RAF Squadron History Custodian Requests Help

[seafuryfan]

Hello all, as part of my squadron historian role (which I greatly enjoy) I've been authorised to produce some large framed pictures illustrating Sixty Squadron's history. Our squadron is still active, training student pilots and crewmen on the Griffin helicopter at RAF Shawbury.

I'm looking for high quality photos of specific types if anyone has them in their collections. I can't pay any cash I'm afraid, and I can't guarantee they'll be used, but will credit any photo used in the accompanying caption. Most importantly, your photo will help to inspire students as they pass through the squadron during their flying training. My thanks to a certain West Country gentleman for already assisting with the SEAC P-47.

I'm looking for colour or black and white photos, good enough for about 18" x 24" size, of the following types (air-to-air would be a bonus):

Nieuport 17, DH9, DH10, Wapiti (IAF Museum, I believe), Blenheim I (wait for the Duxford one?/temperate, black undersides ideally), Blenheim IV (temperate/light undersides), Hurricane IIc (in SEAC colours - BBMF PZ865 to oblige shortly?), Javelin (esp Tengah air-to-air), Andover.

Any contact details for furnishers of air-to-air images of the above would be appreciated.

Thanks chaps/chapesses, and please, if you can, make use of your treasured images!

[leesaranda]

As a previous squadron historian for sixty squadron (1968-70), I recall an excellent collection of photo albums dating back to WW1. Have they gone missing?

[zetec2]

Has my original message been deleted ????, my comment was we didn't have Andovers but HS748's aslo what about the Pembrokes, all re-sparred some ordinary, some with cameras, quite a jolly little outfit at Wildenrath in the late 60's, not forgetting we had a Basset, a Devon & on loan 2 Herons, one of which was an ex Queens Flight aircraft, Paul H.

[DaveReidUK]

we didn't have Andovers but HS748's

I think you mean you had Andover CC.2's, like the civil version, rather than the CC.1 with the rear ramp:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/HS_748_CC.2_XS793_60_Sqn_FFD_18.07.87_edited-2.jpg/800px-HS_748_CC.2_XS793_60_Sqn_FFD_18.07.87_edited-2.jpg

[zetec2]

I will no doubt be corrected but we always knew them as 748's, am sure the 700 & supporting books etc all identified 748, XS793 came to us on 60 Sqd from Khormaksar in 1968 ( pretty sure !) still wearing RAF Middle East colours, it went back to the UK for a refit & came back with just Royal Air Force on the upper fuselage, did some trips around RAF Germany, Denmark & up into Norway mostly as an engine fitter travelling groundcrew as I had been X'd & works coursed on Darts (Argosy !)often going to recover usually the Basset until we got the Herons then the 748 became a VIP taxi & the Herons as "trucks", the Pembrokes just got on with the corridor flights, must be more of you out there who was on 60 same time 67 - 70 ?, PH.

[seafuryfan]

zetec2 , DaveReidUK, & leesaranda, thank you all for your posts.

Leesaranda, yes, I am the present custodian for the photo collection and most of it is intact. I came across some correspondence from Joe Warne (who you will know did much of the reseach), written I think in the 70's as he laments the pilfering of some photos, mainly of the jet age, probably of the finest air-to-air images (:() and it is these sort of photos I am after. They need to good enough to stand blowing up to 16" x 12".

You might be interested to know that I have digitised Joe's entire body of work (well over 1000 pages, apart from that which the scanner could not 'understand', such as typed records of aircraft numbers etc) and this work has been very helpful in assisting my research for each photo. I am now near completion of some 40 images, together with quotes, airframe stories etc. to accompany them. As it is all electronic, my plan is to make it available for all to see online after framing is finished on a Sixty sqn 'under construction' site.

The Basset, Devon and two Herons Zetec absolutely spot on, yes please, these are quiet rare to find in our archives (well, decent large photos).

Davereid, do you know where I can get a hi res Andover photo such as the one in your post?

[email protected]

Many thanks, Rick

[DaveReidUK]

Davereid, do you know where I can get a hi res Andover photo such as the one in your post?

It's from Wikipedia:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/HS_748_CC.2_XS793_60_Sqn_FFD_18.07.87_edited-2.jpg

[lauriebe]

SFF, two possible contacts for you. Have a look at these:

Hawker Siddeley Andover CC2, XS793, Royal Air Force (http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1164300/)

Photos: Hawker Siddeley HS-748 Andover CC2 (Srs2/206) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air/Hawker-Siddeley-HS-748/2029297/&sid=1d22797b36969973fbe512b974cc2f3a)

Photog's contact details are on the links.

PS: Another here:

runway14.********.com/2012/02/xs793-a748-royal-air-force.html

Insert "********" where the asterisks are and enter it in your browser. Should work but if I make it clickable it doesn't.:ugh:

[lauriebe]

Argh!!

When I enter the name of the site, it only shows up as asterisks!!:ugh::ugh:

Have PM'd the full link. Hope that works.

[Brian 48nav]

There is a very nice photo' of a 60 Sqn Javelin at Tengah, (black&white), on Pg 182 of Action Stations Overseas by Sqn Ldr Tony Fairbairn.

ISBN 1-85260-319-4 , publisher PSL a Haynes subsidiary.

[seafuryfan]

Thanks for all your replies so far. The project is going well, and the web (with your help) is filling in some 'holes'. I am also enlisting the help of flight simmers so we can get some Sixty Sqn colour WW1 representation on the walls. Here's Albert Ball...

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/seafuryfan/N17_60sqn_Ball3.jpg

Bishop...

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/seafuryfan/SE5a_60sqn_Bishop.jpg

[leesaranda]

It's a pity the early jet age photos have been souvenired. The albums were intact when I last saw them in 1970. I have a depressing memory of pages of meteor-related funeral photographs. Unfortunately I can't help with your appeal for photos.

[seafuryfan]

Yes, it is a pity. Brian, thank you for the steer.

[Amos Keeto]

Sorry Zetec2, you DID have Andover C.1s as well as the CC.2. I present my evidence.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n184/Amoskeeto/XS596AndoverCPR1RAFG60SqnBoscombeDn12JUN92AMB.jpg
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n184/Amoskeeto/XS637AndoverC132Sqd-60SqdAnniversaryMarkings-BrizeNorton09-91ROA.jpg

[zetec2]

Yes, my apologies but long after I left them, although looking back through my things found we did "borrow" a camo Andover in late1970 (October /November) don't know why (after the ex Queens Flight Heron went back) for some runs up & down to Gatow, I went to Abingdon to pick it up (convenient as I lived in Oxford & Father was ill so combined a compasionate leave job with it) & flew back in it, will investigate further to see if I can find more details, rgds, PH.