AirACES present Phantoms Over Germany - Flying the F4 in the Low Level Air Defence Role 1979 - 1982

The speaker of this talk, Sqn Ldr Edward (Ed) Smith DFC, joined the Royal Air Force in 1976 and trained as a pilot, being streamed in the fast-jet role   He qualified as a Tactical Weapons instructor on the BA Hawk at RAF Chivenor. His first Operational posting was flying the McDonnell Douglas Phantom F4, which by that time, was exclusively tasked in the air defence role, having handed the ground attack role to the Jaguar.

Most crews, on completion of the type conversion course, were posted to UK-based squadrons, but Germany had its own units, 19(F) and 92 squadrons based at RAF Wildenrath, and Ed was selected to join 19(F) for an exciting and challenging tour on NATO’s front line. In his own words, Ed describes the Phantom as “a magnificent aircraft”.  

 Following his Germany posting, his Cold War flying continued with conversion to the Tornado. In 1990, Ed was selected for an exchange posting flying F16s with the USAF 4th Fighter Squadron in the USA.  Within a year of joining this operational squadron, he was flying in the 1991 Gulf War, where he flew 26 combat missions alongside his American colleagues.  He was subsequently awarded the US Distinguished Flying Cross and then the British DFC.  Sqn Ldr Ed Smith retired from the RAF in 1995.   

 AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation.

 VENUE – Boxgrove Village Hall, The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester, PO18 0EE, 6.45 pm for a 7.30 pm start. Members £5, Non-members £10, and under 16s FREE. Doors open at 6.45; no pre-booking, no reserved seating

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