The 7th of May is a very significant date in the history of the Fleet Air Arm, the flying branch of Her Majesty's Royal Navy, and even moreso in 2009. Exactly one hundred years ago to the day, £35,000 was set aside by the Admiralty for the acquisition of its first aircraft, His Majesty's Airship One, 'The Mayfly' - the catalyst which led to the formation of what we now know as the Fleet Air Arm.
So, in this centennial year, a series of events has been arranged to mark this most significant milestone in the FAA's history so far - one of the first of these being a massed flypast over HMS Illustrious, which was at anchor in the river Thames at Greenwich on the day itself.
Unsurprisingly, when the orders were received that the rotary element of the formation would be operating from RAF Northolt, Phil Dawe, who works for the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) at Swanwick and who has his own 'illustrious' record of organising a succession of photocalls at the RAF station, immediately set about looking into the feasibility of running another one to coincide with this special day. Liaising with the Navy along the way, as well as setting up many of the behind the scenes arrangements was Flt Lt Rhod Cunningham, OC Ops Flight.
These events really are win-win situations for everyone concerned. The enthusiast community gets access to an active RAF Station (though for this one it was more like a RNAS!), where they're given the opportunity to capture some fairly unique images; the crews taking part in the flypast get some lasting mementos of this significant day in their history; and most importantly, the Station benefits in terms of positive PR and also raising funds for their Building 27 restoration project - the goal of which is to restore the building to its 1940s glory, when it served as an 'Ops room' during World War II.
Gladly, the Navy were only too happy to support the idea, and so, on the morning of the 7th of May, 105 photographers descended on Northolt. The past experience of running such events was irrefutably evident with everyone being greeted upon arrival, car passes issued and almost immediately led in convoy across to the parking area for the event. It really did run like clockwork, and it's a real credit to Phil and the team that support him.
Project Officer for the photoshoot was Senior Air Traffic Control Officer (SATCO), Sqn Ldr Mark "Shurms" Shurmer. Once everyone had arrived we were given a Health & Safety brief by Senior Air Movements Officer (SAMO) Sqn Ldr Kenny Baxter, along with a rough plan of what the day would bring. The 'Brucey bonus' would be ramp access to the (already present) participating helicopters prior to their departure for the flypast itself.
Laying before us was a mix of Merlin, Sea King and Lynx helicopters, totalling 20 airframes. It was particularly nice to see that both specially painted Sea Kings, as well as a red and grey Search And Rescue example, were present.
The Merlin HM.1 variant is seldom seen 'out and about' in the UK, so to see six in the same place was extremely welcome. The four aircraft taking part in the flypast itself were drawn from 824 NAS. An additional example from 814 NAS acted as a cameraship for the TV coverage. Both 814 and 824 NAS are residents of RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, the cabs arriving earlier in the morning from HMS Illustrious.
The eight Sea Kings present were made up of a variety of marks of the type. As mentioned earlier, there was a red and grey example in attendance, that being a HU.5 SAR from 771 NAS, and that was joined by its Squadron comrade, XV648, the retro blue-schemed machine, specially painted to mark 40 years of the Westland manufactured machines that were developed specifically for the Royal Navy. 771 NAS are, like the Merlins, residents of RNAS Culdrose, and are primarily concerned with providing Search & Rescue (SAR) services.
The other aircraft painted specifically to mark the Sea King's anniversary is ZF115, a HC.4 'Junglie' under the care of 846 NAS. Contrary to common belief, the scheme isn't arctic camo, per se, but is actually a representation of the colours carried by the type during the Balkan conflicts of the early-to-mid '90s. They operate in the 'Commando' role, essentially transporting troops around the battlefield and are used for mounting amphibious assaults. The 'special' was accompanied by three other HC.4s bearing the standard olive drab colours. All of the FAA's Junglies call RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset "home".
Completing the Sea King package was a pair of ASaC.7 variants, whose roles include that of the detection of low flying aircraft, as well as providing interception/attack control and over-the-horizon targeting for surface launched weapon systems. They're instantly recognisable from the starboard side because of the 'bag' that hangs from the side of the airframe, and which houses the Thales Searchwater Radar. The pair involved here hailed from 849 NAS, also from RNAS Culdrose.
Two different operators of Lynx were involved with the flypast. Four Navy examples took part in the event itself (three HAS.3S models and a HMA.8DAS), three carrying the codes associated with 702 NAS and the other belonging to 815 NAS. The final piece in the jigsaw was an AH.7 from 847 Sqn of the Royal Marines. All three units are also based at RNAS Yeovilton.
As 1100 hrs rolled around, the participants were readied for the big one, and all of the photographers present were asked to stand back behind the yellow line on the edge of the ramp as the engines began spooling up.
The distinction of leading the formation fell to Lt Cdr Mike Pamphilon, a senior Qualified Helicopter Instructor (QHI) on 824 NAS, in one of the four participating Merlins.
They were followed out by the two pairs of ASaC.7 and HU.5SAR Sea Kings, then the four Navy Lynx, the four Junglies and finally, bringing up the rear, the Royal Marines Lynx AH.7. Their time on target over HMS Illustrious was 1200, and they were followed after a couple of minutes separation by four Jetstream T.2/T.3s and finally four Hawk T.1s. Apparently the intention had been to include more aircraft still, but the overhead conditions were deemed unsuitable.
Following the flypast the rotary element of the formation returned to the Northolt overhead, with all except two of the Sea Kings recovering for fuel. Watching the stream of seventeen helicopters all fly a conventional approach before breaking off and heading straight down the taxiway at us to settle back down on the ramp was a great sight. With the viewfinder often filled by four or more helicopters at the same time, this was an almost unique opportunity.
After refuelling, four of the Sea Kings and four of the Merlins returned to HMS Illustrious, with the remaining participants heading home. With that the RAF Northolt event drew to a close.
So in this year of celebration, it seems only right that we take a brief look back at some of the key events that helped to shape today's Fleet Air Arm.
Following the acquisition of 'The Mayfly' some 100 years ago, the Royal Flying Corps was formed in 1912, and later in 1914 the Royal Naval Air Service followed, with that organisation carrying out its first strategic strike later that year on the Zeppelin sheds at Friedrichshafen.
Famously the first use of aircraft in a sea battle came in the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of World War I. HMS Engadine, the seaplane tender from which the aerial complement of four Short 184 aircraft were launched, had no flight deck, and so the aircraft, being seaplanes, were lowered into the water at the start of the mission and recovered again thereafter.
In 1918 HMS Argus, the first true aircraft carrier, was commissioned, despite the fact that when she was laid down she was destined to become an Italian Ocean Liner by the name of Conte Rosso. In the same year the RNAS and the RFC were merged to form the Royal Air Force. HMS Hermes followed in 1923 - the first aircraft carrier equipped with an island, and the first designed specifically for the purpose. A year later the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force came into being, with control of it being returned to the Admiralty in 1937.
The FAA were extensively involved with World War II, with Lieutenant McEwan of 803 NAS claiming the first kill of a German aircraft in the conflict from his Skua. The Battle of Taranto of 1940 saw 20 Fairey Swordfish engaged in attacks against half of the Italian battlefleet, dropping torpedoes and leaving the battleships, cruisers and destroyers at anchor in the harbour crippled. The offensive later provided the inspiration for the attack on the Japanese at Pearl Harbour.
February 1942 witnessed the 'Channel Dash', a story of unsurpassed bravery and dedication. Eighteen young aviators in six torpedo-armed Swordfish took on the might of the German battlefleet in the English Channel. Despite heavy damage and already burning airframes, the brave men flew on to deliver their weapons. Thirteen men perished while performing the attacks and Lt Cdr Eugene Esmonde received a posthumous Victoria Cross in recognition of his bravery for the greater good.
In 1945, Lt Robert "Hammie" Gray DSC, RCNVR, died when his Corsair aircraft attacked and sank a Japanese destroyer, despite suffering heavy damage and being alight before reaching his target. He too was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
Since the end of World War II Naval aircraft have played a massive role in the Korean War, The Falklands Conflict, Operation Granby, the Balkan Conflict, Operation Telic and to this day the Harriers from the Naval Strike Wing and the helicopters of the Royal Navy continue to fly operations in support of Operation Herrick in Afghanistan.
Among the other events being held to mark this centenary of Naval Aviation, other flypasts can be witnessed at the RNAS Yeovilton Air Day (July 11th), Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey, the birthplace of Naval Aviation and home of the first Royal Naval Air Station (24th July), RNAS Culdrose Air Day (July 29th), as well as a repeat performance of the Greenwich event on the River Mersey in Liverpool, where HMS Illustrious will also be present (17th October). Full details can be found on the Royal Navy's dedicated Fly Navy 100 website.
Once again, all credit must be given to Phil Dawe and the first-rate team at RAF Northolt for laying on another excellent event. Of course, none of this would be possible without the unrelenting support that Phil receives from Station Commander, Gp Cpt Guy van den Berg.