Cold War Containment --Americans in Britain

By Peter Dancey

A complete history of the USAF 3rd AF in Britain post WW II. Units, bases, operations, the 'enmey' -- the Warpac, the LSK/LV and the Soviet 16th Air Army in East Germany. UK LOckheed U-2 spyplane and SR-71 Blackbird 'ops'. F-111's, the Libyan Raid, the48th FW. Soviet withdrawal and USAF drawdown. detailed list of comunist 'shoot-downs' of US and Allied aircraft during the 'Cold War stand-off.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781447691747

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9781447691747

Introduction

Of all the Allied air arms, Britain has had the largest long-term relationship with those of the United States. During and since World War II, bases in East Anglia, Oxfordshire and elsewhere have been home to USAF and USN aircraft of different generations.

This book is primarily concerned with those of United States Air Force in Britain, in particular the USAFE, 3rd Air Force headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Composed of three separate air forces, the aircraft of USAFE until the mid-1990s made some of the European air arms look decidedly small. With around 100,000 personnel and over 600 aircraft at the beginning of the 1990s the USAFE command was easily the largest overseas based element within the US Air Force and, therefore by definition the most powerful -- faced as it was during the period of the Cold War by the Soviets and the East European air arms that comprised the Warsaw Pact.

Tactical assets assigned to USAFE in the early part of the 1990s were able to deploy virtually in all the roles associated with modern air power -- air superiority, close air support, reconnaissance, defence-suppression and the delivery of conventional, 'smart' precision, and nuclear weapons.

USAFE units operate a variety of aircraft types including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which in the new millennium along with UK-based F-15 Eagles and Strike Eagles form the back-bone of the command, supplanting the A-10 Thunderbolt II 'tank-buster', the veteran F-4 Phantom II and the F-111 Aardvark, fighter-bomber and EW EF-111 Raven of earlier years.

USAFE units are also supported by force multipliers of Air Mobility Command (AMC), and Air Combat Command (ACC) if and when necessary. USAFE forces are of course closely linked and committed to NATO under a dual-hat-ted command organisation.

From RAF Mildenhall, near Newmarket, Suffolk, the Third Air Force exercises control over its own assets and those of its near neighbour at RAF Lakenheath. These, following the mid- 1990s 'draw-down', the only two permanent ‘Americans in Britain’ bases remaining in the new millennium. The principle mission of the Third AF tactical units at Lakenheathis to be ready to conduct offensive and defensive air operations as part of the US commitment to NATO.

Following WW II in January 1948 as the Soviets were consolidating their hold on Eastern Europe, the then British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin, proposed a Western European Union and within two months on 17 March 1948 faced with the apparent ever-increasing threat to their future and security from the communists in the East. France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg joined with Britain to sign the Western Union agreement. It was at this time (June 1948) that the Soviets also decided to implement their blockade of Berlin.

Encouraged by the eventual success of the Berlin airlift, and the Western Alliance’s successful co-operation the Western Union members decided to form a combined military structure in October 1948 with land, sea and air commanders appointed, each coming from a different country.

Initial air combat assets were supplied by Britain, with war surplus Supermarine Spitfire fighters and Avro Lancaster bombers being delivered to the member nations and new Gloster Meteor and D. H. Vampire jet fighters licence-built by Belgium and France. In 1950, the Western Union held its first military exercise, 'Cupola'. It taking a similar form, to modern day NATO exercises.

In the fall of 1948, the Western Union held talks with the United States and Canada, with a view to enlisting the help of its wealthier allies in support of Western Europe's long-term security. Within a few months Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Norway and Portugal were invited to join the original Western Union members.

On 4 April 1949 all twelve members including the United States and Canada signed to create the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). However, it was not until the onset of the Korean War that the form of the new organisations military structure was resolved, with General Eisenhower appointed as the first SACUER (Supreme Allied Commander, Europe) in December 1950. His headquarters at Rocquencourt, near Paris was declared operational on 2 April 1951, and was designated Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).

Almost immediately the Western European air arms received hundreds of US military combat aircraft under the MAP (Military Aid Program) receiving such types as the Republic F-84F/G Thunderjets, F-84F Thunderstreaks, North American and Canadair F-86 Sabres

and Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star jet trainers.

Following ‘drawdown’ of US forces world-wide at the end of the Cold War, it had reduced its personnel by forty per-cent and permanently based tactical fighter/strike aircraft in the UK by eighty per-cent. Despite this drastic reduction the Third AF claims its ‘Americans in Britain’ has improved operational versatility and mobility, inline with USAFE, US European Command and NATO’s needs and developments in the new millennium.

Chapter 1 The front-line

When World War-II ended, captured, German airframes, engines, drawings, engineers and designers were shipped to Russia and the Yakovlev Yak-15 and Mikoyan MiG-9 jet fighters were designed in haste, closely followed by the Yak-17. But, it was the ‘gift’ by Britain of the Rolls-Royce Nene and Derwent jet engines, that were copied and reverse-engineered, that powered the famous swept-wing Mikoyan MiG-15 jet fighter that soon became a threat to the west. In particular in Korea, and across the East-West divide in Germany that suddenly developed in Europe post-WWII. Other lesser-known types of this period included the Yakovlev Yak-23 Flora and Lavochkin La-15 jet fighters and the twin-engined Tupolev Tu-77 attack plane, from which the Tu-14, and Ilyushin Il-28 Beagle jet-bombers were developed.

New Soviet military jets were first used in Korea in 1950, and it was not long before the type was deployed by the Soviets and the LSK/LV and its Warsaw Pact partners in Europe. The MiG-15s deficiencies were soon corrected by the MiG-17 that first appeared in 1952 at the same time as the MiG-15UTI combat-capable conversion trainer.

During the early 1950s deliveries of these new Soviet combat jets were made to the ‘satellite’ or Eastern European countries, that invaded by Russia towards the end of WWII had inevitably aligned themselves with the Russian bear. Soviet forces took up permanent residence in East Germany and soon took the fledgling East German Air Force (LSK/LV) under its wing whilst at the same time supplying the latest up-to-date equipment, engineers, instructors and advisors.

The Warsaw Pact multilateral military alliance formed in 1955, and the members included the Soviet Union (who, in time of war would take overall control from its H.Q in Moscow), Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland and Romania. Though by 1961, Albania had formed closer ties with Communist China and was 'excluded' from Warpac, leading to its official withdrawal in 1968.

A Sukhoi experimental jet broke the sound barrier, the first Russian aircraft to do so, and in 1955 the supersonic MiG-19 interceptor was introduced into VVS service. Other types that were soon to appear across the front-line between the Soviets and LSK/LV in the East and NATO forces in the West, in the now divided Germany included the Yakovlev Yak-25 night-fighter; the Tupolev Tu-16 and Tu-20 jet bombers; Ilyushin Il-12 and Il-14 transports; the Mil Mi-1 Hare helicopter of 1950, followed by the Mi-4 Hound in 1951, the Yak-4 in 1954, the Mi-6 Hook in 1958, and Mi-8 Hip and Mi-10, an Mi-6 heavy-lift crane derivative later. Antonov An-12 turbo-prop transports were introduced in 1955, and the ubiquitous delta-winged MiG-21 Fishbed fighter/interceptor started to enter service in 1958, at the same time as the Sukhoi Su-7B ground-attack fighter, and both types soon became standard equipment for Eastern bloc Warsaw Pact air forces.

Inevitably, through its close proximity to the 'Iron Curtain', Gatow (RAF Gatow from 1 August 1945) as well as playing a pivotal role in the Anglo-American airlift -- Operation Plainfare experienced a number of 'unscheduled' landings and incidents.

In 1952, a Soviet MiG-15 landed in error at Gatow. Despite efforts of airfield personnel to prevent it, the pilot managed to take-off again -- from the grass -- and escape. In both 1978 and 1987 a single-engined Zlin 42, a Czechoslovakian design, with East German registration landed at Gatow. Three people thereby escaping to the West. Even more adventurous was the flight of an East German citizen in July, 1979, who managed to escape to land at Gatow in a glider. In each of these incidents the aircraft were later handed over to Soviet forces on the famous Glienicker Bridge, connecting Potsdam to West Berlin. In September 1994, the RAF handed over Gatow to the Bundeswehr as the post-war 'Cold War' thawed.

Occupying Soviet and Warpac equipment included from 1968 onwards, the Mikoyan MiG-23 interceptor, MiG-27 fighter-bomber and the renowned MiG-25 Foxbat high-speed interceptor and reconnaissance plane. The latter believed to be designed to counter the Lockheed Mach 3.0 Blackbird. Other types included the Yakovlev Yak-25/Yak-28 ground-attack and light-bomber reconnaissance types; Sukhoi Su-9 all-weather interceptors and Ilyushin Il-28 Beagle bombers and Il-28R reconnaissance aircraft.

By the early 1970s, the VVS also had just under 2,000 transport aircraft (not counting the airline Aeroflot, that was organised on military lines to supplement the VVS transport fleet), and the types included Ilyushin Il-14 and Il-18, Antonov An-2, An-12 and An-22. There were also about 600 helicopters including Mil Mi-4, Mi-6, Mi-8, Mi-10 and Mi-12 and MiG-21UTI, Sukhoi Su-7UTI, Ilyushin Il-28U and Il-14U and Let L-29 Delfin trainers. Allocated to Soviet Frontal Aviation regiments in the early 1970s, the Mikoyan MiG-23MS was the base model that lead to other developments, the MiG-23MF Flogger-B, the dual-seat MiG-23UM Flogger-C and the MiG-27 Flogger-D

First WarPac country to receive the MiG-23 Flogger-B fighter was Bulgaria. This variant went on to see use with all seven Pact nations. The East German Air Force operated a regiment with 45 Flogger-B and Gs at Peenemunde. A regiment of Czech Flogger-Bs was based at Zatec. Forty Hungarian AF MiG-23MF were based at Papa with a further number at Szolnok. The Romanian AF had a regiment of Flogger-B based at Mihail-Kogainiccanu and a further squadron of MiG-23s were operated alongside two MiG-21 squadrons to form another interceptor regiment. A single Flogger-B regiment was operated by the Polish Air Defence Division at Bydgoszcz.

Standard armament for interceptor missions included the AA-7 Apex long-range air-to-air missile as well as AA-8 Aphid for self-defence. On twin missile launch units two AA-8 Aphids were carried instead of one single weapon on a pylon.

First trial with the new ground-attack aircraft, the MiG-27 Flogger-D developed from MiG- 23MS airframe, was made in about 1972. Three years later the new type had been observed as part of the Soviet 16th Air Army in Germany. On the ground-attack aircraft the interceptors GSh-23L cannon was replaced by a 23mm six-barrel Gatling-type cannon.

In 1981, a new variant of the Flogger-D was first seen in the German Democratic Republic. The MiG-27M Flogger-J. Beside the MiG-27 Flogger D or J another ground-attack variant was developed. This was a mixture of interceptor Flogger-B and MiG-27 variants. The nose of the MiG-27 was mated to the MiG-23MS fuselage. The two rear fuselage pylons from the MiG-27 were also added, as well as the missile control directing antenna on the port wing glove. The so-called MiG-23BN used the same R-29-300 engine as the Flogger-B and as the Flogger-D or J with the well-proven GSh-23L twin cannon instead of the six-barrel Gatling cannon.

The MiG-23BN was the first step towards simplifying and reducing the spares holdings and ground equipment needed for Flogger types, as these could be used for both. This was a major advance for those Warpac air arms who already had the MiG-23MF Flogger-B in service. Though only two WarPac countries operated the 'BN'; 30 Flogger-H were based at Drewitz as part of the Jagdbombenfliegerschwader 31 of the LSK/LV. The Czech AF operated a single regiment with three squadrons of ten aircraft each from Pardubice near Prague.

At this time, until the Western Group of Forces (WGF) re-organisation in the early 1990s, Floggers were numerically the most important Soviet-built type in the GDR, with about 1,000 interceptor and attack aircraft based in East Germany and the European part of the USSR.

Eventually supplanted by the MiG-29 Fulcrum with the Soviet PVO, many Floggers were to serve on in air defence and attack units of the VVS and Warpac nations for many years. Though many air arms preferred the better flight characteristics and higher weapon load of the Sukhoi Su-22M-4 Fitter-K and Su-24 Fencer fighter-bomber to meet their ground-attack needs.

In 1955 Albania was a founder member of the Warsaw Pact and the Albania People’s Army Air Force received its first jet equipment, Soviet-built MiG-15 fighters and MiG-15UTI trainers. Though in 1968, close alliance with Mao’s China, lead to Albania being excluded from WarPac with most of its military equipment subsequently supplied by China. Typically, Chinese-built MiG-21s and MiG-19s. In February 1947 the Allied forces rationalised a separate peace treaty with Bulgaria. But by that time the country was firmly in the grip of the Communist Party and the People’s Republic was proclaimed.

Massive aid was supplied by the Soviets and the air force and navy reflected this assistance, initially with obsolete Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters and Ilyushin Il-2 shturmovik ground-attack aircraft, with a few bomber, transport and training types, the latter comprising Yak-18s. The first jet equipment arrived in 1953: twenty-four Yak-23 Flora fighters followed shortly afterwards by some sixty MiG-15s, and further obsolete Ilyushin Il-10 shturmovik ground-attack planes. Further aid followed and by the 1970s as a full Warpac member Bulgaria had; two interceptor squadrons operating MiG-21s, and six squadrons with MiG-19s. Eleven squadrons operated obsolete MiG-17s, mainly on ground-attack duties, and there were also 24 MiG-17Cs in two reconnaissance squadrons, while a third operated Ilyushin Il-28R Beagle reconnaissance bombers. In addition some thirty transports were operated, mainly Ilyushin Il-14s a few Il-12s and one or two Lisunov Li-2s (Soviet-built Douglas C-47). Plus thirty Mil Mi-4 transport helicopters. Training aircraft included MiG-15UTI, L-29 Delfin jets, and Yak-11 and Yak-18 piston-engined aircraft.

Ironically, despite her ‘front-line’ position facing Greece and Turkey, Bulgaria failed to receive more up-to-date Soviet types. With the air force receiving only a small number of MiG-23BM Flogger-F strike fighters and the naval air arm Mi-14 Haze A helicopters.

After WW II ended, the new Czechoslovak Air Force was largely equipped with abandoned Luftwaffe and Slovak air force equipment, plus the aircraft flown by the former WW II RAF Czech squadrons, to which were added a small number of D H Mosquito fighter-bombers, and Soviet Lavochkin La-7 fighters, and Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers.

In 1948 a Communist coup d’état was successful. The Czech AF was purged of all pro-western and former RAF elements, and Russian advisers moved in. Soviet forces were stationed in Czechoslovakia. Initial