….and I have to ask how your back is now having had to lift it off the bookshelf? 😀

Glad you like it. Helicopter “companion” volume on its way. 😉

Lee, I always wear a ‘support’ when lifting it!!:D

I keep checking the site for a release date on the “companion”. Members price, of course!:)

Mark,

Many thanks for that. This is the first ‘official’ reference to a Singapore AAF that I have come across. Whilst looking for info on the original question, I went through all books that I have to try and find it, nothing!

The only mentions throughout in those books is to the MAAF and a Singapore sqn. There should have been two but lack of recruiting and funding (yes, had the same problems in those days!), meant this did not happen.

Will have to do some more digging. If anyone else has anything on this subject I’d like to hear of it please.

Laurie.

Have had a look through Air-Britain’s excellent book ‘Fleet Air Arm Fixed-wing Aircraft since 1946’ and found the following details:

During aerobatics, after a dive and controlled stall turn onto the runway, appeared to complete the manouvre with adequate height, but at the last stage mushed into a depression beyond the runway and exploded on impact. Brawdy Air Day. Cat ZZ 4.8.56 (Lt J M Mitchell Killed)

Hope that helps.

Thanks, Mark. Didn’t think it could be anything else.

Good shots again, Mark. Great too see. Is that the back end of 441 in the penultimate photo?

The only way to travel. Excellent shots, Alex. Thanks for posting.

ar.

Lauriebe: Was it 52 Squadron Andovers ? I always thought it was 84 Sqdn. Maybe if it was 84 then 52 had transferred one of their aircraft out to SIN to kick-off 84…. Just like we did with 28 Sqdn in HongKong.

http://www.electranewbritain.com

RPM, more excellent photos. Thanks.

Yes, 52 Sqn were the FEAF Andover sqn. They had been resident in the area since the end of WWII. Initially they operated Daks but re-equipped with Pigs in 1951. They disbanded at Butterworth at the end of Apr 66, but reformed at Abingdon with Andovers at the beginning of December 66. They returned to FEAF, at Seletar, later that same month. They finally disbanded at Changi on 31 Dec 69. No. 84 Sqn was based in MEAF at Sharjah and, later, Muharraq. Saw a few of their Bevs, which they flew prior to re-equipping with the Andover, stage through Butterworth in 66 when I was there.

I think you could be right about the use of the Pig in your first photo. Must have been an ex-52 airframe.

Postfade/David, many thanks for the info on the Vampire. I thought it might be a T11 but could not be sure. For your record, it also served with the Far East Communications Sqn (FECS) and No. 60 Sqn. As you mention, it seems to have been allocated to Seletar for GI as 7763M in Oct 62.