USSR flying into UK Airspace

[airbolt]

In the Cold War , the USSR used to test the UK response to their Bombers. Bombers used to fly toward UK airspace and Interceptors were sent up to head them off ( usually Lightnings or Phantoms ).

For a possible story idea , I would like to find out
* Just how hard would the Bombers push ?
*How "robust" could the Interceptors be? ( ie were they allowed to fire warning shots? ) ?

[Toureman]

Bit about it here...........

http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/news_0603_02.html

[heathfield]

They didn't fire warning shots as far as I'm aware, but did fly very closely alongside them. Photos here.

[jake-the-peg]

You might find this interesting (and slightly shocking) it's a list of incidents of down aircraft since WWII (and some that were just shot at with no casulties).

http://www.silent-warriors.com/shootdown_list. html

A surprising number of people getting shot down for being where they shouldn't have been!

Looks like we were pretty restrained in the UK

[CT]

http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_285 .shtml
This is the link to heathfield's site with pics.

[airbolt]

Thanks to everyone who answered . I have had a fascinating time looking at the links.

[NapoleonSolo]

Between 1985 & 1987 I served as a flight line mechanic on No 29 (Fighter) Squadron based at RAF Conningsby, Lincolnshire.
Every few months 29sqn took its turn on QRA (Quick Reaction Alert). Normally two Phantoms (Q1 and Q2) where parked up in the "Q" sheds, which were two hardened aircraft shelters (HAS's) with accommodation for Air & Ground crew in between the sheds. The "Q kites" were armed with 4 Sidewinder & 4 Sykflash missiles plus wing and centre line drop tanks. QRA was manned 24x7 and was expected to be up in the air within minutes of the alarm button being pressed.
(see part 2)

[NapoleonSolo]

Conningsby covered the southern QRA section (which I believe covered approx the southern half of the North Sea down) which was normally pretty quiet, apart from the time the Soviet Fleet decided to have an exercise in the North Sea (a.k.a. the NATO pond) when we had virtually the whole squadron was armed up ready to go.

The rest of the time we only got scrambled as an exercise or in support of Northern Q (base out of RAF Leuchars nr Dundee).
From Memory, Northern Q had a "live" scramble at least every other day, the Soviet aircraft never came near UK airspace but were intercepted somewhere near Iceland where the "Q" jet would shadow the Soviet aircraft (which I believe was normally a Tu-95 (Nato assigned name "Bear"). I do not believe any of these interceptions resulted in a live fire incident nor did the soviet aircraft come close to UK airspace. The Soviets got all the intelligence information they required from monitoring NATO frequencies and gauging the reaction. In fact I remember a pilot telling me the Soviets knew exactly where the NATO intercepting aircraft came from, the fuel that must have been consumed to get there and how long that aircraft type could stay in position before having to refuel. In fact the TU-95's would play with the NATO aircraft by throttling back and curse along, then when they knew the NATO interceptor was getting low on fuel they'd throttle forwarded leaving the NATO aircraft with no alternative but to go home or meet up with an air tanker. Not very TOP GUN is it.
(see part 3)

[NapoleonSolo]

Northern Q normally asked for support from southern Q when it's Q1 had been scrambled to meet a soviet "Bear" aircraft and Q2 had gone U/S (Unserviceable). Southern Q would then scramble to cover while Northern Q repaired or replaced its Q2. As the Phantom was by the mid 80's come to the end of its service life is was a fairly common occurrence. A live scramble in support Northern Q would entail the delights of a good 7-8 hour sortie for the Aircrew (I remember at least one 12 hour sortie!). We ground crew loved them as it normally meant you would not be on shift when they returned!
I once "saw in" a Q jet that had been up for 8 hours, both the Pilot & Nav were heavy smokers and both big guys at least 6ft2" tall. As soon as the jet was chocked and shut down the pair of them jumped out of the cockpit and virtually picked up the nearest ground crew (Liney) demanding cigarettes, when the Liney managed to gasp out the fact he was a non smoker they'd drop him on the floor to hunt down another victim Only on the 4th attempt were they successful they then ran into the management cabin and sparked up. Only after they had been suitably "nicotined up" did they come out and apologies to their victims.