Veteran pilots who took part in the longest bombing mission in the RAF's history during the Falklands War have met up 25 years later under one of the aircraft they flew and which helped alter the course of the conflict.
On 1 May 1982 Operation 'Black Buck' carried out the first of many successful missions – to destroy the Islands' Argentinian air and air defence assets. This included a hastily planned raid which saw the Falklands' Stanley airfield put out of use before the UK forces retook the Islands.
Some of the retired crews of the Vulcan bombers that carried out the raids and the Victor tankers that enabled the bombers to carry out their missions met up at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, this week to mark the anniversary of one of the most daring air raids in British history.
Meeting under the nose of the delta-winged Vulcan XM607, the actual aircraft that spearheaded the raids and now in preservation at RAF Waddington, were former Squadron Leaders Hugh Prior, Dick Russell, Derek Aldred, Bob Tuxford and Tony Wright.
The Falklands lie some 300 miles (483 km) off the east coast of Argentina, but 8,000 miles (12,872 km) from Britain. Days after Argentina invaded the Islands in April 1982 a Royal Navy task force left for the South Atlantic. Meanwhile the RAF was planning its part in the campaign, from airlifting supplies to Wideawake Airfield on Ascension Island in the Atlantic to providing frontline fixed-wing jets and support helicopters.
Three Vulcan B2s were drawn from 44, 50 and 101 Squadrons, based at RAF Waddington, and flew in secrecy to Ascension to prepare for the assault which would become the first military engagement in the re-taking of the Islands. Victor K2 aircraft from 55 and 57 Squadrons provided AAR.
At the end of April 1982 two Vulcan bombers armed with 14 1,000lb (454kg) bombs set off on the 8,000 mile round trip to the Falklands. Vulcan XM607 was the reserve aircraft but shortly after take off the lead Vulcan, XM598, now preserved at the RAF Museum, Cosford, had to return to Ascension due to a pressurisation failure. XM607 was now on her own, although she had support from no fewer than 15 Victor tanker aircraft in a carefully-designed pyramid of support to the sole bomber as well as to themselves to ensure there was sufficient fuel for all to complete the mission.
On 1 May 1982, XM607 cratered the runway at Stanley with her 1,000lb bombs. This sole runway on the islands was central to the build-up of the Argentinians' supplies and defences and by rendering it largely unusable the Argentine fast jets such as the Super Etendard were also unable to operate from the Islands. Had they been able to, instead of at the limit of their endurance from the South American mainland, they would have caused even greater havoc among British forces re-taking the Islands.
But the message to the Argentine government was even starker – if an all-out conflict between the two nations began, 'Black Buck' had demonstrated that the RAF could also reach their country.
Seven 'Black Buck' missions were flown in total between 30 April and 11 June 1982 including three sorties by XM607 targeting other important Argentine targets on the Falklands. Each mission is represented by a bomb painted under the cockpit above a representation of the Argentine flag.
The longest bombing campaign in the RAF's history earned Squadron Leader Withers and another Vulcan captain the Distinguished Flying Cross. Squadron Leader Tuxford, who captained a Victor aircraft, was awarded the Air Force Cross and four more crew members were Mentioned in Dispatches.
Source - MoD Website
I can still remember what I was going that night the first mission was flown, my wife and I were on camp in Germany at a very large party, someone came running in in uniform telling people to shut and switch the radio on (no live TV in Germany at this time) the BBC was talking about the raid, there was a great cheer people were shaking hands and slapping each other on the back, it was a proud time for the RAF and it felt that you were a part of the whole operation. The bar stayed open for hours, one very bad hangover the next day and I was in work early.
