Combat Operations Center
1 AIR DIVISION, RCAF, METZ, FRANCE
Period from 1 June 1957 to 30 November 1957
NARRATIVE REPORT
Jun 57
General:
During the past six months COC has been actively engaged in co-ordinating scheduled and non-scheduled operational exercises. Since most of these exercises are routine and recurring, one detailed narrative is written only on each exercise. Following are day to day exercises which COC co-ordinated.
4 Jun 57
Four F-86’s were scrambled on a "live" mission under 61 Squadron control. The F-86’s were vectored on an unidentified aircraft which came out of the ADIZ. This aircraft was intercepted and identified as a West German T-33, which had wandered into the ADIZ unknowingly.
NOTE: This was the first time since the end of WW II that a German aircraft was intercepted by Canadian fighters.
Tuesday Scrimmage
Each Tuesday, weather permitting, high level interceptions are carried out employing RCAF F-86 aircraft and FAF Mystere aircraft using French, American and Canadian AC&W Units. On the completion of the exercise, RCAF F-86’s land at a specified FAF base. On the following exercise a certain RCAF base is host to FAF aircraft. This enables exercising of cross servicing procedures and briefing of pilots in types of tactics used by both Air Forces, etc. on this date 4 FAF Mystere MK 2 aircraft from Creil visited 1 (F) Wing. Both the hand-over and turn around proved successful.
6 Jun 57
Exercise Argus:
This exercise is a monthly daylight air defence exercise. It provides training for all the air defence organizations with emphasis on the exchange of air information and hand-over of raiding and defence fighters. 4 ATAF was on the defensive role on this particular exercise. 1 Wing serviced 8 F-84’s of the Belgium Air Force.
11 Jun 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (As per Ops Order)
18 Jun 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (As per Ops Order)
25 Jun 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (As per Ops Order)
26 Jun 57
Four F-86 Standby aircraft from 2 (F) Wing were scrambled on, and intercepted a USSR IL-14 aircraft which was flying on a scheduled flight to Zurich, but was off flight planned course. The F-86’s escorted the aircraft to the Swiss border.
27 Jun 57
Exercise Weaponfire:
Each Squadron at Air Division is deployed in turn to Decimomannu, Sardinia, for air gunnery exercises. The exercises commenced today with 439 Squadron, 1 (F) Wing departing to Sardinia. This exercise also entails airlifting of equipment, men and supplied by 109 Com Flight to and from Deci.
2 Jul 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (Cancelled due to unsuitable WX)
11 Jul 57
Exercise Argus: (As per Ops Order)
12 Jul 57
Exercise Sentry Post: (Commenced the first exercise as per Ops Order)
Sentry Post is sponsored by 1 Air Division and the Luxembourg Army. Its purpose is to practice ground attacks and strafing runs against observer post locations.
16 Jul 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (Carried out as per Ops Order, with no unusual developments)
17 Jul 57
421 Squadron 2 (F) Wing replaced 439 Squadron at Decimomannu on Exercise Weaponfire.
23 Jul 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage: (cancelled due to weather)
30 Jul 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (as per Ops Order)
2 Aug 57
Exercise Argus:
4 ATAF aircraft were on the defensive role. The exercise was completed as per Ops Order with no unusual comments.
6 Aug 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (cancelled due to WX)
7 Aug 57
427 Squadron 3 (F) Wing replaced 421 Squadron at Deci on Weaponfire.
13 Aug 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (cancelled due to WX)
20 Aug 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (carried out as per Ops Order)
27 Aug 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (Carried out as per Ops Order)
28 Aug 57
422 Squadron 4 (F) Wing replaced 427 Squadron at Deci on Weaponfire
3 Sep 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (as per Ops Order)
5 Sep 57
Exercise Argus: 1 (F) Wing provided 8 F-86 aircraft as the raider force.
10 Sep 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage (As per Ops Order)
11 Sep 57
Air Div participated in Exercise Sentry Post
16 Sep 57
Exercise Counter Punch commenced. All 1 Air Div personnel moved into the field under canvas. The Ops room was set up in a Marquee tent and continued on a war time basis for 6 days. This exercise is an annual Major Joint Atomic exercise the purpose of which is to test all aspects of atomic operations.
17 Sep 57
441 Squadron 1 (F) Wing replaced 422 Squadron at Deci on Exercise Weaponfire.
Tuesday Scrimmage Exercises to be carried out on Sep 17, 24 and 1 Oct were cancelled by the FAF due to technical difficulties.
2 Oct 57
Exercise Sentry Post was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. This was the last Sentry Post exercise for the year.
3 Oct 57
Exercise Argus:
Aircraft from 4 ATAF were on the defensive role.
4 Oct 57
Exercise Tuesday Scrimmage: was cancelled by the FAF for the remainder of the year due to technical difficulties encountered by the French Air Defence Command.
20 Oct 57
434 Squadron 3 (F) Wing replaced 430 Squadron at Deci on Exercise Weaponfire.
23 Oct 57
27 MK V Sabres and 30 MK VI Sabres were delivered to the West German Air Force at Oldenburg.
6 Nov 57
444 Squadron 4 (F) Wing replaced 434 Squadron at Deci on Exercise Weaponfire.
8 Nov 57
1 Air Div participated for the first time in exercise Synthex/Guest. This is a recurring Command Post Exercise which gives air operations staff and communications personnel practice in the use of the ASP I-57 and SOP-1. From a 1 Air Division point of view this was a poor exercise due to bad weather and lack of direction from 4 ATAF HQ. In summary, 1 and 2 (F) Wings met their commitments but 3 and 4 Wings did not participate due to poor weather. Exercise Argus was held simultaneously with Exercise Synthex Guest. 2 (F) Wing provided 8 F-86’s and 8 CF-100 aircraft as aggressor forces. This was double 1 Air Divisions’ commitment as the FAF were unable to meet their normal requirement due to technical difficulties. The reason for holding both exercises on the same day was to give saturation to 2 ATAF and 4 ATAF Air Defence Systems.