RAF Bridlington in the 50s/60s?

[Speedbird48]

RAF Bridlington.

Daveboats,

If you happen to come across anyone with photographs of one of the piston Whirlwinds from Leconfield working with the Bridlington launch from the early '60's I may just be the guy on the wire underneath the machine, and would appreciate a copy. Or, any pictures of the piston Whirlwinds that we had on 228 squadron from those times. I was there when the squadron changed numbers and also changed from the Sycamore to the Whirlwind.

Thanks for the offer. Please use a PM if you find any and I can give address and get the payment to you.

Speedbird48

[Could be the last?]

MDJETFAN,

Not being picky chap, 'Humberside AP' was Kirmington.

Killingholme was a RNAS Base prior to WWII with various sea planes. During WWII, North Killingholme AF was operational for only 16 months and had only one sqn, 550 Sqn. On a historical note, 550 Sqn (LL811 J-Jig) Known as Bad Penny II dropped the first bombs to open the assault on Normandy. See Patrick Otter's book on Lincs AF of WWII

Back to the the thread:

My Grandfather was a marine eng at RAF Bridlington circa late 50s. If anyone served with Cpl Bob Humphrey, I would be grateful to hear from them; unfortunately, he passed away in 95. PM me with any dits.

Thanks

[daveboats1]

RAF Bridlington

ref RAF Bridlington

The main site for Air Sea Rescue Marine Crafts Sections
is ASRMCS CLUB.COM

Other sites that may be of use
Bridlingtonfreepress co.uk picture galleries
Hull daily mail
Yorkshire Post
RAF Bridlington on Google seems to be bringing up more info
than it did a few weeks ago
There is an asrmcs club in Bridlington but it does not have
a web site
hope this is a help to you all

[Johnboyes]

Thor at Carnaby

6Z3
Interested to hear that your father was OC RAF Carnaby during the Thor and Bloodhound era. Have just published a book on Thor and the RAF but I am continuing my researches. I have not visited Carnaby - hope to do so soon - though I know that very little if anything remains. Any memories about the Thors would be of interest to me. I presume that your father lived in the puropose built house: does it still exist?

[captain.speaking]

THOR at Carnaby

6Z3

Lived near there as a boy - my parents had a friend who was an ex-USAF Colonel who was the head rep. in the area from the makers of the "missulls" who I think lived at Kilham and was know locally as "The Sheriff of Kilham" - possibly his name was Gears - ring any bells ?

[Union Jack]

MDJETFAN

"The primarly reason the MCU was based at Brid initially, was not ASR, but they were equipped with armoured launches which were bombed by a/c operating from Catfoss"

Sounds pretty scary put like that, but presumably these launches were the forerunners of the target towing craft of later years.

Jack

[Magp1e]

In the late 90's, the building in the harbour at the top of the launch ramp was a resteraunt (Blue Lobster). In the foyer of the resteraurant was a display cabinet containing a toolbox and uniform items marked as belonging to LAC Shaw. May still be there.

[gregsearch]

SAC Eric Jackson was stationed there in 1964 and I'd like to locate him or otherwise find out what happened to him..can anyone help please ?

[bobward]

RAF Carnaby

In the English Heritage book on Cold Ward artifacts is a drawing of RAF Carnaby. It was apparently down as a dispersal base for v Bombers, as well as being a Thor site.

[Clockwork Mouse]

I did my first sea dunking from RAF Bridlington in 1969 while I was stationed at RAF Topcliffe. We dry winch trained at Leconfield (I think) and were then bussed off to Bridders. Out in the very smart ASR launch and thrown into the oggin about a mile out. Each time we managed to scramble into our dinghies they came past at speed and capsized us. After about an hour and sick as parrots we were winched up by a Whirlwind flown by an AAC Capt on secondment, lucky blighter. Can't remember anything about the shore base I'm afraid.

[bspatz]

1104 MCU Photo

Seeing this thread has forced me to dig out this photo and scan it in. Taken in about 1969 it show an 1104 MCU Pinnace? almost certainly taken from a 202 Sqn Whirlwind. I always liked the photo which was on the wall in the photographic section at RAF Leconfield and managed to get myself a copy to remind me of the wet and dry winches I carried out with the Bridlington based boats.

[Tinribs]

North Sea Swimming

I was in the V force in the late 60s and we all toddled off to Bridlington to be dumped in the sea and collected by a chopper everycouple of years

If you went when the sea was cold you got a leaky goon suit if not you went in your oldest flying suit

The training was excellent with dragging in the harness and practice at getting out of the crutch loop

I think someone died of aheart attack having jumped in the sea to quickly from the nice warm hold but it was along time ago so it could just be a story

[chevvron]

If this thread were in A H & N it might get more replies.
Carnaby of course was one of the three airfields re-constructed specifically as 'emergency' runways, the other two being Woodbridge and Manston.
I think the spec was 9000ft x 450ft giving 3 parallel strips of 150ft (ie the 'normal' width of a runway) x 3000yds, so that if a strip was blocked by a crashed aircraft, the adjacent one could be used. The loop taxiways adjacent to the runway and still visible at Woodbridge were constructed for the wreckage to be deposited there by means of bulldozers.

[Seasidelad364]

Bridlington 1964

I was a Radio Operator on P1387 in 1964 which was based at Bridlington.
I have some photographs taken at the time by me of the wet Winching of Aircrew. I think they were taken off Bridlington. One shows the Helicopter and winchman on the wire. Eric Jackson is also seen in the photo.
It was my job to relay the Boats skippers instructions to the pilot.
We also operated off Great Yarmouth on Aircrew Survival for the Norfolk and Suffolk bases.
I can email photos if anyone interested.

[Alan Hooper]

RAF Marine Craft

Hi Seasidelad364,
I am very interested in the pictures you mention. I also served on the 'Boats' with the RAF, both in the UK (Falmouth & Mountbatten) and overseas (Gibraltar & Aden). I did several dinghy drill runs at MtBatten, but never got the chance to get any pictures. I have only just found this forum, which is the reason I haven't attempted to contact you before.

[TripleC]

Bridlington

Hello Seaside Lad. My father, Colin Chandler was OC Brid at about that time, any photos would be much appreciated.

[Linedog]

The sea shall not have them is available on you tube.

[TripleC]

Brid

Thank you Fugazi for starting this thread. My family have many happy memories of Brid. As I said on a previous post, our father, Colin Chandler was the CO there for a time and we lived out at Carnaby. Two memories stick in my mind, one was that , when the tide was out Brid harbour was dry and nothing could move including the RAF launch. (was it a Pinnace or a TTL?). Secondly, a civilian light aircraft made a forced landing at Carnaby once and when my father and I got there we discovered the pilot was Hughie Green. Anyone remember him? The oil-pressure on one of his engines was a bit low so we drove him to the local garage to buy a couple of cans of oil and let him stand on the roof of our car to top up the tank. By way of thanks he took us for a flight and since I had just gained my PPL (I was only 17!) he allowed me to land it back at Carnaby. That flight is still in my logbook!

[Al R]

I was in Swansea last week, and saw a former RAF vessel parked up in the marina; service serial number was 1655. When the trade disbanded (85/86?) a few remustered to be gunners, one came to my section.

Did the various units come under a unified command structure and was there someone who acted as OiC boats?

[thing]

I can remember the Marine Branch boat at Brid as a nipper. I don't know if my memory is playing tricks but I'm sure I remember people firing machine guns into the water off the jetty under supervision of the military. This would have been late '50's. Can any of you older Brid hands confirm or deny that as it's a story I've told many times over the years and want to know if it was a flight of fancy!

Good to see the Yorkshire Belle is still plying it's trade. I have photos of me from the 50's aboard her.