Fleet Air Arm aircraft and personnel July 1962

[DougGordon]

I've recently been sent some photos taken in July, 1962 from the collection of a US Navy pilot Captain Allard Guy 'Slim' Russell I've posted three here. Can anyone help to identify the Royal Navy personnel in the photos please. I know it's a bit of a tall order, but here's hoping!
Thanks
Doug
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[sailor]

First picture second from right is Lt Cdr Ken Sinclair onetime CO of 766 NAS the Sea Vixen training squadron at HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton. Far right may be Cdr "Cowboy" Blake the Exec Officer of same place and not an aviator. Sea Vixen aircraft.

Second pic - Hunter T8.looks like Captain George Baldwin.

Hope that helps. PM me for further if required.

[DougGordon]

Thanks Sailor. I've sent you a pm.

Here's three more which I hope you can help me with.
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[GANNET FAN]

Sailor, you are correct the officer on the right in the first picture is Cdr.Michael Blake a great friend of my father.

[sailor]

Regret I cannot help on first pic - they are 2 Maintenance guys who I do not recognise.


Those on the Vixen's looker's (starboard ) side are L-R - all lookers :-

?, Keith (?) Somerville Jones, Trevor Wilce, "Birdy" Morris, Graham Wilcock

Other side, pilots:- Pete Reynolds, Chris Comins, Dave Eagles, David Williams, Nobby Hall

Scimitar 613 - the only one I think I recognise is Pete de Souza, second from R.

I have forwarded your query to a friend of mine who is pictured and asked him to expand if he can.

This goes back about 50 years, so brain-strain has kicked in !

[Schiller]

It's Dai Somerville-Jones, Keith's brother. Keith was a Bucc pilot.

[DougGordon]

Thank you very much Sailor and Schiller. I am much obliged to you and very envious of your memories!

[deagles]

All the individuals are identified by signature. This was the RN's Farnboro' Air Show team, 1962, led by C.O 766 Squadron, LtCdr Pete Reynolds and his looker Trevor Wilce. I was No. 2, (Dave Eagles), my looker "Horiss" Moriss, No. 3 was Knobby Clark, deceased, 4 was Dave McWilliam. 5 was Mike McCookweir, living in Thaxted, 6 was Chris Comins, recently deceased, Publicity/spare pilot was dynamo Mike Ryan. A fabulous bunch!

Correction. Not Knobby Clark here; -- Knobby Hall.

[deagles]

After much brain-churning, man on the left was Commander "Polly" Parrot, Commander (Air), RNAS Yeovilton. Give me a couple of months and i'll remember the young guy too!

[deagles]

Brain slowly waking. Young guy second from left, Lt Knobby Clark.

[huntaluvva]

The Sea Fury in post#3 intrigues me. Has he just had a go in it?

Did the FRU at Hurn still have them in '62?

Lovely colour sheme on the FONFT Hunter as well..

[Lordflasheart]

Have you seen Captain Russell's service record ? Joined USN in 1940, based ashore at Guadalcanal in 1942 ("Cactus Air Force" ? and an Honorary Marine) after the Saratoga was put out of action. Saw further Pacific combat and was latterly a test pilot. Died 2009, buried at Arlington.

Given that he retired from the USN in 1962, the year these pix were taken, and was clearly held in high regard by the Brits, was this a jolly (for instance if he was the retiring Naval Attache in London) or was it something more formal ? According to his obituary in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune he - " flew exchange duty with the British Royal Navy." That could mean almost anything, at any time, in the absence of more specific detail.

Additional suggestions and guesses for personnel and aircraft.

Top pic - unnumbered Vixen group – Cdr "Pete" Perrett – recently deceased in New Zealand. He may have been known as Polly by Deagles, but he was plain old "Sir" to me when he lent me and my Looker his personal Sea Venom 21 - WW138 for my first DLP in mid 1960. Hermes in Lyme Bay din' 'arf look small Mum from 10,000 ft. Mic said "It'll look bigger when we get closer. I had to believe him, he'd seen it all before and he was senior to me. WW138 is now in the FAA Museum.

Hunter pic. Capt George Baldwin (RIP 2005) was Captain of Lossie 1961-63. With an even more illustrious but parallel combat and test pilot career, he could well have been the connection for Capt Russell's jolly. It looks as if he was welcoming FOFT's Hunter to a rather wet Lossie, flown in by a so-far unidentified brass-hat (leaning over cockpit) who might well have been based at Yeovilton. Rear Admiral Percy Gick was FOFT at Yeovilton - the Hunter T8 would have been his Admiral's Barge, painted dark green topside.

I suspect the Sea Fury is at Lossie, positioned outside the Station Flight hangar.

"Fred's Five" Vixen aircrew pic has Lt Dave NF Cooper (aka Cuddles ?) at extreme left.

The Scimitar (736 Sqn) is obviously at Lossie. Covesea Lighthouse and a K Hangar in background. I confirm Lt Pete de Souza, but have no idea of the three 2 1/2 ring pilots.

Any more pictures going ? Given the date, there ought to be one of him with 700Z or even 801, with a Buccaneer S1. LFH

[DougGordon]

Thank you very much one and all.
I will send pms shortly Flashheart, Deagles and Sailor.
There may be more information coming soon I hope.

[Schiller]

Pilot of the Hunter - Capt DW Kirk?

[Sleeve Wing]

>>>>>Pilot of the Hunter - Capt DW Kirk?<<<<

Don't think so, Schiller, although he was Captain-Lossie when I was there.
Actually seems to bear a slight resemblance to Keith Leppard who was Wings at the time.

Yep, sailor, definitely Big Pete DeSouza with a 736 Scimitar, complete with trademark shades..........

Can't help with the others I'm afraid. Was only posted there in Feb.1963.

[DougGordon]

Apologies Sailor, Flashheart and Deagles for not having got back to you yet. In the meanwhile here are a couple more. The plaque was presented to Capt Russell and the inscription reads:

TO RADM "PERCY" GICK, R.N. AND HIS YEOVIL AERONAUTS
IN APPRECIATION FOR THE
10.7 HOURS IN SEVEN NEW
AND OLDE AEROPLANES
DURING PERIOD 7-13 JULY 62
A. G. Slim Russell
CAPTAIN, U.S. NAVY

The back of the photo states:


OFFICIAL U.S. NAVY PHOTOGRAPH USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59)

The Tiger moth photo is inscribed: "To Slim (alias Wilbur) From Keith (alias Orville)"

and is dated on the back HMS Heron 14th July 1962. The Hunter photo was taken at the same time as the one above.
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[DougGordon]

I've just received a copy of the schedule given to Captain Russell for his visit with the Royal Navy. There are no photos available of the Wessex flight; but I hope some of the Buccaneer. I'll post if and when.
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I would very much like to know if there's anyone out there who remembers Captain Russells brief detachment.
Please get in touch.

[Lordflasheart]

I'll see if I can raise any interest around the relevant bazaars. LFH

[wingsaboveme]

I'm trying to trace the career of Cdr "Pete" Perrett. I beleive he retired as a Commodore. I would be very grateful if you had any more details concerning this officer, whom I believe was the only son of a Digby E Perrett, of Palmerston North NZ. It would be helpful if you could remember the exact date of P. Perrett's death, and any death notices that may have been posted at the time of his passing.

[DougGordon]

I'm sorry, I don't have any information. I hope there are others who read this who can help you.

[wingsaboveme]

Hi Doug, thank you for your reply. Actually, I was hoping Lordflasheart might have seen my post.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Best you send him a PM then. He will awaken if prodded.

[Lordflasheart]

Thanks for the prod, zzzzzzz.... WAM and PrPop

I will see what I can dig up. Give me a couple of days or so please. I will be dealing with folks even more antique and zzzz .... than I.

LFH

[Lordflasheart]

Cdr Norman (Pete) Perrett RN was born in NZ and died in Auckland on 4th July 2006. He was 86.

He joined the Fleet Air Arm in 1941 and qualifies a Pilot, serving in 882 Squadron in Victorious from December 1942 and then in 896 and 881 in the escort carrier Pursuer until late 1944, flying Wildcats. Included ops off Norway against Tirpitz, supporting the D-Day landings and in the Med as "Tempy S/Lt and Lt (A) RNZNVR."
Mentioned in Despatches twice. He was then briefly CO of 891 Squadron which was intended for ops against Japan with Hellcat nightfighters. Starting at Eglinton in June 1945 they moved to Nutts Corner Belfast disbanded in Sept at the end of WWII.

He transferred to the RN in 1946 and served on fighter development and jet evaluation units in the late 40s and early 50s, followed by a spell with the USN on Coral Sea.

He became CO 800 Seahawks in 1957 and led the aerobatic team of nine at Farnborough in 1958. He was promoted Commander and was awarded the MBE. He was Wings at Yeovilton in 1960, then Wings of Hermes. Later to DNAW, XO at Lee on Solent, and Portsmouth. He must have left the RN about 1970.

WAM - I can forward you my modest file of supporting evidence if you wish. I am also hoping to locate an obituary. We appear to be a bit handicapped because the London Gazette seems to have "improved" their search facility to the extent that it is now unusable for this sort of purpose.


LFH

[wingsaboveme]

Hi LFH, Thank you so much for that information, most useful. If you could locate an obituary, it would be great !

[Lordflasheart]

Wingsaboveme -

I have found an obituary for Pete Perrett - and some supporting reference stuff. They are mostly in .pdf format. I can send them by email if you wish - I have sent you a pm and email. Also I wondered what prompted your interest ? Cheers. LFH

[alfredgBaldwin]

hi there
I have just come across your photo, Captain G Baldwin was my grandfather and I am looking for an archive of pictures of him, we lost a lot of his photos after he passed and hoping to locate more. Are you able to help at all or point me in the right direction?
thank you in anticipation
Alfred

[Ricktye]

In the first series of shots, a lot of the folks in flightsuits appear to be wearing oxfords? While I've never been military per se, I've never seen peoples fling operationally in this type of footwear. Are these staged photos, or do British military pilots fly routinely in street oxfords? Strange to say the least....

[ian16th]

Photos restored to B&W
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