Aircrew bares all for calendar

Calender girl Cath Gillespie posed as Miss October

Members of an RAF squadron have stripped off for a charity calendar.

The men and women of 23 Squadron, based at RAF Waddington, in Lincolnshire, bared all in a series of photographs.

Although it raised a few eyebrows among senior officers, the calendar went on sale for £7 at a recent airshow.

It has raised thousands of pounds for local charities.

Sky eye

The pictures were taken by Senior Aircraftswoman Kryselle Lees of the photographic section, around the Lincolnshire base.

Calendar highlights

January: Wing Commander Ned Kelly relaxes naked at desk

February: nude aircrew briefed by naked airman

July: two nude airwomen plot a course on board plane

August: airman directs plane wearing only boots and vest

The squadron is one of two Airbourne Warning and Control System units - Awacs - which provide mobile radar coverage and are also known as "the eye in the sky".

Most of the people featured in the calendar are now on duty in Afghanistan and managed to fit in photo shoots on brief return trips to the UK.

Flight Lieutenant Cath Gillespie, who organised the calendar and posed as Miss October, said: "We wanted to show the airforce had a sense of humour and that we enjoyed raising money for charity.

"We wanted to show as much of the aircraft and as much of the squadron as possible.

Selling well

"The calendar has gone down really well.

"The public at the RAF Waddington airshow, where we launched the calendar, just thought it was fantastic."

The Wing Commander features in the calendar

Since the calendar went on sale in the last week of June, 1,500 copies have been sold.

The squadron is hoping to sell 5,000 by Christmas and raise £17,000.

Money raised is going to Strut (Short Term Respite Unit Trust) which provides care for special needs children and their families in Lincolnshire.

The National Kidney Research Fund in association with the Lincoln Renal Unit Appeal will also benefit.

Raised eyebrows

Sonya Sylvester, chief executive of Strut, said the money would pay for 60 children to go on a residential holiday.

"Without donations like this, the charity would fold."

An RAF spokesman said: "The calendar initially met with some raised eyebrows.

"But when it was clear that it had been produced tastefully and in support of charity, permission was given for it to be sold.

"It shows the squadron can maintain a sense of humour despite a high operational workload."