Tonight, as we sleep soundly in our beds, we remember the bravery, determination, and sacrifice of the men of 617 Sqn who, 81 years ago tonight, undertook the daring
#Dambusters
mission. Many of them paid the ultimate price for the mission's success. They will not be forgotten.
Happy Birthday to Group Captain John Hemingway. He is 105 years old today and the last known survivor of the
@RoyalAirForce
Battle of Britain pilots and aircrew. The last of The Few.
Many happy returns, sir.
The C-130 Hercules retirement flypast over
@RAF_Cosford
right on time this morning!
Have a safe journey around the UK! ✈️
Check the link for the other locations and timings:
Tonight, we remember the bravery, determination, and sacrifice of the men of 617 Sqn who, 80 years ago this very night, undertook the daring
#Dambusters
mission. Many of them paid the ultimate price for the mission's success. They will not be forgotten.
Here’s our part-stealth Tornado at Cosford. We’ve only ‘stealthed’ the nose and tail to show the apprentices just how effective the technology is. Just done a week’s intense social media training with the LARPA boffins at
@RAF_Luton
. Can you tell? 😏
Today is Battle of Britain Day when we remember The Few who came from around the world to defend our nation and fight against tyranny. We must never forget the sacrifice made for our freedom.
#LestWeForget
#BoB83
#battleofbritainday
It’s
#NationalCameraDay
. This is a Zeiss RMK survey camera which used 9 inch film and is fitted to the Canberra PR9 aircraft used by
@RAF_Luton
to take all their pictures. Image taken from a separate Canberra.
Who caught
@RAF_Luton
's miniature parachute display team jumping into the
@cosfordairshow
? Known worldwide for their precision landings, all 80085 members of the team landed on one blade of the Historic Helicopters' Lynx.
Photographed from a Canberra by
@Mantog
.
We will never be able to repay the debt we owe the wonderful men and women of the
@RoyalAirForce
who fought to defend us in the summer of 1940. Never was so much owed by so many to so few. Per Ardua Ad Astra.
#BattleofBritainDay
.
Over 300 of our personnel are at RAF Halton rehearsing for the
#Coronation
of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Lots of work ahead of them, but they're looking good, and you can see the pride they have in what they are doing.
Please R/T. There will be a service at Telford Crematorium for Victor (VJ) & Edna Barnett on Tue 22 Jan at 10.00 am. VJ was a radar technician on 617 Sqn and Edna was a WAAF air traffic controller. They died within 10 days of each other and have no surviving family.
Happy Birthday to Wing Commander John Hemingway. He is 103 years old today and the last known survivor of the
@RoyalAirForce
Battle of Britain pilots and aircrew. The last of The Few.
Many happy returns, sir.
#PerArduaAdAstra
Today is the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the
#BattleofBritain
. For over 100 years the
@RoyalAirForce
has defended British skies. 80 years ago it faced its greatest test. Remembering everyone who served including nearly 600 aviators from outside the UK.
#DetectandDefend
‘Now then, ladies and gentlemen! I’ve got a lovely little yellow three wheeler on my forecourt, one careful owner, Laura Ashley interior and a clean ashtray. Take it for a test drive today!’ John Challis.
@cosfordairshow
2018 press launch. Comedy legend. Top bloke. RIP John.
Tonight, we have been accused by some people of showing off because we have shared images of our Gazelles and Sea Kings. Please rest assured that showing off is beneath us and we would never ever do this to you.
Oh, and here is our Wessex. 😏
Okay, which one of you meteorological boffins out there can tell us what this vaguely apocalyptic looking cloud structure over our Jaguar is this morning?
WE DID NOT STAND ALONE. Today, we remember
#TheFew
who fought for our freedom during the summer of 1940 in the
#BattleOfBritain
. We will never forget their bravery and their sacrifice. Per Ardua Ad Astra.
Today is Battle of Britain Day when we remember The Few who came from around the world to defend our nation and fight against tyranny. We must never forget the sacrifice made for our freedom.
#LestWeForget
#BoB81
#battleofbritainday
From the Falkland Islands to Lebanon, from Germany to Northern Ireland, from Kurdistan to Iraq and Afghanistan. Chinook ZA718 (Bravo November) made her final journey to the
@RAFMUSEUM
at Cosford on 16 March. This
@RoyalAirForce
icon will soon be available for the public to see.
Have you seen the new livery for this year's
@RAFTyphoonTeam
? The aircraft has been designed to commemorate and celebrate the 80th Anniversary of Op Overlord. You will be able to see her at the
@cosfordairshow
on Sunday 9 June.
Pse R/T. Victor & Edna Barnett's funeral was held today at Telford Crematorium & supported by
@RoyalAirForce
personnel. TY to all who travelled to see them make their final journey & to everyone who shared the event across social media. RIP & blue skies both. Per Ardua Ad Astra.
Rehearsals for the
#Coronation
of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla continue at RAF Halton. Cosford personnel will be on duty at Westminster Abbey. Words of command won't be shouted as the King leaves the Abbey, so they are practising the 'Silent Ripple'.
It gives me great pleasure to announce that Sgt Paul Oldfield
@RAF_Cosford
has won 1st place in the RAF Photographic Competition, Current RAF equipment & 3rd place in The Judges Choice with his fabulous image taken at this years
@cosfordairshow
Congratulations & well done Paul.
At RAF Cosford, to enhance our padwans' training experience, we're always exploring the use of 'out of this world' technology.
#StarWars
#MayThe4thBeWithYou
Shocking news coming out of Cosford this morning as they announce they are to paint all their black Hawks red and form their own version of the
@rafredarrows
. A spokesperson said: ‘We’re ready. We’ve got loads of red paint. We just need engines and pilots.’
Twelve, yes twelve, of our Jags catching some rays between two of our hangars. That’s about a fifth of our fleet. Don’t they look lovely? There’s no such thing as too many Jaguars. Image taken on Thursday 9 April 2020 by a Cosford
@RafPhotog
.
You don’t get to do 30+ years in the
@RoyalAirForce
without the love and support of those closest to you. This week we will say goodbye to
@StnCdrCosford
and
#TeamBaker
as he leaves the Service and finishes his 3 years as our boss. He’s a great bloke and they’re an amazing team.
Great work by JARTS earlier today in delivering ex-
@rafredarrows
Hawk XX227 to
@No1SofTT
at Cosford. She retired in Feb 2018 after 38 year’s service, 8077 flying hours and 13,855 landings. She will now give many more year’s service to our
@RoyalAirForce
aircraft apprentices.
Tornado GR1 ZA320 in 17 Sqn markings at RAF Cosford on 6 Jul 20. Great image and amazing work undertaken by WO Steve Brown to get this aircraft to its current state.
We have an emerging significant fly tipping problem at RAF Cosford. For the second day in a row someone has abandoned an old Hawk outside one of our
@No1SofTT
hangars. 😏
A nice ending to the
@cosfordairshow
not only did the
@RAF_Marham
F-35B flypast twice and hover, we also had the lovely surprise of the
@RAFBBMF
Lancaster display. 😍
Can you believe that the Hercules is 66 years old today? She first flew on 23 August 1954 - only nine years after the end of WWII. She’s seen service with the
@RoyalAirForce
since 1967. Thanks to
@AndyNetherwood
for his great thread which prompted this post.
Congratulations to RAF Cosford's Station Warrant Officer, Brian Hagan, who, after joining the
@RoyalAirForce
on 23 January 1990, has achieved 30 year's service today. Before anyone asks, yes, he is smiling. This is how RAF Station Warrant Officers smile.
The
@BAESystemsAir
Tempest being moved into place earlier today ready for the
@cosfordairshow
. Make sure you go and see her on Sunday. She really is a beauty.
We are devastated to hear the news about the death of an RAF pilot today. We offer our deepest condolences to their familiy, and our thoughts are with them, our colleagues at
@RAFBBMF
, and
@RAFConingsby
.
Following the second easing of lockdown, we’re allowed outside a little bit more from today in England. Remember. Hands, face, space and fresh air. And Tornados.
We are saddened to hear that Les Cherrington has died at 101. Les was a member of the famous Desert Rats during WWII, went on to become an MOD Policeman at RAF Cosford and was still a volunteer at the
@RAFMUSEUM
until very recently. Stand down, Les. Your stag is done. RIP.
.
@beaver_paul
thank you for sharing the sad news about
#ATA
pilot Joy Lofthouse who passed away last night. Joy was a remarkable woman who ferried many types of aircraft from factory to front line sqns during WWII including to and from
@RAF_Cosford
. Blue skies ma'am.
Happy 101st Birthday to Squadron Leader George ‘Johnny’ Johnson MBE, DFM.
Johnny is the last surviving original member of 617 Squadron and of Operation Chastise the “Dambusters” raid of 1943.
8 Jaguars. 4 Sea Kings. 3 Tornados. 2 Tornado front end fuselages. Just one hangar. This is where many
@RoyalAirForce
aircraft engineering apprentices learn their trade
@RAF_Cosford
. What does your apprenticeship classroom look like?