527th aggressor squadron alconbury afb

When Bears Roamed Suffolk

Graham Haynes remembers more active times in glory Suffolk countryside

The arrival of representation first 'Aggressor' General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcons at RAF Bentwaters on 14 June 1988 extend a new dimension to illustriousness role of the Suffolk goal.

Assigned to the 527th Invader Squadron, the F-16Cs were reveal play the role of say publicly 'bad guys' during air battle manoeuvring (ACM) training against fighters belonging to many of NATO's air forces. This had nobility prospect of being an racy period for any avid even 'spotter' as many of interpretation aircraft participating in training involve the 'Aggressors' would be family unit at Bentwaters for the continuance of their respective courses.

Unhappily this was only to make ends meet the case for some xviii months before the unit was deactivated and its F-16s transferred to other USAFE squadrons. Contempt this, Bentwaters played host accomplish numerous aircraft types from not too NATO countries for this divide period making the 'Aggressor' F-16Cs very welcome residents at influence base.

Currently existing as the 527th Space Aggressor Squadron at Schriever AFB, Colorado, the 527th began life as the as birth 312th Bombardment Squadron (Light) reworking 13 January 1943 and reactive on 10 Febrauary 1943 decay Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma, affectionate with the Douglas A-20 Wrack.

The unit flew a exact of three aircraft types wrench its first year of arbitrate - in addition to goodness A-20, the 312th operated righteousness Douglas A-24 Dauntless, the Vultee A-31 Vengeance and the Boreal American A-36 Apache. The private house was redesignated as the 312th Bombardment Squadron (Dive) on 3 September 1942.

Two more redesignations followed, the first occurring vacate 23 August 1943 when say publicly 312th became the 527th Fighter-Bomber Squadron.

The second redesignation came on the 30 Might 1944, this time the cluster became the 527th Fighter Squad and re-equipped with the Condition P-47 Thunderbolt. The 527th Products continued to operate the P-47 until it deactivated at Bolling Field, DC, on 31 Go by shanks`s pony 1946.

The 527th FS was reactivated five months later, on 20 August 1946, at Nordholz, Deutschland, again flying the P-47.

Confiscation 20 January 1950, the piece was redesignated as the 527th Fighter-Bomber Squadron and moved behaviour the jet era when recoup re-equipped with the Republic F-84E Thunderjet. The 527th FBS operated the F-84E for three lifetime from Neubiberg and Landstuhl Bleakness Bases in Germany until depart re-equipped at the latter bottom with the North American F-86F Sabre.

The unit was redesignated as the 527th Fighter-Day Outfit on 8 October 1954 sports ground deactivated sixteen months later, image 8 February 1956, with team and equipment transferring to integrity 461st FDS.

After a be revealed of some twenty years, honourableness unit was reactivated as magnanimity 527th Tactical Fighter Training Attacker Squadron (TFTAS) on 1 Apr 1976 at RAF Alconbury.

Authority squadron was part of excellence 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (later to become the 10th Diplomatic Fighter Wing), operating the Biochemist F-5E Tiger II in excellence Dissimilar Air Combat Tactics (DACT) training role.

The first batch be in opposition to eight aircraft were air-freighted meet by chance Alconbury on 21 May 1976 on board a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy direct from the interchange facility at Palmdale.

Eight addition Tigers arrived on 14 June with the final batch competition four following ten days next, on 24 June. These level were also airfreighted on mark a C-5A. The 527th was fully operational a few months later with the first DACT course commencing in October 1976. The siting of an ACMI (Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation) reach at Decimomannu in Sardinia resulted in the 527th maintaining well-ordered semi-permanent presence at this NATO base.

This facility also enabled air forces other than blue blood the gentry USAF to take advantage indifference the training provided by distinction 527th TFTAS. The Royal Unjust Force, France's Armee de l'Air, the Italian Air Force topmost the Luftwaffe were amongst those that benefited.

The squadron, which was redesignated as the 527th Raider Squadron (AS) on 14 Apr 1983, remained at Alconbury waiting for 1988, flying its last job with the F-5E on 22 June of that year.

Honourableness control of the 527th Significance was transferred to the 81st TFW at RAF Bentwaters be proof against the F-5Es were replaced take on the larger General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon during 1988.

The good cheer two of an intended appendix of eighteen F-16Cs arrived knock Bentwaters on 14 June 1988. These were single examples untenanted from the 52nd TFW downy Spangdahlem AB and the 86th TFW at Ramstein AB.

Illustriousness squadron was officially activated resentment 1 July 1988, with distinction first four months dedicated be given pilot conversion for the additional aircraft. The 527th AS resumed their aggressor role in Nov 1988 when six McDonnell Pol F-15C Eagles from the Thirty-sixth TFW at Bitburg AB, Frg arrived at Bentwaters for loftiness start of a three-week DACT course.

The 527th's complement lay out aircraft had reached twelve union 16 January 1989 when ventilate more F-16C was delivered hit upon Spangdahlem. The 527th AS straightforward their first deployment to Decimomannu with the new type treat badly 30 March 1989 when shake up aircraft deployed to the ACMI range for two weeks.

The 527th AS was to become practised victim of cuts in Penny-pinching defence spending and a juggle around with regarding the role of Trespasser Squadrons within the USAF.

Border line November 1989, having never carried out its original planned complement nigh on 18 aircraft, the 527th Variety began disposing of its F-16Cs in preparation for deactivation say publicly following year. The first a handful of aircraft to leave were flown to Spangdahlem on 29 Nov 1989. The 527th AS abstruse reassigned its entire fleet worry about 12 aircraft by mid-1990 near was officially deactivated on 30 September of that year.

Prominently enough it was to engrave the only F-16 unit by any chance to be based in position UK.

The sudden demise of picture 527th AS at Bentwaters weigh many enthusiasts wishing they could turn back the clock, your scribe amongst them! One meticulously that always crops up march in conversations is "If they hadn't been deactivated, I wonder provided they'd painted the F-16s ala F-5E-style?" That question could happen to answered by taking a person at the 1/8 scale working model that once resided outside significance Wing Command Post at Bentwaters and is now on bighead at the American Air Museum, Duxford.

Perhaps this is cease indication of what the powers-that-be had in the pipeline. Unrestrained guess we will never know!!

527th AS F-16Cs assigned:
F-16C Block 30A: 85-1479/01 & 85-1453/02.
F-16C Block 30C: 86-0209/03, 86-0229/04, 86-0249/05, 86-0219/06, 86-0254/11, 86-0216/12, 86-0231/13, 86-0227/14, 86-0224/15 & 86-0237/16.