British Secret Spy Planes during the Cold War

[ExRAFRadar]

You can keep your SR-71's, U-2's and 'Aurora's'

Seems all you need is a Chipmunk...

BRIXMIS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BRIXMIS)

I knew BRIXMIS existed but I did not know they had spy planes.

There has to be some decent stories out there that deserve to see light of day. :)

[Geehovah]

But if you were told youd be shot........

[ExRAFRadar]

:)

Bit anorak I know but there is a thread over at TankNet that has some VERY detailed specifics about what was seen (or what they let us see), when and how.

Even details about East German reports on how many times we broke the rules.

What was the classification of Ivan aircraft that departed from thier planned route to fly over Fylingdales etc ? I seem to recall X-Ray's being one level below Hostile but time may have clouded my memory....

[Two's in]

The reciprocal arrangement by the Soviets was SOXMIS, and all BFG personnel were briefed on how to recognise the vehicles (the large red hammer and sickle on the badge on the door was the principle clue) and report them accordingly. I'm sure for every snippet we got, Ivan was just as busy, and on major FTXs with new equipment east of Hannover you could guarantee a visit from a SOXMIS team. They would delight in driving slowly through convoys, knowing that 300 squaddies would all be reporting the same SOXMIS sighting to the RMP's. Those were the days, a military mission with an objective.

[ExRAFRadar]

Up at Spadeadam we done some 'They were here but they were not here' work with the Sky Shadow (think that what was it was called) pod and 617 I recall.

What felt like hours of a Tornado calling Music On/Off and us marking the calls on a paper plot.

The rumour was that the Red Menace had a trawler sat on the Solway Firth not doing much fishing.

Anyone remember some Intelligence pamplet doing the rounds called 'The Threat', at least I think it was called that.

[Rigga]

Ahh.. SOXMIS!
Yellow and Red Number plate, little cards telling us all about them, dozens of the cards carried in all our cars...

If found, we were supposed to detain them or block their path using our new tax free purchases!...I think not, Group Captain.

They were supposed to be "normal" cars with fuel tanks filling the Bootspace and rear cabin (instead of seats) capable of travelling thousands of miles without refueliing...Meals, Drinks and other "Comforts" (wt...!) carried on board.

I'll admit I was mainly on the West side of West Germany but, in 11 years of living in BFG, I never saw one!

...the things we did, eh?

[Tashengurt]

Had a book about Brixmis a while back. Fascinating read and very James Bond what with cars with interchangeable rear light patterns etc. Might have to see if it's in the cellar for another quick flick actually.

[glad rag]

But if you were told youd be shot........

Bit like said Chipmunk as a matter of fact!;)

[Pontius Navigator]

The rumour was that the Red Menace had a trawler sat on the Solway Firth not doing much fishing.

That would be the Malin Head AGI. Usually it was north of the channel and updated by us or marked by the RN. Occasionally, when unmarked, it would slip in to the Irish Sea.

One day we were tasked to locate her. We went down the channel, radar off, switched on for 3 sweeps, and the lead dry on radar marked some 50 contacts. We then set off for the one he thought was the AGI and checked two hookers on the way. The AGI was the third vessel!

In those days they were as likely checking out Eskmeals as Spade.

[teeteringhead]

As ever, friend Heimdall's Spyflight website is good value on this subject - even for the Chipmunks (http://www.spyflight.co.uk/main.htm)

[Jayand]

3 sweeps and fifty contacts!

[Pontius Navigator]

What else would you expect from Mr Murgatroyd? And he directed us directly to the AGI!

Not bad for ASV21.

But then, Jayland, you were only 3 at the time :}

[teeteringhead]

A sad tale vaguely connected with BRIXMIS/SOXMIS days, told to me by an old pongo mate.

Fellow cold warriors will remember the SOXMIS pocket aide memoire which we all carried - big coloured piccie of a SOXMIS vehicle plate, with a prominent number at Herford Mil to 'phone with the report.

Many will also remember the two poor squaddies in Belfast who unintentionally ran into an IRA funeral in the (?) 1980s. Apparently one or both had their SOXMIS cards on them still, and Paddy misread Herford as Hereford and assumed they were - ahem - from a unit in that location.

Probably didn't have much of a chance anyway, but that misident didn't exactly help ...... :(

[F3sRBest]

There is a ex-BRIXMIS Opal Senator in the Cold War Museum at Cosford... :)

[MrBernoulli]

Had a book about Brixmis a while back. Fascinating read and very James Bond what with cars with interchangeable rear light patterns etc. Might have to see if it's in the cellar for another quick flick actually.For the info of anyone interested, I assume you are referring to this book, by Tony Geraghty

Brixmis: The Untold Exploits of Britain's Most Daring Cold War Spy Mission: Amazon.co.uk: Tony Geraghty: Books (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brixmis-Untold-Exploits-Britains-Mission/dp/0006386733)

A thoroughly fascinating read! :ok:


Bit anorak I know but there is a thread over at TankNet that has some VERY detailed specifics about what was seen (or what they let us see), when and how.Can anyone be a bit more specific about which forum and thread this refers too? I can't locate it on the Tanknet site.

[Pontius Navigator]

I remember being very impressed with the photographs of blades of grass in the foreground.

But not half as impressed as the photgraphs of the inside of a Moss, until CIntO let on the source :)

[4mastacker]

There are some interesting threads on Arrse about BRIXMIS/SOXMIS (aka Potsdam Mission). Some of the content is quite humourous (in a British squaddy sort of way).

Try the 'Int Cell', 'Old & Bold' and 'Aviation' forums for starters.

[Old Bricks]

If you are interested, look at the BRIXMIS Association website -BRIXMIS Association.co.uk. It will give you some background.

[barnstormer1968]

Teeteringhead

What I found appalling about the incident you describe was the fact that everything was being watched overhead by a Lynx, but 'we' did nothing to help as 'we' though it was two of their baddies being attacked by another lot of their baddies.

I feel for the crew who later realised that they could have at least tried to help their own lads, instead of just watching their demise!

[VIProds]

There is an interesting account in the RAF Historical Society archives by Gp Capt H Neubrock on the Chipmunk, saying that the Soviets established their first SAM-2 site outside the Soviet Union at a former Luftwaffe base at Glau some 20 miles south of Berlin, but nothing was known about it's associate Radar.

On a routine clockwise circuit just short of Glau, they dived down to 300ft & carried out some tight turns for photography. They returned to Gatow to have the films developed. They clearly showed the technical details. Next day, they flew the prints to HQ RAF Germany. They were later told that the prints were on President Eisenhower's desk the following Monday.

[Freddie838]

Chipmunks! - for a few shillings more you could have had a Percival Pembroke from that Goat Sqn.

[Tashengurt]

That's the one MrB. Sadly I think my copy might have gone to Barnardos.

[Clockwork Mouse]

Many a true word spoken in jest Freddie boy!

[Martin the Martian]

If you're in Berlin pop along to the Alliertenmuseum, located in a former US military area in Grunewald. It's all about the Allied presence in Berlin, and has a fascinating display on BRIXMIS, including looped video footage shot on a jaunt into East Germany. The inspection by a Hind understandably gets the team a little excited.

They also have one of the Gatow Chippies in storage awaiting the building of a new hall, and outside is a Hastings.

[KING6024]

Back in my seafaring days there was always at least one,often more soviet vessels anchored between Lowestoft and Orfordness.Bentwaters,Woodbridge,Alconbury and Mildenhall were all quite close. Colin. :oh:

[Karl Bamforth]

I am still suprised the number of ppl who served at Wildenrath and who never realised the primary task of the goat squadrons Pembrokes.

Many do not believe it even now and think its a wind up.

[FantomZorbin]

Around Jun/Jul 2008 BBC Radio 4 did a programme on BRIXMIS ... if you can find it in the BBC archives please let me know as I'm damned if I can find the thing now:(

[teeteringhead]

Barnstormer everything was being watched overhead by a Lynx, .... indeed - I've seen the video the Lynx took .... not nice viewing :(

[Old Bricks]

For a more relaxed description of how BRIXMIS operated, read the 2-part article reprinted from Pennant magazine (Forces Pension Society) on the Jever Steam Laundry website - www.rafjever.org/stationstor011.htm (http://www.rafjever.org/stationstor011.htm)

Bring back the Iron Curtain! All is forgiven!

[allyn]

Found it:

BBC - BBC Radio 4 Programmes - The Brixmis Story (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007nf6t)

but it's no longer available.

[FantomZorbin]

allyn
Thanks for that. Good news: I found a brain cell that worked, Bad news: the BBC pulled the plug! Hey Ho!

[caiman27]

Back in my seafaring days there was always at least one,often more soviet vessels anchored between Lowestoft and Orfordness.Bentwaters,Woodbridge,Alconbury and Mildenhall were all quite close. Colin.

Not forgetting the strangeness that was on Orford Ness itself - Cobra Mist and all that.

[Wokkafans]

MP3 download (3.27 MB) available here:

http://hfsurfing.googlepages.com/BRIXMIS.mp3 :ok:

Will play in Windows Media Player

WF

[BEagle]

Between my Gnat and Hunter courses, having held at Wildenrath, I once bantered a chap (ex-pilot air trafficker) in the OM bar at Valley about 'those' Pemmies. He went rather quiet and 'invited me outside for a chat'....

"I don't know how the f*** you found out about that, but for f***'s sake you must STFU about it!", was all he would say.

So I did. Although it had only been a guess on my part....:suspect:

All sorts of 'interesting things' went on in what's currently termed 'The Cold War'....

Here's one... .

[Tashengurt]

C'mon then! What were they up to?

[Trim Stab]

I feel for the crew who later realised that they could have at least tried to help their own lads, instead of just watching their demise!


I've never heard that version of events before. It was not part of the brief when we were shown the video. We were told the crew were aware of what they were filming, but were unable to intervene because of the SOPs they were operating under.

[FantomZorbin]

Wokafans

Brilliant, many thanks:ok:

[Warmtoast]

Teeteringhead


Fellow cold warriors will remember the SOXMIS pocket aide memoire which we all carried - big coloured piccie of a SOXMIS vehicle plate, with a prominent number at Herford Mil to 'phone with the report.


This is the form in question.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/JHQ%20Rheindahlen/SoxmisBAORreportingform.jpg

At Rheindahlen ISTR some fearsome German who examined us for a BFG Driving Licence (the dreaded 'Tick-test') issued these forms to sucessful BFG licence applicants promising dire consequences if we failed to report sighted SOXMIS vehicles.

[BossEyed]

Tashengurt, a bit of Googleage returns references to Operation HALLMARK, and this image from a plastic model box:

https://hangar47.com/uploads/Percival_2.jpg

[XV277]

I am still suprised the number of ppl who served at Wildenrath and who never realised the primary task of the goat squadrons Pembrokes.

Many do not believe it even now and think its a wind up.

Which is strange, as the PR version of the Pembroke was acknowledged since the days of 81 Squadron in Malaya.

I've oft wondered about the fact that the UK 'Open Skies' aircraft was an ex-60 Squadron Andover that replaced the Pembrokes.........:E

[barnstormer1968]

Trim.

You clearly heard a different version of events than I did.

Did anyone explain to you how two sigs corporals in a private car stood out in an ordinary street after making a bad choice on their 'orientation' route, that had not been preplanned?

The Lynx was there to film the crowd, and would have had no idea that the two corporals were heading that way. Was it also explained to you why (if the crew knew who the car's occupants were) two British service men were allowed to be murdered over quite a long period of time with no attempted intervention (attempted being the correct word)!

From memory, there were not that many variations in SOP's at that time (mainly for black/green ops), and just sitting back while someone is committing a violent life threatening act didn't really feature too heavily. On a day to day basis is was not uncommon for the last member of a brick to be pulled into a house for a bit of a kicking, and the SOP (official or otherwise) wasn't to simply leave them to it!

Just my two penneth.

[coldair]

I have found this very interesting trailer on YouTube.
This is a fascinating subject and I'd love to view the whole film. Does anyone have details where I can obtain it, I have tried the usual 'Amazon' etc.

Cheers !

Coldair

YouTube - KEEP THE COLD WAR COLD - Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmzYEnNKOpU)

[green granite]

Try Artline Films - Productions de documentaires et de fictions (http://www.artlinefilms.com/) if you can't find it listed email them, I think it's available on DVD.

[teeteringhead]

That's the exact one I meant Warmtoast .... bit of a "madeleine moment" with RAFG memories that sparked ......

[tezzer]

Just bought the mentioned book, arrived in the post this morning, a steal at £8.something from a well known on line retailer, that doesn't actually base itself around a South American River.

Will keep me amused on my trip to Bermuda tomorrow.

[Cows getting bigger]

Trim/Barnstormer. 18/03/88 MacBradaigh funeral. Maybe the Deputy First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly is best placed to describe the events.

Anyway, I also received the Brixmis book in the post yesterday and look forwrad to an interesting read.

[taxydual]

Drifting back to the thread.....

WJ916.

The 'Top Secret' aircraft of the Royal Air Force. (Well it was in 1975). A Vickers Varsity!!

The only aircraft I have seen taxy directly into a hangar (through the open doors, obviously*) and then shut down. The AF, and hangar, being overseen by 12 very big, very well armed RAF policemen.

WY-Gatow-FY


(* As opposed to the attempt later, by a different aircraft type, whose crew attempted to replicate the procedure but forgot to open the hangar doors first!)

[glhcarl]

The only aircraft I have seen taxy directly into a hangar (through the open doors, obviously*) and then shut down. The AF, and hangar, being overseen by 12 very big, very well armed RAF policemen.
The RAF must have been copying the USAF spy planes as the SR-71's did the same. In fact the SR's even taxied out of the hangars!

[tezzer]

Did 50% of the aforementioned book on the BA 2233 to Bermuda, had to keep putting it done or it would have ben finished in a single read !

[Four Wings]

Obviously you boys in light blue were much better briefed than we in khaki. In BAOR in 55/56 there was no reporting system for the Soviet Mil Mission. No SOXMIS cards. As a 2/Lt I was a platoon commander and convoy leader with a tank transporter unit. Mostly carrying Centurions which Soviets knew all about from Korea, but also the new Conquerors on new Antar transporters. So we regularly saw the Soviets 'counting us out and counting us in'.
Most awkward moment: in the Army officers don't ride motor cycles, except in this one tank transporter unit. Although I had a lone pip on my helmet no Brit soldier ever realised I was an officer so I was never saluted when on my bike.

Different in the Soviet Army. One day, leading a convoy I saw the Soviets counting us past a junction, with their driver standing on the roadside. I was greeted with an immaculate salute. Anxious not to cause offence, I tried to salute back - difficult when on a bike, especially when checking the road for the 100 ton transporter behind me, so I responded with something more of a wave than a salute. I fear the Soviets may not have been impressed....

[Akrotiri bad boy]

I came into contact with SOXMIS during my time on the Harrier Force. It was during Op Horrendous Farce, or Hard Frost, I know it began with HF.
It was the GR5's first trip out into the woods and consequently of great interest to Ivan. We were lumbering along the autobahn in convoy heading for Bergen somewhere in our Bedford 4 ton trucks. The convoy was obliged to travel at the speed of the slowest vehicle, this being the AEC Mammoth de-min water tanker, the very same that had followed Monty across northern Africa: thus we travelled very slowly.
Ivan appeared in my wing mirror and commenced a very slow overtake of the exceedingly slow convoy taking snaps of the GR5 spares loaded under the tarpaulins. This included spare Pegasus, replacement wings, and assorted ground equipment. I was driving the tail end truck as Ivan dropped back alongside with Igor happily snapping from the passenger window. Prior to departing Gut we had been briefed that SOXMIS were likely to pay us attention and our response was to make it difficult for him. Knowing that my Bedford's acceleration was no match for Ivan's
4x4 that had been cast from solid ore I attempted to "squeeze" him into the central barrier. Twice I drifted into his lane, each time he backed off until I moved back to the right whereupon he again came alongside with Igor snapping away vigourously.
After two "squeezes" Ivan must have been pretty sure he'd found the truck with the GR5 ordnance on board as he was getting quite fixated photographing the tarped load on my truck. It was then that the convoy outriders on their CanAm Bombardiers finally caught up with the solid ore
4x4 and shooed him away.
Ivan was right to concentrate on my truck at the back of the convoy as it was indeed carrying the most important element of a Harrier Force deployment......... 4 tons of Herforder pils; aka Herfy Handbags!

Zazdrovje Ivan:ok:

[Proplinerman]

The Classic Flight Club's Pembroke, XL954, pictured below, was used for spying/photographic missions on flights between West Germany and Berlin.

ScanImage19 1024 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/48975048@N06/5293886484/)

Read more details here:

Aircraft (http://tinyurl.com/4j9fb9d)

[chevvron]

TQF Andovers used to taxy in/out of the hangar at Benson.

[VP8]

I found this to be a better insight ot BRIXMIS missions..............

The Last Mission : Behind the Iron Curtain by Steve Gibson

A first person account of the operations of a unique British military unit with the privilege of operating behind the Iron Curtain throughout the Cold War. Written by the unit's last tour officer, it covers the years 1988-1990 while also offering historical perspectives on the unit's almost 50-year history. Includes photographs.

[ICT_SLB]

That explains why BAC Hurn had a dedicated Alvis Leonides engine overhaul shop between the 1-11 production lines in the 1970s and, IIRC, did a couple of Pembroke wing respars as well.

[reynoldsno1]

Spent 6 months at Gatow on a holding post as a young P/O - went on a couple of Chipmunk flights whilst there, and we also planned a trip down the corridor to Celle, but it was obviously thought to be a bit too obvious so it was abandoned....
the Berlin Air Safety Centre was another weird set-up, and we won't even mention the "T'berg" place....

[Freddie838]

In the late eighties, when the Pemmies should have been retired but were not due to the Andover conversion over-run. Alvis were persuaded (cer-ching) to build another 6 engines for 60 Sqn. I heard that they had to get a chap well past his retirement age (80's) to come back and assemble them because no-one was current on them.

[Proplinerman]

What a wonderful story!

[78to81]

Its strange to see that there is no one here who has commented was never at Gatow?

I wonder why?, even though there are books written about this stuff ........

Some secrets have a longer shelf life than others and promote conspiracy LOL, I was there 78 to 81 but I'm not talking either hee hee

[Tiger_mate]

The book, 'Last Mission' is an awesome book about Brixmis, although hard to find these days.

[Yellow Sun]

The Last Mission has been re-published as:

Live and Let Spy: BRIXMIS: The Last Cold War Mission
Author: Steve Gibson
ISBN: 9780752465807

and is readily available through ABE Books (http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=Brixmis&sts=t&tn=The+Last+Mission).

Silly price being asked for the 1997 first edition.

YS

[PPRuNeUser0139]

More on BRIXMIS:
60tnkm8Vtso

QR8lljOcgRk

SZADiMf3z-c

[topgas]

Live and Let Spy also available from Amazon

[leesaranda]

Yes Dave, I was on 60 in the late 1960's and recall that, if the weather was bad, we often didn't deliver the film to Rheindallen until 1600 on Friday...... Not the best time for you guys!

[bobward]

Many years ago I was on an ATC Camp at Wildenrath. My somewhat battered 3822 records a 15 minute trip in Pembroke XL953. This one had a full pax fit, and most of the camp were given a trip in it.

According to one of the crew, this one had the nav's desk in the cabin, as a 'senior officer' liked to fly it from time to time to keep his hand in.

Can anyone confirm this?

[Gypsy]

Read all about it….!

The Hunting Pembrokes (http://www.16va.be/pembrokes_part1_eng.html)

[brokenlink]

Heard somewhere that a twin radial engined RAF comms/transport aircraft named after a dock may also have played a role.

[PrincePembroke]

Photographic images of the internal photo kit fitted to the 60 Squadron PR Pemmies have been impossible to find despite 40 years + of interest in the type. Best I have found is a page of a 1958 Hunting Pembroke brochure which shows the mounting frames for the oblique cameras against the optically flat side windows and the vertical camera position on the floor above the sliding belly doors. I am unable to post images on this site so sorry for that. Anyone with internal photos is cordially invited to share them!

[FAStoat]

In the early 80s the 2 ringer who played the Russky in most Air Exercises at Chivenor,one B B,declared himself an Ex Chippie driver of said outfit.He was fluent in Russian,and was in Germany recovering from an incident,of which he had had a few,but flew the Chippie on such sorties.He became Boss of 63 I believe a bit later.The Wingco Ops at Chivenor then was also Ex Germany and had done likewise,and knew BB well.Said Wingco was in the "chair" when the Pablo Mason "Red Tea Shirt" event occurred.Somewhere I have a small Air to Air Pix of the 151 Hawk minus most of its nose with main gear hanging,prior to the SNO vacating followed by the tattered red tea shirt worn by Pablo,taken by the chase plane sent up by G L the Wingco Ops,but am not clear how to post it here!!

[DaveReidUK]

Somewhere I have a small Air to Air Pix of the 151 Hawk minus most of its nose with main gear hanging,prior to the SNO vacating followed by the tattered red tea shirt worn by Pablo,taken by the chase plane sent up by G L the Wingco Ops,but am not clear how to post it here!!This one? From http://www.ejection-history.org.uk

http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/PROJECT/Biographies/M/MasonPablo/hawk.jpg

[Wander00]

For the uninitiated, was this a bird strike or a mid-air collision?

[DaveReidUK]

Midair with another 151 Sqn Hawk, 29th July 1983.

All four crew ejected successfully, one Hawk came down near Holsworthy, the other went into Bideford Bay.

[FAStoat]

Yes indeed the very same!!The SNO,known as the Albatross or Black Pete, was presented with the broken nose including probe,rather bent mounted on a Mah ogany Plinth,which I think may reside in his hallway.It all resulted from a 1V1 that went wrong,and the unfortunate Foreign Stude that caused it,plus Ex Crimson Crab Instructor banged out immediately.Whilst the surviving airframe was deemed flyable, Uncle George sent up a chase plane to assess whether it was recoverable.The SNO elected to vacate,as there was not much left of the nose in front of him and leave Pablo to attempt a grass landing on the remaining gear,however it decided to become uncontrollable after the first ejection,hence the tattered tea shirt caused by Pablo's successful subsequent ejection.As stated the Aircraft became lost at sea.

[Jackw106]

The US had their own SF group a clandestine unit of about 90 Green Berets

Detachment "A", Berlin Brigade (http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?244821-Detachment-quot-A-quot-Berlin-Brigade)

[olympus]

As ever, friend Heimdall's Spyflight website is good value on this subject - even for the Chipmunks (http://www.spyflight.co.uk/main.htm)One of the Gatow/BRIXMIS Chipmunks mentioned on Heimdall's site is WP971 now G-ATHD on the British register and on which I have several hundred hours.

It originally had a hybrid colour scheme of RAF paint with civvie registration displayed but it now has an authentic Training Command scheme. (I believe at one time this aircraft was also at Hamble).

http://i1318.photobucket.com/albums/t651/olympus14627/G-ATHD-Private-_PlanespottersNet_110416_zpsccq9ig3m.jpg (http://s1318.photobucket.com/user/olympus14627/media/G-ATHD-Private-_PlanespottersNet_110416_zpsccq9ig3m.jpg.html)

[Crromwellman]

There has been much on this forum about the activities of the 60 Sqn Pembrokes and the BRIXMIS Chipmunks. If anyone wants to dleve further they should try 'Looking Down The Corridors' by Kevin Wright and Peter Jefferies. ISBN No 9 780750 979474 published by History Press and available in paperback form. It should tell you what you wanted to know but were too frightened to ask. Notwithstanding Beags Valley incident.

[Wander00]

Cromwellian - Just finished reading it. Very interesting read, and heightened for me by mention of Hans Neubroch, as a wg cdr, and whose obituary I wrote last year for our school old boys magazine.