R.A.F. Ouston

[hval]

Evening all,

Whilst looking through some photographs today I came across one of R.A.F. Ouston. At the time this aerial photograph was taken it was Albermarle Barracks, Junior Leaders Regiment (26th) Royal Signals. At the time of the photo they were about to, or had just departed to pastures new.

EDIT - Photo taken 1985. My apologies, I forgot to add the date


http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8058/8195976609_65d1dd0ba6_c.jpg

[4mastacker]

Doesn't look like it has changed very much from the my Air Cadet days when I did my gliding course there, although I note the Spitfire has vanished from its spot beside the guardroom.

[cuefaye]

My friend, APO Barry Hyde, was killed in a collision at night in the circuit, along with a fellow South African student, at Acklington, in 1962. Piston Provosts. I remember them, always.

[Rigga]

According to Google Maps - its changed quite a bit!

Google Maps: "Ouston Airfield"

[Fareastdriver]

When Tern Hill became the helicopter training school the the FTS moved to Aclington and re-equipped with the JP3. Because the foreign nationals whose governments had only paid for a piston training scheme the Provost T1s went to Ouston and they operated from there. They took on a few RAF trainees when trade was a bit slack.

[hval]

The photo doesn't show the married quarters to port and starboard, but they were there in 1985, when this photograph was taken.

[Dengue_Dude]

We used Ouston as an FOB for Purple Helmet (Victory) or something on C130s in the mid 80s.

[rvusa]

In 1962 a 'bulge' in the pilot training programme was accommodated by collecting some Piston Provosts and assorted QFIs and starting a Basic Flying course based at Ouston. The groundcrew were provided by Airworks. At the time the 'last Piston Provost course' was already in progress at Acklington, but the Ouston course became a later 'last'! Eventually the Acklington course moved to Ouston too, leaving Acklington to the JP3. The accident involving APO Hyde was a collision in the circuit at Ouston during solo night flying. As far as i can remember there were no foreign nationals on either course.

[hval]

Dengue Dude,

Those hercs rendered one of the runways unusable if I remember correctly.

[cuefaye]

Many thanks for that rvusa. Barry and I were at school together, and started BFTS some six months apart. I was at Syerston. I can recall the events surrounding the collision, along with his sister's account of the aftermath. It was she that told me of the South African chap, At Syerston, we had two such fellas on my course; but aside from their accents, they were not distinguished as foreign nationals, merely mates from distant birthlands. Did you meet Barry? So long ago, but ne'r forgotten.

[Heathrow Harry]

are they still using it to park warhead cargoes overnight from Scotland to Aldermaston?

[hval]

Heathrow Harry,

No. Not at the moment.

[Hummingfrog]

Thanks

A picture that brought back many happy memories of NUAS 1970-74. Too many stories to relate but getting MUAS out of bed and down to the hangar on the pretext of an night exercise was the highlight. APO S== as inspecting officer of the lined up MUAS studes - most still in their PJs was a sight to behold!!

HF

[Halton Brat]

Err, chaps, do we want to discuss overnight parking of warhead cargo in transit here?

Just a thought.........

HB

[ZH875]

Why not, it's openly available that Ouston is an overnight parking base.

What we shouldn't discuss is one is parked there now.

[Heathrow Harry]

Hardly Secret...........

WIKIPEDIA

"Since the 1980s Albemarle has often been used as a stop off point for nuclear warheads convoys on route via road between RNAD Coulport (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNAD_Coulport) and AWE Aldermaston (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Weapons_Establishment) as part of the UK Trident programme (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_Trident_programme). There is a secure compound located on one of the former runways to keep convoys overnight when required.[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Ouston#cite_note-1)"

looking at Google earth there is also a very obvious high security compound right in the middle of the runway


used to see quite a few of those convoys on the M4 wayyyy back -espeically around Reading (I guess for Aldermaston) - haven't seen one in years tho'............

[Flightwatch]

I remember visiting Ouston in a BKS Ambassador sometime in 1965/66 when it was being used by Newcastle traffic as Woolsington's runway was being resurfaced/lengthened.

[Halton Brat]

Hmm, no doubt our USMC friends at Camp Bastion felt pretty secure before a smallish taliban force gained entry to their secure area & trashed half a squadron of Harriers, killing the Sqn OC +1.

Surprising what is in the public domain these days........

HB

[hval]

Halton Brat,

If you think those web pages are bad take a look at this link here (http://www.nukewatch.org.uk/changes.php) for some additional information reference nuclear convoys.

[Dysonsphere]

Looking at the link dont think Ive ever seen so many police looking bored.:rolleyes:

[fleigle]

The site of my first ever glider ride, circa 1953-ish, I don't think I got that high though.
Good memory.
f

[Heathrow Harry]

HB

Are you seriously comparing rural Northumberland with Afghanistan?

The strange language, the local native dress code, their attitude to strangers, the constant violence, the oppression of wimmin............ oh I see........ you could be right

[dead_pan]

are they still using it to park warhead cargoes overnight from Scotland to Aldermaston?

I thought they used Watford Gap services? Still, I bet the coffee and bacon sarnies are better.

[si.]

Are you seriously comparing rural Northumberland with Afghanistan?

The
strange language, the local native dress code, their attitude to strangers, the
constant violence, the oppression of wimmin............ oh I see........ you
could be right

Ohhhhhh...! ;)

[Saintsman]

Never even heard of the place before but that photo is so familiar.

H blocks, the mess, SHQ etc. It reminds me of so many places I did visit.

[norrab]

Interested to read your entry concerning Barry Hyde and his death at RAF Ouston. I was undergoing basic training on Piston Provosts at this station and remember Barry well. I was airborne on the night Barry and Jim Thomas died. As I recall, one was rejoining the circuit and the other was gaining height after take-off when the collision occured. Flying was immediately cancelled and all aircraft recalled to base. All we trainee pilots attended the full military honours funeral a few days after the event. As I remember it, one of the boys was buried in a nearby village churchyard while the ashes of the other was scattered from a helicopter over the main runway at Ouston. Our CO, Sqn Ldr Geoff Meek, a WW11 veteran, was held responsible and left us shortly thereafter. Both Barry and Jim were grand fellows and were sadly missed. I was the first deaths from flying accident that I viewed. Hope this is of some interest.
Ian Barron

[fulmar]

I did my gliding and air experience flying at Ouston in 1967-8. 11AEF, I think, had 9 Chipmunks including one they marked up as "Free Northumbrian Air Force" and the gliding school had a Sedbergh and two Kirby Cadets. On my second solo it was snowing and I landed looking a bit like the Snowman.
My spotter logs from the time show there was a Hunter wreck on the north side of the field and frequent visiting JP's from Manby.

One day I saw a Canadian (RCAF then) T33 in the hangar and the story went that the pilot was german based but had family on Tyneside and so would occasionally visit.

[RetiredBA/BY]

What a wonderfully nostalgic thread. My first time airborne was there in an AEF Chipmunk and exactly 50 years ago I was pounding the circuit there in a JP from Acklington.

Anyone remember one of the C/Os in it's latter time a an RAF station, S/L Bill Drinkell, very keen on aeromodelling and allowed the British National Model Flying Championships on his airfield. Golden days !

[Tinribs]

Ouston was our relief landing ground when I did BFT at Acklington 1964

I liked the area so much we had our honeymoon in the area and holidays there for many years

Spent five years with Eastern looking at Ouston 4 times par day then retired to Seahouses

Place feels like home

[si.]

Apologies for the thread drift, but I recall visiting once to collect some equipment, after the RAF had vacated, and left the site to the Army.

A very helpfull chap in stores refused to release the kit, with the explaination. "Well Sir, in the RAF you have Supply Sqn, which supplies things. In the British Army, we have Stores............."

[Bellerophon]

I had the pleasure of a few flights in Chipmunks at Ouston in 1969, as it was the local AEF base for my school CCF.

Chipmunk WB738, flown by an instructor named Flegg, is one combination that appears in my logbook. I'd love to think they are both still flying!

Tremendous fun, especially as that instructor had a very liberal interpretation of what a gentle AEF flight should consist of!

I tried to do my RAF Special Flying Award there, but got sent to Carlisle instead, to fly SpamCans.

[HAS59]

I flew in Chipmunks with 11 AEF as an ATC Cadet 1967 – 71. I remember seeing the “Free Northumbrian Air Force” Chippie in the hangar – but it had the wings chopped short, a parasol and had a lavatory cistern above the rear cockpit! I assumed it was a sort of student ‘rag week’ stunt. I wish I’d had a camera back then (– no photos sorry)
There was also a Spitfire in the corner of the hangar on one occasion – you can imagine how much excitement that caused.
The one instructor we all loved to fly with was Ernie Veitch, what an introduction to flight.

[cuefaye]

norrab,

Many thanks for your words; they fill-in one or two memory gaps. Barry and I had a brotherly relationship for many years, and prior to us both joining the RAF we were each awarded a Flying Scholarship and together we completed a PPL course on Chipmunks at Yeadon airport. I haven't seen her for very many years, but I'll endeavour to pass on your comments to his sister.

[Shackman]

One of those airfields that most people remember fondly - out of the way but a really good atmosphere. Did my first JP solo there in '67, when it was the RLG for 6FTS at Acklington - we'd all fly or bus over there for the day, revel in the brick built accomodation and modern hangar before going back to our nice cold pre-war hangars and SECO huts.

Of note the Spitfire was there for the whole of our time on the course, and was still there when I left after holding with NUAS for some time. Along with the Spitfire (IIRC all silver -either stripped down or painted) there were also three or four crates which had Merlin engines in them - at least that's what was stated on the outside. Rumour had it it was serviceable but there was no one to certify the paperwork, and I later heard it went off to join Hamish Mahaddie's Air Force (aka The Battle of Britain film fleet).

Like DD I also had the pleasure (??) of operating out of there in '85 on Purple Victory, but in Chinooks. I think it was one of the coldest (tented) exercises I was ever one, and I include the Arctic, as we only had 'summer scales' - not helped by being allocated a camp site right next to the runway - again good for access to our aircraft, but unfortunately also where the C130s did their engine running off loads!

[Sandy Parts]

Didn't even know it was an old RAF base! Stayed there ('Albermarle Barracks') for one night as it was closest available military bed (i.e MoD no-cost option) to Spadeadam. Also conveniently located for a night 'oot on the toon' which explains why I didn't actually use the bed in the end :). Guess it must have been a good location for a training base in its day.

[Jilldhh]

Bill Drinkell, Sqn Ldr. DFC. AFC RAF Rtd, C.O. RAF Ouston 1962/1965,
Died 21 June 2013. Spitfire fly past at his funeral on 5 July 2013.
50 - 61 Sqn web site for further information. ----- still making balsa wood planes

[smujsmith]

Did my first ATC summer camp at RAF Ouston, ISTR around 1967. What a smashing place it was. Had some great flights in the Chippies, we did a lot of .22 shooting and in the evenings, a roam accross the airfield found us sampling a shandy, I think in Stamfordham. We had a great evening out in Whitley Bay. Yep a great place to spend a week.

The last time I saw it we were dropping some of Herefords finest on to it on an exercise. I actually managed to help the crew with Glider frequencies, to contact the gliders operating there and ask them to hold launches for a few minutes.

Smudge

[Woolsington]

I'm coming very late to this thread, but hope to add something of interest to it. I took my ATC gliding course at Ouston in 1963, and recently I've been building a new website dedicated to Ouston. It includes some 30 1/72 scale models I've built; over 150 of my own photos taken there; and other information that I have researched.

It can be found by entering 'RAF Ouston Research' in google. (I'm not allowed to post urls yet on this forum)

I'd be delighted to include info and photos from others, and would like to 'cut and paste' some of the interesting comments to be found on this thread, fully credited, of course.

[Barksdale Boy]

Wasn't there an Ouston Bomb Plot a long while ago?

[Pontius Navigator]

Wasn't there an Ouston Bomb Plot a long while ago?
​​​​​​Indeed there was.

Prior to the V-Force going Low Level the radar bomb plots covered London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle and before my time Leicester and East Anglia. When the Force went LL the attack profile for the Yellow Sun required a low level approach followed by a pop up to 11,000 feet. Only a small unimportant city like Newcastle was suitable :)

Bomber Command had 3 LL routes in UK, BC/LL 21, 23 and 24. BC LL 21 started near Loch Linnie, crossed the Highlands and went South near Kinross. It continued passed Ouston. For the 2E pop-up the aircraft would turn off the route towards Newcastle and start climbing about 12-15 miles from the City centre. A favourite offset was the end of the North pier. Made a pretty good target like Leningrad.

At the time Ouston was also the only site with a jammer. This was from the B50 and required aircraft to fly a North easterly approach against a specific target that changed weekly. Shame really as East Anglia (Brantub) had had 3 jammers which would have given much better training .

[Barksdale Boy]

Thanks PN. In my day it was only used for Type 2 attacks scored by PPI and only on group exercises.

[Pontius Navigator]

BB, on one Groupex we had a tone malfunction - I switched it ON at bomb release. We claimed a malfunction and said the release w as X second earlier. As you know, scores were not passed to the aircraft in flight .

We pondered a while and on passing Ouston a second time amended our guess.

When we landed the debrief team asked why we had two scores - they didn't say what they were. We bluffed and it seemed it worked. The first guess was 1600 off yards. The second around 400. I think BS accounted for quite a number of good scores.

[Sleeve Wing]

Slightly off thread but just a little dit in connection with Ouston.
It happened during the early Summer of 1962 at Linton when three Piston Provosts from Ouston decided to pay us a visit. I was on an RN JP/Vampire course at the time, sitting in the line-hut.
We were all watching, fascinated, as we had just missed flying them and wanted a closer look.

It was going well until the unannounced stream landing when 3 overtook 2, followed by 1, ..... on the runway !
The unforgettable screech of tyres by the Tower suggested something was not quite right as our Boss, Tommy Blackham, in his CFI Vauxhall Estate, tore across the grass to remonstrate !

The three never got to visit. They were instantly dispatched whence they came, one at a time, at five minute intervals, without even leaving the cockpit !
One of those indelible lessons that we all have learned, fortunately at someone else’s expense.

[Duchess_Driver]

The one instructor we all loved to fly with was Ernie Veitch

Schoolmaster, I believe from Newcastle. Met him several times many years ago when the AEF went to Leeming. Nice fella.

Only time I visited here was to watch some rallying late 70s IIRC.

[Woolsington]

​​​​​​Indeed there was.

At the time Ouston was also the only site with a jammer. This was from the B50 and required aircraft to fly a North easterly approach against a specific target that changed weekly. Shame really as East Anglia (Brantub) had had 3 jammers which would have given much better training .

This is really interesting, and I've always been curious re these two Pembroke photos I took at Ouston in early 1966 (It was then being used as the temporary Newcastle Airport). This is what I have written about them on my "RAF Ouston Research" website on google;

"This set of photos contains much of interest. The first two show various radar-equipped trailer vehicles in the background, and these were at Ouston for several years, parked well away from curious eyes. It is possible that their purpose was to track the RAF V-bombers that regularly in the early 1960s used Newcastle as a training target for low-level attacks from the West. Nuclear capable white painted Avro Vulcans regularly came low level along the Tyne Valley, climbing sharply and very loudly at Benwell, before banking sharply away at the top of their climb. This was the standard 'lob-bombing ' nuclear attack profile, and it is likely that the mobile radar units at Ouston were there to monitor the training, and award 'marks out of ten' to the trainees."

I'm not ex-RAF, just a former Air Cadet, so I was trying to 'put two and two together'. During my school days at Rutherford in Newcastle (west end near Benwell), our assemblies and lessons were often shattered by the noise of a Vulcan or Victor climbing out on full power. All conversation ceased for several minutes. And one glorious morning it all co-incided with a new Centurion Tank being driven from Vickers, Scotwood, along the adjacent West Road down to the docks. That was the only thing that could top a Vulcan on full power!

Clarification and comments welcome, please.

[Vulbuctor]

The radar trailers in post 45 belonged to 735 Radar Bomb Scoring Unit where Iserved for a few months in 1965. Its role was to track V Force simulated bombing runs, and through a clever contraption of wheels, cogs and a plotting table, provide a bombscore in yards. Some attacks were indeed pop-ups from 500ft to 11000ft on various targets in the Tyneside area. Newcastle airport ATC had a veto over these runs and could call abort at any stage if there were conflictions. The unit did possess a very powerful jammer which could cause the nav radar some difficulty. Once the pop-up attack became obsolete Ouston Bombplot became redundant and moved to Coningsby where it was known as Tumby Bombplot, a more suitable area for low level bomb scoring.

[Pontius Navigator]

The unit did possess a very powerful jammer which could cause the nav radar some difficulty.

The beam was fairly narrow and supposedly covering 9375 MHz. We had to fly a specific track towards the target but by using sector scan we could avoid 'looking' at the target and the jamming spoke. We were forced to use offset aiming points to either side of the target and jamming spoke. Occasionally we got luck and the H2S and the jammer freqs were different and the jammer was ineffective. I do remember one attack when I had forgotten it was to be jammed and my offsets were in the jamming beam. now that did cause problems.

[Woolsington]

Many thanks for the replies, and clarification, from 'Vulbuctor' and 'Pontious Navigator'. I'm delighted to finally, after a mere 52 years, have confirmation regarding the radar trailers parked at Ouston.

I'll amend my "RAF Ouston Research" website on Google, to give a better caption to the Pembroke photos. And fully credit the source of the information.

I'm in the process of adding my 'spotters logs' to the website, and these will include several Vulcan and Victor sightings, all unfortunately without aircraft serial numbers. Is it too much to hope that some of these sightings might coincide with surviving crew logbook entries? It would also be of interest to know which RAF Squadrons or units were involved in th

[Heathrow Harry]

" climbing sharply and very loudly at Benwell " - no doubt aiming to "hit" the Ministry (DHSS) at Benton .....................

maybe they actually did...................

[Pontius Navigator]

" climbing sharply and very loudly at Benwell " - no doubt aiming to "hit" the Ministry (DHSS) at Benton .....................

maybe they actually did...................

On a 2E pop up attack the essential need was to start at 500 feet before a rapid climb and a bunt too level flight at 11,000 feet. Many times when the weather was bad we flew the low level at MSFL and were at 4,000 feet of higher at the start - waste of time really.

Well one day, Phil Largeson, ex-OC12 but guesting from 1 Gp, saw a hole in the clouds just after turning off the LL route for the target. As the nav called climb Phil dived through the hole achieving 500 feet (with a downward vector) and now well passed the pop up point. Having got to 500 feet he rotated on full power and much greater angle of climb than normal. The aircraft, now at relatively low speed, max thrust, and at about 200 feet, dug out a field of cabbages. I do not recall how the rest of the bomb run went :)

[Out Of Trim]

Apparently, planned to be the location for the UK's first Space Port HQ.





.





" Ouston, we have a problem! ". :}


Sorry couldn't resist!

[fleigle]

Out of Trim
"Apparently, planned to be the location for the UK's first Space Port HQ."

Did you read The Great North Road too?
f

[Prangster]

[QUOTE=Out Of Trim;10145743]Apparently, planned to be the location for the UK's first Space Port HQ.
Nothing to do with the bomb plot but a really off the wall situation where we found our ATC wing confined to camp because of foot and mouth disease restrictions. To eveyones delight PO blank actually contracted foot and mouth, as it only infected the cloven hoofed it just went to prove he really was a bit of a devil




.





" Ouston, we have a problem! ". :}


Sorry couldn't resist![/Q

[Heathrow Harry]

For many years it was (is??) an overnight parking spot for N-warheads on the Faslane - Burghfield bus service..................

[ASRAAMTOO]

Schoolmaster, I believe from Newcastle. Met him several times many years ago when the AEF went to Leeming. Nice fella.

Only time I visited here was to watch some rallying late 70s IIRC.

He taught chemistry at John Marlay school in Newcastle and continued flying for 11 AEF after the move to Leeming, would have retired mid to late nineties. He passed away early 2000s although my memory is vague about the date.

[Woolsington]

[QUOTE=Out Of Trim;
" Ouston, we have a problem! ". :}


Sorry couldn't resist![/QUOTE]

Very apt comment actually. Every time I try to google "Ouston" (to see if anything fresh comes up), google delights in offering 10 million entries for "Houston".

And talking of UK space ports, I remember well as a lad, in Fenham in Newcastle on a still evening, clearly hearing the Blue Streak rocket test firing at Spadeadam in Cumberland. A mere 60-odd miles away!

[dytham]

Yes - I remember him well. His son John lodged with us to complete his local schooling when his family were posted on.

Charles Dytham

[dytham]

I lived at Ouston, with my parents, from 1950 until it closed. We had a flat in the officers' mess + my father Stan Dytham was a chef there + in the airmans' mess too.

Charles Dytham