2003 – 2007

2003- Wg Cdr Mike Seares and Sqn Ldr Chris Hadlow attended RAF Duxford Flying Legends Airshow, together with Six of 6 Squadron’s wartime Hurricane pilots and other Six Association members to see the restored Mk IV Hurricane. Detachments were flown to Arizona where a full range of weapons were dropped and fired.

2004- Mike Seares highlighted the program of events lined up for the 90th Birthday year of 6 Squadron which included a Dinner and Airshow among other events. The C.O. also warned of the prospects of the Squadron re-forming as a Typhoon unit. Six squadron hosted a visit from King Abdullah II of Jordan. The squadron paraded in the hangar and the King inspected the troops before both squadron Standards were marched past. Mike Seares handed over command to Wg Cdr Willie Cruickshank. Detachments to Cyprus and Romania were flown. It was announced that the Jaguar force would be drawn down and the other three Jaguar squadrons Nos 16, 54 and 41 were to be disbanded, leaving 6 Squadron as the one remaining Jaguar squadron. Coltishall would close and Six moved to RAF Coningsby and eventually to RAF Leuchars with Typhoons. It was also announced that there would likely be a gap between the end of the Jaguar and the start of the Typhoon with a possible period of stand-down for 6 Squadron.

2005- Work went on with a visit to Jordan followed by Nevada and Arizona. Just a short visit back to base and off to Poland. Plans were underway for a final Coltishall ‘Battle of Britain’ airshow followed by another detachment to Cyprus. These duties were interspersed with participation in flypasts at ‘Trafalgar 200″ Portsmouth, the Norfolk Show, Bastille Day, Paris and VE Day, London.

2006- The Squadron moved to Coningsby and within days went off for exercise ‘Magic Carpet’ in Oman. Two exercises in Nevada ‘Red Flag’ and ‘Air Warrior’ followed. Wg Cdr Willie Cruickshank handed over command after just 20 months to Wg Cdr John Sullivan who became the last Jaguar Squadron Commander. At this stage it was still firmly believed that the Jaguars would be drawn down in October 2007 and the squadron would be re-formed with Typhoons at RAF Leuchars without a break. The next detachment was to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus and then exercise ‘Desert Cat’ in Jordan. Exercise ‘Neptune Warrior’ and ‘Dot’ were UK -based. Other units went to Kinloss with seven aircraft and four went to Belgium.

2007- In April the unexpected news was hurriedly released that after 33 years service, Jaguar aircraft were to be withdrawn from service, and as a result, after 93 years continuous service, No 6 Squadron was to be disbanded. The Squadron was made non-operational from 31 May 2007. Several Units were overseas at this time. MOD sources stated that No 6 Squadron was to be re-formed with Typhoon aircraft in October 2008. However, other officials said that this date was to be considered provisional as it appears that this will be governed by the time it would take to complete various export orders for the Typhoons, particularly for the Royal Saudi Air Force. Six squadron completed a very busy first few months of this year flying exercises in Belgium, United Arab Emirates, culminating in the Disbandment Parade on the 31 May at Coningsby where the Squadron Standard and the squadron`s Royal Jordanian Standard were handed over for safe keeping at RAF Cranwell. The Squadron carried out a final flypast as a salute to the Parade. Within a few days, most of the remaining Jaguars were flown to RAF Cosford for disposal. The Commanding Officer, John Sullivan, retained his aircraft during the running down period. A spectacular paint scheme was applied to the C.O.s aircraft in the design of a Jaguar`s skin. The tail fin carried the badges of all the squadrons that flew Jaguars, with 6 Squadron’s Badge rather larger than the others. The Flight Commander’s aircraft was painted in Desert Sand colour and the day before the parade, the traditional ‘Flying Tin-opener’ was replaced with a very artistic US Bomber style painting of a winged tin-opener with a voluptuous pin-up girl reclining on it.

What a way to end 93 years of continuous service!