98 SQUADRON 100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
September 2018 FLYPAST 121acquired by the RAF was the
American intermediate-range
ballistic missile, Thor, which was
deployed in squadrons of three.
So, when No.98 was re-formed
at Driffield in the East Riding of
Yorkshire on August 1, 1959 as
part of 1 Group it returned to the
bomber role – albeit with nuclear
missiles. Commanded by Sqn
Ldr P G Coulson, the unit was
the first to be fully equipped; its
three missiles being numbers 31,
32 and 33. The squadron had its
first Thors operationally ready
on June 7, 1960, and so began
the unending routine of practice
alerts and countdowns – in 1961 it
achieved a record 413 countdowns.
However, due to its vulnerability
and lengthy warm up time, in
1962 it was decided to withdraw
the Thor system so, at the end of
March 1963, No.98 stood down its
missiles from alert and disbanded
on April 18.CALIBRATION DUTIES
The following day, however, it
re-formed at Tangmere, West
Sussex, under Sqn Ldr Alan
Musker when 245 Squadron
was renumbered. Part of Signals
Command, it flew Canberra B.2s
for the calibration and flight
checking of navigation aids and
ground radar. At the end
of September 1963, the
unit moved to Watton
in Norfolk alongside the
other units. The squadroncontinued its undramatic but
important flight checking duties
through the 1960s, flying wherever
the RAF operated. In April 1969,
with Watton due for closure, No.98
moved to Cottesmore in Rutland
as part of 90 (Signals) Group, from
where it continued its work and
in August of the following year
began receiving the longer ranged
Canberra E.15. No.98 remained
flying on its calibration duties
until, following reductions required
by the 1975 Defence Review, it was
finally disbanded at Cottesmore on
February 27, 1976.“Part of Signals Command, it fl ew Canberra B.2s for the
calibration and fl ight checking of navigation aids and
“Part of Signals Command, it fl ew Canberra B.2s for the
calibration and fl ight checking of navigation aids and
“Part of Signals Command, it fl ew Canberra B.2s for the
ground radar”
calibration and fl ight checking of navigation aids and
ground radar”
calibration and fl ight checking of navigation aids and
Left
Canberra E.15
WH964 high above
the overcast during
a sortie from
Cottesmore in 1972.
Note the Cerberus
badge displayed
prominently on the
fi n. MODBelow
A Thor intermediate
range ballistic missile
on its launcher
during an exercise at
Driffi eld during the
early 1960s. MOD