RAF Marham posting
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As I've said in another thread, I was at Marham twice, the 2nd time I ASKED to be posted there.
The 1st time I spent 3 years and 8 months on 214 Sqdn, the 2nd time 5 months prior to demob.
It does seem that those of us that were on 214, whether during the Valiant or Victor period, enjoyed our time more than those assigned elswhere on the Station.
Does this say something for the Sqdn?
The 1st time I spent 3 years and 8 months on 214 Sqdn, the 2nd time 5 months prior to demob.
It does seem that those of us that were on 214, whether during the Valiant or Victor period, enjoyed our time more than those assigned elswhere on the Station.
Does this say something for the Sqdn?
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Having just posted my previous message, I sadly received this in my e-mail.
Well I still have 2 sqdn ties, one ever so slightly beer stained from nearly 60 years ago and a replacement I got from the Sqdn Assoc.
Well I still have 2 sqdn ties, one ever so slightly beer stained from nearly 60 years ago and a replacement I got from the Sqdn Assoc.
Your link doesn't appear to be working Ian (Page not found)
Meanwhile here's some old 8mm film of 214 Valiants for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pLQD-LuCho
Meanwhile here's some old 8mm film of 214 Valiants for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pLQD-LuCho
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Your link doesn't appear to be working Ian (Page not found)
Meanwhile here's some old 8mm film of 214 Valiants for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pLQD-LuCho
Meanwhile here's some old 8mm film of 214 Valiants for you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pLQD-LuCho
Thanks for the youtube link, I see the 8mm movie was taken by David Wright, he is the artist that provided the front piece for 'The Valiant Boys'.
I didn't see me at Karachi! A couple of the guys clambering aboard with Nav Bags had vaguely familiar faces.
I have a couple of Look at Life DVD's, that include a segment on 214 in the early days of IFR.
If I put extracts up on youtube, would I be in copyright trouble?
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Try this: http://www.214squadron.org.uk/Squadr...ummer_2017.pdf
I have a couple of Look at Life DVD's, that include a segment on 214 in the early days of IFR.
If I put extracts up on youtube, would I be in copyright trouble?
I have a couple of Look at Life DVD's, that include a segment on 214 in the early days of IFR.
If I put extracts up on youtube, would I be in copyright trouble?
I remember a few years ago when I ran a "British Jet Engine" website, I had scanned and reproduced several diagrams from the Rolls Royce book "The Jet Engine". After a couple of years I got a nice email from Rolls Royce pointing out that the diagrams belonged to them but they acknowledged that my web site was a non commercial enthusiasts site. They said that if I asked formally to publish the diagrams and annotated them "© Rolls Royce Ltd" then I could continue using them. They were very good about it.
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Look @ Life extract on youtube
I've extracted the 8 or 9-minute item.
It is called Pipeline, it is evenly split with the 1st half about the RN refuelling at sea. But it is a carrier they refuel!
With my colonial barbed wire & wet string Internet connection it should be uploaded by about 13:45 GMT.
There are several familiar faces in it, but after the intervening half century the only name that I can remember with certainty is the Squadron Leader drawing a line from Kano to Cape Town was John 'Johnny' H Garstin. He was the captain of the a/c that did the 1st none stop flights to and from Singapore and the 18 hour around UK 'dry run' for the Singapore flight.
At the time the 18hr flight was the longest for a jet a/c, a week or so later the USAF did us the honour of taking the record back.
When the upload is finished I'll post the URL.
It is called Pipeline, it is evenly split with the 1st half about the RN refuelling at sea. But it is a carrier they refuel!
With my colonial barbed wire & wet string Internet connection it should be uploaded by about 13:45 GMT.
There are several familiar faces in it, but after the intervening half century the only name that I can remember with certainty is the Squadron Leader drawing a line from Kano to Cape Town was John 'Johnny' H Garstin. He was the captain of the a/c that did the 1st none stop flights to and from Singapore and the 18 hour around UK 'dry run' for the Singapore flight.
At the time the 18hr flight was the longest for a jet a/c, a week or so later the USAF did us the honour of taking the record back.
When the upload is finished I'll post the URL.
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The video is up on youtube, the URL is:
https://youtu.be/BImmtqe5xbg
https://youtu.be/BImmtqe5xbg
Terrific Ian, I haven't seen that one before. Interesting that they are still using the old solid drogue which was replaced by the type with alloy strakes which opened out in the airstream. The Look at Life people were taking a few liberties - hoping that we wouldn't notice that the "bomber base" and the "tanker base" were both Marham! All in a good cause though.
Interesting that they are still using the old solid drogue
The underwing tanks held 12,000 lbs. of fuel each. At the top of descent the checklist called for the residual fuel to be jettisoned. My self-appointed task was to hoard as much fuel in them as possible so as to leave a nice white cloud over the coast.
Unfortunately this would leave insufficient fuel to pound the circuit for ages so we would then end up in the bar.
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Pleased that y'all like it.
I was in front of the cameras several times, but I seem to have ended on the cutting room floor, as they say!
So ended my acting career. Holywood never knew what it missed.
I was in front of the cameras several times, but I seem to have ended on the cutting room floor, as they say!
So ended my acting career. Holywood never knew what it missed.
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It can be roughly dated if anyone knows when 49 Sqdn moved to Marham.
When we ceased doing trials and became the 1st operational tanker sqdn, 49 Sqdn was posted to Marham to make up the 3 sqdn Wing. Seeing as they were a 'bomber' sqdn it made sense to give them our dispersal and we moved to a point on the airfield quite close to Swaffham. When we got there we discovered the lack of running water and drains. We had tanked water and Elsan toilets.
At this time I discovered the real value of a Class 'C' licence for the Morris RVT and excuses to visit the Electronics Centre.
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Isn't Pprune wunnerful? A veritable gold mine of data.
So seeing as in the Look @ Life video the use of Karachi is mentioned and I know that the 1st time we went there was for the flight to Changi, 'cos I was there, I seemed to get lumbered with Karachi
, and we were away over Whitsuntide May 1960, we can now date the video to within that 13 month period.
So seeing as in the Look @ Life video the use of Karachi is mentioned and I know that the 1st time we went there was for the flight to Changi, 'cos I was there, I seemed to get lumbered with Karachi
, and we were away over Whitsuntide May 1960, we can now date the video to within that 13 month period.
Ian,
No, looked it up on the association web page for you. I didn't arrive at Marham until nearly 41 years later
No, looked it up on the association web page for you. I didn't arrive at Marham until nearly 41 years later
