8 Squadron RAF reunion

Open to RN personnel who served with 8 Sqn RAF

From Ed Featherstone

8 Squadron RAF was reformed in the early 70s at Lossiemouth with AEW Shackleton Aircraft and the radar transferred from the Gannet AEW Mk 3. All of the early Tactical Coordinators were air force navigators who had enjoyed a tour with 849 embarked in Ark Royal. Much of the rest of the Squadron was supplemented by naval ex849 pilots and observers until the training pipeline caught up.

The final loan naval aircrew finished in 1976 and I was left on my own as the loan integration observer and eventually a TACO, having come from an ASW Seaking background. I was the first naval officer to be trained in AEW by the RAF rather than the other way round!

8 Sqn is now equipped with Boeing AWACS and is based at RAF Waddington. It will be celebrating its 100th anniversary at Waddington on 11 April 2015. All ex-8Sqn are invited but you will have to join the 8 Sqn Association first.

The day event will be at the current 8 Sqn hangar and the formal dinner in the evening will be at "The Engine Shed" in Lincoln. If you wish to meet old friends, contact Nick Byatt at [email protected]