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BAC 145/167 Strikemaster 1968-69 were good years for this aircraft type, with around 30 airframes staging through for four air forces. If anyone can supply additional information such as previous BAC and/or RAF identities, squadron number and eventual fate, this will be greatly appreciated.
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Iraqi Air Force On 1 January 1964, a £1.5 million contract for 20 BAC Jet Provost T.52s light strike/trainers was placed by the Iraqi Government. Unlike its RAF T.4 equivalent, the Iraqi T.52s (serials 600-619) were armed with machine-guns and bomb racks and in the Iraqi AF, they served in both roles of trainer and counter-insurgency, replacing the last of the aging Hawker Furies.
SERIAL No. | DELIVERY DATE | NOTES | 601 | 27.03.69 | I only have details of this one aircraft. |
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Royal Saudi Air Force All aircraft delivered in 1969 are BAC 167 Srikemaster Mk.80. The type delivered in 1968 isn’t known, but most probably are the same mark. Mr. Ian Hawkridge, who was an RAF line mechanic at Luqa on TASF (Transit Aircraft Servicing Flight) over the period April 1968 - October 1970, has supplied additional detail about RSAF S/Masters. Those in the 9** serial number range were delivered between May – December 1968, some being in the grey scheme, others being camouflaged. Ian also confirmed the serial numbers of those seen on 10.02.69.
SERIAL | ARRIVED | DEPARTED | NOTES | 903 |   |   | Test registration G-27-10 | 904 |   |   | Test registration G-27-11. | 905 |   |   | Test registration G-27-12. | 906 |   |   | Test registration G-27-13. | 907 |   |   | Test registration G-27-14. | 908 |   |   | Test registration G-27-15. | 909 |   |   | Test registration G-27-16. | 910 |   |   | Test registration G-27-17. | 911 |   |   | Test registration G-27-18. | 912 |   |   | Test registration G-27-19. | 913 |   |   | Test registration G-27-20. | 1102 | 10.02.69 |   | Departed from Hal-Far. These two aircraft, as well as 1103 and 1104 landed at Hal-Far airfield due to runway re-surfacing at Luqa. Also carried test registration G-27-21. | 1103 | 27.03.69 |   | Light Grey colours | 1104 | 27.03.69 |   | Light Grey colours. | 1105 | 10.02.69 |   | Departed from Hal-Far. Also carried test registration G-27-22. | 1108 | 13.06.69 |   | Camouflaged. | 1109 | 13.06.69 |   | Camouflaged. | 1110 | 13.06.69 |   | Camouflaged. | 1111 | 09.07.69 |   | Camouflaged. | 1112 | 09.07.69 |   | Camouflaged. | 1113 | 09.07.69 |   | Camouflaged. |
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Sudan Air Force SERIAL | MARK | ARRIVED | DEPARTED | NOTES | G-ASEZ | Jet Provost 52 |   |   | This aircraft left Hurn on 22.03.63, so probably arrived in Malta on the same day. Sold to Sudan AF as 181, but involved in an accident the following month, and returned back to the UK. The serial seems to jar with the delivery dates of the other aircraft, which all took place six years later. | 167 | BAC 145 | 30.03.69 |   |   | 177 | BAC 145 | 30.03.69 |   |   | 187 | BAC 145 * | 30.03.69 |   | * Equivalent to the RAF’s Jet Provost Mk.5. All three aircraft were finished in light grey overall colours, with dayglo patches. | 192 | BAC 145 | 13.06.69 |   |   | 197 | BAC 145 | 13.06.69 |   |   |
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People’s Republic of South Yemen Air Force Perhaps the rarest of all Strikemasters ever exported were those to South Yemen. The British Government had placed an order, on behalf of what was then known as the South Arabian Federation Government, for four BAC 167 Strike Master Mk.81 light strike/jet trainers. They were delivered in one batch, all passing through Luqa on 6 August 1969, probably leaving the next morning. By then a leftist government had taken over control in the country which was renamed the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Yemen. All British aircraft had been disposed of by the mid-1970s. However, it has since become known to this writer that another batch of Strikemasters had been delivered to Yemen, but sadly not through Malta. I have, however, been given additional information about the four aircraft below. They were all sold to the Singapore Air Defence Force in 1974, serving with that country until 1993. SERIAL | ARRIVED | DEPARTED | NOTES | 501 | 06.08.69 | 07.08.69 | B reg G-27-33, line number PS126. Arrived in Khormaksar on the 8th. To SADF as 320 in 1974, withdrawn from service in 1993. Current fate unknown. | 502 | 06.08.69 | 07.08.69 | B reg G-27-34, line number PS127. Arrived in Khormaksar on the 8th. To SADF as 321 in 1974, withdrawn from service in 1993. Current fate unknown. | 503 | 06.08.69 | 07.08.69 | B reg G-27-35, G-AXEF, 24-4-69, line number PS128. Arrived in Khormaksar on the 8th. To SADF as 322, withdrawn from service in 1993. Became N167SM in 1994 but lost on 26.02.11. | 504 | 06.08.69 | 07.08.69 | B reg G-27-36, line number PS129. G-AXFX, 21-5-69. Arrived in Khormaksar on the 8th. Singapore Air Defence Command 323, became N21419 in 1993 and is probably still in the UK at Hawarden. |
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