SQUADRONS
No 1 Squadron - based Thornhill - equipped with Hawker Hunter FGA 9 strike aircraft
No 2 Squadron - based Thornhill - equipped with de Havilland Vampire T11 & FB9 Ground attack
No 3 Squadron - based New Sarum - equipped with Dakota transport aircraft
No 4 Squadron - based Thornhill - equipped with Lynx close support aircraft
No 5 Squadron - based New Sarum - equipped with Canberra B2 light bomber and PR aircraft
No 6 Squadron - based Thornhill - equipped with Gennet and Vampire training aircraft
No 7 Squadron - based New Sarum - equipped with Alouette helicopters
No 8 Squadron - based New Sarum - equipped with Bell 406 Helicoptes
Operations
The actual number of operations are quite staggering - ranging from highly successful to dismal lemons. Mention of the code-words for the various Operations will refresh the memories of many combatants - the list is as follows:-
Op Abduction - June - July 1978
Op Acrobat - 12 February 1978
Op Agila - 20–27 Dec 1979
Op Alcora - 6 June 1973 – 19 August 1973
Op Altar - 1982-1983
Op Amnesty - 14 June 1979
Op Anvil 25 November 1981
Op Apollo - 29 November 1970
Ex Armchair - 18-23 April 1966
Op Armchair - 19-24 September 1966
Ex Army FAC - 1 June 1964 - 17 June 1966
Op Askoek - 8 August 1968
Op Aspect [Bastille] 13 April 1979
Ex Aurora - 18-22 April 1966
Op Aztec - 28 May – 2 June 1977
Project Barnacle - July 1982
Op Bastille - 12 - 13 April 1979
Op Bene – Tete - 25 – 30 July 1968
Op Big Bang - 9 August – 1 October 1974
Op Big Push - August 1970
Op Birch - 8 - 28 January 1970
Ex Birds Nest - 2 - 6 June 1971
Op Biscuit - 9 September 1974
Ex Black Jack - 4 - 9 June 1972
Op Blanket - 10 - 30 August 1974
Op Blanket ll - 23 – 31 July 1979
Op Bluebell - 16 Jan – 19 February 1977
Op Bluebolt - 29 – 31 July 1975
Op Bondage - 12 May 1979
Op Bonfire - 23 December 1967
Op Bootlace - 2 - 9 September 1979
Op Bos (BOS 2947) February – March 1969
Op Bouncer - August - September 1979
Op Bowler - September 1979
Op Boxer - 20 Aug – 18 September 1979
Ex Brass Ring - 21 – 22 February 1967
Op Breampool - 1 - 2 November 1965
Op Breeze - 29 December 1967
Op Brisket - 29 June – 27 September 1977
Op Bristol - 1982-83
Ex Broken Arrow - 18 - 24 March 1965
Ex Brown Water - February 1963
Op Bulldog - 23 July – 22 August 1979
Op Bumper - 12 October - December 1979
Op Cantata - 17 July – 12 August 1966
Op Capsule - 8 - 12 December 1979
Op Cardigan - 10 April - 4 June 1968
Op Carlota - 1975
Op Carpet - 26 June 1979
Op Cauldron - 18 March - 8 April 1968
Ex Cauliflower - June 1973
Op Chamber - 4 June 1979
Op Cheese - 3 - 12 October 1979
Ex Chessman - 20 July - 14 September 1972
Op Chestnut - 20 February 1970
Op Chicory - 1 July 1979
Op Chinaman - September - November 1967
Op Christmas Cracker- December 1978
Ex Cobra - 19 - 20 November 1966
Op Condor - 11 - 12 November 1971
Op Coolith - 25 - 26 August 1987
Op Coondog - 1 - 3 May 1964
Op Cosmic - 7 April 1968
Op Cowboy - 2 – 6 March 1977
Op Crater - 30 Oct - 15 November 1972
Ex Crocodile Fever- 22 May 1967
Op Crusader - November 1941
Op Cucumber - 6 - 9 July 1979
Op Dabchick - 6 February 1979
Op Daffodil - 10 - 21 November 1967
Op Damper - 12 Sept – 26 December 1979
Op Detachment - May 1976
Op Detonate - See Op Splinter
Op Dice - 16 – 20 November 1979
Op Dingo - 23 – 26 November 1977
Op Dinky - 12 - 13 April 1979
Op Dirk - July - August 1975
Op Disco Scene - September 1979
Op Dragon - 21 September – 13 October 1977
Op Driver - 22 – 29 May 1977
Op Ecstasy - 17 May 1979
Op Elbow - 1 January - 12 June 1978
Op Eland - 8 – 12 August 1976
Op Enclosure - September 1979
Op Ermine - 25 September 1967
Ex Evaluation - [PTS] 11 Feb – 11 March 1960
Op Excess - 28 July - August 1968
Op Exodus - May 1945
Ex Fabric - 20 - 21 May 1967
Op Fiddle - 6 – 11 July 1979
Op Flock - 1970 - 1971
Op Flotilla - 16 April - May 1968
Op Free-fall Jump- 19 January 1973
Op Gaiter - 11 January – 22 March 1979
Op Gatling - 18 - 19 October 1978
Op Gericke - 15 November 81
Op Glamour - 17 May 1967
Op Glove - May 1968
Op Gordian Knot - May 1971
Op Grampus - 30 July 1966
Op Granite - 10 April 1970
Op Grapple - August 1977
Op Gravel - July – August 1968
Op Greenhills - 30 Nov - 2 December 1965
Op Greentrees - 9 November 1965
Op Griffin - 18 - 19 July 1968
Op Grinder - 18 – 24 October 1977
Op Grovel - 23 February 1979
Op Hectic - Dec 1979 - February 1980
Op Hedgehog - 4 May - 2 June 1964
Op Hemp - 11 and 13 December 1972
Op Heup - 3 April 1973 - 1975
Op Hooper - SAAF – see Op Modular
Op Hotdog - 8 December 1978
Op Hottentot- 28 Feb –26 March 69 - 17 July 71
Op Hurricane - Dec 1972 - 21 December 1979
Op Husk - 13 June 1967
Op Hustler - 7 March 1977
Op Hydra - August 1943
Op Ignition - November 1976
Op Ingrid - 31 May 1979
Op Inhibit - 17 – 25 December 1978
Op Inhibit ll - 8 February - 18 June 1979
Op Inspan - 13 – 31 July 1979
Op Instant - 7 April 1979
Ex Irish Stew - 28 October - 2 November 1969
Op Isotope - June 1967
Op Isotope II - 5 – 9 August 1967
Op Jacaranda - 30 September 78 and 1971
Op Jacket - 2 November 1978
Op Jezebel - 31 October 1967
Op Junction - 13 June - 4 August 1972
Ex King Kabanga - 23 - 26 August 1971
Op Knuckle - 26 Aug - 11 November 1968
Op Kodak - January - March 1977
Ex Liberator - 11 - 12 March 1967
Op Lion Cub - 16 September 1949
Op Liquid - April 1979
Op Lobster - 31 August - 3 September 1971
Ex Longdrag - 23 August - 1 September 1965
Op Long John - 25 June 1976
Ex Luanda, Angola- 17 - 18 September 1973
Op Luso, Angola - 26 February 1979
Op Mackerel - 16 October 1962
Op Manacle - October – 8 November 1979
Ex Mannix - October – November 1968
Op Mansion - 20 July 1968
Op Manyatela - 30 Dec 1976 - 17 January 1977
Op Marble - 6 June 1974
Op Mardon - 30 October – 2 November 1976
Op Market Garden- November 1974
Op Mascot - 10 July – 1 August 1978
Op Mayibuye - February - July 1963
Op Melon - 26 Oct 77 – 11 April 1978
Op Meltone - 23 November 1967
Op Merger - 1980 - 1987
Op Metric - 30 July 1978
Op Mica - 9 – 11 September 1974
Op Midford - 20 Dec 1979 – 16 March 1980
Op Mila - 1983
Op Milk Float - February 1979
Op Mineral - 9 June 1979
Op Miracle - 21 Sept - 6 October 1979
Op Mixer - 31 July 1981
Op Modular - SAAF, see Packer
Op Motel - 23 August 1979
Op Mulligan - 16 June 1979
Op Murex - 2 November 1979
Op Mustard - 13 – 15 June 1979
Op Mute - 1982 - 1984
Op Natal - 7 December 1968
Op Neutron - 15 February - March 1979
Op Neutron ll - 12 September 1979
Op Newton - 18 – 25 June 1975
Op Nickel - 12 August - 8 September 1967
Op Nimbus - 21 April – 7 May 1972
Op Noah - 1955-61
Op Norah - 12 September 1979
Op Knuckle - 26 August - 11 November 1968
Op Octopus - June - October 1982
Op Onyx - July - August 1973
Op Oppress - 29 April 1979
Op Overload - 1973 - 1974
Op Overtone - 15 - 24 October 1967
Ex Oxtail - 23 - 29 November 1970
Op Oyster - 1968
Op Packer - SAAF, see Beaver
Op Pagoda - 22 - 24 June 1966
Op Paladin - 13 – 19 May 1979
Op Paladin ll - 10 – 11 October 1979
Op Panga - 17 April 1971
Op Pannier - 27 February 1978
Op Pantechnicon- 26 May 1967
Ex Panther - 24 - 26 July 1965
Op Parker - SS Scapegoat
Op Partisan - 29 Oct – 5 November 1977
Ex Pea Soup - August 1969
Op Peptic - 27 June – 29 July 1977
Op Petal - March - April 1979
Op Peyboy - 22 December 1970
Op Phoenix - 16 - 30 October 1964
Op Placid - 21 - 24 August 1979
Op Pluto - 4 - 13 March 1970
Op Polar - 4 June - 2 September 1974
Op Polo - 1967 - August 1976
Ex PRAW - 4 -11 June 65 & 26 - 28 Mar 71
Op Prawn - August 1976
Ex Promptforce - 10 - 11 May 1967
Op Purple - 13 June – 13 July 1979
Op Pygmy - November - December 1978
Op Pyramid - 1 - 10 September 1967
Op Quartz - February - March 1980
Op Racket - 11-12 April 1979
Op Ranger - August 1977
Op Reindeer - 1978 (SA assault)
Op Reptile - 1 November 1966
Op Repulse - 1 May 1976 (Mar 76?)
Op Rhino - 14 September 1970
Op Robinson - October 1942
Op Robust - 2 - 8 November 1967
Op Sable - 8 May – 11 November 1972
Op Sabre - September 1961
Salops - August 1977
Op Sand - 1971 - 1978
Op Sculpture - 12 October – 1 December 1966
Op Sea Sheikh - 1961
Op Seed - 1982 – 1983
Op Shovel - 15 December 1978
Op Show Plane - August 1957
Op Sinoia - 28 - 29 April 1966
Op Slipshod - 14 - 15 November 1964
Op Small Bang - February 1976
Op Snoopy - 20 – 29 September 1978
Op Spider - February 1959
Op Spiderweb - March 1968
Op Splinter - 1 May 1978
Op Sponge - 22 August 1979
Op Starjump - 2 March 1977
Op Steeple - 9 – 20 January 1979
Op Stripper - 2 – 9 March 1977
Op Sunrise - 29 February 1959
Op Swordstick I - 29 Sept – 30 October 1972
Op Swordstick ll - 29 – 30 October 1972
Op Tangent - August 1976
Op Tarpaulin - November 1968 - 1971
Op Teak - 29 January 1970
Op Tempest l & ll- 1 Sept - 16 December 1972
Op Tepid - 18 - 20 October 1979
Op Terminate - 19 Sept – 21 October 1977
Op Terminate ll - 15 March – 15 August 1978
Op Thrasher - February 1976
Op Tombola - WW 2 - 1945
Op Traveller - April - May 1976
Ex Treble Chance- April 1960 – see Evaluation
Op Tripper - 7 December 68 - See Op Natal
Op Turkey - February 1975
Op Turmoil - 26 February – 10 March 1978
Op Underdog - January 1976
Op Uric - 1 - 20 September 1979
Ex Vanguard - 31 July 1974
Op Vanity - 26 February 1979
Op Vermin - 21 – 30 September 1966
Op Virgo - January - July 1977
Op Virile - Nov - 19 December 1977
Op Vodka - Nov - 22 December 1978
Ex VR-Preston - 18 June 1966
Op Winter - February 1980
Op Wizard [UDI] - 10 - 19 November 1965
Op Wrestler - 2 March 1977
Op Yodel - September 1967