Western Morning News (Saturday)
Last flight for the iconic Hawk jet after 40 years of service
A familiar sight in the skies over the Westcountry will be seen no more, with the retirement of the Royal Navy’s Hawk jets. Olivier Vergnault sees them off
CORNWALL’S Hawk jets have bid the Duchy a final farewell with an historic flight around the county.
A chapter in Cornwall’s proud Royal Navy history has been closed with the last flight of RNAS Culdrose’s Hawk jets, which circled Cornwall’s peninsula on Thursday for the final time.
After 40 years of loyal service, the famous aircraft bowed out with an emotional aerial tour of the Duchy that took in both coasts and the county’s largest towns.
Having left their base of four decades at RNAS Culdrose in Heston the last two jets in 736 Naval Air Squadron flew straight to Plymouth before banking back down the south coast.
After flying over St Austell, they headed out to Helston, Penzance, Sennen, St Ives, then up the north coast past Newquay and Padstow then onto Bude. The Hawk jets headed up over Devon, and onto RAF Shawbury near Shrewsbury.
It was announced last year that the Hawk T1 defence jets, excluding the Red Arrows, were to be stood down. Lieutenant Commander Jason Flintham, the commanding officer of 736 Naval Air Squadron at Culdrose, said it was a ‘sad day for everyone involved with the Hawks’.
After having done one last flypast of the UK’s Royal Navy and RAF bases where the famous jets have been based over the past four decades, this week saw the iconic aircraft retired for good.
The jets have been a crucial part of training and air defence in the UK. Lt Cmdr Flintham said: “The Hawks have been used by 736 Naval Air Squadron to train Royal Navy and
NATO frontline assets since 2013. We’ve used them to train ships’ companies against incoming aircraft or to simulate missile attack, as well as training Royal Navy fighter controllers. Other roles include training air traffic controllers, airborne surveillance and control crews and aiding radar development. We’ve also regularly taken part in large multinational NATO exercises, such as Exercise Joint Warrior off Scotland.
“Of course, it’s not just about these superb aircraft. A squadron is comprised of the men and women whose professionalism and dedication makes the squadron a success and deliver its defence aims. We thank everyone who has served over the years including those in industry and the military.”
People living near RNAS Culdrose described the last flight for the Hawks as a sad day. One said: “They’ve been a daily sight and sound over the years, we’ll miss them very much. The skies already seem too quiet.”