RAF Changi 1950s

[zerofeetaboveground]

Hello all.

I am posting this hoping some of you may be able to help with a family mystery.

My Grandfather was based at RAF Changi in the 1950s as maintenance staff repairing the planes based there - I believe he worked on the radio equipment.

Sometime in 1956 he had been involved in repairing a plane and took off on a test flight, the story goes there were 6 on board and sadly this plane disappeared during the flight and was never seen again. I am told no wreckage was discovered from the plane during the searches for the craft and its crew. I am wondering if anyone would know if the RAF would still have a record of the disappearance and possibly any report they wrote at the time? Would it be possible to obtain a copy?

Could anyone give a hint as to the types of plane based at Changi in the period my Grandfather was working there or indeed which type of plane he may have been working on that took a 6 man crew (or capacity for 6 for the test flight).

This has always fascinated me but I've never known which way to go about gaining information on what happened. Thank you in advance for your help :)

[Brian 48nav]

The most likely 'culprit' would have been the Vickers Valetta, a 2-engined transport aircraft in wide use in the 50s, with 3 squadrons in Malaya/Singapore.
Checking through my copy of The Valetta by Bill Overton, published in 1996,Valetta VX490 on 48 Squadron's strength disappeared on 11/11/1953 on an air test and was thought to have broken up over the sea during a thunderstorm.
Hope this helps, BW

[zerofeetaboveground]

Brian 48nav: Thank you very much, having asked my Mum (whose father it was) that was indeed the date! A little piece of the puzzle put in place. Would the RAF have written a report into the disappearance and would they still have it buried in the archive?

[Brian 48nav]

Yes I guess there would have been a report but I am not an expert on how to find it. There is a guy on Prune using the name 'Old Duffer' who seems to be quite knowledgeable re military accidents. You could send him a PM (private message) or Google the event perhaps.
As I type I've just gone back through the book and on Pg 61 it states '48Sqn lost an aircraft and crew on 11/11/53 when Fg Off Wood and crew in VX490 failed to return to Changi after an air test', another pilot airborne reported that there was a violent thunderstorm over Changi.
There is a 48 Squadron association and I recall one of the 'main men' was going to write a squadron history. The email is '[email protected] - one of the senior members Group Capt Alan Hotchkiss was a nav' on the squadron about that time ( and the last CO in 1976!), perhaps they could pass a message on.
Good luck, Brian

[papajuliet]

The book "Last Take-off" by Colin Cummings has the following -
Valleta VX490 of 48 Sqn.......after take off, the pilot cleared the airfield and stated his intention to climb to 4000ft. at 5 miles from the airfield. He also contacted a Dakota flying in the vicinity. In the middle of a transmission, contact was lost and nothing was seen of or heard from the aircraft. At the time there were storms in the area and several witnesses saw a flash and heard noises unlike thunder. It is thought that the aircraft suffered some sudden break up which did not allow the crew any chance to broadcast a distress signal or to recover the aircraft. Personnel were -
P/O Alfred Thompson....pilot
F/O Francis Wood....navigator
Sgt. David Bennett....air signaller
Cpl. Joseph Masterson....ground servicing crew
LAC Keith Holloway...
LAC Colin Jackson
AC1 Lewis Wallis

[zerofeetaboveground]

Thank you very much for the information guys! I will look into the association and the other contact who is a member on here.

Papajuliet - Cpl Masterton was my Grandfather and your account pretty much tallies with the vague details I had been told, plane went up and never came back. Thank you for the extra detail though, such detail is something I always like to know to appease the geek in me :)

Out of curiosity, what are the LAC and AC1 ranks?

Edit: The book may list my Granfathers surname as Masterson although the family name is Masterton, it is a common error and the name is often mistaken for Masterson ;)

[Fitter2]

Out of curiosity, what are the LAC and AC1 ranks?


Other ranks structure (from the lowest of the low)

AC2 = Aircraftsman, Second Class (raw recruit)
AC1 = Aircraftsman, First Class (the lowest useful rank after initial training)
LAC = Leading Aircraftsman
SAC = Senior Aircraftsman
JT = Junior Technician
Corporal
Sergeant
Senior Technician
Chief Technician (Deputy God, Flight Sergeant for non-Technical trades equivalent)
Warrant officer (God)

[fergineer]

Fitter 2 the rank of Flight Sergeant was also applicable in the technical trades, Chief Tech like the Junior Tech were specific to the technical trades.

[Old-Duffer]

Sorry to be a bore but we are dealing with the mid-1950s, hence it's the 1951 Trade Structure we're talking about.

All trades (where appropriate) aircraftpeople 1st & 2nd class, leading and senior aircraftpeople

Technical Trades:

Junior Tech - one upside down chevron (actually in heraldry it's the right way up but lets leave that alone!!).
Cpl Tech - two upside down chevrons
Senior Tech - three upside down chevrons
Chief Tech - three upside down chevrons and a crown - yes a CROWN above
Master Tech

Non-Tech Trades:

Cpl - two stripes
Sgt - three stripes
Flight Sgt - three stripes and a crown
Warrant Officer

Come 1 Apr 64 and its all change (again).

a. Get rid of Cpl Tech and Senior Tech
b. Turn everyones stripes up the same way
c. Limit rank titles to Junior Tech (with new 4 blade propeller badge) Cpl, Sgt, Chief Tech (with 4 bladed prop instead of crown), Flt Sgt & Warrant Officer

List One (Tech trades) go J/T cpl, sgt, Chf Tech, Flt Sgt, WO

List Two (Non Tech) go cpl, sgt, F/Sgt, WO

If you want a real bol*^:k cruncher - there were some guys who went 'technical' in 1951 and in 1964 their trade changed and they were stuck as Chief Techs and not moved to F/Sgt.

Lastly, get rid of Aircraftman/woman 2nd and 1st class and just have aircraftman/woman. Leading and Senior aircraftman/woman essentially unchanged in '64

That's it - we can do the 1946 non-commissioned aircrew structure, if you want but I'm off to the pub.

Old Duffer

[Fareastdriver]

Sometime in 1964. Smart fellow walks into the office with a four-bladed prop on his arm.
"You look a bit old to be in the ATC"

Ouch!

[Sygyzy]

Frank Muir-the late, much loved comedy scriptwriter-remembered joining the RAF during his national Service in the '50's.

'I was an Erk' he said, 'the lowest of the the low.' 'Not to be confused with an Erg, which is a unit of work!..'

S

[zerofeetaboveground]

Assuming my Grandfather was a non technical trade Corporal member of ground servicing crew, what would his general duties have entailed?

Sorry for all the simple questions, I know very little about him and even less of the aviation world :O

[D120A]

Zerofeetaboveground,

You said in your first post that you thought your grandfather was involved with servicing radio equipment. He would have been a Corporal Technician, and would either have worked in a radio bay, an area where such equipment was repaired and serviced, or on the squadron's 'first line', which is where aircraft are prepared for flight and rectified when they return with a defect after flight.

Given that your grandfather was flying that day, I suspect he was a first line radio man, and was probably a very proud member of 48 Sqn. (If he had worked in RAF Changi's air radio bay, he would have been in Tech Wing). When an unserviceable radio was reported, he would have first tested it in the aircraft on the ground and, if it could not be made to work, he would have diagnosed the defective component, removed it and sent it back to the bay. He would have fitted another in its place, then tested the new set-up to check that it was all now working correctly.

In those days, radios were not like today's, where you dial up a frequency and confidently expect to talk to someone on it! Radios then had crystals, one crystal for each frequency, and those crystals would be a push-fit into the body of the radio. The frequencies so fitted would be selected one at a time by changing a rotary stud switch on the pilots' or navigator's control boxes, and the radio checked by using a test set. (If you didn't have a test set because you were a long way from home up country somewhere, your grandfather would have known the secret of connecting a light bulb across the transmitter output, rather than the test set. When the bulb glowed brightest, the set was tuned! You didn't hear that from me...)

Often a radio only had a few channels, so crystals would be changed according to the journey being planned. They were valuable and had to be accounted for - any issued to you were signed for, and any you removed you took back to the bay and got a signature for them!

If that fatal flight was a flight test after a period of aircraft servicing in the hangar, your grandfather's job as the squadron line radio man would have been to test all the radio frequencies fitted, to ensure all the boxes in the radio system worked and the crystals were good ones. From the scenario described, it sounds as if none of the crew got very far into their test schedule before the extreme weather caused the accident.

I hope that helps you and your family. I know from being in the business for a long time that it doesn't matter whether it was 58 years or 58 days ago, it always hurts.

[Old-Duffer]

Well ZFAG, in your first post you suggested your grandfather was a technical tradesman and from your statement I took it that his trade would have been: Air Radio Fitter or AR Mechanic (different skill levels) or something like that.

If he was non technical, he could have been the section's stores NCO, an admin clerk or in some similar supporting role.

My suggestion is you get his Record of Service and to do this you need to be the next of kin or representing the next of kin. In your case, I suggest you write to Personnel Disclosures at Trenchard Hall, RAF Cranwell, NG34 8HB and say something like: 'I am writing on behalf of Mrs X, my gran, to request the Record of Service of her late husband Cpl (fullnames) X who died on DDMMYY at RAF Changi'. They will tell you how much it will cost but the information will allow you summarise your grandfather's RAF career from start to finish, including the courses and trades he was in etc.

I know it won't solve how he came to die but realistically you are unlikely to get too much more, unless the Board of Enquiry is still available.

Good Luck

Old Duffer

[zerofeetaboveground]

Thank you D120A and Old Duffer, I'm still trying to get my head around the ranking system used at the time. I think I got confused by him being noted as ranked Corporal rather than Corporal Tech as mentioned in an earlier post. Like I say, I know very little about him (my Gran still refuses to discuss it) but the information gained in the last few days is wonderful not only for family history but also for my own interest in history.

I have always been told he worked on the radios, so he will have been a technical tradesman although I was unaware of the separate ranking until today so didn't make the connection. The information you very knowledgeable chaps have told me is more than we have been able to find since we started looking! I wish I'd found this site sooner :ok:

[fergineer]

Thanks for that Old Duffer an education for this mere Sprog. My father was on 48 in Changi at the time as well but unfortunately he has passed on 10 years ago so am unable to help there. Good luck with your search for information.

[Warmtoast]

Further to Old-Duffers post above.


'I am writing on behalf of Mrs X, my gran, to request the Record of Service of her late husband Cpl (fullnames) X who died on DDMMYY at RAF Changi'.

When writing include a photocopy of your gran's passport (the page with her photo) or perhaps better still, and if available, a copy of her marriage certificate.

This will speed up things considerably as well as establishing appropriate bona-fides.

A couple of photos from my album of FEAF Valettas taken a couple of years later in 1958 at Gan as it was being built.

First is a FEAF Comms Sqn aircraft (48 sqn?) I think.

Second is a 52 Sqn aircraft as noted by the squadron flash on the fin.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/Image10.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/Image21-640.jpg

[zerofeetaboveground]

fergineer - It is a small(ish) world!

It has been a great education, I'm glad I posted on here. I think my next step will be to approach the RAF Personnel disclosures department and see what they can come up with.

[alisoncc]

Old-Duffer wrote:

Come 1 Apr 64 and its all change (again).

a. Get rid of Cpl Tech and Senior Tech
b. Turn everyones stripes up the same way
c. Limit rank titles to Junior Tech (with new 4 blade propeller badge) Cpl, Sgt, Chief Tech (with 4 bladed prop instead of crown), Flt Sgt & Warrant Officer

Someone's written about this before, and it didn't make sense then and still doesn't. I was a J/T Air Radio Fitter on 230 OCU at Finningley up until November 1965 - never wore a four bladed prop, just single upside down chevron. In November 65 promoted to Cpl Tech and posted to Sharjah. Have photo of self in KD with two upside down chevrons in January 1966 in the desert. The change may have been promulgated in '64, but was the changeover a gradual thing? Seems unlikely, but !!!

[goudie]

I was a Cpl Tech. in '62. Posted to Cyprus as such in '63 but on that fateful day in '64 reverted back to Cpl. 1st April very apt! Do not recall it being phased in over a period of time.

Good to see someone's query settled so quickly. Good old PPRUNE:ok:

[Inotea]

Hi
I have only recently seen your question about the disappearance of the Valetta on a test flight out of RAF Changi on the 11 11 1953 and the very sad loss of your grandfather.
My father Alfred Thompson was the pilot. He died in this terrible accident on his 31st birthday.
My mother and I were due to leave the UK join him in Changi in just a few days before it happened.
I'm afraid I haven't any more information about the cause other than that given on this forum, and in letters to my mother saying that there was bad weather and radio contact was lost suddenly. No wreckage was recovered.
I just thought though that it might be some comfort to know that in the letter from the Squadron Leader he wrote that tireless searches had been made for days and that everything that was humanly possible had been done.
I understand there was to be a Court of Enquiry and any additional
information from this would be sent to my mother but I haven't found any letters about this.
Please just get in touch if there is anything I can help with.
Very best wishes.

[Cornish Jack]

Interesting re. the date ('56) and the total disappearance of the aircraft. It was around this time that a) a Valetta out of one of the Canal Zone airfields (Abu Sueir?) folded its wings in turbulence and b) all our Squadron aircraft were grounded and found to have spar cracks and wrinkled mainplane skins on 12 out of the 14. Particularly interesting in that (apparently) the civil version had had spar plates incorporated some time previously as the problem was known about.

[Blacksheep]

Just to complicate things, when I joined up in '63 the rank structure still included the "upside down" technical ranks and these were based upon time in post plus passing the technical examination. This established your pay grade and technical competence. A Junior Technician could sign for his own work but not that of anyone else. A Corporal and above could sign for his own work or that of a junior rank who he had supervised. The Technician ranks had no disciplinary authority perse, only trade authority.

The right side up chevrons were "command" ranks and carried disciplinary authority. These ranks were earned on the basis of performance assessment. So, it was possible to be, say, a Senior Technician on the basis of technical qualification and then be promoted to Sergeant on the basis of your annual assessments - or from Corporal [or even Junior] Technician to Corporal etc. Corporal Masterson therefore appears to be a tradesman at either the J/T or Corporal Technician level holding the command rank of Corporal.

[spusa]

someone with no qualifications but who had worked as a secretary or clerk for two years before he started National Service (after basic training and training for being a Clerk in the RAF)

Which rank/rate would most likely once training was done :confused:
a leading aircraftman
a senior aircraftman
a Junior Technician
a Senior Technician

What about at the end of 2 years of service :confused::D
a senior aircraftman
a Junior Technician
a Senior Technician
a Chief Technician

please move more approbate thread if this really isn'i the right one

[aviate1138]

I had no qualifications when I did my two years NS in 1959.

Wound up as a J/T Ground Wireless [Mainly ILS Systems] at RAF Benson/Sylt

Plenty of interesting events and time erases the oft encountered guard duty/bullshine that came with being on camp where Queen's Flight were based.......

Watching the QF techs polishing that Dakota for weeks before it staged out to Nepal?? was fun...... it is now hanging up on wires at RAF Cosford........not as shiny as when it left Benson in 1961 :)

[sisemen]

spusa Would have kicked off as an LAC after training and would probably have made SAC if he'd kept his nose clean and was good at his trade.

After training as a Boy Entrant from Sep 63 to Apr 65 I graduated as an LAC but qualified to SAC; a rank to which I was promoted after 6 months satisfactory service. After that I was promoted to Corporal in 1974!! - the promotion system was pretty much clogged up. However, after 2 years I then became a Flying Officer and onwards and upwards at a much faster rate!

[Haraka]

Particularly interesting in that (apparently) the civil version had had spar plates incorporated some time previously as the problem was known about.

In 1953 a Viking (E.A.A IIRC) lost a wing over Pangani ( Tanzania). The loud bang was heard by the locals whose precise recall of the sound sequence was of use to the BOI.
The occupants are buried together in Tanga Christian graveyard. Included are some members of what could have been a slip crew - it appears to have been a positioning flight to Dar Es Salaam. There were also a couple of other occupants who were probably hitching a lift ( including an Israeli).
I think there were corrosion issues involved ,but which sort I don't recall.

[pzu]

Haraka - thought I new EAAC crash history, so googled and a/c was Central African Airways - result the same

see http://planecrashinfo.com/1953/1953-18.htm

PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)

[Haraka]

PZU
Ah yes!
Asante sana
Haraka :)

[Pom Pax]

There seems to be history of main spar failures in the Viking, Valetta, Varsity family. After the loss of Varsity WL640 max fuel was reduced in 2 stages by 260 imp gallons and twice all main spars were inspected.

[Fareastdriver]

They must have used the same stuff in the Valiant.

[Pom Pax]

They must have used the same stuff in the Valiant.
Was the link metallurgical? Seem to remember reading something once.

[Fareastdriver]

A wrong type of grease used when fitting press fit bolts to the booms caused corrosion, thus weakening the lower starboard boom at the outboard bolt hole

That is from the aforementioned Viking accident report.

The Valiants suffered corrosion at Station O which is where the wing spars were mounted onto the fuselage truss. They had one rear spar fracture in flight but the other spar held the wing together. The crew were lucky as there was quite a split on the wing's skin.

[Lukeafb1]

Fareastdriver,

Was that the Wyton Valiant which because the main spar cracked and the undercarriage wouldn't come down, did a wheels up landing at Manston on the foam strip?

I recall that the squadron was grounded for some months and eventually disbanded.

[Fareastdriver]

The spar failure was WP217 that happened at Gaydon in August 1964. They heard a worrying thump on the climbout and the OCU crew decided to bring it back. When they starting lowering flap the aircraft started to roll. They realised that only one flap was going down so they retracted it and landed it flapless.
The flaps on a Valiant had a single drive motor in the fuselage but, luckily, independent flap indicators. The spar had separated sufficiently for the flap drive to disconnect which led to the single flap failure.

The Valiant that did the wheels up at Manston was eventually a manufacturing error. They had a failure to lower on the starboard undercarriage and eventually they had to retract the gear fully and do a wheels up on the foam strip at Manston.
The aircraft was on a display tour and at one stage the starboard undercarriage had closed outside the door. I saw it at this stage and I was subsequently invited to the B of I.
The Valiant had three lowering systems; A main electric screw jack on the legs and doors, a secondary piggy-backed screwjack and a system that blew the doors and uplocks explosively and then used the main motors to lower the leg. The crew went through the checklist and came to the point where they would have to blow the door. There were two switches by the co-pilot; one for the port and one for the starboard. The co-pilot selected the appropriate switch but unfortunately, unknown to anybody, the switches had been cross wired at manufacture. Apparently having no effect on the faulty undercarriage the decision was then made to belly land it.

[Doug Finbow]

My Mother in Law is the sister of Francis (Frank) Wood who died along with his colleagues in in the tragic accident involving the Valletta out of RAF Changi on 11. 11. 1953. She has prepared a document to upload onto this site but, for some reason, I am barred from attaching documents etc on to the forum. I can say that the names of all the crew and passengers appear on the memorial at the National Arboretum and are also named in the 'Roll of Honour' in St Clement Dane Church, The Strand, London. If I can work out how to get permission to upload document etc. I will do so in due course.

[Gunjiyubin]

It is a long time ago, and I am very late in posting, but on the subject of technical trade ranks I was a J/T AWF at Abingdon (47 and 53 Sqdn) in 1958 and was promoted to Corporal - note NOT Corporal Tech. My position and work schedules remained intact and I never understood the change unless the staff structure at Abingdon was short of Corporal grades. At the same time and in the same Radio Servicing Bay I recall Corporal Tech Del Rampling being promoted to Sergeant outside the Tech structure, so there are some anomalies here......!

I do en passant recall Changi quite well, being there when we ferried the first Beverley from UK to the all-new 34 Squadron. What a trip that was, at 100 knots flat out and the usual sequences of unreliability - and the accidental filling of the oil tanks with avgas at Calcutta.

[roving]

The original enquiry by 'zerofeetabovefground' was about an accident in 1956 involving a Valetta. There was in fact a Valetta lost over Malaya that year.

02/03/1956

VW861

Valetta C1

48 Sqn

Hit trees during a supply drop over the jungle in Malaya. Seven on board were killed.

UK Military Aircraft Losses (http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1956.htm)

RAF - 48 Squadron (http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/48squadron.cfm)

48 Sqn was based in Singapore.

I know something of this accident and when my memory cells start functioning I will post what I know.

[roving]

In fact 48 Sqn lost three Valettas in 1956. In two instances with loss of all aboard.

This provides detail about the November 1956 crash.

New Page 1 (http://mhg.mymalaya.com/valetta_vx525.htm)

[roving]

This was another Valetta crash, this time 110 Sqn flying out of Kuala Lumpur. I recall this one, because as a boy aged 9, I lived on the Station and I attended the full military parade at the Royal Air Force Station in K.L. with my parents.

I can see now in my minds eye, the coffins being carried and a young (probably National Service) airman feinting in the heat and falling over as he stood to attention at the parade.

Very sad.

My late father told me he was once in full dress uniform for three days attending funeral services.

'22/08/1957 VX491 Valetta C1 110 Sqn

The aircraft was on a leaflet dropping sortie and was attempting to overfly a 5,300ft ridge at Raub, Central Malaya when the port propeller oversped. It crashed into the side of the ridge at 4,100ft, caught fire and was destroyed. The 3 crew and 4 Army dispatchers were killed'

UK Military Aircraft Losses (http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm)

[cardmaker]

My father was posted to 52 Squadron in 1958 and the whole family flew to Singapore in June, but were only there for a month before he was sent to Katunayake, and the family decamped to Ceylon. He was flying Valettas back and forth to Gan until April 1959 when the runway was complete and we all returned to Singapore. I have an old photo of the Gan aircrews seated in front of a Valetta. Dad was posted to Far East Comm Squadron on his return to Singapore and spent the next 2 years ferrying VIPs around the Far East.

[overfly]

roving - re-reading posts #2 and #3 the date of OP interest is 11/11/53.

[Warmtoast]

Cardmaker

My father was posted to 52 Squadron in 1958

A couple of photos of 52-Sqn Valetta aircraft taken by me at Gan in 1958. One showing an engine change and the other a group who are "tour-Ex" and homeward bound.

The aircrew in white overalls was Jack Trainer, a navigator.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/Image2_zps93ad8059.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/HomewardBound1958_zpscfa0e349.jpg

[qwerty2085]

Came across this post recently and saw some replies concerning accidents of singapore/changi based aircraft from the 50's. My father died a couple of years ago, he had a brother, who was in the RAF, who died in an accident in 1958.

It was never really talked about, but i believe it might have been in a shackleton, his body was never recovered. Anyone know anything about this or where i can find info, apart from google. My uncle, fathers brother will be next of kin, but i don't want to bring it up with him at the moment.

Thanks

[Brian 48nav]

According to the Ian Allan book 'Avro Shackleton' by John Chartres, there was the loss of a 205 Sqn aircraft from Changi in December 1958 off the northern coast of Borneo.

The author states that there is brass plaque alongside the grave of one of the crew in the parish church of St Eval, Cornwall, that records the names of the crew.

I have a feeling this accident has been discussed before on Prune, try a search with 'B205'.

[lauriebe]

querty,

Have a look at the link below. It lists the crew of Shackleton VP254 which crashed in the South China Sea near Sin Cowe Island on 9 December 1958.

Is your uncle's name among those listed?

Flight Details (http://www.dazzlin-dk.com/pages/Airman/AirmanFlight.htm)

More details on that accident can be found on the site.

Hope that helps.

[qwerty2085]

Thanks for your help guys, that is the one.

[LenP]

I was one of three navs. on 52 Squadron based at Negombo (became Katunayake) from Sept. 1957 until April 1959 at which time I returned to the UK and joined Bomber Command Comm. Squadron at Booker near Marlow.

The 3 pilots on the Ceylon detachment in April 1959 when I left Katunayake were F/L Douglas, F/O Les Sands and M/P Morris. I would therefore have flown with your father quite often during the 112 round trips I made from NG to Gan! The other 2 Navs. were F/L Jack Trainer and F/O Bernie Aslett. My log book would indicate that your Dad was Dougie as I first flew with him to Gan on the 13 Aug. 58 on what was my 67 trip to Gan.

Thereafter most of my remaining trips were flown with Dougie who had been sent to Katunayake as the flight commander to replace the current one who was in a bit of strife with the station commander. I heard nothing of any of the others after I left but thought that Dougie had said he was going on to the Argosy when he returned to the UK. He was without doubt one of the 2 best pilots I flew with during my 12 years in the RAF. Be interested to know if indeed he was your Dad, but the timing seems to be right. Cheers

[Warmtoast]

LenP

I was one of three navs. on 52 Squadron based at Negombo (became Katunayake) from Sept. 1957 until April 1959 at which time I returned to the UK and joined Bomber Command Comm. Squadron at Booker near Marlow.


You may remember your low fly-bys along the runway to alert workers that you were about to land as seen here:

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/LowFly-by2_zpsc1166004.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/LowFly-by_1280x851_zpsb208841f.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/LowFly-by4_1280x824_zps743f8cb4.jpg

[LenP]

I think the "aircrew" in the photo is probably "Jack" Trainer who was a Nav. on 52 Sqd. based at Katunayake. The nickname Skid was that of Master Pilot Morris who was one of the three 52 Sqn. pilots who were also based at Katunayake in 1958. In a previous post I mentioned the 3 navs. and 3 pilots but omitted the 3 signallers who were Sgts. Cullis, Denman and Hines. Remember the "beat-ups" well as also one done on Hans & Lotte Haas's yacht Xarifa which was parked in the Lagoon on one occasion. We met Hans but not, unfortunately, Lotte!

[Warmtoast]

LenP

Thanks for the clarification as to the identity of the 52 Sqn aircrew in my photo. The names you mention bring back memories - please check your PMs.

As regards Hans and Lotte Hass. It was only Hans who visited the island in late 1957 and early 1958 as Lotte was at home in Vienna about to give birth to their first child together. Below a couple of photos from my album taken at the time.

Hans died at the age of 94 earlier this year. His obituary here:
Hans Hass - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/10139860/Hans-Hass.html)

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/HansHass2.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/HansHass1.jpg

...and with his glamorous wife Lotte on an earlier occasion, but not at Gan.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/GAN/Hanslotte1959.jpg

[cardmaker]

I obtained my father's service record in 2004 and had to have a Certificate of kinship signed by my mother before they would let me have it.

Re the photo of the 52 Squadron Valetta, it looks to be VX 522, which was frequently flown by my father.

[patkinson]

I think a lot has been said on this and most of the info has been given by those who were directly involved..I think there is a bit more and it may be that the Changi association ..http://www.rafchangi.com/ can supply a bit more info..
I was an engine fitter on 48 and we did the air support when 52 sqdn finished up in '66.. I think it was .The detachment at Butterworth was a very pleasant experience and a lot different from more recent times when working for MAS and enjoying the ambience of Penang!

[DaveGW]

Sgt. David Bennett who died along with the others on 11/11/1953 was my uncle (mother's brother). It happened before I was born, but I've a few pictures to add for interest.

David Bennett (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee188/davgw_2007/Family/Bennett/Image25.jpg)

Newspaper snip about his wife joining him in Singapore (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee188/davgw_2007/Family/Bennett/Newspaper.jpg)

I don't know the names of the others in the following pictures, but maybe someone might find a relative amongst them?

David with some RAF pals (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee188/davgw_2007/Family/Bennett/Image9.jpg)

Enjoying a drink (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee188/davgw_2007/Family/Bennett/Image26.jpg)

Crowd (http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee188/davgw_2007/Family/Bennett/Image21.jpg)

[G3LMO]

Hi All:

I was on the crew in December 1958 that helped find F/S DANCY (VP254 Flight Engineer) on Sin Cowe Island.

Anyone interested please contact me at;

[email protected]

205 Changi 1957/1960

FECS Changi (VIP Mk4 Hastings WJ325) for C-in-C Far East 1961/1964

Now long since retired MAEO living in very rural and peaceful Wiltshire.

73

Nev (G3LMO/VS1GC/VS1GZ/DL5XD/DL2ZN/VS9MB/VE3MSH/VK5XD/PA9JI)

[oldchina]

Where on earth did they pick up those girls?

[ChrisSk]

A friend of mine has oosted this...
It's always really sad to find an old photo album full of pictures in an antiques place. Someone's memories that have been forgotten. We had to buy one we found today, and if anyone knows of a Sgt. Ayres from Lincoln who served with 48 Squadron in Singapore in the early 50's we'd love to find out more about him. Looks like you had a great time over there my friend!
Anyone help in finding this chap or family? Please message me.

[Woodward 13]

Hi

I have recently stumbled upon a site where you have written about your involvement in the search for the Shackleton aircraft which disappeared in the Far East in Dec 1958.

At that time I was a 5yr old living in Singapore with my parents, based at RAF Changi. I remember the awful event and how it affected the squadron. My dad was involved in the search for the missing aircraft. His name was Ron Woodward (lofty) and he was a Flight Seargant signaller on 205 squadron. I wonder if you remember him?

Sadly my dad passed away in 2019. But I am in touch with Peter Sampson and Mike Farrer who were both with us at the time in Singapore, and who flew with my dad.

It was a memorable time for all, mostly good, and we all have fond memories of the Changi days, as I'm sure do you!

Best Regards

Deborah Morgan-Smith (Woodward)[QUOTE]

[patkinson]

Hello all.

I am posting this hoping some of you may be able to help with a family mystery.

My Grandfather was based at RAF Changi in the 1950s as maintenance staff repairing the planes based there - I believe he worked on the radio equipment.

Sometime in 1956 he had been involved in repairing a plane and took off on a test flight, the story goes there were 6 on board and sadly this plane disappeared during the flight and was never seen again. I am told no wreckage was discovered from the plane during the searches for the craft and its crew. I am wondering if anyone would know if the RAF would still have a record of the disappearance and possibly any report they wrote at the time? Would it be possible to obtain a copy?

Could anyone give a hint as to the types of plane based at Changi in the period my Grandfather was working there or indeed which type of plane he may have been working on that took a 6 man crew (or capacity for 6 for the test flight).

This has always fascinated me but I've never known which way to go about gaining information on what happened. Thank you in advance for your help :)


reply
The association has archives which no doubt will have info of interest.The latest newsletter has a couple of new members also from the '50s.
I was an engine fitter on 48sqdn but that was in the early 60s..

website www.rafchangi.com

[Peter47]

My father sadly passed on a few years ago, but I remember him telling me that in, I believe, the late 40s he was flying four engine bombers out of Changi. A new formulation of (american sourced) oil was put in all of the engines which had the effect of dislodging a lot of sludge and blocking all four oil filters. He therefore had to land with no fully functioning engines. Its a shame he's not around to give me more details but it says a lot about what happened in the days before the gremlins were engineered out.

[Keep attacking 68]

Longshot,

can anyone remember chap called John Wolfe, served Changi,1957 - 59 (membership 2205) passed away Nov 2015.