Operation Poirot pt.1: RedAir Collective BEX-HIL Lightning Fillet D

[comrade harps]

RedAir Collective BEX-HIL Lightning Fillet D
a/c 4071, 112 Squadron, United Socialist Republic Air Force (USRAF)
September 1963, Ayeddim Air Base, Moroccan Socialist Republic
Personal mount of Wing Leader Harry Maguire



The United Nations (UN) adopted its Containment Policy in 1962. Publicly promoted as a defensive response to the Domino Theory of Red expansion, Containment proponents emphasised civilian development aid and counter-insurgency warfare as its chief pillars. Less well known was Containment's offensive pillar. This proposed waging "campaigns of deep aerial interdiction against enemy logistics that support the subversion of frontline member states." The published text was vague enough to enable UN theatre commanders a high degree of flexibility in its interpretation.




For General Brian White, Commander of the UN's Africa Commander, deep logistical interdiction meant something specific. White wanted to use airpower to "bomb the Reds back to Russia." A lofty goal, but to get there he would first have to deny the Mediterranean to the Moscow Pact. His strategic plan for North Africa and the Mediterranean was titled Operation Poirot. It called for a bombing campaign against Red logistical centres of gravity in North Africa, against shipping in the Mediterranean and against ports and airfields along the European Mediterranean coast. Given command access to everything from B-52s to carrier airpower, White executed an air power surge to overwhelm Red air defences.




Work on what became the RedAir Collective BEX began years before the Red Revolutions of 1950. Started by English Electric to produce the P 1 supersonic research aircraft, the design evolved into an interceptor and was prioritised when English Electric was collectivised and absorbed into the RedAir Collective (RAC). Applying the random three letter naming conventions adopted by the United Socialist Republic (USR), the fighter was officially designated the BEX, receiving the popular name Lightning. The United Nations (UN) gave it the reporting name Fillet. The type's initial production model, the BEX-APC Fillet A entered frontline squadron service as a Mach 2 capable, short-range interceptor in 1960. Several evolved versions were in service by early 1963, when Operation Poirot was launched, including the BEX-HIL Fillet D version. It was armed with two 30 mm cannon and K-7 Alpine IR-guided missiles and powered by a pair of Rover Revolutionary Association (RRA) Avon 302 turbojets.








The Moscow Pact was well prepared for a campaign of Poirot's scope and ambition; and their intelligence services accurately predicted its timing. In preparation, the Reds surged air defences into Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia and southern Europe. Among the interceptor units deployed was the 112 Squadron of the United Socialist Republic Air Force (USRAF), led by Wing Leader Harry Maguire. 112 Sqn settled into the sprawling air base at Ayeddim, Morocco, during February 1963. W/L Maguire was the Moscow Pact's highest scoring ace currently assigned to North Africa. When Poirot started on 3 April, MaGuire's victory tally stood at 24 (achieved in Fagot, Fresco and Fluffy fighters). By the end of the campaign in September, his score was 45.



MaGuire's 21 confirmed kills during Operation Poirot are as follows:
- A-4E, USN x 2
- B-52D, USAF x 4
- F-4B, USN x 1
- F-8F, USAF x 2
- F-100D, MexAF x 2. BrazAF x1
- F-101E, SAAF x 1
- F-104G, PakAF x 1, SAAF x 1
- F-105D, USAF x 2, RAAF x 1
- F-106C, USAF x 1
- Super Mystere B.2, RCAF x 2

Post war analysis of UN losses and Red combat reports has added another 3 victories to MaGuire's Operation Poirot tally: 1 B-52D, 1 B-58A and another RAAF F-105D, all of which crashed within UN held territory due to combat damage.



112 Sqn returned home in October 1963. W/L Maguire would remain in the USRAF, but retired from flying in 1964 due to the onset of angina pectoris. As his heart disease got worse, Maguire was given a medical discharge in 1966. By then he had accumulated numerous awards, including Hero of the Moscow Pact (the emblem for which can be seen below the cockpit).

[Vulcan7]

That's a beauty too           

[comrade harps]

That's a beauty too           

Thank you.

l don't know if anyone notices, but my UN airpower in Africa tends to have high contrast camouflages whereas my African Red planes tend to have muted colours with lower contrast. The two sides have different aesthetics.

[chrisonord]

That really suits the colour scheme.

[Sport21ing]

Two in one day  -   

[DogfighterZen]

 

[NARSES2]

That's a beauty