Paul, thanks for that info. Can I ask where you obtained it from? Looks like it could be a good source to search through, if that’s possible.

The aircraft in the photo that I have posted on the other board is not on a beach or near one. It is surrounded on three sides by trees. So, not the incident that you refer to unfortunately.

Link to the thread I mention in Post 4. I have now added a photo.

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/499478-vickers-vildebeest.html

As Mark mentions, SR602 seems to fit the bill more so than SR632 and SR642.

805 Sqn, with 12 Seafire F XVs, joined HMS Ocean on 19 June 1946 and sailed for the Med, arriving at Malta on 4 August 1946. They disembarked to Hal Far on arrival.

The squadron rejoined Ocean on 18 September 1946 but left their Seafires at Hal Far. This came about because of the ban on Seafire XV deck operations which Mark mentioned. They were now equipped with Firefly FR 1s which they had use as single-seat fighters until they re-equipped with Seafire F 17s in April 47.

At the time the photo was taken, SR632 was in the Far East with 802 and, later, 806 Sqns. Mark has already given SR642’s location at the time.

In the Air-Britain book, ‘The Squadron’s of the Fleet Air Arm’, from which I gleaned the info above, it shows 728 Sqn as based at Hal Far from 5 May 1946 until it disbanded on 31 May 1967.

Not sure why you mention SR643 but this aircraft was land-based with 700 Sqn at Yeovilton, during the period when the photos were taken.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the information, lauriebe. So Airfix got it wrong.

I have the Warpaint book, but not the Air Britain one. Would you be able to PM me with a scan of the picture, or is that not allowed.

It seems that all the other attempts at portraying this aircraft have got it right.

Thanks again.
Cabbage

Sorry, not able to scan.

The photo that I mentioned shows the starboard side of the aircraft with code S-50. No port side view.

Martin, no, I was not here at the same time as your uncle and Peter Weston.

The information that I have on the crash of Brigand VS838 comes from my research into another Brigand crash on 3 May 1952. That aircraft was RH755 and came down near Lake Chenderoh, northeast of Taiping, in Perak. In this case, a rocket exploded prematurely on release during an attack on Communist positions near the lake. The explosion blew away most of the outer part of the right wing and the aircraft spun into the ground. All three crew members perished.

During the course of my research into that crash, I was in contact with the late Peter Weston and, from email correspondence and an internet site with his service biography on it, I came across details of the crash of your uncle’s aircraft.

The site with Peter’s bio on it can be found on the link below. It also mentions your Uncle.

http://www.justinmuseum.com/famjustin/Westonbio3.html

Peter’s story makes fascinating reading.

I cannot really add anything more regarding the crash. Your father, if he can prove to the MoD in the UK that he is a next of kin, might well be able to get more info if it is still available.

The aircraft in your photos is actually Spitfire F24, PK683, the Changi gate guard.

Prior to being displayed at Changi, it had been at Kallang Airport. It now preserved and on display at the Southampton Hall of Aviation.

Dave, have had a look through my copy of Air-Britain’s book “The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm”.

Only a brief entry in there for 1772 Sqn. That indicates they changed codes in mid-1945 from 4A + individual letter, to numerical codes in the range 270 – 281/S. The ‘S’ was Indefatigable’s deck letter. Not able to help on positioning though.

In the second photo, the two aircraft closest to the camera carry playing card symbols, Spades and Hearts, on the vertical tail surfaces indicating that they are 84 Sqn aircraft. Judging by the colour of the Land Rover, that photo was certainly in the Middle East, possibly Khormaksar? The amount of barbed wire around the pans in the first five shots also seems to indicate an active service area. Khormaksar’s runway was also very close to the sea IIRC.

The final photo is certainly has a more African feel to it. There are not many airfields in the Middle East that have such lush vegetation on the boundary let alone grass on the airfield! Also, the aircraft in this last shot has “Royal Air Force Transport Command” titles on the rear boom rather than the “Royal Air Force Middle East” titles it wears in the other shots.

I would suggest that the first five photos were taken after 30 Sqn’s move to Muharraq in Sep 64. I still think Khormaksar is the most likely location for them. No idea on the location of the last shot though.