My TSR.2's backstory

[upnorth]

Hello all:

I figured it would be a while before I could really get my teeth sunk into my TSR.2 kit, so I've built its backstory first. I  think  I've got a good serial code for her if I recall the codes Wooksta posted a while back.

Any comments or opinions are certainly welcome:


Airframe XS981 started it's operational life as an Eagle GR.1 assigned to 31 Squadron at RAF Cottesmore in the late1960s; the Cottesmore Eagle Wing consisted of  2, 31 and 208 Squadrons. In RAF circles, Cottesmore became known as the "Eagles' Nest" as it was the hub of UK based TSR.2 action.

The early 70s saw the introduction of the GR.3 variant of the Eagle and the subsequent conversion of several GR.1s to K.1 tanker conversions. As 31 Sqn. Was one of the first GR.1 units to convert to the GR.3, XS981 was one of the first airframes chosen for conversion.

The First 10 K.1s, all conversions including XS981, were initial assigned to a training flight for cross training exisiting Eagle crews to the tanker role at RAF Scampton. This was, however, only a temporary home while RAF Wattisham was in the final stages of refurbishment to accomodate a second UK based Eagle wing.

In early 1973, The tanker training flight was officially given the 19 Sqn. number plate and transfered to Wattisham; shortly after the move, the first tanker conversion course was completed and its graduates formed the core of the newly reformed 60 Sqn.  19 and 60 were joined in late 1973 and early 1974 by the GR.3s of 3 and 12 Squadrons respectively and thus the Wattisham Eagle Wing was officially established.

XS981 and the rest of 19 Sqn. remained tasked primarily with tanker crew conversion training until early 1976 when enough tanker crews were trained and it could be tasked as a fully operational tanker unit and training was made a secondary duty for it. As it was felt that there was no need for more than one fully operational Eagle tanker unit at a base, 60 Sqn. was transfered to RAF Gutersloh to support the Germany based Eagle units.

There was a total of 40 K.1s built equiping 4 RAF squadrons: 14, 19, 45 and 60. By the mid 1980s all of these units had converted to the K.3 Eagle.

XS981 earned herself the nickname "Lazy Susan" with both air and ground crews owing to some peculiarities and idiosyncrasies that seemed all her own and gave her something of a "personality" not generally seen in other aircraft in the Eagle fleet. She was certainly far from being a hangar queen, and there was nothing technically wrong with her. Perhaps the best desription of the situation came from one of the pilots who flew her frequently: "She's a lot like my wife, argumentative, but ultimately not unreasonable. She'll do whatever you ask of her, as long as you know her ways."

Interestingly, that nickname was bestowed upon her after the tanker conversion and transfer to 19 Sqn. Nobody who worked with her or flew her during her time as a GR.1 with 31 Sqn. found her any different than any other Eagle on the flightline.

Susan decided to retire in early 1983 while on a joint training excercise in India. After what was a routine mission that went exactly according to plan, she experienced a near catastrophic failure of her port main landing gear that sent her careening into the field beside the runway. Fortunately the crew escaped unharmed, but Susan was a mess.

Upon inspection after she was transported back to Wattisham, it was determined that the damage was not as extreme as it had appeared and she could be restored to flight condition. However, given her age and the impending retirement of the K.1 variant, it was felt she should only be restored as far as was needed to bring her up to base gate guardian duties. She remained at Wattisham's gate into the early 90s when base was closed and its units disbanded, transfered or retasked. At this time, it was also decided to reduce the number of RAF units in Germany. This led to a rather radical reshuffling of Eagle units and deployments.

After the reorganization of the Eagle force and the end of German RAF operations, three Eagle wings remain in operation: Cottesmore (2, 60 and 208), Marham (3, 14 and 617) and Leuchars (19, 31 and 111).

Susan moved with 19 Sqn. to Leuchars and was the subject of some heated debates between 19 and 31 Squadron as both units claimed she was theirs and should be painted in their  respective unit's colours. Compromise was struck in the paint shop and she ended up with 19's colours on one side and 31's on the other. Her current state is as, somewhat faded though still dignified, Leuchars gate guardian.

[K5054NZ]

The question has to be asked...........are you to build Susan in her current gate guard form? You can NEVER have too many models of gate guards!





Fantastically brilliant backstory my friend! An inspiration.

[upnorth]

Glad you liked the story.

Susan won't be modeled as a gate guardian. She'll be modeled slightly used in 19 Sqn. markings from about late 1973. By that time all the Tanker Training Flight's aircraft had been refinished in 19 Sqn. markings.