RSAF 140 Squadron: Singapore's pioneer air defence

by Derek Yeo - 7 August 2008

FORMER airmen of Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), who had served with 140 Squadron (Hawker Hunters) would recall this grainy but iconic picture (circa 1970). Certainly for them, it would rekindle nostalgia and fond memories.

The photo-shoot, at Tengah Airbase, marked the fledgling squadron's first anniversary and elevation to operational status. The photo showed the squadron commander, Major Strong posing with his pilots atop the squadron's singleton, tail number 503. It froze their “Hunter moment” for posterity.

Major Strong, previously Commanding Officer of Royal Air Force's 20 Squadron, headed the only RAF squadron flying Hunter FGA Mark 9 jets in Britain's Far East Air Force. He was seconded to the Singapore Air Defence Command - as the RSAF was then known - when Singapore acquired Hunter jets from Britain to beef up the infant republic's air defence.

The RAF squadron operated Hunter FGA Mark 9 jets from RAF Tengah in the 1960s until the British pull-out east of Suez in December 1971.

That's Major Strong on the canopy of the Mark 74 fighter. Shown standing: Captain Michael Teo Eng Cheng, later Brigadier-General (top, 4th from left); Captain Timothy De Souza, later Colonel (top, 5th from left) and Capt Singam, later Colonel (starboard tailplane).

Brigadier-General Michael Teo, later appointed Chief of Air Force, is now Singapore's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Some of the pilots in the famous picture were original members of of RSAF's Black Knights aerobatic team. Others were ex-RAF and ex-Royal Navy pilots.

The RSAF's pioneer fighter squadron, "one-forty" rose on several occasions to defend Singapore during the early years of Singapore's independence. One such occasion was in November 1986. It stood by at full combat readiness during the official visit of Israeli President Chaim Herzog. Malaysia, which did not recognise the Jewish state, had protested over the visit.

Amid the furore and Malaysians flexing their military muscle, the visit went without a shot fired.

Currently, 140 Squadron, equipped with the latest F-16C and -16D Falcon fighter-jets, is based at Tengah and Changi Airbases.

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