Seeking Aviation Speaker

[seafuryfan]

Serving and retired members of Sixty(R) Squadron RAF will be attending their annual reunion on Friday 11th June at RAF Shawbury. We are looking to obtain the services of a public speaker for an aviation themed presentation to the Association. A topic relating to squadron history is especially sought after.

Interested parties, of whom the selected speaker is most welcome to participate in day and evening activities, are asked to either PM me, or contact:

Project Officer
Sixty(R) Sqn Association Reunion
Sixty(R) Sqn
Royal Air Force
Shawbury
Shrewsbury
SY4 4DZ

Thank you.

[Fitter2]

I am unlikely to attend and certainly not volunteering reminiscences of Squadron service in Singapore and Sarawak in the 1960s.

I was, however amused by the following entry on Squadrom history on the official RAF website:

A change of pace followed in July 1961 when supersonic Javelin fighters arrived and these remained until April 1968 when the Squadron was disbanded.

Although there was a thin wing supersonic version design study, the FAW9 festooned with Firesteaks and a pair of external wing tanks would be unlikely to get anywhere near Mach 1 even pointing straight down.

[NutherA2]

It was difficult at the best of times to persuade the Harmonious Dragmaster (the Gloster aircraft, not the PPruner) to do better than Mach 1. With the Mark 9R in flight refuelling mode it was out of the question; fitting the probe reduced the maximum IAS limit from 535 to 400 knots and the mach number to a subsonic value which I have sadly forgotten.

With 2 or 4 underwing tanks fitted the limit was 350 knots, with or without the probe. When carrying 4 underwing tanks we were also limited to zero angle of bank below 250kias until the tanks were empty; this posed an interesting problem for a 23 Sqn crew when they were left with unsafe gear indications after take off. With a gear limiting speed of 230 kias and no bank permitted below 250 while burning the fuel off, in theory they should have been well into Europe before they could turn back for Coltishall.

IIRC the MAUW with ventrals and 4 wing tanks full was something like 58000lbs and filling to full at altitude was an interesting experience.

[Old-Duffer]

Now that 60 is rotary winged and this year marks the 60th anniversary of of the first deployment of support helicopters, why not get some cove to talk about the initial development of helicopters in the military from 1923 to the deployment to Malaya in the Spring of 1950.

Since much of the 'output' from 60 Sqn will find itself on SH, this might be an appropriate topic.

If the food's half decent, I could be persuaded!!!

Old Duffer