Fast Jets at Syerston today??

[the oxygen thief]

Does anybody know if my eyes were playing tricks on me as I drove past RAF Syerston today? It looked like there were a couple of Harriers parked up on the dispersals at the north end of the airfield... Do they operate there regularly?

I thought it was just gliders that operated there!

Happy new year all.

[NavyNav2]

There are currently 2 de-commisioned Jags on the airfield that were placed there as part of an IOT Exercise to add a little 'realism'.

[the oxygen thief]

Ahhhh thanks for that... I couldn't have too good a look for fear of wrapping the car around a tree!

Pity they aren't operating from there... I guess Syerston's days of fast jets are well and truly over!

[wg13_dummy]

Did Syerston ever have fast jets? I don't think you could count a Sedburgh as a fast jet.......

[the oxygen thief]

As far as I'm aware it had JPs (jets - though not so fast!) and for some reason I'm thinking along the lines of Hunters. That can't be right can it? Or was it the Gnat?

Pretty sure about JPs though!

[wg13_dummy]

I dont think you could ever consider the constant thrust, variable noise machine as a fast jet....ever.....even if it was in a crate in a the back of a VC10!

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Fast jets...................Jags..........I think not:E

[the oxygen thief]

Haha. Still wouldn't turn down a trip in one mind. Maybe not whilst in a crate in the back of a VC10 though!

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Lucky enough to get a back seat in one back in 1980 as a young JT.........plenty fast enough for me I can tell you.....low level down Loch Ness bl@@dy superb:ok:

[Exrigger]

Sorry it is long but this is a potted history of the unit:

Being a late starter it was the 1st of December 1940 before the station opened under the control of No.1 Group of Bomber Command. During the following days Nos.304 and 305 Squadrons moved in with their Vickers Wellington bombers.

Many more night operations were performed before both of the Polish Squadrons departed to Lindholme on the 20th of July 1941, to be replaced by No.408 Squadron who came in the opposite direction with its Hampdens

On re-opening on the 5th of May 1942 the station became part of No.5 Group, with No.61 Squadron taking up residence. They had come here to convert onto the new Lancaster bomber and for the first few months were kept company by two other Conversion Flights belonging to other No.5 Group squadrons, who were also receiving their new Lancasters.

From November to July 1944 there was also a Bombing and Gunnery Defence Training Flight in attendance with several Wellingtons, Spitfires, Hurricanes, plus a few Martinet tug aircraft, all employed in brushing up the skills of No.5 Groups air gunners on air to air exercises.


On the 25th of October 1945 the station became part of Transport Command when No.1333 Conversion Unit arrived from Leicester East with its Dakota and Halifax tugs plus Horsa gliders.
Syerston was taken over by Flying Training Command on the 1st of February 1948 when No.22 Flying Training School (FTS) arrived from Ouston. This school specialised in training pilots for the Fleet Air Arm and employed both Tiger Moths and Harvards. By 1950 Prentice aircraft had replaced the Tiger Moths but in November 1953 the new Percival Provost had replaced the other types.

In 1959 the new Jet Provost replaced the piston engined counterpart, and these continued to pound the circuit for another ten years until the requirement for new pilots decreased in 1969, which resulted in this F.T.S disbanding on the 16th of January 1970.

For the next five years the station lay vacant and began to rapidly deteriorate, but in January 1975 the airfield aspect started to be used by the Central Gliding School and 644 VGS, both of which moving from Spitalgate. To this date Air Cadet Central Gliding School and 644 Volunteer Gliding Schools remain in operation. 643 VGS are temporarily based at Syerston due to changes in role of local air bases.

[BEagle]

And it was, of course, the site of a fatal Vulcan accident in Sep 1958 when a test pilot exceeded the IAS limit at very low level (70ft....), then overstressed it in a rolling pull-up at an air show.

It was the first prototype Vulcan, being used as a test bed for Conway (not Olympus) engine development by Rolls Royce Hucknall. All on board were killed; fortunately no spectators were hurt.

[Exrigger]

Avro Vulcan B1 VX770 being used by Rolls Royce for engine tests was giving a display. During a high speed run the aircraft broke up and crashed killing all the crew.

I thought it would be prudent not to post the picture.

[H Peacock]

I'm sure the Vulcan crash at Syerston did also kill someone on the ground. Was it it not the poor guy in the caravan at the end of the runway?

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Ex,

Thanks for the info and the prudence fella:)

[Krystal n chips]

Ex Rig,
You missed out Four Counties GC---until very recently that is ---it also used to be home to a plod detachment from Newton for a while.

Used to generate the odd "conflict of interest" between both of the above I believe ;)

[the oxygen thief]

Pretty colourful history then, by all accounts. Thanks for the replies folks.

[Lima Juliet]

Ooppss! Sorry! I have put a link at the bottom for those that want to see a chilling reminder of not exceeding VNe on a development aircraft with development engines.

God rest their souls...:(

http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/1912/vx770syerston2vz4.th.jpg

PS. GPMG you only have to ask nicely you oversensitive p0nce!

[GPMG]

Leon try reading the damn thread before posting on it!

5 post above yours the crash is mentioned and it is thought prudent not to show the photo, 3 posts above your someone is thanking them for not showing the phot.

What benefit does that photo have on this thread?? Apart from bringing back some sad memories to people on this site?

[jindabyne]

O2
Proof positive - No 157 Course 1962

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c192/jindabyne/syersto.jpg

[GPMG]

My wife keeps telling me to be less sensitive, but I certainly won't stop being a ponce.

[Exrigger]

I had the opportunity to fly in the last Hunter to leave RAF Honington, the pilot asked me if I had ever flown in a fast jet, my response was 'yes, a Jet Provost' :O, when he stopped laughing he said since when did you need to wear a G suit to fly in a Jet Provost.

[ACW418]

I thought I would add to the Proof Positive thing but I find I do not know how to post an image. Search has not revealed any help. Can anyone help?

ACW

[threepointonefour]

I thought I would add to the Proof Positive thing but I find I do not know how to post an image. Search has not revealed any help. Can anyone help?

ACW

Ditto. The FAQ talks about a mythical attachment button. The only thing I can see is an add image button above this box as I type ... yet that would direct me to a website where I would have to already have posted the image (and where you would also find out my secret identity!!)?

[henry crun]

Read the relevant "Sticky" in History and Nostalgia and all will be revealed.

[Beeayeate]

A realtively new rigger on Syerston's line, 1961.
http://www.canberra.plus.com/pics/1961.jpg


.

[ACW418]

I'll have another go and I still could do with some (A lot actually) of that hair!

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r224/acw418/JP4v3.jpg

[threepointonefour]

Read the relevant "Sticky" in History and Nostalgia and all will be revealed.

I was going to look there next ... :*

[Flap40]

Re the Vulcan, I have a vague memory that that aircraft effectively had two VNE's. A higher "S&L" only one and the normal "throw it about a bit" one.

I thought that the accident occured due to not slowing down to the lower speed before attempting to turn.

Is my memory playing tricks? Is the report online somewhere?

[oldbeefer]

Vividly remember the approach to the short runway across the Trent gave some strange visual illusions (181 course, 1968)

[Oblique96]

Chickened out of posting my "steely-eyed" self on JP intake step (161 course 63-64). Flying was great, but picking up bird at Sherwood Rooms in Nottingham as partner for first graduation ball (158 course?) leading to her becoming Mrs O96 the day after my own wings ceremony, was even better, and we're still an item.:ok:

Hope not too late to wish everyone a very happy New Year

[dbarrott]

Hi

Do you have a reasonable photo of the VX770 accident at Synerston? Your message indicated that you did and Tony Blackman would very much like a copy; the ones he has are quite small and of poor resolution. If you E-mail me I can put you in touch or pass it to him.

David Barrott

[dbarrott]

There is a strong school of thought which says that VNe was not exceeded but that there was some pre-existing damage to the leading edge nose ribs.

David

[circle kay]

Not Harrier, but I believe in the ‘Action Stations’ book for the East Midlands and Lincolnshire, it has Syerston as the site of the Kestrel’s first deployment exercise in the mid sixties with the Tri-partite Evaluation Squadron.


(edited as I didn't know if it was 3 or 4 nations in the Sqn)

[Praesta]

There is no reference to Kestrels nor Harriers in the Syerston section of Bruce Barrymore Halfpenny's Action Stations Two - East Midlands.

I believe that there was some tethered flights of the "Flying Bedstead" at Hucknall (10ish miles NW) and a one time RLG of Syerston but this could be completely wide of the mark

The last vertical flight activity, to my knowledge, was a 1 Sqn 2 ship GR5 / 7 det on 20 Sep 1998, ironically the 40th anniversary of the oft discussed VX770 accident

[circle kay]

Praesta,

I’m pretty sure that I didn’t imagine reading it in the original ‘Action Stations’. Has anyone got a copy to hand? Mine must be over 25 years old now and probably still in the loft of one of the 10ish MQs I’ve lived in between Cornwall and Moray:sad:

[ZH875]

Praesta,

I’m pretty sure that I didn’t imagine reading it in the original ‘Action Stations’. Has anyone got a copy to hand?

Its not mentioned in my 1981 copy.:confused:

[circle kay]

OK...

Well, I am wrong, sorry to all. I wonder where that came from. Now I know I’m going mad:ugh:

[ZH875]

There is a reference to Kestrel's in Action Stations Book 1 at Bircham Newton and West Raynham.

[alamo]

Re VX770 at Syerston
Casualties
KR Sturt, R-R Hucknall, Captain, Fatal
RW Ford, Fairey Aviation Ringway, 2nd Pilot, Fatal
WE Hawkins, R-R Hucknall, Eng/Obs, Fatal
Flt Lt RM Parrott (GD/N), RAF Scampton, Navigator, Fatal
Sgt C Hanson, RAF Syerston, Aerodrome Caravan, Fatal
Sgt ED Simpson, ditto
SAC JJ Tonks, RAF Syerston, Fireman Crash Rescue Land Rover, Fatal
SAC C Turnbull, RAF Syerston, Fireman Crash Rescue Land Rover, Minor.
Aug 52 to Aug 56, development with Avon 3s and Sapphire 6s – 266 flying hours.
Aug 56 to Aug 57, converted by Avros at Langar for Conway installation.
Aug 57 to Jan 58, trials of R.Co.7 (13000 lbs) at R-R Hucknall – 210 flying hours
Jan 58 to May 58, fitted with R.Co.11 (17500 lbs)
7 May 58 to 20 Sep 58, trials of R.Co.11 – 627 flying hours
Total hours 1103
The Conway trials were intensive, 627 hours were flown in the last 4.5 months – more than the previous total hours since 1952. Over 4.5 hours every day including weekends.
770 was a hot aircraft. Estimate AUW at accident was 109082 lbs – about the same as an empty B2 with approx the same power.