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By: - 1st May 2019 at 20:06 Permalink
RAF aircraft transitioned through Saigon during the Vietnam war.
By: - 1st May 2019 at 22:09 Permalink
I was aware of some covert transport operations on behalf of the Americans by HP Hastings in 62 - do you know which Vulcan detachment visited Saigon in 65? I presume this would be Tan Son Nhut - they would have looked incongruous alongside those Air America prop jobs.
By: - 1st May 2019 at 23:18 Permalink
Just wondering, when did Vulcans get the gray/green camo instead of white?
Seems odd (stupid really) that if the RAF were doing anything like secret combat ops, they'd do it from the main Saigon airport instead of a B-52 base away from preying eyes.
It better yet, why not do it from an established RAF base in the region (if it had the range or tanker support)?
By: - 2nd May 2019 at 06:54 Permalink
Unlikely to be related to Game Warden (which was a US Navy operation rather than an exercise). Most likely a coincidental overflight of a Butterworth-based aircraft?
By: - 2nd May 2019 at 07:24 Permalink
My father frequently transited through Saigon with RAF Argosies during 1965-66 en route to and from RAF Changi and RAAF Butterworth.
By: - 2nd May 2019 at 09:40 Permalink
Just wondering, when did Vulcans get the gray/green camo instead of white?
Mid/late 70s, but I don't think that one is camo'd underneath
By: - 2nd May 2019 at 11:11 Permalink
I guess Butterworth-based (or Tengah) makes sense. Looking at the map a transit through Hong Kong Kai Tak would take you right over Vietnam.. Thanks all.
By: - 2nd May 2019 at 13:51 Permalink
Green / Grey upper surface camouflage appeared in the late 60's, when the low-level approach to the target was adopted, to avoid the SAM threat.
By: - 2nd May 2019 at 22:57 Permalink
Unless the photographer had a very long lens...the Vulcan looks fairly low.
Is it likely that the crew would have descended from their Butterworh-Hong Kong route and altitude to see the war first-hand?
A bit of sightseeing?
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By: Beermat - 1st May 2019 at 18:41
According to a few forums out there this was taken on 25 December 1965 by a US Marine deployed as part of Task Force 116 in support of Operation Game Warden, an area denial exercise in the waters of the Mekong Delta.
Unfortunately I can find nothing to immediately corroborate that. Does anyone know any more?
(Google rather brilliantly identifies this as a B-2 Spirit).