British air kills since 1945

[Dr Jekyll]

Either an Israeli or Egyptian aircraft in 1948 (though I thought there was more than one) or possibly the Buccaneer 'kill' with a bomb in GW1.

[DMN]

had ham said:

I had thought about the ground-based missile kill as a possibility, but I'm more then certain that the Rapiers downed multiple aircraft during the Falklands conflict.

When the post war tallies where re-looked at, Rapier did much worse than first thought. With 16 kills and 4 probables quickly becoming 4 kills at best and only one confirmed:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapier_missile#Comba...

Heres a list of all losses for both sides:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_air_services...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_air_forces...

[Stickyfinger]

DMN said:

When the post war tallies where re-looked at, Rapier did much worse than first thought. With 16 kills and 4 probables quickly becoming 4 kills at best and only one confirmed:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapier_missile#Comba...

Heres a list of all losses for both sides:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_air_services...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_air_forces...

Mainly because the RA did not ship Blindfire with it till later....dingbats

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

Dr Jekyll said:

I did hear that one Tornado ADV was scrambled from Saudi in GW1 but a Saudi aircraft was available so it was decided he might as well have the kill since it was Saudi airspace being defended. Eric? Ginetta?

IIRC during Op GRANBY the F3 Tornados (despite their early deployment into theatre) were not allowed to go 'Sausage Side' (ie carry out Offensive Counter Air [OCA] operations) because they lacked the Link 11 data link. I think there may also have been an issue with their IFF.

As a result the F15s did the OCA task and the F3s carried out defensive CAPs.

[RizzoTheRat]

Eric Mc said:

But they are both now operating carriers - although at a far lower level than the US.

China are just building islands to put airfields on, much less prone to sinking than a carrier.

[hantsxlg]

Didn't we shoot down a USAF C-130 over the channel to?

[DMN]

Theres a similar thread on arse:

http://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/raf-confi...

[Rangeroverover]

Did RAF operate during the Korean War and would they have downed any oppo aircraft

[Dr Jekyll]

Rangeroverover said:

Did RAF operate during the Korean War and would they have downed any oppo aircraft

Not in the air to air role, only the FAA did that. I think some RAF Sunderlands may have been involved.
Also some RAF pilots flew combat with the USAF, not sure whether any did with FAA.

[aeropilot]

Dr Jekyll said:

Rangeroverover said:

Did RAF operate during the Korean War and would they have downed any oppo aircraft

Not in the air to air role, only the FAA did that. I think some RAF Sunderlands may have been involved.
Also some RAF pilots flew combat with the USAF, not sure whether any did with FAA.

I have a vague recollection that there was also one or two that were serving exchange tours with the RAAF Meteor sqns that flew combat in Korean, but can't recall whether any of them scored a kill or not? In fact I'd have to look up to see whether the RAAF Meatboxs even downed any MiG's in Korea....?

[FourWheelDrift]

aeropilot said:

I have a vague recollection that there was also one or two that were serving exchange tours with the RAAF Meteor sqns that flew combat in Korean, but can't recall whether any of them scored a kill or not? In fact I'd have to look up to see whether the RAAF Meatboxs even downed any MiG's in Korea....?

Final score Migs 5 - Meteors 3

http://korean-war.commemoration.gov.au/stalemate-i...

[Le TVR]

hantsxlg said:

Didn't we shoot down a USAF C-130 over the channel to?

Rumour has it that the USAF "borrowed" a QRA lightning to do the deed.

[Steve vRS]

Dr Jekyll said:

Buccaneer 'kill' with a bomb in GW1.

Can you provide more info on this?

[aeropilot]

Steve vRS said:

Dr Jekyll said:

Buccaneer 'kill' with a bomb in GW1.

Can you provide more info on this?

Written by Grp Cpt Bill Cope, RAF

One notable successful opportunity target that presented itself was on 21 February at Shayka Mazar when several Russian built Cub transport aircraft were sighted on the aircraft pan. Both Buccaneers dive bombed the aircraft and were delighted to see two of the targets destroyed. The first enemy aircraft received a direct hit but the bombs failed to explode; none the less, the momentum of the bomb did the trick and the aircraft split in two. The second Buccaneer - under the guidance of navigator Flt Lt Carl Wilson - also scored direct hits and TV viewers back in the UK were treated that night to the spectacle of the fully fuelled aircraft exploding in a ball of fire.

Full article here:-
http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/GulfWarBuccaneerOper...

[mebe]

Ginetta G15 Girl said:

IIRC during Op GRANBY the F3 Tornados (despite their early deployment into theatre) were not allowed to go 'Sausage Side' (ie carry out Offensive Counter Air [OCA] operations) because they lacked the Link 11 data link. I think there may also have been an issue with their IFF.

As a result the F15s did the OCA task and the F3s carried out defensive CAPs.

I was working on F3 at the time, memory says it was the IFF issue that was the primary reason, or at least that is what I was told. Also the F3s deployed were not complete, for instance, they still had the F2 AI.24 or some interim mix.

[mebe]

Stage 1 was sort of an interim mix of old and new, from memory Stage 2 was intended to be the final F3 fit however it went through many further upgrades and changing requirements.