The Royal Flush focussed on exercising the recce role within NATO and the Big Click exercises focussed more the recce operations on the Naval role in Northern Europe. In 1976 Big Click was renamed into Best Focus exercises. Bulls Eye and Best Focus were merged and formed Tactical Fighter Meet (TFM), held for the first time during 1985 at Karup. From 1978 the Royal Flush was merged with the Tactical Weapons Meet (TWM) to form the NATO Tactical Air Meet (TAM).
The latest addition to the collection is the top featured 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing Royal Flush XV patch. I am still searching for more information on these excersises and I am far from complete on any of the competition patches but I tought it was a good moment now to start with a posting and show the information and patches that I managed to find up to this point and will continue to update from here on. Any input and help is appreciate and more than welcome.
Royal Flush
Royal Flush 1 Lahr AB, Germany
October, 1956 saw the first of what was to become a regular annual event for the 66th TRW. The Royal Flush reconnaissance competitions were inaugurated. Royal Flush was a NATO exercise which brought together recce units from both the 2nd Allied tactical Air Force (ATAF) and the 4th ATAF. The 1956 event was staged at Lahr in Germany from the 17th to the 19th October. USAFE was represented by the 30th and the 303rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadrons flying for the 4th ATAF. The 303rd TRS’ RF-84F flown by 1st Lt. John Robertson won the low level competition; and 1st Lt. Ronald A. Krzan from the 30th TRS came second in the high level competition flying a RB-57A. The 4th ATAF was the overall winner
Royal Flush 2 – Laarbruch AB – May 1957
Royal Flush 3 – Spangdahlem AB – 24 Aug till 12 Sep 1958
The 66th again took part, flying for the 4th ATAF and flying the RF-84. Both the French and the Belgians flew the RF-84 and the RAF, the Swift and the Canberra. The latter took the high level trophy and the French RF-84.
Royal Flush 4 – Eindhoven AB – 2 June till 4 June 1960
The 10th and the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing entered an RF-101C for the low level part of the competition for the first time. Both the 32nd and 38th TRS’ were involved and enjoyed marked success in the event
Royal Flush 5 – Bremgarten AB – May 1960
The 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing entered again with RF-101C’s
Royal Flush 6 – Beauvechain AB – 14 till 21 May 1961
Royal Flush 7 – Ramstein AB – 14 till 18 May 1962
Royal Flush 8 – Wildenrath AB – May 1963
Royal Flush 9 – NATO bases ending at Alconbury AB – 12 till 14 May 1964
Royal Flush 10 – NATO bases ending at Furstenfeldbruck AB – 11 till 20 May 1965
Royal Flush 11 – NATO bases ending at Strasbourg AB – 10 till 12 May 1966
Royal Flush 12 – NATO bases ending at Twenthe AB – mid till 24 May 1967
The 18th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron achieved a great success. Major Ed Satterfield, the squadrons assistant operations officer won the individual award in the daylight division.
Royal Flush 13 – NATO bases ending at Lahr AB – 22 till 24 May 1968
Royal Flush 14 – Bruggen AB – 1969
Front row: Wayne Spelius and Ray Tiffault
2nd row: Chuck Smith, Bill Weishuhn, Roger Brockhoff, Roy James and Sam Guyton.
3rd row: Jim Salminen, Bruce Anker, Ron Dalton, Ron Miller and Ed Joyne
Royal Flush 15 – Deelen AB – 6 till 15 May 1970
Royal Flush 16 – Ramstein AFB – 1 till 12 June 1971
Royal Flush 17 – Florennes AB 13 till 21st June 1973
Royal Flush 18 – Bremgarten AB – from 7 till mid June 1975
It was the first recce-meet with held also night missions during the competition which was won by the American (10TRS), and would be the last Royal Flush Reconnaissance competition held.
