Sharjah. OLD airport
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A superb thread. This whole area was my stamping ground in the 70s and early 80s. I doubt if I would recognise any of it now judging from the pictures I have seen.I hope someone can get a website going on the region though the years. I remember I was in a bookshop in Jeddah a few years back and they had a book on Aviation in The Trucial States with a number of excellent pictures and I could kick myself for not buying it now as I cannot remember the author or publisher
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"Saiq International"
In response to what brakedwell has said about Saiq airfield up on Jebel Akhdar in Oman, and especially his recent amazing films on YouTube, I was up exploring what is left of the Saiq strip last weekend, 29 August 2008. It is quite difficult to find, and the whole area is very rough indeed. We could not even find the sandy strips that brakedwell described and of which he sent me a photo privately. I think the surface has been eroded since then. But it was exciting to stand on the threshold and imagine the Twin Pin coming in, and even more so to stand in Sharaijah village perched high above the strip and imagine brakedwell's plane approaching that enormous cliff on finals. Rather him than me.
The fort seems to have disappeared, and the whole area is being encroached upon by an army camp and housing.
Laurence
The fort seems to have disappeared, and the whole area is being encroached upon by an army camp and housing.
Laurence
A fascinating thread, thank you gentlemen. Do any of you have any tales to tell about a Hudson, or possibly a Mitchell, I seem to recall lurking, along with other interesting aircraft, around the edges of the airfield at Sharjah in about 1969?
Jack
Jack
We have already covered this in a previous thread but I think you are talking about the fleet of the JW Mecom Oil Company which used to be based at Midway/Thumrait.
The aircraft were flown to Sharjah when the operation was closed down. The Lockheed Lodestar didn't make it beyond Sharjah and ended up in a scrapyard downtown.
The B-23 Dragon (N86E) and the C-82 Packet (N127E) didn't make it past Athens and ended up being scrapped there.
The only one that made it all the way back to the USA was the C-46 Commando (N9588Z).
The aircraft were flown to Sharjah when the operation was closed down. The Lockheed Lodestar didn't make it beyond Sharjah and ended up in a scrapyard downtown.
The B-23 Dragon (N86E) and the C-82 Packet (N127E) didn't make it past Athens and ended up being scrapped there.
The only one that made it all the way back to the USA was the C-46 Commando (N9588Z).
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So you are one of the guys that would wake us in the wee hours! ........along with the Sterling Caravelle. The old RAF Sharjah field, was near the town. In fact adjacent the old fort.............which used to be operated by International Air Radio, the fort that is! Did you by any chance take your 1-11's into the old Muscat base at Bait-al-falaj.............now that was a interesting approach!
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Firq Saiq
True, they do exist. I have one. Arabic 4 with a palm tree. My example is green and very skinny. Not something that one can comfortably wear nowadays.
I have spent many a night in the fort at Sharjah (when it was occupied by IAL). I could always imagine the old days when the Imperial Airways HP42 landed and taxied up to the front gates and the passengers made a dash towards civilisation to have the doors clang shut behind them.
I particularly remember the concrete soldiers that manned the parapets and often wondered just who was intimidated or fooled by these apparitions.
Even after Sharjah got its tarmac runway (which was only 100 feet wide) the old airfield datum point was still there to the west of the new runway.
To the youngsters in our midst, this was a tarmac circle which sometimes had the airfield letter in the centre. Would you believe, the Sharjah one had an "S" in the centre.
I can also remember one at Riyan and another at the old landing field in Masirah (half way down the island on the left hand side).
I particularly remember the concrete soldiers that manned the parapets and often wondered just who was intimidated or fooled by these apparitions.
Even after Sharjah got its tarmac runway (which was only 100 feet wide) the old airfield datum point was still there to the west of the new runway.
To the youngsters in our midst, this was a tarmac circle which sometimes had the airfield letter in the centre. Would you believe, the Sharjah one had an "S" in the centre.
I can also remember one at Riyan and another at the old landing field in Masirah (half way down the island on the left hand side).
Bait al Falaj
Did you by any chance take your 1-11's into the old Muscat base at Bait-al-falaj.............now that was a interesting approach!
The runway at Bait al Falaj was originally a gravel strip about 4200 ft long and quite narrow (60 ft?). The next stage came when they concreted about 500 ft at each end.
Then, when SOAF ordered Strikemasters to replace the Piston Provosts, they decided that the whole runway needed to concreted. They started from both ends moving towards the middle and then realised that they weren't going to meet!
Thus the nice new runway had a 2 or 3 degree heading change halfway down. It looked quite strange coming down finals but not so obvious after landing.
Gulf Aviation did indeed start a schedule into Bait with the BAC 1-11. It ran about once a week and it would be fair to say that they did not have a lot of room to spare.
Then, when SOAF ordered Strikemasters to replace the Piston Provosts, they decided that the whole runway needed to concreted. They started from both ends moving towards the middle and then realised that they weren't going to meet!
Thus the nice new runway had a 2 or 3 degree heading change halfway down. It looked quite strange coming down finals but not so obvious after landing.
Gulf Aviation did indeed start a schedule into Bait with the BAC 1-11. It ran about once a week and it would be fair to say that they did not have a lot of room to spare.
I remember it being shorter than 4200 ft in 1959/61. In April 1961 I was on detachment at Ibri with the SAS. Our Twin Pioneer had inoperative Flaps and Slats, which were physically locked up after a chain and sprocket failure caused by sand contamination. Unbeknown to me and the squadron engineers at Bahrain, operating the flaps also bled the hydraulic brake system. The brakes became spongier and spongier until pumping them before landing became ineffective. I flew to Bait so that the Airwork engineers could take a look at the problem. A flapless landing in calm conditions followed by a total brake failure resulted in us running slowly off the end of the strip (downhill) and through a barbed wire fence before coming to a halt in Brigadier Smiley's "back yard". No damage to the aircraft and the welcoming G&T from Mrs Smiley was a good start to a very pleasant night stop! From then on we visited Bait on a weekly basis to have the brakes bled and eat something edible!
I was lucky enough to ride along on the proving flight with the GF BAC 1-11 to Bait-al-Falaj. It was a condition of the sale of the ex-Phillipines 400s (I think they were) that the CAA, who regulated Gulf at that time, would approve scheduled operations into Bait-al-Falaj. The aircraft was crewed by BAE pilots, but there were some GF ones there as well who had done the course.
It was an interesting day starting with the first approach and landing (down the valley going Northish, aim for the painted spot on the hillside, look right for the runway, turn just before hitting the hill and get it down quick on account of there's no option to go round, if I remember rightly. OK in a DC3, even F27, but challenging in the jet, they said).
Then a number of take-offs and landings with just the test crew on board, simulated engine failures at various stages, and then the same again with ballast up to MTOW (or some quite high number), and the aircraft passed with 'flying' colours.
The final departure, after a necessary change of the main wheels, had us all back on board, with some ballast and fuel for Bahrain, GF crew flying, and a failure at V1; Rex E was sitting beside me in the cabin and as we watched the crest getting closer he said conversationally "I've just done the course, I've been flying here for years, and what I know is we'll hit about 200ft below the top".
A few moments later, there was a shove in the back as the "failed" engine was recalled into service, and we lifted over the crest nicely.
The CAA gave their approval and the rest is history.
It was an interesting day starting with the first approach and landing (down the valley going Northish, aim for the painted spot on the hillside, look right for the runway, turn just before hitting the hill and get it down quick on account of there's no option to go round, if I remember rightly. OK in a DC3, even F27, but challenging in the jet, they said).
Then a number of take-offs and landings with just the test crew on board, simulated engine failures at various stages, and then the same again with ballast up to MTOW (or some quite high number), and the aircraft passed with 'flying' colours.
The final departure, after a necessary change of the main wheels, had us all back on board, with some ballast and fuel for Bahrain, GF crew flying, and a failure at V1; Rex E was sitting beside me in the cabin and as we watched the crest getting closer he said conversationally "I've just done the course, I've been flying here for years, and what I know is we'll hit about 200ft below the top".
A few moments later, there was a shove in the back as the "failed" engine was recalled into service, and we lifted over the crest nicely.
The CAA gave their approval and the rest is history.
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slight correction..
I know this is an ancient post.. but..
After being scrapped at Strathallen XK655's nose was badly trashed by the scrapman who pulled it across a field on it's roof. It came to Carlisle but suffered a fall from it's towing trailer on the M6 motorway - somewhat ironic given its poor landing at Strathallen. After a couple of years I bought it, and began the restoration process inside, including replacing instruments pinched by a previous. It's not strictly true that it deteriorated in private hands. It resided first in my back garden near Cockermouth, then onto Solway Aviation Museum after a repaint in 51Sqn scheme. Still, the skinning damage was quite bad in a couple of places. I sold it to Gatwick and Skysport finally repaired the outside - something requiring more tooling than I had available. Strange to see it now so far away - but looking really good!
After being scrapped at Strathallen XK655's nose was badly trashed by the scrapman who pulled it across a field on it's roof. It came to Carlisle but suffered a fall from it's towing trailer on the M6 motorway - somewhat ironic given its poor landing at Strathallen. After a couple of years I bought it, and began the restoration process inside, including replacing instruments pinched by a previous. It's not strictly true that it deteriorated in private hands. It resided first in my back garden near Cockermouth, then onto Solway Aviation Museum after a repaint in 51Sqn scheme. Still, the skinning damage was quite bad in a couple of places. I sold it to Gatwick and Skysport finally repaired the outside - something requiring more tooling than I had available. Strange to see it now so far away - but looking really good!
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Heliops 1971 78 Sqdn
Remember Nizwa (Firq) and Saiq - Yes got the tie.
I have been reading with interest the TOS and Omani nostalgia
The Omex Patrols with the Sultan's Forces were always favourites with 78
Sdn Wessex Crews. In particular I remember the latrine behind the Bungalow that had bullet holes. One first timer pilot did not believe it was
shot at by dissidants until a round one went through whilst he was sitting.
I have been reading with interest the TOS and Omani nostalgia
The Omex Patrols with the Sultan's Forces were always favourites with 78
Sdn Wessex Crews. In particular I remember the latrine behind the Bungalow that had bullet holes. One first timer pilot did not believe it was
shot at by dissidants until a round one went through whilst he was sitting.
