Gerry RHi David, try contacting Portsmouth Naval Gliding Club or Lee Flying Association, I think the former will meet you at the security gate if you call in advance, they meet at weekends and Wednesday afternoons. Just google both for contact numbers, best regards,
Gerry R
Gerry RThanks for posting
Very nice pics Culpano, I never did get such nice weather visiting Hong Kong in the past, both your recent location and the old Kai Tak. I am very interested in your water taxi ride to Sha Lo Wan island to obtain your superb pics, a small request, do you have a map of exactly where you were in relation to the airport?.
I am intrigued also of the bulge on the forward lower fuselage of the MasKargo A330 by the nose wheel, do all A330’s have this certain bulge, I haven’t noticed this before on that particular type, again, thanks for posting:)
Regards, Gerry R.
Gerry RRnwy 08/26, and Turnhouse update.
Thanks Ross, on the subject of 08/26, I was lucky to have witnessed an RAF Harrier GR3/5? departure from that particular runway at about 9 30am one morning, it was airborne within 400 ft and did a spectacular and noisy climbing turn south right over the Stakis hotel (as it was then named), anyone still slumbering in their beds must have been instantly awake:D. There was a regular jet departure from the same runway, with a daily Citation departure to London City, this to avoid the early morning peak delays on the other runways.
On the hangar demise of the Turnhouse front, please see the pics below, one taken in 2009 of what was left of the domestic site once demolition was completed, another of what was to become of it,……..and could still be, a business park, but delayed I think because change of ownership of the airport. Lastly no longer required!, the hangar door stops have been hammered out and can be seen at the top edge of the grassed area.
Regards, Gerry R.
Gerry RRecent events at Lee
A couple of fairly recent occurancies at Lee on Solent on the GA front, FlyBN are planning the possibility of night flying at the airfield this winter season, with flying on Thursdays up to 1900 local. Other GA news, but again not exactly hot off the press, there is now a choice for GA visiters to the airfield. As well as FlyBN by the tower, Sapphire Aviation have moved into hangar ‘D’ in the southeast corner, this location is nearer the main entrance gate and is a welcome addition on facilities here, as no doubt this destination will get busier in the not too distant future.
Another event not connected with GA but included for possible interest and a light on other activities at Daedalus airfield, (as referred to by Britten-Norman, and quite appropriate I might add), this company test flew the first BN2T-4S Defender aircraft G- CGTC assembled by BN at its new manufacturing facility here in the former FAA Dunning hangar, completing several flights to gain C of A status. Future Defender aircraft will be disassembled once test flown and sea freighted for reassembly on site at destination. This method will lower significantly the cost in delivering the type worldwide, as an alternative to costly ferrying.
Regard, Gerry R.
Gerry RNot just the hangar!
Hi, not only is the hangar to go but nearly all of the old RAF Turnhouse too, half has already gone, but there is a hold up on the fate of remainder, unfortunetly it is a cert all will be rubble soon.
The old supply building will probably survive a little longer, this is occupied by an airline catering company at one end, with an infant care firm at the other. My latest info comes from a chap at the inflight place who told me that the hangar should have gone by now, and also all the other buildings, SHQ, former Air Cadet HQ, Guardroom, and the former clothing section building. We came to the conclusion that the hold up was possibly due to the recent transfer of ownership of the airport (that includes the Turnhouse site), from BAA to Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) this year.
All the buildings under threat I have photographed just 2 days ago 23rd October, it is debateable wether the tower will go too, but I have included a pic with the hangar and Cadet building together with it. There is now a sign on the former SHQ main door stating ‘Building scheduled for Demolition Keep Out’. The place was once my parent unit when working at RAF Pitreavie (Nato Site), the top floor was occupied by the General Office and Accounts sections, the COs office was on the ground floor at the corner of the building, facing the now long gone flagpole.
Gerry R.
Gerry RHello,
Some more shots taken at Edinburgh, plus a couple from 88, which hopefully will be of interest, they are:-
1. EI BED B747-130 Aer Lingus, (just back from a Lan Chile lease), 5/3/90.
2. Early morning shot of Loganair Twin Otter G BMXW, 3/2/92.
3. L1011 Tri-Star 1 SE DSE, 2/2/96.
4. JASDF B747-400 20 1101 arriving on a training exercise, direct from Japan, 3/11/99.
5. G BOLM B737-300 Orion Aw, 8/5/88.
6. F 27 F BYAB Air Jet, 7/8/88.
Gerry R
Gerry RSkyraider
F, the first type on the bow in front of the Avengers, I would say is a Douglas Skyraider AEW 1, the lighter coloured aircraft I would say possibly DH Sea Hornets. The date of the pictures at another guess, is possibly 1952, I could be wrong on the last two counts;).
Gerry R
Gerry RHMS Collingwood raid 1940
Hi Melvyn,
I would suggest a visit to the Portsmouth City Records Office, located during my last visit, within the main library building near to the Guildhall.
Below is what I found trawling through the local records, this is a certain report titled :- 2/11/9/C 5th A/A Division. The nearest date I found to your enquiry is the 8th October 1940, when the A/A battery at Holbrook (just southeast of Fleetlands), fired on a Heinkel HE111 flying at 200ft, this would be about one half mile from HMS Collingwood.
The records are from the Gosport area for 1940, as you know, Collingwood was within the Fareham district. I found the details here very interesting and your query gives me an excuse to air and share this with yourself and others, rather than remaining unseen in my file. Not only does it give detailed raids by the Luftwaffe during that year, but also the performances of the various A/A defences in the area.
Lastly, just a long shot, maybe that Heinkel was the one on its way to HMS Collingwood (at 200ft!), and the date may have been the 8th of October rather than the 18th:rolleyes:, —of course this is only a personal assumption,—-I could be wrong;)
Best regards, Gerry R.
Gerry RMany thanks to Robert and Dave for your feedback, which reinforces for me the knowledgable and accurate information that can be obtained on this forum:).
Tim, the significance of your July 25th post comes to light:rolleyes:,not only were you posted to Turnhouse, you were in charge of the station:eek:. You mentioned Castle Gogar, you might be interested to know that around 1997, the sale of the ex RAF Turnhouse site to BAA was delayed due to a legal technicality. The Gogar Estate had bequeathed what became RAF Turnhouse, I believe just before WW.1 for the sole purpose of ‘The Defence of the Realm’, because of this BAA went through a not straight forward legal process to accuire the site, I enclose a pic of the temporary fence that was erected during the protracted sale to BAA, the hangar was painted a lighter colour a couple of year later when it was used as a reception area, for visiting VIPs for an international conference in 1999, second pic taken from the old Ferranti apron.
The last pic is another from the top of the water tower before its demise in 1991, showing the domestic site, right to left, SNCOs block, Sgts Mess, Airmans mess, NAAFI, and Medical Centre, with the barrack blocks and power station behind, now all gone.
Gerry R
Gerry RSeletar airfield pics 2009.
Herewith afew airfield pics taken in 2009 before looking around the old domestic site at Seletar:-, Control tower with Type ‘A’ hangar behind still extant, plus another view of the tower across from the end of Maida Vale road, new airliner servicing hangars, if my memory serves me right, there used to be barrack blocks where these are situated?.
Gerry R
Gerry RSeletar Pics 2009
Hello all,
These are the pics that should have appeared in post 99, all taken at Seletar 2009, and are as follows:-
1. 22-28 Edgeware road, about to be demolished to make room the new Aeropark.
2. Seletar Primary School, about a month before the buildings were schedule to be demolished.
3. The former NAAFI shop in Oxford road, which looks like it has been converted into a Temple.
4. Looking down Battersea road, (not Oxford road as mentioned in my last post), the Secondary School is on the right, also scheduled soon after my visit in 2009.
Gerry R
Gerry RNostalgia, but some confusion here!!
RAJ was 603 Sqn RAuxAF, flying Spit 22s from 1948. John Sowrey, Flight Commander, let me fly one. Some torque!!
But solve this one in exchange? I also flew several Mk XVIs there, coded TE. How come??
TE was either 43 Sqn or 1401 Flight – neither of which had Spit XVIs!
= Tim
Hi Tim, I was about to reply to your post today, I thank you for your response and query, unfortunetly I cannot answer it. As regards the picture I was in the dark regarding its date and made a wild guess.
Thanks to your reply I have made a little headway on the date of the picture and the mark of Spitfire, I have found there is a wealth of knowledge on this website, so hopefully you and I can get some more information, from the experts waiting in the wings:D, and of course, an answer to your precise query.
Your post raises another question for me, were you posted to Turnhouse at one time?, you mentioned also you flew that mark of Spitfire (mk 22), were they Griffon engined?.
Gerry R:)
Gerry ROlder pic of said hangar
Hi all, here is an image of the ‘C’ type hangar at RAF Turnhouse in busier times. Can anyone help with dating this picture? as well as later mark Spitfires, would these be on summer camp or based aircraft? also there is an Anson in the background, my guess is the year 1948, thanks.
Gerry R
Gerry RNice pics
Thanks for the selection, Manchester is a northern England gem in my opinion:), great shot of the Antonov, at 9,000 ft too.
Gerry R
Gerry RNice ones Robert
Another good selection Robert;), do you know if the ex-Continental colour scheme will be retained by United?.
Best regards, Gerry.
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