safetypee

IIRC the VC 10 was grounded and prepared for sale, but with little interest as it was ‘non standard’. One viewer from ‘Africa’ seeking a source of spares commented that the aircraft was in better condition than his that were still flying!
Didn’t the Bedford’ fin end up on the test VC10 tanker after a crack was discovered?

yakker

Qinetiq is be closing whats left of RAE Bedford, the lease finishes at Thurliegh next March, so that is the end of that.
The good news is I have heard the old documents, photos and film is being trawled through by some ex-boffins. This may then be published including a DVD documenting the history of RAE Bedford.

saman

Seeing mention of the noise trials raises a question from me. I joined Hatfield in September 1973 and worked in the Instrument Lab as an introduction to the industry before moving to the Project Office in December 1973.

During that period, we took part in an excercise on airframe self noise generation that required flying an aircraft over a microphone array in a variety of configurations (u/c up and down, u/c doors open and closed and with different combinations of slat and flap position) with a minimum level of engine noise - as close to low level gliding as safety would allow. This excercise employed not only the HSA team from Hatfield but also a team from BAC at Weybridge and some folks from RAE. The ex-BUA VC10 was used during my time at the site and some of the flying was 'quite dramatic' with a low power pass over the microphones followed by a very late and noisy application of power with the runway ever so close! And boy was it cold!

Whilst we were there - Nov / Dec time in 1973 - a Hastings and a Comet - both allocated to RAE for some research works - did a photo flight with the airfield as the backdrop and a Dove/Devon as the photo aircraft. The Comet and Hastings changing position to be closer to the Devon and the airfield. We were told that both the Comet and Hastings were about to go and so the photos were taken as a momento. My very unreliable memory tells me that bo the the Comet and Hastings were in more or less standard RAF Transport Command colours rather than RAE colours - unlike the VC10 and the 1-11.

Has anyone got any of these photos? I would love a copy to remind me of some very happy days when I learned a lot.

Earlonics

I have photo's of the RAE fleet during 1992. What are you after I have pic's of the Seaking in fact I used to Fly a RC Helicopter with a similar setup as I attached a Camera to the front of the RC Helicopter in the same arangement.

Loki

saman

As far as I can remember, the Hastings was in a predominantly blue finish. I think you`re right about the Comet. We are of course talking about 35 years ago....ho hum.

I remember the VC10 noise trials, certainly looked amazing from the tower!

saman

Loki,

Trust me, from out on the airfield - I seem to remember we had our caravan near the VTOL pit - they were sensational! Especially when, after one particular pass, the usual noise did not come on after the usual 'x' seconds after it passed overhead - and we all rushed out the 'van to see the VC10 just climbing away from a very very very low altitude at very high alpha supported on solid black carbon and solid noise!

Saman

Robert Woodhouse

Back in 1966 I recollect the walking out to the main runway to greet a U2 pilot who had just landed. Years later I met him again - his name was Ed Smart and he had become the IFALPA representative on the ICAO Air Navigation Commission. Small world!

T-21

During April/May 1967 a WU-2A "66722" was detached to Thurleigh for a clear air turbulence research project "Hicat". it entailed flights of up to 9 hours from Scotland to Norway. The pilot was Captain Ken Mason of USAF. The U-2 is now at the Wright -Patterson Museum.