118 Sqn Form 540 - Operations Record Book Click Year to Jump to First F540 for that Year 1955 1956 1957 1958 1955 May 1955           - Move to Jever from Fassberg, begin re-equipment and conversion to Hunter F4. June 1955          - Conversion to Hunter F4 continuing, high level battle a challenge, Hardy's undercarriage leg stuck up until last minute, Hunters grounded for u/c checks, Ex Carte Blanche, Hunters photographed from Vampire. July 1955           - Conversion to Hunter F4 continuing, Hardy left, Goodwin posted in as B Flt Cdr, Station Sports, Oldenburg and Bremen flypasts, hydraulic selector leaks grounding, fuel gauge snags. August 1955       - Conversion to Hunter F4 continuing, some pilots now operational with 50 hrs on type, tyre burst on take-off, flap fault grounded Hunters, Denison joined from Buckeburg, brake seized and tyre burst left the runway, barostat checks on seats delayed start, RCAF Sabres attached to Jever, canopy broke at 33,000 ft., flying in pairs the Sabre 6 compared to the Hunter 4 - almost identical performance, Ex Loco bombing runs over low countries, 8 Hunter formation to finish month. September 1955  - Hunter monthly flying hours target achieved, 1st Hunter night flying in 2nd TAF, Goodwin solo aerobatics display for C-in-C, C-in-C's visit, cine filming in tail-chases, Irish married, Butcher returned to UK. October 1955     - Ex fauxpas, night flying, Barraclough joined, mist and fog, Rat and Terrier, Rogers and McLennan collided and both killed, Hamburg funeral, Darrington left. November 1955   - Poor weather, Maish and Thompson joined, Wraight left, CR/DF trench dug across airfield, guns fired into sea. December 1955   - Misselbrook and Dutton arrived, Gibbs handed over CO to Buddin, F/O Yeomans killed at Ahlhorn, bad weather limited flying, Baines and Brewer arrived, Battle Flight for Christmas. 1956 January 1956      - Boss Buddin took over and F/O Don Henderson arrived, snow and ice interfered with Sylt                           preparations.   Ex Argus against Canberras.   Fg. Off. Saunders left the Sqn on 16th at                           end of his 4 year engagement.   First air-to-air firing on the flag at Sylt.   13 Jever                           aircraft diverted to Oldenburg by weather. February 1956    - More bad weather, snow and preparations for Sylt and an Officers' Mess Ball.   Some                          pilots to Oldenburg for Promotion Exams.   Squadron flew to Sylt on 27Feb56. March 1956       - APC Sylt, first Hunter air to air firing in Germany, 25,000 ft., bad weather interrupted                          flying, stoppage rate by 13th at 1672, u/s GCI stopped firing, sqn average 5.6%, returned                          to Jever on 26th, Fg. Off. Irish left the Sqn. April 1956         - 6 aircraft to Geilenkirchen for flypast, P.I's, Battle Flight, 4 aircraft to Grostenguin for Ex                          Argus, cine at 30,000 ft, high level battle formation, reduced flying target because of                          engine shortages reached a few days early, 2 flew down to Etain to discuss                          forthcoming detachment. May 1956         - CinC visited Jever and the Squadron, Wing flypast, Flt.Lt. Goodwin's aerobatic display                          approved as representative for 2TAF by CinC, high level battle formation, 4 pilots started                          workup for formation aeros team, night flying, trials for flame-out landings in manual, 8                          aircraft and the T11 went to Etain, 563 PR Sqn, USAF came to Jever on detachment                          with their F86s, Flt.Lt. Goodwin gave his display for the Americans at Etain, Metz GCI                          visited, at Etain high level battle, QGHs and GCAs, visiting USAF Flt Cdr converted to                          Hunter at Jever, at Etain T11 rides for the Americans were swapped for trips in their T33s,                          Flt. Lt. Denison, Jever liaison officer was given a trip in USAF F86, aircraft returned from                          Etain on 14th, repairs to Jever runway, Battle Flight, air/sea firing, flypast on visiting                          Press day, target flying hours reached on 29th. Faulkes and Fewell operationally rated 'B',                          Thomson, Misselbrook, Baines, Brewer and Henderson - 'C'. June 1956         - Flt. Lt. Goodwin to Wahn for aeros display at Butzweilerhof on 3rd, poor weather, Battle                          Flight, Fg. Off. Craig took an aircraft down to Fassberg for the static display for the IDC,                          Flt. Lt. Goodwin performed his aeros display for the IDC, mainly cine quarters at 30,000                          ft., flypast for visiting Italian Chief of Staff, air/sea firing, night flying, Flt. Lt. Wraight left                          the Squadron at the end of his tour, Plt. Off. Gray joined 'C'. July 1956          - Cine and high level Battle Formation, Flt.Lt. Goodwin flew to Furstenfeldbruck ready for an                          air display at Nuremberg, preparations for AOC's inspection, 2 night landing aways at                          Bruggen, 26th 4 flew for photographs, flying hours reached just above the target for the                          month, Fg.Off. Faulkes and Powell left the squadron, Fg.Off. Howard and Plt. Off. King                          joined the squadron. August 1956      - Flt. Lt. Goodwin and Fg. Off. Thomson to Rheims for air display, Battle |Flight, Flt. Lt.                          Goodwin returned to Rheims for postponed display, practice banner attacks for another                          APS detachment to Sylt, F.S. Ward had engine failure on finals but landed safely, night                          flying, 29th monthly target reached, Ex Guest, Fg. off. Peter Jones and Plt. Off. Peter                          joined the squadron. September 1956 - Mainly banner attacks in preparation for Sylt, new pilots had first night Hunter trips, Battle                          of Britain parade, 17th flew to Sylt, some pilots flew Meteors towing, sqn average at                          10,000 ft was 13.4%, Flt.Lt. Goodwin gave a display at Avignon, Fg.Off. Maish went on                          PAI's course and Flt.Lt. Denison on the Day Fighter Leader's Course. October 1956    - APS Sylt, Fg.Off. Howard scored 32%, sqn average 20.7%, several scores over 30%, day                          lost due to GCI failure, final average 14.1% a new record for the Hunter, Sqn now holds                          record for low and high level, double turn-rounds and firing on the glider, all 12 aircraft                          flew back to Jever on 16th, high level battle and cine with aircrew helping with the turn                          rounds as the main ground crew not yet back from Sylt, 2 high level battle sorties with                          10 aircraft in each. November 1956  - German press visited the station for the day, Flt. Lt. Goodwin performed for them, aircrew                          'jabs' caused a lost day for flying, high level battle and PI's, night flying, dusk sorties for                          new pilots, Sqn Ldr Buddin flew an endurance trip of 1½ hours, cine a priority, operated                          from dispersal, air to sea firing, target hours reached for the month, Flt. Lt. Gleadon joined                          from OCU, Fg. Off. Lawn joined from Odiham, Flt. Lt. Wraight returned for 2 weeks                          10 aircraft in each. December 1956  - Accidental death of Cpl G A Graham in the Central Armoury, lots of bad weather seriously                          limited flying during the whole of the month, 4th funeral of Cpl Graham in Hamburg, Ex                          Argus at Geilenkirchen, diversion to Sylt because of a blocked runway, Battle Flight from                          11th, Ex Guest involved a standing patrol round the station, Fg. Off. Wraight returned to                          Chivenor, Flt. Lt. Denison returned from DFLS course, Fg. Off. Misselbrook returned to UK                          at the of his RAF service. 1957 January 1957      - Ice on the runway prevented flying, then a strong crosswind, night flying cancelled                           because of Amber conditions, CFS arrived by Valetta and flew with 3 squadron pilots,                           good weather finally allowed quarters at 30,000ft., Fg.Off. Jones port undercarriage                           collapsed, Fg.Off. Lakeman aborted a night take-off because of low JPT and went into                           the overshoot, Fg.Off. Howard had a fire on start up, snow clearance on the runway,                           hampered by freezing rain, T.11s used to burn off the ice, Sqn.Ldr. Buddin ran off the                           end of the runway with brake failure, Battle Flight for 93 sqn, U/T controllers having                           trouble with PIs at high altitude, one trip air to ground in T.11, warned going to Sylt on                           11Feb, 3 night trips, Sqn.Ldr. Buddin to Sylt brought back a Meteor 8 for flag towing and                           quarters practice, Fg.Off.s Lawn, Baines and Henderson to UK to take part in an aircraft                           recognition competition in which they came an unofficial 3rd, final dinner to say goodbye                           to Fg.Off. Powell. February 1957    - Bad weather, a little flying on simulated flag quarters, Sqn flew to Sylt on 11th, bad                           weather at Sylt, all cine but for one sortie by Flt.Lt. Goodwin who scored 28%, daily                           average now 15.5%, Flt.Lt. Denison scored 38%, latest average 22.7%, Fg.Off. Maish                           scored 25 hits out of 26 rounds, problem with flags being shot away, progressive average                           now 22.5$, within 0.5% of 10,000ft. record, Fg.Off. Henderson scored 78%, 2 last flags                           at 10,000ft raised average to 24.2% which is 0.4% above previous record, final average                           today at 20,000ft was 20.1%, Fg.Off. Howard scored 59%, final daily average 23.5%                           which gives progressive daily average at 20,000ft 22.0$, Fg.Off. Henderson scored 68%                           and Fg.Off. Gray 60%. March 1957        - APS Sylt, Fg.Off. Hunwick scored 67%, Sqn average 22.8%, daily average 23.5% bringing                           the progressive average to 22.6%, bad day and the average dropped to 18.1%, aircraft                           need harmonising, flying stopped to achieve this, Flt. Lt. Fenison scored 48%, scores                           improved , average now 22.4%, daily average 18.6% and progressive average 21%,                           experimented at 25,000 ft. scores not bad Flt.Lt. Goodwin 38% and Fg.Off. Maish 34%,                           final days flag firing low level average 24.2% and medium level 20.7%, high level 10.7%,                           the first two are new records and the last has never been tried before in the Hunter, 2                           gliders shot to pieces and 2 double turnrounds and re-arms, 18th flew back to Jever,                           Flt.Lt. Goodwin returned to Sylt to give an aeros display, ground crew back by 21st,                           night flying, high level battle and cine, met some F-100s airborne, 29th reached the                           target exactly, Fg.Off's Lawn, Henderson and Baines to London to be one of the 2ATAF                           and Fg.Off. Gray 60%. April 1957          - Mainly cine and battle, night flying, Vampires failed to do air to ground firing, Sqn.Ldr.                           Buddin to Geilenkirchen for a liaison visit, Ex Guest only one Canberra, 2 diverted to                           Wunstorf in heavy snow shower, sqn. visited GCI at Brockzetel, very useful day learning                           the problems of the controllers, PIs to practice what was leant during the GCI visit, air to                           sea firing, Ex Amled intercepting UK Canberras, total for the month now over 400 hrs.,                           Flt.Sgt. Ward commissioned. May 1957          - Routine flying month, mainly high level battle, PI's and cine, Ex Argus, to USAF Sembach                          to test turn-round facilities, Ex Guest 4 aircraft flew to Bruggen and back to simulate                          bombers, no interceptions, GCI radio u/s, 10 aircraft detached to Geilenkirchen for Ex                          Vigilant, 10 pairs flown against UK, no sin of any fighters, more sorties but no                          interceptions, 28th returned to Jever, pilots did their own turn rounds and flew the                          aircraft twice more, groundcrew still not back so no flying, 12 sorties against Canberras,                          Flt. Lt. Goodwin appointed official solo aerobatic June 1957         - Battle Flight, now requires one pair on the ground on standby all the time, fours popular,                          Queen's birthday parade, Open Day flypast, 19th Open Day, Flt.Lt. Goodwin did his solo                          aerobatic display, exercise with Royal Artillery, lots of trouble with hydro-boosters, 27th                          AOCs, 10 aircraft allowed the Sqn to fly 44 hours, Flt.Sgt. Ward left the Sqn for UK. July 1957          - Last month a operational squadron, high level battle, ¼'s and PIs, over 100 hrs in first 4                         days, to thank groundcrew stood down at 14.00 hrs., Ex General Alert with first flights at                         04.15 hrs, Sqn providing 75% of serviceable aircraft from Jever, Ex Argus, started at 11.00                         hrs to allow Primary Inspections to be completed, Battle Flight with requirement for 2 on                         standby all the time, intercepted 65 Sqn visiting Jever from UK, Instrument Rating Sqn                         reported IF on the sqn was excellent, 27 Sqn threw a Disbandment Party for the rest of                         the Station, 29th passed 400 hrs, 30th Sqn's farewell flypast over Jever with all 13 aircraft                         in the air, 2rd Fg.Off Maish to 4 Sqn., 11th Fg.Off. Henderson to UK and 31st Fg.Off's                         Lawn, KD Gray and Baines to UK.   Plus hand-written Addendum reporting the award of the                         Duncan Trophy and a subsequent parade to receive it. August 1957     - Wrap up notes after disbandment, only air tests to prepare the remaining aircraft for                         ferrying back to UK, since having the Hunter in May55 over 8,000 hrs have been flown, 3                         detachments to Sylt and on each occasion set new scoring records, the last scores were                         the highest for any aircraft at Sylt, also record for lowest stoppage rate for Hunters,                         Flt.Lt. Goodwin, B Flt Cdr has been solo aerobatics pilot for 2 TAF for last 2 years and was                         awarded the AFC, CO to be acting OC Flying Wing at Jever until returning to UK and Flt.Lt.                         Goodwin is to be the Wing PAI, list of postings for other personnel.   Table showing                         disposal and history of the 13 Hunter F.4s after the Squadron was disbanded. 1958 April 1958        - Reformed for 0ne day, 22Apr58, in order to receive The Duncan Trophy for the best scores                        at Sylt.   This report preceded the first F540 for Sep59 when the sqn was reformed on                        helicopters in Northern Ireland, the CO Sqn Ldr Buddin was given the Trophy at RAF Jever                        by 2TAF CinC Sir Humphrey Edwardes Jones with several pilots on parade. No 118 Squadron Chronological History DATE EVENT COMMANDING OFFICER Tuesday 1 January 1918 Squadron formed within the Royal Flying Corps at Catterick, and was intended for night bombing duties in France.  Few DH 6s and BE 2s but destined for large Handley Page 0/400.   Mid-April 1918 Moved to Netheravon.   Monday 7 August 1918 Moved to Bicester.  Re-scheduled to receive Vickers Vimy   Saturday 7 September 1918 Before Vimys delivered Squadron disbanded         Thursday 20 February 1941 Re-formed at Filton, Spitfire Is, 10 Group, Fighter Command. Sqn Ldr F J Howell DFC March 1941 Declared Operational with detachment at Pembrey.   Friday 28th March 1941 1st Operational sortie on convoy patrol   Sunday 6th April 1941 Lost 1st two aircraft in a collision near Chippenham   Friday 18th April 1941 Moved to Ibsley equipped with Spitfire IIs, via Colerne and Warmwell   Sunday 4th May 1941 Shot down 1st aircraft during defensive patrols over the south coast.  It was a damaged Bomber Command Whitley whose crew had baled out..   Monday 7th July 1941 CO gained the first squadron kill - an He 111.   July 1941 Spitfire IIbs with port wing slipper tank arrived and were suitable for longer range escort work.   Saturday 2nd August 1941 Spitfire IIbs gave cover to Whirlwinds returning from Cherbourg.   Wednesday 6th August 1941 Shot down 2 Bf 109s when escorting Whirlwinds near Cherbourg.   Monday 1st September 1941 First combat loss when one Spitfire was hit by flak when attacking a convoy.   Monday 8th September 1941 Escort to Anti-shipping patrols were main role and on this day it escorted Whirlwinds of No 263 Squadron armed with bombs when successfully attacking 4 armed trawlers off Alderney.   September 1941 Re-equipped with cannon armed Spitfire Vbs.   Sunday 12th October 1941 3 claimed Bf 109s and 1 probable.   October 1941 Change of Command Sqn Ldr H A B Russell November 1941 First decorations of the War were a Bar to Sqn Ldr Howell's DFC, 2 more DFCs and 1 DFM   December 1941 Detachment maintained in Predannack.   January 1942 Change of Command Sqn Ldr J C Carver Thursday 12th February 1942 German battleships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen dashed up the Channel in daylight and No 118 mounted a number of sorties in poor weather to cover the unsuccessful strike aircraft.   late February 1942 Detached to Warmwell briefly.   Friday 13th March 1942 CO went missing.  Recovered 3 days later in a dinghy..   April 1942 CO awarded DFC.   Saturday 9th May 1942 4 pilots were lost and 2 more Spitfires were damaged.   Tuesday 9th June 1942 The CO and Sgt Jones were lost; leading to a Change of Command. Sqn Ldr E W "Bertie" Wooten. Saturday 20th June 1942 Lost 4 more pilots over France.   Sunday 16th August 1942 Moved to Tangmere for Operation Jubilee - large amphibious raid on Dieppe.   Wednesday 19th August 1942 During the fighting to cover the withdrawal from Dieppe 2 DFCs were won.   End August 1942 Moved to Zeals near Salisbury.   Sunday 3rd January 1943 Bad weather forced a move to Wittering via Ibsley.   Sunday 17th January 1943 Moved to Coltishall for work over Belgium, Holland and the North Sea.   Thursday 28th January 1943 Squadron visited by the King during his tour of Coltishall   Friday 29th January 1943 Escorting a raid on Zeebrugge, 1 Spitfire was lost and 2 more damaged.  1 FW 190 killed and 2 more damaged.   Wednesday 24th February 1943 2 Spitfires lost off the Dutch coast and Norfolk.   Sunday 4th March 1943 Escorted Ventura bombers to Rotterdam.  2 FW 190s killed and 5 more damaged. 1 Spitfire lost.   Monday 3rd May 1943 Escorting Venturas on a raid to Amsterdam, the raid ran into 70 FW 190s. The Squadron destroyed 2 FW 190s but only 1 Ventura returned.  Wing Leader Blashford was lost in the sea and Sqn Ldr Wooten promoted to replace him and awarded a bar to his DFC.   Mid-June 1943 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr J C Freeborn DFC Monday 5th July 1943 Blew up an armed ship off the Dutch coast.   July 1943 For the loss of 4 Spitfires, 5 1/3 Bf 109s were killed.   Sunday 22nd August 1943 Moved to Merston near Chichester.   Saturday 18th September 1943 Flew final mission in the South.   Monday 20th September 1943 Moved to Peterhead for defensive duties in Northern Scotland.   Mid-October 1943 1 or 2 high altitude Spitfire Vis for dawn and dusk patrols against German reconnaissance aircraft.  Moved North to Castletown with a detachment left at Peterhead.   Mid-January 1944 Change of Command and re-equipped with Spitfire XIs. Sqn Ldr P W E Hippell DFC Beginning February 1944 Moved back South to Detling.   Monday 14th February 1944 Escorted USAAF Liberators attacking V-1 flying bomb sites in France.   Friday 10th March 1944 Moved back to Skeabrae for the defence of Scapa Flow.  Re-equipped with old Spitfire Vs again.  Also had some high altitude Spitfire VIIs with extended wingtips.   Monday 1st May 1944 Lost an aircraft on an ASR patrol.   Wednesday 12th July 1944 Moved back to Detling and re-equipped with Spitfire IXs for bomber escorts over Normandy battlefield.   Wednesday 9th August 1944 Returned to Peterhead.   End August 1942 Moved South again to Westhampnet for bomber escort duties.   Monday 25th September 1944 In support of Arnhem destroyed 1 Bf 109.  Moved to Manston.   Mid-December 1944 Moved to Bentwaters and ready to re-equip with long range Mustangs for escorting daylight bombers.   Saturday 23rd December 1944 First operational Spitfire sorties escorting 150 Lancasters to Trier.   Thursday 18th January 1945 First 2 Mustangs arrived.   Sunday 11th February 1945 Declared operational with 18 Mustangs.   Wednesday 14th February 1945 CO led 12 Mustangs escorting an abortive Lancaster raid on a viaduct near Paderborn.   Monday 19th February 1945 Escorted 700 Lancasters against Wesel.   Friday 2nd March 1945 Flt Lt Tony Drew A Flight Commander promoted to become CO. Sqn Ldr Tony Drew Friday 23rd March 1945 The Squadron led by Flt Lt Paddy Harbison, escorting an attack on Hamburg, engaged by 15-20 Me 262 jet fighters.  3 Damaged in spite of the difficulty of closing with the faster jets.  Final air combat claims of the war.   Tuesday 10th April 1945 During the Leipzig raid met some Me 163 rocket fighters.   Wednesday 25th April 1945 Longest escort mission - 5 1/4 hours - to Berchtesgaden.   Thursday 3rd May 1945 Final operational mission of the war when they escorted Beaufighters against shipping off Denmark.   May 1945 At the end of the war the Squadron had an air combat score of 29 destroyed, 9 probables and 27 damaged.  The Squadron had been awarded 11 DFCs, five bars and 2 DFMs.   Saturday 2nd June 1945 4 Mustangs escorted Viscount Trenchard on a visit to Luneburg.   August 1945 Squadron attended an air firing course at Fairwood Common. Then moved to Horsham St Faith   Saturday 15th September 1945 Squadron took part in a large flypast over London.   Sunday 10th March 1946 Squadron disbanded.         Thursday 10th May 1951 Squadron re-formed at Fassberg, Germany. Sqn Ldr H A Asker DFC DFM July 1951 Work up for Fighter Bomber role on Vampire FB.5s.  Attended APC at Sylt   September 1953 Began re-equipping with Venom FB.1s.   Tuesday 21st December 1953 First fatality - Vampire crashed near Soltau practicing cine-gun attacks.   February 1954 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr C M Gibbs DFC Friday 6th May 1955 Moved to Jever and re-equipped with Hunter F.4s in purely day fighter role.   Thursday 20th October 1955 2 Hunters collided near Hamburg killing both pilots.   January 1956 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr N C P Buddin March 1956 3 weeks air-to-air firing at APC Sylt.   Wednesday 22nd August 1957 Squadron disbanded.         Tuesday 1st September 1959 Squadron re-formed at Aldergrove, Northern Ireland equipped with 3 Sycamore HR 14 helicopters, part of No 38 Group, Transport Command for short range transport duties in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary for patrols along the border. Flt Lt F M Taylor AFC Friday 11th September 1959 First internal security sortie on a recce in the Limavady area.   October 1959 Change of Command. Sqn Ldr D A Toon Thursday 8th October 1959 Search for gun runners over Lough Neagh.   Early 1960 CO's Sycamore shot at by IRA snipers when landing at Magerafelt.   Friday 29th July 1960 Squadron flew Earl Mountbatten from Sydenham to various locations in the Province.   Sunday 26th March 1961 CO transported Lord Brookborough, the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, and Lady Brookborough from Colebrooke to Stormont.   Friday 14th April 1961 Squadron disbanded.         Saturday 15th April 1961 Squadron re-formed as before.  Change of Command. Sqn Ldr P H Hart Friday 13th October 1961 Sycamore lost landing at Aldergrove when rotor hit the ground and it rolled over.  No injuries..   Friday 31st August 1962 Disbanded at the cessation of IRA violent border campaign.