275 Sqn Sycamores

Hi All,

Many thanks to one and all for responding to my request, it’s greatly appreciated.

Nigel (Owner Sea King XV677)

275 Squadron Sycamores

There is also a photograph of XE317 of ‘E’ Flight, No.275 Squadron ‘wet winching’ off Ilfracombe harbour in RAF Chivenor in Old Photographs.

There’s a nice photo of XG508 of 275 Sqn at Acklington here:
www.neaviationresearch.org.uk/Events/BoBatHome/AcklingtonBoB58.htm

Jim

Thanks for that, yes it was Lower Tremar and seemed to remember a Castle Motors link, I did a quick search on ‘544 and there are vague references to it being in Wales, but that’s all.
BTW apart from that Lightning there was another one in a garden nearer to Callington, aswel as the main Castle Motors one at their showrooms, three in one small area ain’t bad!

XG544 was preserved and displayed at the long defunct Torbay Aviation Museum, I believe it is possibly the one which went to a private owner (possibly same location as Lightnng?) in east Cornwall.
However I have never seen recent info or pics of it though and it could have moved on since.

It was indeed at the home of Roy Flood of Castle Motors along with his second Lightning. I think it was Lower Tremar. Unfortunately on the day that I had a look at them with Roy’s blessing I did not have my camera.

It has always been a bit of a mystery as to where it went

Nice photo of XF265 – is that the one you mean? I can’t get it to scroll past there.
Ah! I’ve sussed it!!!
Jim

PS: Also nice photo of XJ729 there. She was at the SBAC show at Farnborough in 1956 and I have her down as a 22Sqn a/c,
Jim

I had a couple of winch-ups and flights in her as an ATC cadet (131Sqn!)at RAF Acklington when 275 Sqn had her but I don’t think she carried a code at that time – where was the code applied on the airframe?

Picture here that you might like, http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.22squadronassociation.org.uk/275Ssywets.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.22squadronassociation.org.uk/SARHist.html&usg=___uA-a-BZuk3jYCSkXrmpLvcEhUM=&h=382&w=486&sz=23&hl=en&start=1&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=JN7NLp5TQBg2uM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=129&prev=/images%3Fq%3Draf%2Bsycamore%2B275%2Bsquadron%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26rlz%3D1T4ACAW_enGB337GB337%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=wLxbTeCsL9SbhQey7J3DBQ, third one down.

I must admit all the SAR Sycamores I’ve seen pictures of don’t appear to wear codes, the ASWDU aircraft had a sqn and an individual aircraft code either side of the boom roundel.
As you touch on re warning sign differences I have noticed that the serials can be applied in different places aswel.

Does anyone here know why the military version of the Sycamore MkIII starts at HR.12?

I had a couple of winch-ups and flights in her as an ATC cadet (131Sqn!)at RAF Acklington when 275 Sqn had her but I don’t think she carried a code at that time – where was the code applied on the airframe?
My flights were on 26 April 58 but she was also at Acklington when I visited on 11 Jan 58, together with XL821, which I photographed (see attachment).
Interestingly, although 317 carried “DANGER” on the tail, 821 was marked “WARNING! KEEP CLEAR OF TAIL ROTOR”
XG544 was also at Acklington with 275 Sqn where I saw her on 18 Jan 1959.
Jim

XG544 was preserved and displayed at the long defunct Torbay Aviation Museum, I believe it is possibly the one which went to a private owner (possibly same location as Lightnng?) in east Cornwall.
However I have never seen recent info or pics of it though and it could have moved on since.

Sycamore XG544 where is she now

Is XG544 still about ?

Am, now with the `Red Bulls`,being restored to flight…

XG544

As an Air cadet in 1971 I was lucky to get a flight in Bristol Sycamore HR14 XG544, she was a bit of a bone shaker 🙂

Nigel

I can’t find anything for 275 Sqn as yet, but do have this one of XE317 taken at RAF Ballykelly in February 1961 with 118 Sqn.

I presume you know that XE317 was coded ‘J’ with 275?

Lee

Have you checked with the previous custodian of XE317 – there might be something in their Archive? 🙂