What about the 'Kipper Fleet'?

摘要

I enjoyed the interesting 'Cold War Warriors' coverage in the March edition. However, what about the aircraft and squadrons in the RAF who were at the forefront of Cold War surveillance, spent more time than anyone else in the Cold War flying 'for real', but don't get a mention? I mean, of course, Coastal Command and its successor units as well as units based overseas -such as 203 Squadron at Luqa in Malta, whose crews patrolled the soft underbelly of Europe. The Shackletons and later the Nimrods of the 'Kipper Fleet', were in daily contact with the vessels, and, occasionally, naval aircraft of the Warsaw Pact fleets. They operated in all weathers over the far-flung oceans, carrying out a tasking very similar to the ones they would have been allotted if the Cold War had turned hot.