SA-3s surface-to-air missiles being unloaded
from a Baghdad train in the rail yard.
“I took the images, taken less than 90
minutes previously, to our US commander.
Although pleased, he wanted more pictures
immediately. He asked us to ‘do what you do
best’, y really low and take more images. We
launched just ahead of the French and, after
refuelling, dropped to low level and ew over
Mosul, this time at just 150ft. It was such an
alien feeling. We ew as fast as possible, but
ying so low over a city the size of Norwich
was something we never normally did.
“We got some great images of missiles and
their associated radars being unloaded from
the train. We stayed at Incirlik for about three
months before being replaced by another
Coltishall squadron. I was very proud of my
groundcrew, who had lived in tents beside
Incirlik’s runway, operated round the clock,
worked long hours and did an outstanding
job keeping the Jaguars serviceable and the
imagery speedily processed.
“We were all on a high and ready to
go home for Christmas and I felt we had
recovered our squadron morale, boosted by
congratulatory reports on our results from
senior commanders in the UK. I later didadditional periods at Incirlik, but the rst was
the most rewarding.”
Tim said after the squadron returned
home, some groundcrew approached him
suggesting a special colour scheme to mark
the squadron’s 75th anniversary in May 1991.
The station commander approved, as long asit didn’t prevent the aircraft from ying.
“The design was a team effort and, when
it was nished, we did a photoshoot with
photographer, Geoff Lee, alongside in a two-
seater,” Tim said.
Daily life on the squadron had its dramas.
During a training ight on February 7, 1992 Tim
was leading a low-level ight of three Jaguars
when he suffered a bird strike. Windscreen
broken and with glass and bird fragments
in the cockpit, he performed an emergency
diversion to Prestwick, southwest Scotland.Tim recalled how, with very limited visibility,
one of the other Jaguars ew alongside giving
him ‘left’ and ‘right’ corrections in the nal
stages of the approach and landing.
Much of Tim’s time as officer commanding
(OC) was spent with half the squadron at
Incirlik supporting Operation Warden with 54
Sqn deploying for a second time from March
5 to April 28, 1992. The following month, May,
Tim led eight 54 Sqn Jaguars to Canada for
a Maple Flag exercise ying from Cold Lake.
Successful completion saw them return via
a night stop in Chicago, then onto Ottawa,
stopping at Goose Bay to meet up with their
tankers before the six-hour nal leg home to
Coltishall on June 11, 1992.
The squadron went to Turkey again
between September 19 and October 15, 1992
and for a nal period during March 1993. To
mark his departure on April 15, 1993 he led a
‘diamond nine’ over the station.
“That was the last of my full-time ying
jobs, although I returned to RAF Coltishall, as
station commander, from 1995-97. I did get to
y in Alaska and Egypt when my squadrons
deployed there and I greatly enjoyed the
station commander role,” he said.
Tim left the RAF in April 2001, having
own 2,800 hours on the Jaguar.
He became Director of Royal Travel
based at Buckingham Palace, responsible for
organising ights and co-ordinating travel for
the Royal Family. He accompanied the Queen
on State visits each year around the world until
he retired in 2011. In June 2009, he was made
a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order by
the Queen, in recognition of his valuable work.
“It was a great job, I really enjoyed it, a very
satisfying ten years following on from the Royal
Air Force,” he commented.34 Aviation News incorporating Jets February 2018‘I put out a Mayday
and somewhere
between 8,000ft and
5,000ft I ejected. ’
Above: A diamond nine formation being led by Tim Hewlett on his
departure as commanding officer of 54 Sqn on April 15, 1993.
Right: Tim Hewlett, OC 54 Sqn, (left) with Prime Minister John Major
at RAF Coltishall during the rst Gulf War with Station Commander
Group Captain Martin Abbott.The Jaguar that received a specially painted tail and drop tanks to mark 54 Sqn’s 75th anniversary. Geoff Lee28-34_jaguarDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 34 05/01/2018 15:28