Valetta T4

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you had a great time as a 16 year old.

Alex

The flight in WG263/L was on 17 Feb 1958 and that in VW856/H (not 858) was on 6 March 1958. These were both navigator training flights with the parent unit, 228 OCU, not the JMCU, which always operated from another RAF station. The reason for JMCU was that Leeming just couldn’t accomodate all the squadrons at once that were converting to Javelins at the time and so sent the JMCU out to outlying squadrons in rotation such as 29 Sqn at Acklington. I was a lowly ATC Cadet at the time and hitch-hiked down to Leeming (and other RAF stations) from Newcastle on days off school (telling my mother that I was going to Whitley Bay!) to cadge flights. The North Sea flights involved a Valetta T4 with , I think, 4 trainee navigators on board glued to their AI 17 sets, being directed by them on to the target aircraft, a Valetta C1. The pilot would register a kill by hauling the stick and throttles back to cause the stall warning klaxon to sound! During the C1 flight we were also attacked by at least one Javelin. All exciting stuff for a 16 year old!
Jim

Hi Jim,.

Thanks for the photos and info on the Valettas. I’m getting a clearer picture of the JMCU now.

In your log you have a flight in VW858 C.1 as a target aircraft over North Sea and an AI Exercise over North Sea for 2 1/2 hrs in WG263/L T.4. Where these both with the JMCU? And of so do you have the dates?

Alex

I’ve converted it to PDF

[ATTACH]220722[/ATTACH][ATTACH]220722[/ATTACH]I’ve converted the Excel file to PDF.

Here are those photos:
T4 WJ742 U at Leeming 17 Feb 1958
C1 VX556 C at Acklington 11 Jan 1958

Also my log of 228 OCU aircraft at Leeming in 1958.
Sorry,
I can’t upload my log which is an Excel file. Can anyone suggest how to do this please?

Hope that helps,
J[ATTACH=CONFIG]220720[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]220721[/ATTACH]im

VX556/C, a C1 was used by the mobile unit and I posted a photo of it here a while ago, taken at RAF Acklington in 1958 when they were converting 29 Sqn. I have to go out now but I’ll search it out for you later this afternoon. I also posted a photo of one of the T4s here taken at Leeming.
Jim

I’m wondering if the JMTU used any Valetta T.4 that was available.

The monograph gives it as the Javelin Mobile Conversion Unit (JMCU), a component of 228OCU, with ‘a simple Javelin systems simulator, servicing equipment, and some ground crew‘ loaded into a Valetta C1 and the rest of the team travelling in the Valetta T4. From that I’d say you’d have a better chance of assuming the C1 was dedicated to the JMCU and the T4 being whatever was available.

Further to T-21s post, the Vom in ‘Vom Volante’ stood for Vale of Mowbray of Leeming Bar, the makers of excellent pork pies.

Thanks again for your input.

I’m wondering if the JMTU used any Valetta T.4 that was available. 228 OCU ORB may be a useful item to look at.

Alex

I have an Aviation News Mini-Monograph of the Vickers Valetta T3/T4 by Roger Lindsay, undated but I’d imagine it is the same content as that mentioned by T21 (above). If necessary it might prove easier to source than a copy of the Military Aviation Review…

Valetta T3 & T4’s were allocated serials WG256 – 267 and WJ461 – 481. Of which the following were long nose T.4’s WG256, 263, 267, WJ464, 465, 466, 467 (W/O 6/8/58), 469, 471, 472, 473, 475, 477, 481, 483, 485, 486, 487 (SOC 1957).

The Mini-Monograph I mention above has WJ487 as being SOC 24/2/1967, to the dump at Little Rissington after service AS ‘Q’ with 2ANS, 19/6/63-2/2/66 then 5MU. Those keys are awfully close together.;o)

Roger Lindsay wrote a great piece on the Valetta T.3/4 in Military Aviation Review July/Aug 1976 and the history of 228OCU in MAR Dec 1976/Jan 1977. My father was a Sergeant pilot on the Valettas with 228 OCU . His log book states he was detached to the JMCU 01 Dec 1958 but no mention afterwards . He flew T.4 WJ477 to Church Fenton and back 15.6.59 one of the last sorties converting No. 72 Squadron. He also pranged WJ467 6.8.58, he was back flying WJ471 on the 18th. All T.4’s were converted by Marshall’s of Cambridge,maybe their archives may have more detail on the AI.17 fitment in the long nose. I have one of my late father’s treasured possesions a 228OCU beer glass with the dimples that has No.1 Sqdn depicting 2 flying pigs chasing each other with the motto “Vom Volante” . Right at the end of Leeming’s main runway was a sausage factory called Voms.

Hi,

Thanks for your replies.

John,
If I find out any more about the AI 17, I’ll let you know.

WB981,
I may order up the movement cards for these aircraft and see if it has anything further on them, although I suspect they will on have what’s in the AB serials book.

I’ll keep digging.

Alex

Valetta T3 & T4’s were allocated serials WG256 – 267 and WJ461 – 481. Of which the following were long nose T.4’s WG256, 263, 267, WJ464, 465, 466, 467 (W/O 6/8/58), 469, 471, 472, 473, 475, 477, 481, 483, 485, 486, 487 (SOC 1957).

Hi Alex

After much trawling over the years for anything at all relating to AI Mk 17 I only found poor pics of these two which may lead you somewhere –

Valetta T4 WG256 (Wfu 1967 on Wyton dump – nice b&w pic of whole a/c)
Valetta T4 WJ469 0 from 228OCU Leeming 1957 (just its nose poking out in an airshow static lineup)

Be most interested in any gen around ARI.5807 AI.17, being a huge Javelin fan myself. I’ve gathered all the usual cockpit pics from online and PNs, but this particular EKCO? setup is very poorly represented isn’t it. Just a system schematic would be nice, or pics of the control units and scanner setup. I’ve got the Collimator NF Mk3 lens assembly and mounting frame but sadly the baby CRT had gone from the tube but I have handled one back in the 70s. I remember the Pilot’s Type 900 controller for collimator brightness/focus, and have the Type 902 from the Nav’s Stbd console. Beyond that, the whole setup is a mystery. Frustrating really, being only 8 miles from Defford and 6 miles from Malvern!

HTH
John