Chipmunk WB652 5 AEF

This is WB652 at Mildenhall in May 1982.

Abingdon now belongs to the army renamed Dalton Barracks. Fond memories of the AEF Experience though. IIRC John was actually called Paul Young anyone know what became of him?

Martin

Topgun reject,

thanks for the update.as far as paul Young goes, I was told stories whilst I was at TTTE Cottismore in 88, that he went on to become a Navigator and was killed ejecting from the back seat of a tornado Gr1a that ran into trouble. I have no idea if the story was true though, or if I have it entirely correct, but I seem to remember being told that. Anyone able to validate?

MJR

yes, shame, they did get crushed in the end, I think one or two were moved in with th vc10’s in the fire training ground just over the fence behind the terminal building. Those chutes were a menace on the old knackers! very uncomfortable, I’m sure the stores fitter used to take please in yanking them straps up extra tight! :diablo: a bit of a wake up call, after falling asleep during the “jump john” safety briefings and video, prior to kit fitting. I seem to remeber the young lad in the videos being called John. I also remeber the briefing rooms being covered in posters of cartoons featuring chipmunks, with dozy plonkers walking into the props, and claret spraying all over the place. I cant remember for the life of me exactly what the warning slogan was though, something like “VIGILANCE SAVES LIVES AND FOD KILLS”, presumably, the fod was the silly sod walking into the prop 😀

What became of Abingdon, after its wind down?, anyone have any piccies of Abingdon, during RAF days?

MJR

Abingdon now belongs to the army renamed Dalton Barracks. Fond memories of the AEF Experience though. IIRC John was actually called Paul Young anyone know what became of him?

Martin

Abingdon does have a growing air day again nowadays, next one on the 30th April. Last years event was very good from what I saw here, though it will hard pressed to beat the 100,000 figure like it did in 1990!

Here’s a link to some great pics. http://www.abingdonfayre.com/RAF/

I flew ‘652 from Cambridge, but I do remember the Nimrod AEW3, all looking very grubby in their PFX (I think it’s called PFX 😮 ) protective spray. Only saw them at the airshows they put on back in Abingdon’s RAF days. Think they all ended up under the cutters torch didn’t they?

You certainly reminded me of the parachute pack though, dare not stand up for fear of crushing ya knackers! 😮 😀

yes, shame, they did get crushed in the end, I think one or two were moved in with th vc10’s in the fire training ground just over the fence behind the terminal building. Those chutes were a menace on the old knackers! very uncomfortable, I’m sure the stores fitter used to take please in yanking them straps up extra tight! :diablo: a bit of a wake up call, after falling asleep during the “jump john” safety briefings and video, prior to kit fitting. I seem to remeber the young lad in the videos being called John. I also remeber the briefing rooms being covered in posters of cartoons featuring chipmunks, with dozy plonkers walking into the props, and claret spraying all over the place. I cant remember for the life of me exactly what the warning slogan was though, something like “VIGILANCE SAVES LIVES AND FOD KILLS”, presumably, the fod was the silly sod walking into the prop 😀

What became of Abingdon, after its wind down?, anyone have any piccies of Abingdon, during RAF days?

MJR

I flew ‘652 from Cambridge, but I do remember the Nimrod AEW3, all looking very grubby in their PFX (I think it’s called PFX 😮 ) protective spray. Only saw them at the airshows they put on back in Abingdon’s RAF days. Think they all ended up under the cutters torch didn’t they?

You certainly reminded me of the parachute pack though, dare not stand up for fear of crushing ya knackers! 😮 😀

Fantastic stuff thanks for that paulO. Nice to see she’s still flying. 🙂

mjr, that’s a coincidence! Strange that, they must have shifted them around the AEF’s. I no longer have my log book so can’t refer to the exact dates, but it probably would’ve been 1985. Hope you found your way back to the correct airfield! 😀

yeah, great to see it’s still flying, I think the raf rotated the air frames round for even fatigue etc, hence the different aef’s.

yes found my way back in the end, thanks to a local railway line, but I dont think my Wing Co pilot was very impressed with me! 😀

Good old Abingdon, many fond memories, do you remember all the Nimrods parked up at Abingdon? just the other side of the apron, in front of the terminal building. I always remember being impressed by them every time I hobbled out with the chute on to the apron, for a waiting Chippy.

MJR

Some photos of G-CHPY can be found here

http://www.ourkemble.co.uk/personal/ourkemble.nsf/839df35a609737cb80256…

Regards

Paul
www.ourkemble.co.uk

Fantastic stuff thanks for that paulO. Nice to see she’s still flying. 🙂

mjr, that’s a coincidence! Strange that, they must have shifted them around the AEF’s. I no longer have my log book so can’t refer to the exact dates, but it probably would’ve been 1985. Hope you found your way back to the correct airfield! 😀

The same old numbers pop up throughout my Aef log book, between 86 and 89 at bingdon ;

WB 586 6 aef
WK589 6AEF
WB652 6 AEF
WP870 10 aef

MJR

Hi everyone,

I am currently repainting a Chippy for FS2004, and am looking for photos of WB652 “V” which served on 5 AEF at Cambridge. Why WB652? This was the first aircraft I ever flew in as a 14 year old ATC cadet, and the first I ever took control of, so it’s a bit special to me. I’m sure many who were in the ATC in the mid 1980’s will have that same sentiment!

Sady I didn’t have a camera at the time, so has anyone got any pics of this aircraft that may help in my project? Even pics of other 5 AEF Chipmunks would be helpful providing they were taken in the mid 1980’s, just need to know where the code letters went.

I see WB652 now based at Kemble as G-CHPY, sadly no pics on GINFO though. 🙁

Thanks

Justyn

Just checked my log book, and amazingly I also flew in wb 652 27/7/86 6 aef abingdon 31 minutes, nav ex. I remember the flight well, casue I got lost, ! 😀

MJR

Some photos of G-CHPY can be found here

http://www.ourkemble.co.uk/personal/ourkemble.nsf/839df35a609737cb80256…

Regards

Paul
www.ourkemble.co.uk