You’ve done it again David ! Excellent photos ; you mentioned a book could be a possibility : looks like you could have the makings of several books with your fantastic library, with many eager buyers queuing up to get a slice of history and nostalgia.(I know I would be, certainly!) Regards, Brian S. 🙂

This thread brings to mind the time when a Bear arrived for an airshow in the UK some few years back, great play was made of the escort of the RAF fighters who met and escorted the aircraft to the display base : when interviewed by the usual clueless tv pundit and asked some inane question as to how he found us, the Russian pilot intimated casually (and probably with a just a hint of surprise at the enquiry, that they had been coming over (to Britain) for years. (presumably he had little need of a Michelin map) 😉

Well there’s two of us at least..

….three of us,thank you….might have to rethink my avatar…again 😉

Knew I’d seen that badge somewhere!

Mosquito at War, pg 49, FBVI of 613 Sqn.

It says that it was in that a/c that Gen Browning, GOC British Airborne Corps was flown into Normandy in July 44.

🙂

Would say you’ve got it Jimbo : might even be General ‘Boy’ Browning in the photo. Try this link for confirmation.

http://www.paradata.org.uk/media/509?mediaSection=Photos

Denis, your photo might be more valuable than you thought!

‘The other bloke’…looks like an army officer to me.

Side arm, a hint of pips on the epaulet, crisp collar and tie etc.

If the beret badge is the same on both parties, and it is indistinct at low resolution, I would suggest that the other gentleman is also ‘Army’, perhaps going for a ride.

Take a picture of me for the record.

Mark

I’ve had a little fun and have been trying to clarify the photo ; turned into negative, blown up a little, but without much luck. Mark, you just beat me to it on the ‘squaddie’ and I agree with all the clues you pointed out : the larger badge on the gent with the harness doesn’t appear to be RAF, and further clarification from the original photo might be needed, if possible to establish the regiment. Denis, is that the only info you have on the photograph? Any other clues ? Brian S.

‘If it looks good, it is good’.

The Short Seamew was definitely not. The Gannet was a thing of beauty compared to it.

Saw a Seamew at Farnborough, so that gets my vote for pig-ugly!

(A pic of this plane would be useful if anyone can post it).

Anyone got a better one – or even uglier? 😉

Bri :diablo:

Thanks Mondariz, for the photos posted. Beauty (or ugliness,perhaps) is in the eye of the beholder. Bri,I could argue that the Seamew is not ugly, as a dear departed maiden aunt might have said, ‘That is a dear little aeroplane! It was designed to specifications that required simplicity and cheap overall costs to produce, and operate, ease of servicing and maintenance which necessitated among other requirements, its fixed undercarriage. Far less complex than the Gannet, it could have cross-operated with escort carriers of the then NATO forces and could also have carried depth charges and bombs internally and underwing armament or sonobuoys as required. It was also designed and flown in some 18 months, at a time, for those of us who remember, when we had an aircraft industry with many independent and original design teams to be proud of, and that meant something to the rest of the world. There are far more aircraft, in my humble opinion that would bear the ‘ugly’ appellation. I agree with aunt Agatha,(not her real name!) the Seamew is (was,sadly) a Dear Little Aeroplane. :p So I’m not going to submit any more entries (although I could, but it wouldn’t be fair, bearing the personal opinion aspect in mind) Good thread though, even if it is drawing we pedantic old grumps out of the woodwork! Harrumph, and Cheers Brian S.

Possibly I’m being rather parochial, and it’s not a military airfield, but Dundee City Airport must have a claim to being a recent build. Built largely on reclaimed land along Dundee’s Riverside Drive, due in great to the foresight of several enthusiastic amateur flyers such as Tayside Aviation’s previous Managing Director, Lovat Fraser, who formed his company at Riverside Airstrip with one aircraft, a Tipsy Nipper. The airport , developed from these very humble but far-sighted beginnings, is now very busy, offers great ab-initio and upgrade training courses, as well as being home to a number of carriers for flights to UK and European destinations.

Many thanks Brian for the date, My interest stems from the fact that I was serving with Culdrose Station flight at the time of this incident. It was employed on Round Robin Flights which included Northern Ireland, Speke Roborough,Lee on the Solent, Yeovilton and Prestwick. I worked on this XR444as a visiting aircraft but couldn’t remember if the last time it had dry feet was at Culdrose. In any case there was always concern when an aircraft was lost that was until the BoI had made it’s findings public. Ground crews always get nervous when the A700 gets locked in the squadron safe!

Cheers Ollie, that’s very interesting, but it would appear any suspicion or recrimination on your part would have been dispelled by the subsequent findings, but your concern at the time is wholly understandable! There may be evidence available but I would hesitate and deem it intrusive and maybe insensitive to dig any deeper ; the individual(s) at fault probably paid dearly for their mistake, if finger-trouble it proved to be. I believe there were a couple of injuries in the accident, but luckily no loss of life.