Operation Fabulous 1950s

[IProctor]

Hi all,

I am a curator at IWM working with RAF photographs post-1945. This is my first post so sorry in advance but it is going to be a really open ended question. I hope to contribute where I can elsewhere on these boards and look forward to getting to know some of you via this forum.

I am currently unsuccessfully undertaking some research on UK air defences in the 1950s. Recently I have found a reference to an over-arching air-defence operation called 'OP Fabulous' with components 'Day Fab' and 'Night Fab' but I can found out much about its make up. I understand it was the precursor to QRA, or at least QRA before it became QRA. Does anyone know anything more specifc about it?

Thanks

Ian

[greg]

HI Ian - I can't help you personally, but I've sent your request onto our Association Committee (a number of them were serving in the RAF in the 50s) and asked if they can help. Any information they pass back to me, I'll forward on to you.

All the best,

Greg

[IProctor]

Many thanks Greg! This really has me stumped so any help offered is greatly received!

Ian

[Resmoroh]

Ian, Hi,
Op FABULOUS was – as you suggest – the pre-cursor to QRA. It was a Fighter Command Operation, and was split into two parts. The first part was the Day FAB which ran from dawn to dusk and used day-fighters. The second part was the Night FAB which ran from dusk to dawn and used night-fighters. I can’t remember whether the participating Stations had the task for a month at a time or only two weeks? But nomatter; it was a very big task! In the spring and autumn day and night were roughly equal, but in summer the Day Fab was almost a 24-hr commitment. Similarly, the Night FAB in winter was almost 24-hrs. To this end Fighter Command operated a personnel reinforcement system. I only know about actual airfield activities. There was a small party (1 x ATC Asst, 1 x radar mech, 1 x Aero Fireman Driver, and 1 x Met Asst – there may have been more) that travelled from Station to Station to boost the host Station staff. Spending weeks at a time living in Airman's Transit Accommodation was not funny!!!!
HTH
Peter Davies

[IProctor]

Fantastic, thanks Peter. That's great information. I had heard the rotation was for a month at a time, but I am not absolutely certain. A couple of further questions f I may? Do you know if it was just one station at a time on the operation or where there a small number up and down the country? Also how many aircraft were at standby and at what readiness? My thoughts are that it was either 5 or 10 minutes, but it might have been 2 mins.

I am really intrigued by this subject as there seems to be very little written about it in the books on the RAF's post-war history, instead concentrating on QRA in the '60s.

Thanks.

Ian

[Resmoroh]

Ian,
I've sent you a PM.
Peter Davies