In my youth I was in the CCF and flew out of Bovingdon quite often,sometimes on organised trips and sometimes we would cycle in uniform from Watford on the off chance,often with success.I flew in the Ansons and Devons and even managed right seat in the cockpit once in both types of aircraft.There were also two Meteors,one a T7,the other an all weather night fighter .I was once briefed for a flight in the T7 but the weather clagged in and I never got the chance again.However the aircraft of interest was a Dakota which was fitted out with a VIP interior.We were allowed to look in it but I never saw it fly.We were told the RAF had only 2 Dakotas in the UK at that time the other being in Scotland.I wondered if that aircraft had survived and what its history was.I regret my logbook from that time hasn’t survived which includes flights from Cottesmore,Halton and Abingdon.
Off course the USAF was also intensively flying C47s from Bovingdon plus many interesting visiting aircraft,and of course Coastal Command often visited.Happy days.
Colin
By: Arabella-Cox - 9th May 2011 at 11:17
The attached photo shows part of the Farnborough dump in 1957. The L.H. nose is a Viking prototype (VW218) but the aircraft on the trestle looks like a Dak as do other odd bits. Note Swift as well (WK194) at RH side.
I can’t remember now who it was logged the two Dakotas as being at Farnborough that year unfortunately but, as you say, KN510 had a heavy landing out east long before then,
Jim
By: Steve Bond - 9th May 2011 at 08:42
I can confirm my memory did not let me down (that’s a relief); KP208 was indeed the CCCS Dak based at Bovingdon.
As for the two seen at Farnborough in 1957 (I was there too but missed them somehow); KP272 was withdrawn from use some time before that so may well have been rotting away at Farnborough, but KN510 has me confused, since the Air Briatin serial book says it was written off overseas.
By: Arabella-Cox - 4th May 2011 at 10:42
Do you know anything about KN510 and KP272 Steve? I have them logged at Farnborough in Sept 57 but they may have been hulks,
Jim
Incidentally I found a book in Oxfam, Knaresborough yesterday called “The Dakota” which seemed to be about the Dak in RAF service. It was only £2 but I had no cash in my pocket at the time and forgot to go back later. Hope it’s still there when I go back next month!
By: Steve Bond - 4th May 2011 at 09:22
Not KG661 I’m afraid. That was an aircraft bought back for RAE use from the RCAF who flew it as 661, so it was incorrectly identified as the former KG661 which had in fact crashed during the war. I was the one who finally persuaded the MoD of the error, as a result of which it was reserialled ZA947, now with the BBMF.
Dakotas that were still in service at that time included KN452, KN645 and KP208 and if memory serves me correctly, I think it was KP208 that was on the strength of the Coastal Command Communications squadron at Bovingdon. Howver, I might have guessed wrong as I am at work and my records are at home.
By: Propstrike - 4th May 2011 at 08:38
Bovingdon is my ‘local’ , and I keep an eye out for history and anecdotes.
You might enjoy this long-running thread.
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/354789-raf-bovingdon-1960s.html
As to the Dakotas, I know one which would have been in service was KG661, which ended up on the Farnborough RAE Flight, then was ‘rebadged’ as ZA947, now serving on the BBMF.
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May 3, 2011 at 9:52 pm