Subject: Re: (Silly Week 2008) Submission #5
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "S. Robert Sliger II" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 30 Dec 2007 14:21:09 -0800

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: S. Robert Sliger II 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 8:49 PM
  Subject: (Silly Week 2008) Submission #5

  Rockwell Excalibur B.1 

  by Bud Sliger
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here  

  Excalibur B.1

  ser. XZ19823 ‘Red 23-Desert Bandit'

  No.582 squadron,

  RAF Diego Garcia

  January 1991

   

     After the '83 Farnborough airshow inspection, and remembering the lessons from the Falklands, Rockwell and BAe teamed up to offer a version of the B-1A to the RAF as a replacement for the Churchill B.1 (B-52H's), Harris B.2/3 (*Bombcords*) and the remaining Vulcans. After a series of demonstration flights by the 3rd B-1A prototype, the RAF ordered 40 B-1A's as the Excalibur B.1 .

       The Excalibur keeps the shape of the B-1A, but has features from the B-1B. In addition to the 3 weapons bays, 8 external weapons rack can be fitted. 4 uprated F-101 GE-105 engines, each rated at 31,000lbs of thrust, powering the Excalibur past Mach-2 at sea level-50,000ft. All the aircraft's electronic systems are British, which includes the GEC/Marconi Greyhound integrated ECM jammer system, and the Ferranti Badger terrain following radar.  A retractable in-flight refueling probe is mounted above the cockpit in a faired-in housing, and a simplified version of the B-1's ejection capsule was installed. The 1st flight was on February 10th 1984, with the Excalibur going into service with No. 337 COU (composite operations unit) on January 3rd 1985, and No. 582 sqn. stood-up in May of that same year. In all 35 aircraft were in operational use with 4 squadrons.

    When first delivered the aircraft were in all-over Dk. ghost gray, but this was replaced by the standard low level wrap around camo worn by the Vulcan and the Tornado GR.1. After operation DESERT STORM, all aircraft reverted to a lighter 2-tone gray scheme.

     First operational use came when Nos. 582 and 589 sqns. deployed to the RAF base on Diego Garcia as a part of the Operation GRANBY on Oct. 25th 1990. Instead of adapting the 'Desert Pink' camouflage of the Tornado GR.1, the Excalibur’s were painted in a 3-tone tan/green scheme similar to the early B-1 test aircraft. The 1st operational mission took place on January 17th 1991 when 4 aircraft from No.582 struck at airbase H-4 in western Iraq, utilizing both stand-off conventional cruise missiles and a mix of general purpose and cluster bombs. Although there was heavy triple-A fire, none of the aircraft were lost. Most of the remaining missions were flown in conjunction with USAF B-52's, bombing the Republican Guard positions in southern Iraq and Kuwait.

  After the Gulf war, the RAF reduced the fleet from 35 to 18 as a part of military force reductions. The Excalibur also flew in support of Operation DELEBRIT FORCE in 1994 and in the Desert Fox strikes in 1998. The Excalibur B.1 is expected to stay in front-line service until 2020

  Click on images below to see larger images

         Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 02.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 02.jpg   Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg  

  Photos and text © by Bud Sliger

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