Bruntingthorpe hosted a 35th anniversary get together of Black Buck veterans on April 30, in celebration of one of the RAF’s most daring Cold War raids.
On the same date in 1982, the RAF began the now famous operation from Ascension Island in the South Atlantic.
The mission was the first offensive air action against the Argentine invasion forces that had occupied the Falkland Islands.
The event at the Leicestershire airfield featured the largest gathering of Black Buck 1 veterans since 1982. Among those invited to a reunion dinner on April 29 was the former Air Officer Commanding of No.1 Group, ACM Sir Michael Knight KCB AFC.
On the day of the anniversary, a group photoshoot of participating aircrew, operations and engineering staff was taken in front of Handley Page Victor K.2 XM715 Teasin’ Tina. Afterwards, three members of the original White 2 Black Buck crew – Bob Tuxford, Glyn Rees and Mike Beer – gave a taxi and high-speed demonstration run in the Victor.
Tony Wallis, representing his father Ernie Wallis (Bob’s Navigator Radar during Black Buck 1), had the privilege of riding along on this special occasion.
On the runway, the simulated take-off was brought safely back to taxi speed using the impres…
