2443 Sqn Okehampton Royal Air Force Air Cadets

14/05/2026

Outgoing Okehampton Mayor’s Cadet and Incoming Okehampton Mayors Cadet

As you may be aware the ATC and the ACF take it in turns to provide a cadet to act as Okehampton Mayor’s Cadet for a year and in the past year this honour has been held by Sergeant Felicity Pahdi of 2443 Squadron. Sgt Pahdi’s duties as Mayors Cadet have been to represent not only 2443 Sqn but the wider RAFAC organisation as a whole and provide support at such events as the Mayors Civic Ceremony and the Royal British Legion Remembrance Service.

At a ceremony last night along with the current Mayor of Okehampton, Councillor Richard Colman, the 2025/2026 mantle was handed over to Lance Corporal Paige Caunter of the Army Cadet Force Okehampton Detachment and we at 2443 Sqn would like to wish her well with all her duties over the coming year.

Flt Lt Wilkinson.

22/04/2026

Ex 2443 Squadron Cadet Reaching for the Skies

Following my previous post of 4 November 2024, giving details of 2443 (Okehampton) Squadron, Ex Cadet Warrant Officer Joe Manners and his ambition to join the Army as an aviator I am happy to report that after forty four weeks of intensive training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Joe has recently graduated as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps.

Joe has always had a burning ambition to fly helicopters and through a combination of grit, determination and hard work is now well on the road to realising that ambition. After a brief spell Joe will be going to RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, which is the primary hub for joint helicopter training in the UK and home to No. 1 Flying Training School, which trains aircrew for the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force. Once the training there has been complete he will be assigned to fly either the Wildcat or the Apache helicopter.

Joe can be seen here with the current Officer Commanding 2443 Squadron and seven cadets after presenting badges of rank to two newly promoted Sergeants, two newly promoted Corporals and three cadets in the rear rank with their Gold Crossed Rifle badges, the highest general shooting award available to cadets in the Royal Air Force Air Cadets.

16/02/2026

85 Years in the Making: Air Cadet Musicians Perform at The Birmingham International Tattoo

After two busy days of rehearsals and general preparation at Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, the nearly 60 Air Cadet musicians from across the UK moved to Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre. They can be seen here during their final rehearsal getting used to the acoustics, space and multi-coloured lighting of a major arena before a final polish of the shoes, clean of the belt or drum strap in preparation for the weekend performances. Playing one of the trombones is Corporal Felicity Pahdi of 2443 (Okehampton) Squadron who now qualifies for a Royal Air Force Air Cadet Gold Musicians Badge.

The cadets’ participation in the Birmingham International Tattoo, Britain's biggest indoor tattoo, is a major, public, celebration of 2026’s 85th anniversary of the formation of the Air Training Corps in 1941. The cadets were one of three headline bands in an international line-up in addition to the Band of the Royal Air Force College and the Band of the Polish Police. Such performances, as well as being great adverts for RAFAC also feature as another opportunity that is difficult to find outside the Air Cadets.

10/02/2026

2443 (Okehampton) Squadron Celebrate Shooting Successes

In 2025 the Squadron entered a number of shooting competitions, two of these involved the South West Region and the third involved the Plymouth and Cornwall Wing, the results of the last of these competitions being announced recently.

The first of the competitions involved all six Wings in the South West Region to include Devon & Somerset Wing, Bristol and Gloucester Wing, Thames Valley Wing, Dorset and Wiltshire Wing, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wing along with our own Plymouth and Cornwall Wing. Despite a valiant effort 2443 Squadron were narrowly beaten into second place in this particular competition with from left to right Cpl Felicity Pahdi, Flight Sergeant Neve Huyton and Cpl Brendan Miles with Sgt Iris Leslie, (Not in photo), representing 2443 Squadron.

Later in the year all of these Wings held a Regional Activities Day and one of the events was a shooting competition of which 2443 Squadron were asked to represent Plymouth and Cornwall Wing. This time the Squadron took first place and can be seen with the Regional Activities Day Shield, from left to right Cpl Wilbur Picarella, Flight Sergeant Neve Huyton, Cpl Brendan Miles and Cpl James Huyton.

Finally in 2025 Plymouth and Cornwall Wing held an inter Squadron competition known as the Proper Job Trophy, this being between the current twenty two squadrons on the Wing. This particular competition had been devised by Sqn Ldr Tim Johns OBE, a past Wing Shooting Officer and now serving as a Civilian Instructor with 730 (City of Truro) Squadron. Tim kindly donated the medals and trophy for the competition and the inscription on the trophy reads: ‘The Cornish phrase Proper Job is used to describe a task carried out to the absolute best of ones ability, to achieve perfection in whatever you do.’ This trophy has been won by 2443 Squadron and pictured is Tim presenting gold medals to the individual firers, Flight Sergeant Liv Walker, Cpl Wilbur Picarella, Cpl Brendan Miles, and Cpl Felicity Pahdi. The team can also be seen seated with Tim himself holding the Proper Job Trophy, left to right Cpl Pahdi, Cpl Picarella, CI Tim Johns, FS Walker and Cpl Miles.

27/01/2026

12/11/2025

National Music Camp - Royal Air Force Halton

In the latter part of October and the beginning of November, selected cadets and staff travelled to Royal Air Force Halton in Buckinghamshire to take part in a National Music Camp.

The reason for the camp was to rehearse for a rather big gig... The Birmingham International Tattoo at the NEC, where the cadets will perform a 12 minute music and drill display in the main arena to an audience of thousands. The tattoo will take place in February 2026 and form part of the 85th Anniversary of the founding of the Air Training Corps celebrations.

The cadets worked extremely hard, with a combination of music rehearsal and continuity drill display work on the parade square. The camp was physically and mentally draining for all, with the cadets covering approximately 100km on foot during the week, as well as learning some challenging musical pieces. But as always, the cadets rose to the challenge and achieved an enormous amount in a very short time. During the camp the cadets were fortunate enough to be able to fit in a visit to Windsor Castle.

In the photo of the cadets marching Cpl Felicity Pahdi of 2443 (Okehampton) Squadron can be seen playing the trombone. Cpl Pahdi is a very talented musician and we at 2443 all wish her the best of luck for further selection to play at the Birmingham International Tattoo next year where she will represent the Royal Air Force Air Cadets, her Squadron and Okehampton itself.