On 27th February 1991 2 Buccaneers took off from Al-Muharraq, Bahrain to attack the Shayka Mazhar Air Base south of Baghdad. One was XX901 flown by Flt Lt Glenn Mason and Sqn Ldr Norman Browne and the other, XX894 flown by Wg Cdr Bill Cope and Flt Lt Carl Wilson. (This aircraft was always believed to be XX885 but it wasn't and we have the Pilots log books and auth sheets that confirm this!)

Following a successful attack with Tornados on the runway intersections, Flt Lt Glenn Mason in a second Buccaneer, noted a number of aircraft on the ground. (watch the video below)

At this very late stage of the War, due to air superiority, the Buccaneers left their usual sidewinder fit at base and carried an extra 1000lb LGB increasing their load to two. One on the Port outer and the other on the Starboard inner pylon. The other pylons being
taken up by the Pave Spike Laser Designator (always on the Port inner) and the Jammer.

With frantic calls giving positions and headings, clearly aware that the longer they stayed in the area, the more the possibility they could be hit by the keen Triple A batteries below! And, without really the time to have a chat about it! Both aircraft quickly took the opportunity to self designate their own weapons and attack their newly acquired ground targets.

Whilst keeping constant look out for SAM's both aircraft pulled around hard to get to into a position to release their weapons. Energised familair voices over the R/T continued as the radios relayed compass bearings and running in headings! Both aircraft finally got into a position to attack!

Flt Lt Glenn Mason and Sqn Ldr Norman Browne DFC, went in first. The attack was a direct hit! However, the bomb which hit the aircraft did'nt explode! The disappointment in Norman Browne's voice is overwhelming, when he confirmed it had hit its intended target but had not gone off!
(It was originally thought that the a/c was an Iraqi An-12 Cub.
We now know it was a C-130 that was captured from the Kuwait AF)

Wg Cdr Bill Cope (the Buccaneer Detachment Commander during the Gulf War) and Flt Lt Carl Wilson, went in second from approx 290 pointing the nose at the targeted Antonov 12 in a dive of 45 - 50 degrees.
Bill Cope hears through his head set over the intercom, the total frustration of Carl's voice as he beckons the Pave Spike to aquire its target faster then it can! "Come around, come around..."
Then, within a millisecond, the frustration turns to concentration as the Nav's black and white TV screen is zoomed and then fills with a four engined An-12!

At approximately 16000ft as Carl Wilson transmitted to his Pilot, "Happy" (the target was 'spiked') the 1000lb Laser Guided Bomb was released. 20 seconds later the bomb found its mark!
The result was a 'direct hit' on the starboard inner wing with a huge explosion probably due to full fuel tanks. This most daring and tenacious attack was seen by millions on the television on news reels around the World! Some even suggested it was dropped by a F-117A Stealth Bomber!

(The whole attack can be seen in our YouTube video below!)