Rolls Royce Avon dropped by a Belvedere

[Alex Crawford]

Hi,


I'm trying to find out some details of a RR Avon engine that was dropped by a Belvedere at Khormaksar, possibly in 1964.


The Avon was being flown from a carrier moored offshore to Khormaksar to be used to repair a Sea Vixen. The Belvedere came into the final approach and was hit by some heavy turbulence. The co-pilot, Bill Smith, had his hand near the jettison handle and the turbulence caused him to grab the handle and the Avon dropped some height to the ground. The pilot was Lt Spreadbury.


If possible I would like to find out the serial of the Sea Vixen and Belvedere and the cause of its engine failure and what Squadron/carrier it came from.


Any help would be appreciated.


Regards,


Alex

[zetec2]

Seem to remember they dropped a Beaver being brought back from a forced landing at Sheik Ohtman early in 64.

[500e]

Have hear that as well zetec 2

[CharlieOneSix]

If that is ex-RN helicopter pilot Lt Ted Spreadbury he later joined Autair. I heard the story of the dropped Avon and was out in the Mid/Far East a year after this happened but can't get the little grey cells working in order to remember which carrier (which would have given the Squadron number).

[Alex Crawford]

Hi,


The story was told to me by Flt Lt Perrott, who sent a pile of stuff about his time on Belvederes with 26 Sqn in Aden. Just trying to fill in some extra details for my book on the Belvedere.


Alex

[Dave B]

Alex
More likely to be Belvedere pilot John Spreadbury, who I flew with, he was also my Chief Pilot at Bristows Port Harcourt in the 70s
At the time he would have been a Flight Lieutenant

[Nigel Osborn]

Zetec

The plane you mentioned was an army Beaver which had an engine failure late in the day. The pilot, a mad major, spent the night having a shooting battle to protect his plane & himself. The next morning The Belvedere came to pick it up & flew off a bit too fast. The young pilot never realised that the Beaver was near vne & flying quite happily. When it flew past the Belvedere, I'm exaggerating!, the pilot panicked & jetisoned it. The major was furious to see what happened after he had spent the night protecting it! I'm told he pulled his gun out to shoot the Belvedere pilots & had to be restrained!!
Moral..........don't upset mad majors by destroying their aircraft!!

[zetec2]

Thanks Nigel, memory dims but I was on 105 Argosies at the time & remember every flight and event with a Belvedere was worth watching, after the starter fires and other incidents at Khormaksar the Beaver was just the icing on the cake, 26 Sqd offered "round the bay" flights to station personel but don't remember many take ups better to watch from afar than risk life & limb !, guess shouldn't knock them too much as they did eventually do sterling work during Radfan, maybe a bit before it`s time, who can guess what a bit of development could have done PH.

[unstable load]

If that is ex-RN helicopter pilot Lt Ted Spreadbury he later joined Autair.
He died a few months back. Great guy, he was! RIP, Ted.