By JOHN KAY Chief Reporter

THE Sun has officially adopted one of the RAF’s Top Gun squadrons set to go to war against evil Saddam Hussein.

And if the lads of IX Squadron fly into action they will have our Page 3 babe Nikkala Stott painted on their planes.

The historic unit has made gorgeous Nikkala, 21, its mascot.

Her picture will be displayed just beneath the cockpits of their Tornado GR4 bombers, along with the words “Here comes The Sun”.

It follows a long tradition of aircraft art featuring pretty girls — like World War II US bomber Memphis Belle, made famous in a hit movie.

RAF top brass called up the forces’ favourite newspaper to forge a bond with 120-strong IX Squadron.

They flew out yesterday to join a force of 100 British warplanes massing in the Gulf. But first they invited Nikkala to tour their base at RAF Marham in Norfolk.

During a rousing welcome from squadron boss Wing Commander Derek Watson and 50 of his boys, she said: “It is a great honour to be the mascot of IX Squadron.

“And it was wonderful meeting them — they’re all so young and so brave.”

Nikkala, who was given her own flying suit with the squadron’s green bat badge, went on: “It will give me a special thrill to think that my picture is on the noses of the Tornados flying on combat missions.

“I wish them all the best and pray that they all return home safely.”

Nikkala, from Middlesex, sat in the cockpit of one of the mighty Tornados and certainly went down a bomb with squadron members.

Flight Lieutenant Hywel Jones, 26, said: “It’s great to have such a beautiful mascot. The support of The Sun and its millions of readers makes a big difference to morale.”

Lieutenant Ian Sharrocks, 28, a Royal Navy pilot on an exchange posting, said: “Nikkala is outstanding in every sense. She has such a lovely pair of ... blue eyes.”

Captain George Patterson, 30, an Army officer on attachment, added: “Nikkala is so lovely — I just wish we could have a Page 3 girl each.”

It is the first time a newspaper has been asked to adopt an RAF squadron. Wing Commander Watson, 39, said: “It’s great that The Sun is backing our squadron.

“We’ve been given a job to do and we’ll do it. We have experience from the Gulf War in 1991 and have flown many missions enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq.”

IX Squadron was formed in 1914, four months into World War I, and is the RAF’s senior bombing squadron. Its first aircraft were BE2 reconnaissance biplanes.

The proud unit’s motto, Per Noctum Volamus, means We Fly Through The Night — a reference to its former night bombing role.

The squadron’s most famous World War II exploit came in 1944, when it helped sink the German battleship Tirpitz.

Flight Sergeant George Thompson won a World War II VC for beating out flames with his bare hands to help comrades trapped in a blazing Lancaster. He died of his injuries.

The unit flew Canberras and Vulcans before becoming the first operational Tornado squadron in 1986.