"Rough Diamonds!"…All at sea….!

Geoff
I bow to your superior knowledge! All I had was a side view on the inside back cover of Spitfire etc.
It’s certainly MB340 but that’s as much as I know.
Ken

Flood!

Cheers Flood! i’m with you on this one….;)

Thanks for the piccie’s Stringbag!

I always thought that of all the rare pictures published on this site ‘Key’ would publish a forum ‘Scrapbook’ type thing!!! Some of the profits could go to a Charity of our choice, with a vote on the forum?

dhfan,

Is it the Seafire IB, MB340 (ex Vb, BL689), flown by Lt Duncan Hamilton, Port Reitz, Kenya., you’re thinking of?

Geoff.

On the theme of Admiral’s Barges, there was a side view in Spitfire – the History Mk1 of what looked to me like a MkVc Trop in all-over blue. Looked great, in fact I bought an extra Pioneer Vc to do one that colour.
Don’t know if it’s still there in the disappointing 2nd edition. Must look one day and see what mark it really is.

Here’s a pic of XL584, one of three aircraft painted up as an Admirals Barge…
Not good quality, I must get around to re-scanning it.

Also below is a photo of the T.8M – this example was in service with RN 899 Sqn (the Sea Harrier training Squadron). The photo was taken in the early 1980’s, just after delivery to the Squadron.
(C) Martin Morley.

Tut!
Here is a bit about the only flying Hunter T.8M.

Hunter T.8M stuff
Anything else?;)

Flood.

Re: Admirals Barge!

Originally posted by Dez
What does that look like??

Here is a link to a modelling page with…an Admirals Barge scheme!
Some sort of decal site?

You ok with the T.8M?:rolleyes:

Flood.

Blue?

Admirals Barge!

What does that look like??

Corgi chose the 738 Sqn colours as it was the most colourful (and exciting) Royal Navy GA.11 scheme.
If they branch into the T.7/8 market they will hopefully do an Admirals Barge or a T.8M 🙂

M

Thank you!

Its a tough one eh!!!

Thank you for your info Guy’s, greatly appreciated.

Von Perthes, I agree i think its one for a book, i quite like to reasearch any model i make or buy on the internet, not sure why just like to find out a bit more. Quite often i find contradicted info! Good fun tho. 🙂

Flood, cheers for that, youve told me more in that post than hours i spent on the net!!!

Mark G, The tail pipe is a different shape to the other Hunter i have its rounder but doesn’t look smaller? :confused:

As a rule i quite like the Corgi models but the do pull the odd paint scheme out of knowwhere now and again!

Thanks Again.

Dez:)

I presume Corgi decided to feature the Rough Diamonds rather than the better known Blue Herons so that they wouldn’t have to model the Harley light in the nose.

I haven’t seen the model close up but I don’t suppose they bothered with the GA.11’s narrow tailpipe either.:(

The Blue Herons!

M

Ah! Brawdy! Long hot summer days sitting just outside the airfield watching – and photographing – seemingly endless streams of Hunters, Gannets, Sea Vampires, Sea Princes, Sea Vixens, Whirlwinds, Meteors…. circuit bashing.

Great days.

Told you 🙂

Detail from ‘Squadrons Of The Fleet Air Arm’ by Ray Sturtivant (Air Britain):-
“Sea Hawks were replaced by Hunter GA11 and T8s in June 1962 and 738NAS became an Advanced Training Squadron at RNAS Lossiemouth, its duties including low-level navigation, ground attack, and air-air weapons training. Moved to RNAS Brawdy on 1 January 1964 and operated purely as a Phase II of the Advanced Flying Training Course, giving training in fighter tactics and weapon release to pupils progressing from Part I with 759NAS.
Squadron disbanded 8 May 1970.”
From ‘British Naval Aircraft Since 1912’ by Owen Thetford (Putnam):-
“By the end of 1962 738NAS had 12 GA11s and 6 T8s.
In 1967 3 GA11s and a single T8 were formed into an aerobatic team (not named:() lead by Lt Cdr Chris Comins; they made many successful public appearances, including one on the BBC.”
It also mentions the Blue Herons, formed in 1975, made up of Hunters from FRADU and flown by civilian pilots from Airwork.

Presumably the team was made up of – in best services tradition – instructors working in their own time!
And sorry: no pix yet. My extensive library can drag up T8s with SHar noses or as Admirals Barges, etc, but not from 738NAS. I must have pictures somewhere – I believe the name was derived from the badge on their tails: a pair of diamond shapes (I think).

Flood.

Found this, but it’s not much.

” Rough Diamonds ” Aerobatic Team Royal Navy , Brawdy 1967-69. Led by Lt. Cdr Christopher Comins the team lasted for 5 years

The answer will be in a book. No matter how good the Internet is, you still can’t beat books 🙂

Geoff