as the Tristar, VC10 K.2 and Victor K.2,
rubbing shoulders with a 63 Sqn Hawk, 1
FTS Bulldog T.1 and locally based Jaguar
GR.1A and Hunter T.7B. Phantoms and
Tornados of various marks also attended.
NATO sent an E-3A Sentry – a
foretaste of the E-3Ds that were to
replace the Shackletons, but at RAF
Waddington in Lincolnshire, two years
later. A barbecue was set up while the
G.222 crew dispensed a seemingly
inexhaustible supply of delicious pasta
and red wine.
Sea mist robbed the families of their
promised short ying display, save for a
solitary Shackleton that took to the air.THE BIG DAY
On the 8th there were brie ngs between
crews of different aircraft types and tours
of their ‘steeds’, while gifts were exchanged
between units. The day had dawned
brighter and clearer, and my camera was
soon directed onto four Mirage 5BAs of 8
Smaldeel, from Florennes, Belgium.
One (s/n BA08), marked ‘8.8.88’ on
the rear fuselage, sported a special white
and two-tone blue n, nished with a silver
representation of the squadron badge of a
folded paper cygnet. The others were BA27,
BA30 and, borrowed from 2 Smaldeel, BA01.
Nobody seemed to mind that the ‘eight
squadron’ theme was stretched to include
wings, hence the appearance of two French
Air Force Alpha Jet E weapons trainers from
Cazaux – E67/8-MR of Escadron de Chasse
1/8 Saintonge and E116/8-NI of EC 2/8 Nice.
Italy used the ambiguity to full advantage
by sending two contingents. The ‘genuine’
squadron was 8° Gruppo of 14° Stormo at
Pratica di Mare, which operated aircraft to
check navigation aids, so its aircraft were
seldom seen outside their home country.
Doubly rare by virtue of its type was
PD.808RM, MM62016/14-55. The unit also
sent G.222RM MM62142.
Also attending was 8° Stormo (Wing)
which supplied a pair of ground attackG.91Ys, MM6451/8-11 and MM6958/8-65,
both serving its 101° Gruppo – another type
rarely seen outside Italy.
Aircraft even made the long trip from
the US, including another rarity in the form
of a UP-3A utility conversion of the Orion
submarine-hunter. With appropriate nose
art, 150527/JB-04 was named Tasmanian
Devil from VXN-8 World Travelers, a trials
squadron at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.
Another Orion unit, VP-8 – in the anti-
submarine role at NAS Brunswick, Maine –
had intended sending a P-3C, but cancelled
at a late stage.
There was never any expectation that the
US Navy’s HC-8 with HH-46 Sea Knights
from NAS Pensacola in Florida and HT-8, with
TH-57 Sea Rangers at NAS Whiting Field
in the same state, would y their helicopters
across the Atlantic. However, C-9B Skytrain
161266/RY of VR-59 was laid on to bring their
squadron representatives to the festivities.
Another US naval squadron, VT-8
(disbanded at the end of World War Two),
was represented at that evening’s formal
dinner by means of a message from pilot Lt
George Gay, read out by a member of his
squadron’s successors in HT-8.
George was the sole survivor of 45 men
in 15 torpedo-carrying Devastators of VT-8
dispatched against the Japanese Fleet byUSS Hornet on June 4, 1942 in the
Battle of Midway which, after initial
heavy losses, transformed into a
decisive US victory.
With fewer ‘eights’ at its disposal, the
US Air Force nevertheless managed to
produce a C-141B Starlifter belonging
to the 8th Military Airlift Squadron
of the 62nd Military Airlift Wing at
McChord AFB, Washington. This was
a greater feat than it might seem, as it
was unusual for a US west coast airlift
squadron to be tasked with a European
mission. However, having conducted a
pre-planned domestic sortie to an east
coast base, the C-141B was re-tasked by a
sympathetic senior officer to y to Scotland.
Flt Lt Thomas duly arranged rooms for
the anticipated USAF crew of a colonel and
three captains (the latter all sharing) but
found himself welcoming three colonels and
one captain down the ladder. Not standing
on protocol, the more senior officers
declared they would be pleased to lay their
heads wherever a bed could be found.
From its complement of six remaining
AEW.2s (of 12 converted), 8 Sqn chose
Shackletons WL747 Florence, WL756 Mr
Rusty, WL757 Brian and WR963 Parsley for
a formation ypast over the base and the
assembled guests. The impressive sight
and sound of 400,000 rivets and 16 Rolls-
Royce Griffons in close formation is unlikely
to be forgotten by those on the ground; and
certainly not by the lucky few photographers
crowded in the side door opening of
escorting Hercules C1P XV187.
The gathering was not the only notable
event that day. Wg Cdr Hencken and his
squadron paused in the festivities to dispatch
a loyal telegram of congratulations to Prince
Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, on the
birth of their rst child.
What must rank as one of the most
unusual Cold War gatherings of NATO
units was viewed as a resounding success
by uniformed participants and aviation
enthusiasts alike.28 Aviation News incorporating Jets August 2018The four Shackletons lined up before their ypast.A close-up of the Tasmanian Devil artwork on
the VXN-8 Orion.26-28_shackletonDC.mfDC.mfDC.mfDC.mfDC.mf.indd 28 06/07/2018 16:22