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Toddington Ted

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September 13, 2004 at 8:34 pm in reply to: Duxford Blues #1554600

Toddington Ted
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RAF Ensign

Perhaps the RAF Ensign is not flown because Duxford is no longer a serving RAF Stn. There are clear regulations regarding the use of the RAF Ensign (for example it can never be used to cover a coffin) and it is not normally flown at a site that does not have an official RAF presence. Hendon is the RAF Museum and would therefore qualify. Elvington airfield belonged to the MOD until fairly recently but no longer does. Perhaps Elvington has received official permission to fly the RAF Ensign – good for them, its an excellent place! Perhaps the IWM could make the same request.

September 7, 2004 at 8:19 pm in reply to: Your favourite era of the RAF (or equivalent) #1560313

Toddington Ted
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Favourite RAF Era

I guess my favourite RAF era would have to be when I joined, in 1986! Back then, the RAF was actually growing, due to the requirement for more fast jet aircrew for the Tornado F3, RAF Germany was still very big indeed and the Lightning was still in service! My first tour was Finningley and then to Church Fenton, both excellent stations in RAF Yorkshire! In 1988 the downhill run set in when Binbrook closed and it seems to have carried on that way ever since and RAF Yorkshire hardly exists now! However, I get paid more than I did back then! Personally, I was disappointed never to have had the opportunity of a tour in RAF Germany but I did manage a week at RAF Laarbruch in 1971 as an air cadet! If I could pick a perfect era I’d say the late 1950s, when one could even do a tour at RAF Habbaniya (Iraq) and the RAF’s inventory was a mix of modern (for the time) and not so modern types (including many piston types such as Ansons). That said, the late 1950s saw a swingeing defence cut (Sandys) and flying accidents were appalling by today’s standards. There was also RAF Basrah back then, oh yes, we’re back there again aren’t we?! 😀

July 4, 2004 at 8:56 pm in reply to: Chipmunks #1567464

Toddington Ted
Participant

Chipmunks

Unfortunately I don’t have any images to hand at present but I have been fortunate enough to fly in a Chipmunk on many occasions, including solo. Probably like several others in the forum, my first trip was in a Chippie as an air cadet, the 1st flight being in Chipmunk WP608 in November 1969, at White Waltham I believe. I was to fly in the same aircraft again (albeit in RN colours) in November 1978 at Plymouth (Roborough) whilst undertaking my RN flying grading course. Others flown at Roborough in 1978 were: WP795, WP575, WP856, WP801, WD374 and last but not least WB671 which I flew solo on 4 Dec 78 (great!). I can still remember seeing the old Ark Royal Carrier laid up in Plymouth Sound in the weak winter sun. Other Chipmunks flown were WP914 and WP901, both AEF at Abingdon in 1980. WP901 was in fact the last Chippie I flew in so that’s over 30 years ago! As an air cadet, I also flew in WP654, WK562, WK540, WK565, WK548, WD286, WP789 (1973 Summer Camp RAF Valley), WK586, WD292, WD285, WP550, WB685 (part of which at least is preserved), WP914 and WZ847. We had a Chipmunk at the RAF Halton flying club when I was based there in 1999 but I never got round to flying it – just easier to stay with the Cessnas instead, shame really!

June 20, 2004 at 1:39 pm in reply to: Red Arrows to be grounded ????????? are they mad ! #1615994

Toddington Ted
Participant

Reds to be Grounded?

Hmmm. This topic seems to come up regularly, at least in the RAF Military rumour-mill. The RAF Aerobatic Team (to give it its proper title) has served the Service well for years (40 in fact!) and it is an extremely important recruiting and PR tool as well as being an aspiration for suitably qualified RAF fast jet pilots. No-one is immune from the impending financial measures that we expect this year as a result of the Defence White Paper but, I would expect that the Reds’ benefits (both in PR and skill-honing terms) far outweigh the costs.

That said, we would do well to remember the McNamara fallacy: That which cannot be counted does not count. Money is easily counted and all too soon money becomes the measure of all things. 😡

June 19, 2004 at 11:18 am in reply to: So what preserved aircraft have you flown in? #1617049

Toddington Ted
Participant

I do not know whether any of the ac on my list have survived (I’m sure some have!) but my log book reveals the following as passenger:
Andover C1 (Reg not known)
Chipmunk WP608
Belfast XR365
Chipmunk WP654
Varsity WL670
Varsity WL671
Jet Provost XN462
Varsity WJ945
Argosy XR135
Varsity WF424
Chipmunk WB684
Chipmunk WK5?2
Chipmunk WK540
Chipmunk WK565
Britannia XN398
CAF Boeing 707 13704, 13702 and 13701
CAF Convair Cosmopolitan 109146
CAF Dakota 12915
CAF Dakota 12950
Chipmunk WK548
Britannia XN404
Chipmunk WK586
Chipmunk WD292
Shackleton AEW2 WL747 (Yes!)
Chipmunk WD285
Chipmunk WB550
Britannia XN398
216 Sqn Comet IV XR395
Britannia XN392
Chipmunk WB685
SA Bulldog XX516
Chipmunk WP 914
Chipmunk WZ847
Chipmunk WP914
Sea King HAS2 XV712 and XV656
Wessex 5 XT473 and XT771
Wasp XT420
Jetstream T1 XX492, XX500 and XX492
Jet Provost XN548
SA Bulldog XX529, XX614, XX714 and XX541
Jet Provost 5 XW333, XW415 and XW418

I have also flown some old Cessna 150’s which should have been retired too!

As an air cadet, I think the best was the Shackleton AEW2, they let me fly it for about 20 mins! but the 216 Comet was immaculate inside (VIP fit – but not put in for us!)

And as dual or solo:

Chipmunk WB671, WP856, WP801, WD374

SA Bulldog XX516, XX517,XX536, XX531, XX513, XX706, XX555, XX689, XX522, XX517, XX638, XX534, XX668, XX540, XX550, XX669, XX518, XX527, XX522, XX514

June 19, 2004 at 10:44 am in reply to: Halifax repaint and Bomber Reunion #1617091

Toddington Ted
Participant

Halifax Tail Markings

I visited Elvington a few weeks ago (I try to go there at least annually as it seems to get better every time) and I was very impressed with the standard of their finest (in my opinion) aircraft – the Halifax. I thought that having the aircraft painted to represent 2 different sqn machines would not work very well, but in fact, they seem to have managed it superbly, well done. There is an explanatory chart positioned on the hangar floor immediately under the ac’s nose which details the different tail codes used by some of the Halifax sqns later in WWII. I have tried to attach a photo of this but the file is way too large according to the Attach Files thingy! 🙁
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