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vampiredave

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  • May 18, 2012 at 2:54 pm in reply to: Meteor, but which one? #1019198
    vampiredave
    Participant

    According to Air Britain, VT267 was coded HX-W while with 226 OCU. How about VZ417:63 Squadron / A?

    May 8, 2012 at 5:34 pm in reply to: RAF Sabre photo #1038796
    vampiredave
    Participant

    A good place to start would be Duncan Curtis’ book on the Canadair Sabre. It has chapters devoted to all the RAF squadrons and is lavishly illustrated.

    Incidentally, in the round up of Keith’s RAF career, it should be 229 OCU, Chivenor.

    May 8, 2012 at 4:46 pm in reply to: Jet Provost T.Mk.1 courses at No.2 FTS, Hullavington, 1955 – 1957 #1038926
    vampiredave
    Participant

    It would be interesting to talk to anyone who was trained on JP1s at Hullavington, as this was a period of great interest to me.

    In February 1957, a group of journalists and Air Ministry photographers, etc., were invited to Hullavington to record and photograph of progress of the course and the all-through jet training programme. I have seen the subsequent articles featured in Flight, Aeroplane, etc., but I have never seen any of the photographs that were taken that day?

    May 7, 2012 at 5:57 pm in reply to: Jet Provost T.Mk.1 courses at No.2 FTS, Hullavington, 1955 – 1957 #1040973
    vampiredave
    Participant

    Hi Ron,

    Thank you for finding the time to respond. Tony Haig-Thomas was a member of the second course and went on to fly Hunters, Venoms and Javelins, at least according to his book, “Fall Out Roman Catholics and Jews”. It is very good book and I would agree that he is an agreeable chap. I believe that he is now something to do with the Shuttleworth Trust?

    The disbandment date I gave, is of course, wrong. I was looking at the date it was first mentioned in the ORB – I must change my glasses?

    The last course is an anomaly, as it still recorded as being trained when the school was in the process of being run down before disbandment. It is my belief that it was absorbed by the last Piston Provost course to complete its training?

    The loss of XD692 on 30 Aug 1956 is also a bit obscure: engine failure; forced landing on small airfield, 8 miles WNW of Hullavington, slid across field and hit stone wall. Where exactly is “8 Miles WNW of Hullavington”?

    May 1, 2012 at 8:32 am in reply to: Help – 96 Sqn Meteor NF11 photo #1048942
    vampiredave
    Participant

    96 Squadron Photographs

    I am surprised that no-one has suggested Roger Lindsay’s superb book “Cold War Shield” There is a section on 96 Squadron’s Meteors featuring images depicting the squadron markings, a concise history, a list of Meteors flown, and a close-up of the blue / yellow markings on a Meteor 7.

    April 25, 2012 at 9:44 am in reply to: Hawker Hunter serials #1057118
    vampiredave
    Participant

    I was at Chivenor during this period and I have just found my notes.

    The SOTF was part of the Singapore Air Defence Command and attached to Chivenor for weapons training. It was formed at Chivenor on 14 November 1972 and transferred to Brawdy on 3 September 1974. The Hunters carried an RAF colour scheme and the serials were in white on the rear fuselage. The unit returned to Singapore on 2 July 1977 and I have note stating that some carried 140 Sqn marking on departure.

    Hunter F.74B

    522 (Ex-XK142) crashed in to Bristol Channel, 5m e of Lundy on 17 Nov 1972
    523 (Ex-XE605) crashed after take-off from Brawdy 28 Jan 1976
    524 (Ex-XF442)
    530 (Ex-XJ714) Returned to Singapore Jan 1973
    535 (Ex-XE599) Replacement for ‘530’

    Hunter T.75A

    500 (Ex-Dutch N.303)
    504 (Ex-Dutch N.304) Ret SAFDF

    April 25, 2012 at 8:58 am in reply to: Hawker Hunter serials #1057264
    vampiredave
    Participant

    I am looking at a photograph of two SOTF Hunter F74Bs on the pan at Chivenor in May 1973. They both have RAF roundels and the serials 523 and 524 in white on the rear fuselage.

    April 24, 2012 at 6:31 pm in reply to: Hawker Hunter serials #1058171
    vampiredave
    Participant

    How about Hunter F.74Bs of the Singapore Operational Training Flight, which was attached to RAF Chivenor between November 1972 and July 1977?

    April 23, 2012 at 12:05 pm in reply to: Need help identifying several old aircraft photos #1060574
    vampiredave
    Participant

    unidentified photographs

    I think that Discendo Duces is correct when he says that the location of the Hunter is at Chivenor. Memory plays tricks but I seem to recall the remains of an early mark of Hunter (F.Mk.1?) being dumped down by the Sailing Club. I can’t find my notes at present to confirm the serial.

    I also think that the Meteor T.Mk.7 is at Chivenor? We had several Mk.7s and F.Mk.8s for target-towing, etc., and the background is reminiscent of the hill overlooking Braunton village. It is a shame that the image has been damaged as it would identify the code letter on the nwd.

    Finally, 624 VGS operated from a temporary hanger at Chivenor during the mid-1960s while awaiting a move to a more permament location near the crash gates opposite the MQs. Again, the background looks like Fremington / Instow.

    February 18, 2012 at 2:59 pm in reply to: 'Black Marrows' Hawk display team in 1994 #1058223
    vampiredave
    Participant

    Black Marrows Display Team

    Thank you very much. I have just put a request on their forum.

    February 15, 2012 at 2:44 pm in reply to: RAF Worksop #1061658
    vampiredave
    Participant

    RAF Worksop

    Dave,

    You may wish to email me as I have a couple of good photographs that may interest you, together with information on the Vampires and display teams?

    February 13, 2012 at 5:23 pm in reply to: RAF Worksop #1063983
    vampiredave
    Participant

    RAF Worksop

    I note that you mention a Meteor display team in April 1958 on your website, which included the loss of Meteor T.Mk.7, WL359 and the unfortunate death of Flt Lt Gordon Levitt. This was obviously the last team put up by No.4 FTS before it disbanded in June. Do you happen to know the other members of this Meteor team?

    February 5, 2012 at 10:43 am in reply to: 1950's / 1960's Archive Part 39: Survivors #1074641
    vampiredave
    Participant

    I disagree! In 1962 the Hart wore the serial ‘J9933’. It was not repainted as ‘J9941 until 1964. To enforce that, the Lightnings behind are 92 Squadron’s F.2s and behind those are the all-dayglo red “Red Pelicans” Jet Provosts, so the date is September 1964.

    So it’s not 1963 then? 74 Squadron was at Farnborough (together with the ‘Red Pelicans’) with its Lightnings in 1962 (92 Squadron was still flying Hunters as the ‘Blue Diamonds’). In 1963 it was 56 Squadron’s Lightnings (and the ‘Red Pelicans’) and in 1964 it was just the ‘Red Pelicans’

    December 30, 2011 at 4:30 pm in reply to: Bristol Brigand in the Met Recce Role #1041597
    vampiredave
    Participant

    Brigand Met.3

    The ‘dormant’ ‘Roundel’ – or was it ‘The British Roundel’ – featured an article on the Brigand Met.3, which also contained individual histories of the seventeen configured aircraft, RH763/ VS817 – VS832. I don’t have the details of the issue to hand, but I expect that Phil Spencer would know?

    December 10, 2011 at 8:21 am in reply to: Post war use of Mosquitos by Transport Command #1065619
    vampiredave
    Participant

    Post War use of Mosquitos by Transport Command

    Would these have been Mosquito PR.34s, PF620, PF621 and PF623 of No.1 Transport Command Ferry Unit?

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