D-Flight (19 entry) BRNC

[Paul-B]

Anyone here from D-Flight (later renamed 19 entry) St Vincent Division BRNC Dartmouth 1964? Did my first solo on Tiger Moths at Roborough, instructor was Clutton. I still have some pics taken at the time.

[Pontius]

I'm a bit after you, Paul, but Clutton was my grading instructor too. By Jan 1985 he'd lost a wing and added a canopy but still sat in DH's finest. Ahh, but we was lucky; we had tarmac to operate from and a full 12 channels on the radio :ok:

Didn't Mr Clutton fly Seafires before really taking his life into his hands and sitting in the back while we tried to test his nerves?

[gpugh]

Hi I think Les Clutton was ex RAF and I don't think would have flown Seafires, you may be thinking of my father Don Pugh who was ex FAA and had flown Seafires or Sandy Sinclair or Pete Shepherd who were both ex FAA but I don't know if either had flown Seafires


gordon

[helen-damnation]

From '87 the brave souls in my logbook are:

Sparrow, Manning, Pugh, Entacott & Frost.

17 flights, 14 hours and waiting to solo in week 3. Cut and run for a long weekend when we saw the forecast on Thurs :}

DH's finest included:

WP801, WP904, WB575, WK608.

Wonder where they are now?

[gpugh]

Hi

WK608 at Yeovilton with Historic flight

WP904 last known in the USA

WB575 last known in France

WP801 last known in the USA


regards Gordon

[Paul-B]

Yes, Clutton was definitely an ex-crab :) I found him to be a really good instructor, his easy style made even the most nervous (me!) feel at ease. I still have my old logbook from back then, after my first spin he noted "showed some apprehension in the spin"... apprehension? I was terrified, I still remember it after all these years.

[C24]

Greetings if you are still on the Planet
Lt ?Brewer? RAN was the Div Lt., Peter Pinkster was the Lt Cdmr and Charlie [memeory loss!] was our CPO.
Best from Brian W

[SpazSinbad]

Royal Australian Naval College Magazine Issue 52 1964 (navy.gov.au) (https://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/RANC_Magazine_1964.pdf) (PDF 119Mb) BRNC Tiger Moth Deck Landing HMS Eagle 1964
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1627x1050/rn_tiger_moth_eagle_dl_1964_d85b2d1391c96c570eb602662a9a6618 310e57a6.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1127x1150/tiger_moth_eagle_dl_ranc_magazine_1964_pp2_repeat_text_only_ tif_0c063dbe7e69b97a5d33364f3d08dd1ac1f9e2a9.gif

[SpazSinbad]

The story told by Andy Craig, one of the pilots aboard the aircraft:

http://3j8lrq31uyjk1yo9b01c7jub.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/MysteryPhoto14.jpg & http://www.faaaa.asn.au/mystery-photo-no-14-answer/

“On 01 July 1964 three Tiger Moths from Britannia Flight (attached to Britannia Royal Naval College) flew from their base at Roborough (Plymouth) and landed on board HMS EAGLE – the ship was working up in the English Channel. Three staff pilots and three of us Sub Lieutenants who had PPLs formed the crews. There were two RAN officers in the group – I was one and John Hazell (who later became a gunnery officer and paid off as a LCDR) was the other.

A great day. The wires were unrigged, 20 knots of wind over the deck and the Tigers approached at 45 knots. It was almost a hovering touch down. As soon as the wheels hit the deck two handlers raced in from either side and grabbed the wing tips – the Tigers had no brakes. Take off was entirely straightforward – line up on the axial deck from about six spot, two handlers hanging onto the wings, full power, handlers let go and we were air-borne by about the island.

EAGLE had just finished a major re-fit and, as we were the first fixed wing aircraft to land on, we got the traditional cake – to the chagrin of the Buccaneer and Sea Vixen squadrons.

One of the staff pilots was (then) LCDR Lyn Middleton who later commanded HERMES in the Falklands war. It was a special occasion on about five levels but I suspect we were the last biplanes to land on an RN Carrier. It does seem a long while ago – and I suppose it is; 53 years!!” [then - at time of writing]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1627x966/tigermotheagle1964approachview_ce231420c3ce0bd33ee0d7a7dd537 2ab3e5e5a08.jpg

[Mogwi]

Hi

WK608 at Yeovilton with Historic flight

WP904 last known in the USA

WB575 last known in France

WP801 last known in the USA


regards Gordon

In 1967: WP801, WB671, WK634, WP904 and WK511.

I went solo in WP 904 on 10th Feb 67 and flew my FHT with your father on 14th Feb in WK511. He unleashed me on an unsuspecting world of Service aviation!

Mog

[NutLoose]

Chippie WP904 now N904WP
Airworthy and living in Florida

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1002793

[NutLoose]

WP801 now N801WP and is airworthy, living in South Dakota

same FAA link above, type in the N number.

https://www.airhistory.net/photo/195651/N801WP/WP801

[NutLoose]

WB575 now residing in France, Registration is F-AZPD

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/5893281

2018 photo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24101413@N03/43699779741/in/photolist-aBfuza-29zAN3i-2h6dHGx-24SkXem-qeUERH-cVe24f-q1bwvg-jM9MZi-9pKkp5-27C8Dei-KucVPs-27Ca4i8