masirah), John Thomson and Roger Wilkins.

To ascertain whether it would be possible to base two Hunters at Beihan to deter incursions by MiGs from the Yemen, a number of pilots were flown ....

.... up to the airstrip in a 30 Sqn Beverley (XB266-V) in 1964 (both, Roger Wilkins)

Although they concluded that the runway was too short, it was subsequently lengthened and two Hunters were sometimes based there during daylight hours from 1966.

Sea Vixens of 892 and 893 Sqns and Buccaneers of 801 and 809 Sqns with 8, 43, 208 and 1417 Flight Hunters approaching Aden on 17-05-67 (Chris Bain)

The multi-type flypast of RAF and RN aircraft passing over HMS Hermes en-route to Khormaksar, 17-05-67 (Peter Sturt)

XG550-C, XG296-A and XJ692-K take off in formation prior to giving their display at the Khormaksar Open Day (Peter Lewis)

Swooping over the coast road, with Shamsan as a backdrop, 8/43 Sqn FGA.9 (XF376-K) is on the eastern approach to Khormaksar's runway (Roger Wilkins)

1417 Flt FR.10 (XF460-GT) and 8/43 Sqn FGA.9 (XF456-P) take off on a scramble from Khormaksar in 1965 (Roger Wilkins)

The sequence of photographs below, taken from a 1417 Flight FR.10 by Ralph Chambers on 18 June 1965, depict 43 Squadron FGA.9s on the pan at Masirah during a detachment that lasted from 10 to 25 June  (Roger Wilkins)

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