Air Clues Request

[jimgriff]

Can anyone let me have a copy of AIRCLUES Vol 16 (June 1962) please.

I need it for the article on testing the first Martin Baker rocket seats in RAF service.

I know these mags were marked restricted , but it's more than 30 yrs now and I have been PV'd.

I have tried usual channels, but records dont go back that far by all accounts.

I am also after a "comic style" poster named "A LAYMANS GUIDE TO EJECTION SEATS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT"
iSSUED BY INSPECTORATE OF FLIGHT SAFETY (RAF) MOD 1-84.

Again usual channels are being followed, but no luck so far.

Any suggestions PM me please.

Thanks in advance

http://www.ejectorseats.co.uk/seat%20poster.JPG

[Jackonicko]

You do see old 'Air Clues' for sale occasionally, but I don't personally know anyone with copies of the magazine from the early 60s. The Aviation Bookshop (now down in Kent) occasionally used to sell them and may have a lead.

However, I recall that No.231 OCU had the whole lot, bound, in their crew room at Wyton. I believe the volumes went to 100 Squadron when 231 folded, and so may still be with the latter squadron.

You've tried ringing the DASC office (Air Clues is now Aviate) I guess?

You've tried the library at Hendon?

You've tried CFS (who also used to have bound volumes)?

You've tried the PR at MB (used to be Del Holyland)?




Does anyone have/remember the famous flight safety poem/poster which began:

"Here Lies Poor Complacent Fred,
I'll be alright, he always said..."

and included:

"...... or splashed down in a cold dark sea,
(which wasn't how the hapless fool
had practised in the swimming pool) ...."

[airborne_artist]

Have you tried MB? You'd hope that their PR office had managed to get a copy.

PM me if you need contacts there.

[jimgriff]

Have a lot of contacts at MBA thanks. That I think may be my last port of call and I will be visiting later this year. Have called in on a few other leads too.

I thought that the ever helpful bods on prune might be able to short circuit the system a little...so far so good..

[BEagle]

Try the Cranwell College Hall librarian?

(If there still is such a person, of course!)

[circle kay]

jimgriff
I'm having a wonderful Bank Holiday Weekend at the Purple College outside Swindon.
Copy in the fantastic library here, have photocopied said article. PM me with your address and I'll put it in the post
CK
:ok:

[jimgriff]

Wow....I am a happy bunny!! What service

Thanks CK

PM on way to you

[Blacksheep]

Try the Cranwell College Hall librarian? Ah yes, the ginger haired chap with the very long arms...

...whatever you do, don't mention the word "monkey"

Ook!

[Pontius Navigator]

JimGriff, if, by usual channels, you mean official MOD channels and they said no trace but copies have been found in at least one establishment then that is a clea failure of the FOI.

You should go back to them or at least raise the issue with the next line of defence before the Registrar. Until the grey suits get round to asking all subordninate units then they are not doing the job.

What they hoped last year was that all out of date, historic records etc would be destroyed. The official grounds for this was that there was no business case to retain old documents.

To retain old Air Clues one would have had to make a business case! (not difficult really).

[Worf]

Jimgriff,

Have you tried Ebay? I got a bunch of 1960s and 1970s issues from there - and at pretty reasonable prices.

I had read these earlier as a very impressionable teenager - they were sent to the Indian Air Force as safety magazines, and I would occassionaly catch a peek at my father's magazines. Excellent magazine - in contrast to the very rudimentary IAF safety magazine. Left me with a very favorable impression of the RAF (which even pprune hasnt succeeded in ruining!)

I cant believe the RAF stopped publishing it!

[Gainesy]

Remember the footnote in every copy? Something to the effect that :"This publication is Restricted and must not be shown to journalists". For about 15 years my copy used to arrive every month like clockwork, addressed to Defence Editor, Flight International. :)

Actually, I always thought the RAFG and STC crash comics were better, no long, boring articles on doctrine and arguments about wooly pullies, stable belts and chip bags.:rolleyes:

[BEagle]

Yes, Air Clues was much better back when it was a proper flight safety magazine and wasn't stuffed with air power $hite. Particularly that ludicrous 'Letters from the Front' series!

I have always treasured one photo, which always inspired me to Do Better when I was editing the Brize station magazine. It was captioned something like "Air Marshal Blah-di-blah, Air Member for Supply, looks at storage racks"

But there were worse things. Hands up who remembers the childishly titled "Aircrew Annual"

Still, I made a few quid out of photos and articles for Air Clues. Although they asked if they could edit one which went against the party line of Kelvin Rucksack's much despised so-called 'management initiative' (ironic since neither were qualities which he actually possessed!); however, I withdrew it rather than succumb to such puerile attempts at censorship.

A pity that Air Clues has gone - Purple Helicopter Monthly or whatever replaced it was/is nothing like as good.

[jimgriff]

Thanks for all the comments.

PN.. I dont think that the FOI would work as Im a civvy and these pubs are military restricted. Althopugh I have a security rating the system couldnt cope with that scenario. Even if was 40 yrs ago

I have now got what I needed and thanks to all concerned.

Am still looking for the poster in the first post and if anyone has any similar docs such as bang seat posters, manuals, etc I would love to give them a good home.

[Hueymeister]

I'd love to get a proper copy of an airclues article that featured a fantastic cartoon of an (american) pilot in his helicopter, aptly named the Fling wing Flyer, and George (a rodent) lived in a cage in the coaming, there was a 'Farah' fawcet, and the innards of the cockpit were made of recycled tins.....appeared post 91/92 I think....anyone know where I could find it?

Beags..post your article here..it's bound to be of interest.

[The Rocket]

Jimgriff,

I know there used to be one of those posters on the wall by the Groundcrew T-Bar at the old F3 OEU at Coningsby.

I have no idea if it is still there, as the hangar was refurbished last year, but it was definately there beforethe refurb, so it may well be worth a phonecall there to find out if they still have it, or if it is lying around in a box somewhere?