Commonwealth of New Cromer AU

New Cromer Air Force History

New Cromer Airforce NCAF

Hawker Tempest: (to Follow)
Douglas DC.3: (to Follow)
Blackburn Beverly: (to Follow)
Dehaviland Chipmunk: (to Follow)
BAC Jet Provost: (to Follow)
New Cromer introduced the BAC Jet Provost into service in 1963 as the T.4 but fitted with wing tip tanks and the ability to carry underwing bombs and rockets originally for air to ground weapons training but in the early 1970’s some of New Cromer’s Provost would use this capability in anger, till this point all training in the New Cromer Air Force and Navy had been carried out with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy of the UK either at bases on New Cromer or in the UK with groups of trainees sent to train within the RAF. New Cromer took delivery of the first of 50 BAC Jet Provost on April of 1963. The first two units to equip were No’ 8(R) and 18(R) Squadrons, at the time basic and advanced training was carried out in one unit so each unit was equipped with 25 Provost and 25 DeHaviland Chipmunk Trainers (Delivered in 1952). They were delivered in a Silver and Yellow scheme as depicted by the No’8 Squadron Drawing. By 1968 it was deemed necessary to separate advanced and basic training so No’ 18(R) Squadron gave its Jet provost up and took over the Chipmunk’s of No’8 Squadron by this time No’8 Squadrons aircraft had been repainted into the Red and White scheme as depicted and would serve like this till replaced by BAE Hawk aircraft in 2000. The 25 other Provost were split between No’216(R) and 201(R) Squadrons the two Naval training units these aircraft received an all over grey scheme (201 Sqn) and two tone grey camo (216 Sqn). From 1971-79 216(R) Squadron became an active front line unit using its 12 Provosts and 5 aircraft taken from 201(R) repainted in two tone brown, as ground support aircraft in support of Kenyan and Rhodesian forces in the later stages of the Zimbabwe War of Independence for this 10 aircraft received a two tone brown scheme. After the withdrawal of forces for the theatre the squadron returned to its Reserve status and again took over a training role 212(R) filling in for the time it was at war. 12 further BAC Jet Provost T.5X were delivered in 1968 (these modified to New Cromer’s specs with fuselage strengthening, strengthened landing gear and arrester hook) these were assigned to No 212(R) Squadron and used for training at Victoria Naval Station these were delivered in the red and white scheme. No 216(R) Squadron was disbanded in 1989 with the demise of the Gannet OCU and 6 of its 12 Aircraft were transferred to 201(R) squadron. When the navy shut down the Buccaneer and Vixen OCU in 1989 212(R) also disbanded. 201(R) Squadron became 104(R) Squadron in 1992 and part of the JFC Harrier OCU these Provosts were retired in 2006 and replaced by the BAE Hawk 127.
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English Electric Canberra:
The English Electric Canberra was one of the first official combat aircraft ordered by New Cromer’s government in 1950 following the initiation of the pre independent governing body. The Canberra would full fill a Bomber, Recognisance and Anti Shipping role from its entry into service in 1952 with 58 ordered all as B.2 but modified for specific tasks on delivery to New Cromer, this included the adding of underwing pylons etc, aircrews were trained by the RAF on New Cromer at first, the RAF having 2 Squadrons of Canberra aircraft on New Cromer at this time. No 4 and 9 Squadron were first to equip with the Canberra B.2 No 9 Squadron quickly introduced an indigenous Recon pack to fit in the Bomb bay of it’s Canberra’s and they were re-designated BP.1’s The Canberra OCU No 16 Squadron set up in 1958 taking over training from the RAF again equipped with B.2’s . No 17 Squadron equipped in 1959 with the B.2 when this Squadron took over a Nuclear role in 1967 they were re-designated B.2N. No 4 squadron took up Maritime work and maintained this role until the Buccaneer arrived in 1966 it then took over a bombing role until the Squadron re equipped with the Phantom in 1975. No 4’s Canberra’s were re-designated B.2M in 1961 to show there ability to carry a modified version of the US AGM-12 Bull-pup the AGM-12M manufactured in New Cromer under license for anti-ship duties on wing pylons this was replaced in 1973 with the AGM-65 Maverick, Marker Buoys and AS Torpedoes in there Bomb Bays. in 1975. No 9 squadron was assigned to Recognisance and occasional Maritime work although the indigenously designed bomb bay camera pack could be removed and the aircraft returned to Bomber configuration. When No 9 re equipped with the Buccaneer in 1982 a number of No 9’s aircraft transferred to No 19 Squadron now permanently configured for recognisance role along with some other modifications and designated P.1’s, No 19 Squadron was heavily involved in the 1983 Yemen Crisis and after one of its Canberra was shot down 3 of the 7 operational aircraft received major rebuilds with up dated avionics, radar and ability to carry sidewinder self defence missiles becoming P.2A’s the other 4 received minor upgrades and side winder capability but not full avionics or radar modification and became P.1A these remained in service till 1998.. No 16 Squadron was the OCU and would remain in this role till it re equipped with the Buccaneer in 1982. No 17 Squadron was assigned as a Bomber unit and in 1967 it acquired a Nuclear role with the introduction of Nuclear weapons to New Cromer during the tensions with China. The squadron would re equip with Phantoms in 1976, that would take on the role till 2013 when the squadron turned to drones. Many of the surviving Canberra B.2’s would finish there lives as pilotless remote drones for use in missile and radar system tests from the mid 80’s to the last Canberra QB.2 being destroyed by an Aster 30 in 2004 from a land based test launcher. 3 Canberra airframes are preserved 1 at Cromer a Aviation Museum and 2 as gate guards at Mexworth and Oxley Air Stations.
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Hawker Hunter: (to Follow)
Blacburn Bucaneer:
Delivered from 1966 The Blackburn Buccaneer S.2 built to a spec similar to the S.2B that the UK’s RAF would soon receive was New Cromers answer to a requirement for a land and carrier based strike aircraft, originally equipping 3 Navy and 3 Air Force units. In Airforce use the Buccaneer's equipped No’s 3, 6 and 14 Squadrons. 14 Squadron being the Buccaneer OCU but also combat deployable. When delivered from 1966 the Buccaneers carried the then standard two tone grey wraparound camouflage scheme. No 3 Squadron was a dual role unit providing a Strike Squadron and also a Maritime Attack Squadron at first using the AGM-12M this was replaced by the AGM-65 Maverick in 1973 then Martel and Sea Eagle missiles in the 1980’s, it also had a third role as the Air Forces Primary Nuclear strike unit along with at first a Canberra Squadron and then a Phantom unit until the Tornado took over this role entirely in 1991. No’6 Squadron sent 4 of its aircraft to Kenya in 1974-8 during the Zimbabwe war of independence they were used as low level recognisance aircraft and to drop propaganda leaflets they were repainted in a two tone brown scheme for this deployment. No 14 Squadron was the Buccaneer OCU and undertook all conversion training and weapon evaluation although did some times deploy for operations. No3 Squadron re equipped in 1982 with the Tornado GR1 it's Buccaneer’s transferring to No9 Squadron to replace Canberra Bombers/recognisance aircraft they took the Maritime duties with them by now using the Maverick AGM-65 but soon to re equip with Martel and Sea Eagle ASM’s the squadron was heavily involved in the Yemen crisis of 1983-4 patrolling the coast of Yemen and Oman enforcing the port blockades. This unit too re equipped in 1988 with the Tornado following the certification of Sea Eagle on this type, the best Buccaneer’s transferring to the Navy for parts or replacements for the Navy's aircraft. No 14 Squadron also re equipped as the Tornado OCU in 1982 with its Buccaneer’s transferring to No 16 Squadron. No 6 squadron was Disbanded in 1987 and reformed with the Tornado in 1988. No 16 Squadron although scheduled to disband in 1991 deployed its Buccaneer’s in the First Gulf war as designator aircraft for Tornado bombers following delays in getting the TIALD into service on New Cromer’s Tornado’s, the UK more concerned about supplying its own Squadrons than New Cromer, New Cromer having to resort to borrowed Pave Spike pods from the U.S. The Buccaneer's were repainted into the then new two tone grey scheme, they were withdrawn in 1992 when No 16 Squadron also transferred to the Tornado, At the same time the Navy also said farewell to there Buccaneer’s. 5 aircraft would survive till 1997 with No 191 Squadron the Tactical Weapons Qualification Unit in there two tone grey camouflage schemes.
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McDonnell Douglas Phantom II:
The McDonnell Douglas Phantom II entered service with New Cromer in 1969, originally 76 F4C's, these replaced the Hawker Hunter in the Air Defence role and on QRA duties, 68 more F4E and RF4E Phantoms were introduced from 1974 and had replaced the Hunter in all but close air support ground attack roles and the Canberra in a nuclear role this brought the total number of Phantoms in the New Cromer Air Force to 144, by 1981 the original F4C was replaced in the Air Defence role and QRA roles by the arrival into service of the F15C eagle this saw them slowly removed from these duties. a number of F4C did survive in a common pool with the F4E and RF4E for a while but were slowly phased out. In 1996 46 of the F4E and RF4E fleet were put through a mid life extension programme which would see some of them last until 2013, some un modified aircraft would serve till the early 00's. The Phantom saw intensive use in the Air Force over a 47 year period in all roles until the arrival of tyhpoons in the mid to late 00's. they would remain an important part in the inventory till 2008 when the first Eurofighter Typhoons began to arrive in service. the last Phantom unit would be disbanded in 2013 after seing action in the war in Libya being used as designator aircraft for New Cromer's Tornado bombers. New Cromers Phantoms had seen action in several middle eastern conflicts including Gulf Wars 1 and 2, Afganistan and Africa untill beng fully phased out by 2013.
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Hawker Harrier GR1 (to Follow)
Boeing KC-135
Introduced in 1977, New Cromer bought 5 KC-135's quickly converted them from single point to 3 point tankers for the first time allowing the Air Force to deploy truly globally. they would work along side the KC130's for a number of years till these were also replaced by the A330. the KC 135's were delivered with TMF-33 engines but were re-engine in the early 90's with CFM-56's. The tankers survived till 2013 when the A330 MRTT was deemed operational. They would see use in the Oman, Yemen, New Cromer Crisis in 1983, the First Gulf War in 1991, the NATO campaigns in the Balkans, the conflicts in 2001 and 2003 in Afghanistan and Iraq and in the Libyan campaign in 2011. They would support operations over Africa on numerous occasions as well as using there cargo holds for humanitarian aid missions in 2004 when the Tsunami hit the Indian ocean.
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McDonnell Douglas F15C Eagle
Ordered in 1974 the Air Force received 55 F15C eagles and replaced the F4C Phantom in the Air Defence and QRA role they equipped 3 front line squadrons and an OCU. they themselves were replaced from 2008/9 by the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 in the Air Defence and QRA roles, further deliveries of Typhoons would see the remaining F4E and RF4E Phantoms withdrawn by 2013. the Eagle would protect New Cromer's air space from 1979 to the last giving way in 2012. one squadron was deployed along side allied forces for the 2003 war in Iraq. the remaining 46 F15C's are currently in warm store at the New Gosford storage facility located roughly hallway between Victoria and Cromer.
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Lockheed L1011-100 Tristar
6 aircraft were purchased off of the national airline Cromer Airways in 1986 and used as transports under the Guise C.1's until the arrival of the A330's in 2010/11. they were used extensively in 1991 and 2001 - 2003 to transport New Cromer and Allied troops to Afghanistan and Iraq during the 2 gulf wars and the war in Afghanistan. They have also seen use in many African Humanitarian aid missions transporting refugees and food and medical aid. 1 aircraft was lost in 2004 after running off the end of a runway in Indonesia after landing with aid following the Tsunami no crew were killed or seriously injured and the supplies were off loaded but damage to the airframe was extensive and it was written off.
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Tail Art will follow

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