71 MU, Bicester

8 Bevs came here late-67, 4 ex-84 Sqd Khormaksar, 4 ex-47 Sqdn Abingdon (5 as here noted, plus XB285, 47/C; XB288, 47/U; XH123, 47/N, dead by 4/68). The rest of the fleet was junked, mostly at Shawbury, as C-130Ks deployed. These were held against interest for UN Relief work, which came to nought, so they expired by 12/69. Others here, 7/4/68:
PH858 Anson
XR568 Gnat T.1 Exhn. Flt/7874M
WD490 Hastings 70Sqd/Hadrian
WD486 Hastings 70Sqd/Helios
WT583 Hunter F.1, 7502M
XJ757 Whirlwind HAR.10 Exhn. Flt./7912M, and…
(K4762) Hawker Hind Afghan AF, splendidly restored. To Hendon

what a shame about those beautiful beverley’s 🙁

I think RM694 will be ex Hornchurch at that date. 🙂

Mark

LG: Does it happy you to ponder that, as the young ones look into our logs, 1961 is as remote as, for us then, were the WW1 exploits of Biggles?

Mostly in the peri scrap compounds, I can add these:
11/12/64: XR270 Auster AOP.9 cr. 14/9/64
11/12/64: RD687 Beaufighter T.T.10, Malta Civil Defence School (now Rockliffe Mus)
11/12/64: AX.41 CF.100 RBAF (as you surmised)
15/9/62: WP926 Chipmunk ARMY
15/9/62: WP976 Chipmunk Bristol UAS, cr. 17/6/62
15/9/62: XB251 Dragonfly H.R.4
11/12/64: TL659 Horsa II fwd. fuse (consumed in AAC Mus “KJ351”)
15/9/62: XE643 Hunter F.G.A.9 208 Sqdn/K, cr. (to 8586M)
15/9/62: XL610 Hunter T.7 Wattisham SF, cr. 7/6/62
15/9/62: XA760 Javelin F.A.W.4 cr.10/5/62 (scr. Brownhills, S.Alloys, 10/62)
28/1/62: XA801 Javelin F.(A.W).2, on Queen Mary
15/9/62: misspole -help!: WF711 Meteor F.8
15/9/62: WG962 Meteor T.7 CFS, cr. 26/6/62
15/9/62: WL465 Meteor T.7 5 FTS, cr. 17/1/62
11/12/64: TJ138 Mosquito T.T.35 (now Hendon Mus)
15/9/62: VP191 Mosquito T.3 Home Cmnd. cr.17/2/62
11/12/64: RM694 Spitfire F.R.14 (dismantled, ex-Binbrook; 2000: High Wycombe project)
11/12/64: TG349 Vampire F.3 (bits to NAPS,1968)
15/9/62: VL262 (Valetta C.2)/Viking (bits)

around 12/64 Hunters reported (?BAR) were also:
F.1 WT687/7508M
F.2 WN893
F.4 WV376 (to 7680M, Gaydon and sc.)
F.4 XF946 (to 7804M and RJAF Mus)

Thanks Mark. I feared as much.

Yes Steve, Bicester was an active place in the 1960s. Not only 71 MU, but OUAS Chipmunks and the Windrushers’ gliders.
I well remember the Spitfire TE356 “8Q-Z”. It was rescued and later became G-SXVI, then N356TE. Two other silver Spitfires were on the dump: TB287 came from Martlesham Heath, but I do not know what became of it. Also TB308 which was on the gate at Norton before being broken up at Bicester, where I saw it 13/3/61. The other Spitfires in my list were preserved via 71MU, as noted.

TB287 and TB308 both scrapped.

Mark

Yes Steve, Bicester was an active place in the 1960s. Not only 71 MU, but OUAS Chipmunks and the Windrushers’ gliders.
I well remember the Spitfire TE356 “8Q-Z”. It was rescued and later became G-SXVI, then N356TE. Two other silver Spitfires were on the dump: TB287 came from Martlesham Heath, but I do not know what became of it. Also TB308 which was on the gate at Norton before being broken up at Bicester, where I saw it 13/3/61. The other Spitfires in my list were preserved via 71MU, as noted.

Wow. Many thanks for the information and images. Emotive, if sad, but we can’t keep every aeroplane can we?

I found this image of a Hastings ‘out to grass’ and the Mk XVI Spitfire that used to oversee the Parade Ground on the Air-Britain photographic website, I hope there are no objections to posting them here.

I have also come across this wonderful image of 71MU “Queen Mary”s causing traffic chaos in Tring High Street while moving some Canberra wings!

Any more pics out there?

Steve

Bicester 1960s

As I said earlier I noted the following at Bicester 1961-1963, with the famous Beverleys in 1969. Aircraft types alphabetically. Hope it helps.

17 April 1961 TX177 Anson C19 Maintenance Command Comm & Ferry Sqd
20 March 1961 TX219 Anson C19 Maintenance Command Comm & Ferry Sqd
23 January 1961 TX256 Anson C19 “Maintenance Command Comm Sqd”
24 April 1962 VF548 Auster AOP6 “Army”
24 April 1962 VW985 Auster AOP6 later -G-ASEF
20 March 1961 WZ716 Auster AOP9 Scrap dump
13 March 1961 WE600 Auster T7 Exhibition Flt. Transantarctic Expedition
23 October 1961 XG454 Belvedere HC1 Fus only. “B”
23 May 1969 XL131 Beverley C1
23 May 1969 XM103 Beverley C1 Camouflaged. RAF Middle East
04 April 1963 AX4. CF100/5 Belgian AF. Wreck. Cr Folkestone. (is this AX41, w/o 13/3/61?)
13 March 1961 7601M Chipmunk T10 Exhibition Flt. “A” on inst panel. (ex WB709, later to Kenya, then Sri Lanka) (? cn 156 or 240)
24 April 1962 WB558 Chipmunk T10
21 March 1961 WB758 Chipmunk T10 Bicester Station Flt
27 February 1961 WD359 Chipmunk T10 OUAS E
25 April 1962 WD372 Chipmunk T10
27 February 1961 WG319 Chipmunk T10 OUAS C
27 April 1962 WG362 Chipmunk T10
25 April 1962 WG363 Chipmunk T10 New for Windrushers
24 April 1962 WG466 Chipmunk T10
04 April 1963 WK516 Chipmunk T10 Wreck. On locker: C1/0553
04 December 1961 WK574 Chipmunk T10 Wreck
20 March 1961 WK575 Chipmunk T10 OUAS X
13 March 1961 WK638 Chipmunk T10 OUAS B
13 March 1961 WP785 Chipmunk T10 OUAS D
23 October 1961 WP803 Chipmunk T10 OUAS. Glider towing
23 May 1969 WP803 Chipmunk T10 OUAS D
08 November 1963 WP804 Chipmunk T10 Wales UAS
06 June 1963 WP811 Chipmunk T10 Visitor
13 February 1961 WP919 Chipmunk T10 OUAS “A”. OUAS colours applied 4/61.
23 October 1961 WZ860 Chipmunk T10 OUAS “C”
24 April 1962 WZ872 Chipmunk T10
01 November 1963 WZ878 Chipmunk T10 New for OUAS
12 December 1961 VP971 Devon C1
06 November 1961 235 Eagle 3 RAFGSA235 “74” (w/n 1136)
13 May 1962 G-APEW EoN 403 RAFGSA 306 (=EON/4/001, BGA278)
17 April 1961 144 EoN 460 Red. EON/S/002. 144 on fin
10 December 1961 G-ARTE EoN 460/1B Silver
13 March 1961 Air Min 75 Fw190 Exhibition Flt. All marks erased; AIR MIN 75 just visible
12 December 1961 XK740 Gnat F1 Exhibition Flt
17 April 1961 220 Grunau Baby RAFGSA
17 April 1961 159 Grunau Baby RAFGSA
17 April 1961 281 Grunau Baby II RAFGSA
12 December 1961 FS890 Harvard IIB Exhibition Flt
08 May 1971 WD490 prob Hastings C2 Fire dump. “490”
17 April 1961 7422M Hunter F1 Exhibition Flt. Now with serial. WT684 still on ejection seat. (at Reading ATC 1970)
04 April 1963 7503M Hunter F1 Fus. Ex WT584
04 April 1963 7505M Hunter F1 Fus. Ex WT593
04 April 1963 7506M Hunter F1 Fus. Ex WT595
04 April 1963 7507M Hunter F1 Fus. Ex WT686
21 March 1961 WT684 Hunter F1 Exhibition Flt. Just resprayed. No serial, but WT684 on ejection seat
04 April 1963 WT692 Hunter F1 Wings, + fus 7509M
04 April 1963 7511M Hunter F2 Fus. Ex WN894
04 April 1963 WN895 Hunter F2 Wings, + fus 7512M
04 April 1963 WN897 Hunter F2 Wings, + fus 7513M
04 April 1963 WT751 Hunter F4 Helicopter lifting
10 December 1961 WV409 Hunter F4 ES 51
04 April 1963 XE708 Hunter F4
20 February 1961 BA282 Hunter F56 Wings taken away on scrap lorry. (Indian AF)
20 March 1961 XE602 Hunter F6 234 Sqd G. On nose: black/red diamonds, black lion rampant. Brought in on lorry for scrap after running off r/w
10 December 1961 XL615 Hunter T7 Packing cases of remains (wo 1.6.60)
13 March 1961 P2617 Hurricane I Exhibition Flt. AF-T
13 March 1961 XA549 Javelin FAW1 Exhibition Flt “M”. Dagger on fin (87 Sqd)
24 January 1963 XA701 Javelin FAW5 Helicopter lifting
24 April 1962 XH704 Javelin FAW7 Wreck
24 April 1962 XH706 Javelin FAW7 Wreck
24 April 1962 XH718 Javelin FAW7 Wreck
24 April 1962 XH748 Javelin FAW7 Wreck
24 April 1962 XH786 Javelin FAW7 Exhibition hangar. “B”
24 April 1962 XH795 Javelin FAW7 Exhibition hangar. “Y”
24 April 1962 XH837 Javelin FAW7 Wreck
04 April 1963 XH746 Javelin FAW9
13 March 1961 7570M Jet Provost T1 Exhibition Flt. presumably XD674
10 December 1961 XM423 Jet Provost T3 CFS R-J. Burned (cr 30/8/61)
06 November 1961 D-3222 Ka6 “175” (-RAFGSA322)
17 April 1961 B-1 Kranich II w/no 635. Damaged
12 December 1961 191660 Me163B1a Exhibition Flt. “3” (ex VF241)
13 March 1961 VK893 Me262A2a Exhibition Flt. German marks. RAF marks just vis on top of these. (Marks removed 4/61)
20 March 1961 WF766 Meteor T7 Scrap dump. Cr Boscombe ?1961
10 December 1961 WL377 Meteor T7 A Fighter Test Sqd, Boscombe. (G/5 444638)
17 April 1961 206 Olympia 1 “26” RAFGSA206. Silver. Pencilled on wingroot: AS/H002 ND C/044. (EON/O/044)
17 April 1961 228 Olympia 2B “112” RAFGSA
17 April 1961 246 Olympia 2B “117” RAFGSA. Silver
13 March 1961 XL557 Pioneer CC1 Scrap dump. Wing. SAL/PP/00922
30 January 1961 XF549 Provost T1 P-E
13 March 1961 XF893 Provost T1 Scrap dump
10 December 1961 XF912 Provost T1 No engine. “SH” on tires
23 May 1969 G-AVHY RF4
17 April 1961 234 Skylark 3B RAFGSA234. BGA844, wn 1134
24 April 1962 N5912 Sopwith Triplane “5”
17 April 1961 PK724 Spitfire F24 Exhibition Flt. Just resprayed
13 March 1961 K9942 Spitfire I Exhibition Flt. EB-T
13 March 1961 X4590 Spitfire I Exhibition Flt. PR-F
03 May 1961 RR263 Spitfire LFXVI “LZ-B”. To French AF 1967 as TB597
20 March 1961 TB287 Spitfire LFXVIe Scrap dump. Silver
30 January 1961 TE356 Spitfire LFXVIe Silver. 8Q-Z. (-G-SXVI, -N356TE)
13 March 1961 TB308 Spitfire XVI Scrap dump. Silver
01 August 1963 XJ919 Sycamore HR14 Wreck
17 April 1961 212 T21B RAFGSA. (presumably cn588 WB925 RAFGSA212 BGA2964)
17 April 1961 238 T21B RAFGSA238. BGA846, w/no 1131
13 May 1962 242 T21B
17 April 1961 XN152 T21B Sedburgh TX1 Wreck. “AIR CADETS”
06 November 1961 G-APRX Tiger Moth On trailer
31 October 1962 G-APTI Tiger Moth Lt blue. Enforced landing
10 December 1961 WG262 Valetta T3 Wing on lorry
24 April 1962 XD379 Vampire T11 Wreck. Cr 1/3/62
13 March 1961 XE982 Vampire T11 Exhibition Flt. (at Hereford ATC 1970)
13 March 1961 XH617 Victor B1 Scrap dump. Small pieces, one with “XH…”. Cr Diss 19/7/60
23 January 1961 MF628 Wellington T10 Fuselage. Camouflaged. Taken away 3/61
01 August 1963 XP395 Whirlwind HAR10 Wreck. Cr Chivenor 3/1/63
10 December 1961 XJ725 Whirlwind HAR2 cr 12/10/61

Here’s a few murky photos I took in April 1969. My log of the Beverleys agrees exactly with Dave’s and Javelin XA701 can be seen rotting away on the left in the first photo.

I was one of a group of about a dozen 14 year olds who together organised a grand 4 day trip around various airfields and scapyards in the south/south east. We also visited Thruxton, Boscombe, Andover, Lasham, Church Crookham, Sandhurst, Ascot, Camberley, Northolt, Denham, Elstree, Leavesden, Luton, Halton, and Upper Heyford. Happy days!

The Beverleys where in or next to the bomb dump which was still full of bombs, great to walk around as a kid.

Bombs? Nobody told me about them! 🙂

Hi Steve, dad has some Colour slides of Beverlys and the Hastings that where at Bicester in the late 60,s. When we use to glide there. Looking at an old log, there was on the scrap heap on the 15.3.69
WH208 Meteor 7 fire heap. I have an inspection cover of this aircaft
XG475 Belvedere scrap heap
XA701 Javelin for fire heap. I still have a panel from this aircraft.
WZ864 Chipmunk scrap heap
7502M Meteor scrap heap
XM111 Beverley camouflaged awaiting scraping
XM103 Beverley camouflaged awaiting scraping
XL130 Beverley silver awaiting scraping
XL131 Beverley silver awaiting scraping
XH122 Beverley silver awaiting scraping
The Beverleys where in or next to the bomb dump which was still full of bombs, great to walk around as a kid. The Hastings was at the other side of the airfield but i dont have its number. I have some instrument faces out of one of the Beverleys. I did write to the C.O of Bicester at the time asking for a control column from a Beveley. I did get a reply, but know control column.

Dave

Bicester memories

I unfortunately do not have pictures, but I noted what was going on in terms of movements through 71 MU and the scrap dump at Bicester between 1961 and 1963 when I flew with Oxford UAS. If my notes can be of any help, let me know.