Mike Harrington

We regret to announce the passing on the 6th December 2022 of Mike Harrington of 71 Entry (B Sqn). After graduating and completing flying training on the Piston Provost and Vampire, Mike was first posted to 231 OCU (Bassingbourn) on the Canberra but then went to 232 OCU (Gaydon) to be a Valiant co-pilot. Tours at 199 Sqn (Honington) and

18 Sqn (Finningley) were followed by the Valiant Captain’s Course back at Gaydon in 1961.

 A tour on 207 Sqn (Marham) was followed by the CFS Course at Little Rissington on the Jet Provost, after which he became an instructor at the RAF College. Promoted to Sqn Ldr, he attended the Vulcan OCU Captain’s course before becoming a Flight Commander on 93 Sqn (Scampton) with the Vulcan B2. Ground tours as Area Commander RAF Recruiting (Birmingham), RN Staff College Greenwich, HQ NEAF Episkopi (Exercise Plans) and the Defence Equipment Supply Organisation led to promotion to Wg Cdr in 1978 and a refresher flying course on the Jet Provost. He served as OC 101 Sqn (Vulcan B2) before becoming Wg Cdr (Strike) at HQ STC,

and in 1982 he was promoted to Gp Capt.

Following a tour as the SACEUR Representative at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, on the Joint Service Target Planning Staff, he became Station Commander at the School of Recruit Training (Swinderby). This was followed by a tour as Defence Adviser to the Singapore High Commissioner. In 1989, he became Deputy Captain of The Queen’s Flight (BAe146) where he was awarded the CVO.

His last tour was at Northwood Infrastructure Plans SACLANT before his retirement in 1991.