‘File 7/33 Demonstration flights over Trucial Coast by R.A.F. bombers from Air Head Quarters Iraq’ [‎13r] (27/38)

report OR dbio 'sirauoh FUOKM by 84 8«iDP0K
OTBB TROCIAL 31 AlfO DOMS • JUNE 194S.
following • request fro« Hl« Mellenoy the Political
Fesldcnt to - Air Officer C<Knr;finding, British For««8 in
lr«q| four rrlffnds of 84 Squadron* H«bb*nly« f wort dotallad
tc proct ed to Shrrjoli alrflold to oarry out damonstrrtlon
flights ow tha Truolal Coast Shaikhdcx&s.
On tha X3th Jvntf four Brigands loft 1 abbanly«, and
aftar enroling low o^ar Bahrain, landad at Sharjah whara thay
wara joined by a Dakota of Iraq Coraunlostlon Flight, carry-
around sarfldng parsonnal and aqulpmant. Tha whola party.
Including airoraw and sorrlclng parsonnal. consisted of tan
offloars and approzlaataly 30 othar ranks*
Brlaflng of Of floor Comraandlnf f Flight Corar ^andar and
Narlgator of 94 Squadron by A.S.L.O., Bahrain, took plaoa In
tho aftarno n# Tha araas indloetod by Political Offlcar
Trucial Coast A name used by Britain from the nineteenth century to 1971 to refer to the present-day United Arab Emirates. , oTar which aircraft wara raqulrad to oparato
and tho dual purposa of tha demonstration wara explained, Bawaiyaa
opo t«p leal briefing and description of ground features were
provided by Haprasentatlras of PetrolauiB Davalopment (Trucial
Coast) Limited.
0»C. 84 Squadron was warned by A.9.U0 of the possibility
of teail arse fire from the ground against low flying aircraft
aid was also requested to instruct crews to maintain a sharp
lo "o v t for »ny signs of Araaeo oil camps and/or convoys of red
Tehlcles In the coastal strip between J15BFL ODAio and SABK} AT
On the 14th at approximately 0600 houra local time,
after detailed briefing of aircrews by O.C # 84 Squadron and
A # L # 0 #t Habbamfta, two of the Brigands took off on the first
sortie. Tha ot) ^r two aircraft were unfortunately unaerTlceable
but It was hoped that at least one of them would be put right
for the following day #
Th a two Briganda. in close formation at low laral, anft
tlfMBw ttmm ^fter orbiting over Sharjah preceded along the
coaat at Aj an where they circled, diving down to approximately
200 feat above around level 9 and thence flew over m» Ah QUf^IN
to RAS A l KHA1MAH which they also circled at low level. From
there they proceeded to tha village of RA ms over Which several
diving runs were carried out. Fro? RA^S course was act due
oouth to FAUJ al ALI and QHKIP which were also circled at
low level thence along the weatern side of jsbel FA it A h to
BURAIMI, adjacent villages and particularly Buraimi Fort
ware repeatedly attacked from very low level. The Brigands then
flew up and down along the Eastern side of Jebel Hafit before
returning for a couple more dives to 60 feet above Buraimi Fort
fror where course was set for Dubai.
Dubai was reached rfter an uneventful flight and both
aircraft diving repeatedly over the Shaikh 9 a auasner palace,
pulling up wily a few few feet above house tops, crews observed
locala scattering In all directions. Prom Duofi the Brigands
flaw along tha coast to Abu DhaM where the aame procedure was
ck. v>d. Course was then set for the Llwa area wfere only a few
acattared palm treea rnd huts ware observed. No large else
v'Ilege could be located In the futureless Llwa area and the
aircraft proceeded Horth 'est. They aurveyad the area between
Sabkhat Hatti to Sila and up to Jebel Odald without apottlng any
oil caips or vehicles of an/ deaeriptloa. The reported Araseo
built landing strip due South of Fasaya in position d4 0 1W 61°
34R was surveyed and appeara to have been abandoned.
From Jebel Odald....