Old pics of RAF St Eval here!

For those who wish to read about Airborne Lifeboats there is a 20 page booklet called Unsung Heroes of RAF Air Sea Rescues on this page about half way down http://www.aviationmuseum.net/the_Shop.htm

The booklet charts the rise of the Mark I lifeboat fitted to Hudsons and then the next mark to Warwicks and so on to Lancasters and Shackletons.

Better still pay Flixton Aviation Museum a visit they have a small museum dedicated to ASR which is brilliant

Lauriebe, It is definatley St Eval.
The galley shot query is solved for me. It is taken inside a Shackleton MR.1, the galley on this version differed from all the others in that it was attached to the bulkhead and ran across the width of the fuselage. The latter marks had the galley against the starboard fuselage side and was laid out differently. 228 did operate MR.1s and 2s together at this time.
The lifeboat carriage existed on all Shacks, and you can see the sprung cutouts on the bomb bay doors for this. They were unusual though, and as previously mentioned, replaced by Lindholm gear.

217 Sqn and its Neptunes were only based at St Eval for a very short period, mid-January 1952 – 7 April 1952, when they were relocated to Kinloss.

In the Hudson photo, could it be a case of, as yet, unpainted replacement wing panels?

As for the galley photo, the flying clothing worn by the chap in the photo suggests an earlier date than the mid-50s. The Mae-West and the helmet are both more reminiscent of the mid- to late-40s style.

One last comment. In the first photo, rather than receiving a message from the RCC as suggested, the chap appears to making a broadcast on a Tannoy system. The equipment shown is certainly very similar to all Tannoys that I have seen and operated. The airfield map on the wall behind him could show St Eval. The runway layout seems similar.

That’s better.:) and I still can’t figure out what the aircraft behind them is.

The aircraft behind are Neptunes.

hi ohpoe,

i posted this image months ago trying to get some answers, nobody could give me a clue.

as for the fried eggs image, i think you will find it is in a tin shed.

Can anyone explain the colour scheme on the underside of the wing on the Hudson ?

There were Lancs with Lifeboats at St .Eval as well. The fit was there for the Shackleton 2’s IIRC., but I think the Lindholme gear put an end to that option.

Also a Sunderland Galley from my webfooter mate Alex Carrie c1957/58

Edit, does anyone know what type the galley shot is taken in, certainly dosen’t appear to be Shack, reminds me of Sunderland?!

here’s a Sunderland galley
http://www.airmuseum.ca/mag/exag0108.html

While we are on the subject of St Eval, can anyone explain why the NW/SE runway at the NW end is really stripy? I’ve walked along it, and it is actually as it appears on Google earth/maps? It really stands out from all the other runways at St Eval.
There must some rational reason why?

There is a go cart track at the extreme NW end of that runway. I see the bit you mean, which is slightly further down. I’m guesing it is just decay, and also that is the part you could learn to drive / boy race around years ago. They still have a car rally stage on it every year.
Btw that was sometimes the problem runway, being in close alignment with Mawgans main runway, more than one aircraft has accidently landed on it!

Thanks Wieso, that site suggests that the Lifeboat Shacks weren’t based at St Eval, and with the Neptune in the background I wonder if that picture was taken at Kinloss? Of course there is nothing to stop both types detaching to St Eval.
The final galley shot is still bugging me, anyone?

The Lifeboat is under a Shackleton MR.2, unusual shot though as I didn’t think St Eval had lifeboat equiped units, …

Airborne Lifeboat, Mk. 3
Hawker-Siddeley Shackleton MR.2
http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/results.do;jsessionid=81B0D28E39276374A6E5B5277FFD76D6?view=detail&db=object&id=176233

St Eval’s NW/SE runway

While we are on the subject of St Eval, can anyone explain why the NW/SE runway at the NW end is really stripy? I’ve walked along it, and it is actually as it appears on Google earth/maps? It really stands out from all the other runways at St Eval.

There must some rational reason why?

The Lifeboat is under a Shackleton MR.2, unusual shot though as I didn’t think St Eval had lifeboat equiped units, also the Neptune MR.1 behind, although delivered to St Eval in ’52, would be an occasional visitor by ’55.
The tower internal shots seem to show it as a standard sturdy design, although from the outside it looked more of temporary design.
Cracking pictures and very rare, well done Nick
Edit, does anyone know what type the galley shot is taken in, certainly dosen’t appear to be Shack, reminds me of Sunderland?!

That’s better.:) The guys inspecting the life boat would I guess be checking that it is correctly attached. If that is under a hastings as it appears to be I didn’t know they carried them and I still can’t figure out what the aircraft behind them is.

Sorry guys – if you click on the link and then enter ‘St Eval’ in the search box in the top RH corner, it should then display St Eval pics!

I think a case of too many brandy filled mince pies at work! 😉

And I thought it was just me. That’s exactly what I got.

Hi folks,

Just found these pictures taken at St Eval in 1955 ( and one in 1941). Not seen these before so thought they might be of interest?

http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspx?mid=2659391&epmid=1&partner=Google

Cheers (& Merry Christmas!)

Nick

Nick

I must be doing something wrong as I click on the link and get a full runway of Canberras at Binbrook. If you can post a link of St Eval c1955 as I was there then as a kid of 16 before joining the Real Air Force