Story Behind the Scene. Chris French
Acclaimed aviation artist Chris French explains the origins of his latest artwork: a sun-bathed Handley Page Hastings of a little-known unit
This painting was commissioned for an ex-crew member of Handley Page Hastings TG560, Flt Lt Robert ‘Bob’ Jones. He had a long career in the RAF, joining in 1947 and later serving on Victor tankers, which included involvement in the Falklands conflict. He eventually retired in 1993.
After the formation of the RAF's Central Signals Establishment in late 1946, a new unit was created in Buckinghamshire at 90 (Signals) Group HQ, Medmenham. This was the Inspectorate of Radio Installations and Services, IRIS for short.
The IRIS was tasked with the global supervision of all RAF Air Traffic Control (ATC) and radio communication systems. It operated just one aircraft at a time, stationed at RAF Watton in Norfolk. The unit’s first mount was Lancaster PA477 named appropriately IRIS; it carried the inspector, a group captain and his crew. They were sometimes likened to policemen by ATC personnel wherever inspections were carried out, occasionally arriving at bases unannounced. The aircraft was used to calibrate approach systems and navig…
