Page 17 - issue08.03.2019
P. 17
Royal Air Force News Friday, March 8, 2019 P17
News
Defence News
OVERDUE: Air Marshal Stuart Atha presents
Mosquito pilot Colin Bell with his wings more
than 70 years after he earned them
WWII hero
finally gets
RAF GLIDER pilots ride the his wings
thermals in the foothills of the
Andes during an annual exchange
with the Chilean Air Force. Tracey Allen
Members of the RAF Gliding
Association reached more than A VETERAN Mosquito pilot who
20,000ft during the flight over carried out 50 bombing raids over
the mountain range. Germany has finally received his
Exercise Andean Condor was RAF pilot’s wings.
launched in 1996 to promote Flt Lt Colin Bell was presented
diplomatic relations between with his RAF flying badge at a
the two countries. ceremony at RAF Linton-on-Ouse
by Air Marshal Stuart Atha, Deputy
Commander Operations, who also
presented pilots’ wings to current
MARITIME SURVEILLANCE Royal Air Force and Royal Navy
pilots graduating on No 270 Basic
Lossiemouth on target Fast Jet Training course.
Colin carried out his flying
training in the United States under
the ‘Arnold Scheme’.
for Poseidon sub hunter
Staff Reporter
NEW HOME: The Poseidon P-8 facility at
A £132 million facility to house Lossie, inset. Main, a P-8 in flight
the RAF’s new Poseidon P-8
fleet of sub hunters is nearing After being commissioned into
completion at Lossiemouth, the the RAF he was retained in the US
Ministry of Defence has said. by the American Army Airs Corps
Work on the main structure of as an advanced single-engine flying
the complex, designed to house instructor training US and British
three of the UK’s nine Boeing-built pilots flying Stearmans, the Vultee
maritime surveillance aircraft was and Harvards.
finished this month. Unlike his Air Force pilot
The project will also provide colleagues who returned to the
maintenance facilities, planning United Kingdom immediately after
rooms and office space for 120 their flying training, Colin was
Squadron crews and technicians. never formally presented with his
As the Scottish station prepares RAF wings.
for the arrival of the first P-8A Returning to the UK in 1943, he
Poseidon in 2020, Royal Air converted to Mosquitos and joined
Force crews are training on the 608 Sqn (Pathfinder Group) based at
aircraft at the Naval Air Station in Downham Market.
Jacksonville, Florida. During his operational tours he
The aircraft will protect Britain’s carried out 50 bombing raids over
seaborne nuclear deterrent and Germany – 13 over Berlin.
Queen Elizabeth class aircraft He said: “At the height of the
carriers, carry out surveillance bomber offensive a heavy bomber
missions and support search and crew on a tour of 30 operations
rescue operations. stood only a 25 per cent chance of
120 Squadron, the RAF’s survival from being shot down, so
highest scoring World War II anti- perhaps it was better to be without
submarine unit with 14 kills, will be any imagination at all in those
joined by pre-World War I vintage dangerous days – even if you were
201 Squadron in 2021. flying a Mosquito.”
Poseidon can fly up to 41,000 Colin still practices as a chartered
feet and travel up to 490 knots for surveyor and travels around the
up to 4500 miles without refuelling country attending conferences and
and can carry torpedoes and anti- giving after dinner talks on his World
shipping missiles. War II experiences.
