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RAF KHORMAKSAR

Old 8th Mar 2015, 22:40
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Nothing to do with helicopters but a recent encounter with an eye surgeon and reading this thread brought back a lot of memories of my early career on the Beverleys of 84 squadron in the 59/60 era and a surprising outcome for some ex-military facilities.
I attended the eye clinic to have my cataract assessed and was seen by a consultant who clearly was not of English extraction. In reply to his enquiry as to my former employment I told him I had served in the RAF for 30+ years. 'Had I ever been to Aden?' was his next question and when I answered in the affirmative he told me that he was originally from Aden and, because his father was a civil servant working in the dockyard he had qualified for and been assigned a former Officer's Married Quarter at Khormaksar. He had grown up there so now we know how the quarters were utilised after the British pullout.
I wonder if it was one of those in which we had so many riotous parties in the old days?

RR
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Old 9th Mar 2015, 13:52
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I had a [Sycamore] refam ride with Digger Barrell at Northolt in 1971.
Further research indicates a final final OSD for the Sycamore of August '72 , which was of course from 32 as it was by then (Metropolitan Comm took over the numberplate in February '69).
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Old 9th Mar 2015, 16:13
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Interesting, Ramraider. When I was there the Regiment did 24 hour Land Rover patrols around the base, including the MQs. I was normally in the ops room with my sergeant and a signaller, and we initially wondered why there was competition among the blokes to be allocated a particular patrol area at night. All became clear when someone revealed that a teenage occupant of one MQ used to put on a nightly strip-show at the lighted window of her room for the benefit of the patrols. Naturally the sergeant and I had to instigate spot checks on the patrols to make sure they were being carried out effectively

Just had a look at Khormaksar on Google earth. Seems in a sad state, with as far as I can make out a total of two transport aircraft up near the civvie airport end and a couple of helicopters over where the Argosies used to be parked.

It all looked a bit different in 1966!
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Old 9th Mar 2015, 17:56
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Mention of "where the Argosies used to park" led me to this piece of nostalgia. The long building at the extreme right of the photograph was my old home when I was on 105 Sqn. We were upstairs and 84 Sqn were downstairs. We shared a coffee bar in the basement where Saif, a Yemeni, presided.
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Old 9th Mar 2015, 18:50
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Not many aircraft down the route, apart from Britannias. When was that photo taken Jock?
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Old 10th Mar 2015, 08:01
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MRT WING HQ in the 90s

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Old 10th Mar 2015, 08:06
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MRT WING HQ

Sadly this was how it appeared to "Stompie" Stableford when he staged through in a Dak in the 90's. Glad to see the Yemenis kept the place sparkly. On a trip to Thumrait we once got a call from an Aeroflot enquiring if we had anybody on board who was in Aden. On giving the affirmative they replied "We know why you left!"
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Old 10th Mar 2015, 10:43
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It wasn't a Dak. It was DC-4 ZS-BMH and the year was 1998. By the way, Stompy was my co-pilot on 105 and we are still in daily contact.

John: I'm not sure when that photograph was taken but I think it was before my time. I'll try to ferret out the original and see if there are any clues on the back.
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Old 10th Mar 2015, 11:01
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And here is the man himself examing the B-26 which landed at Khormaksar with a faulty undercarriage on its way to the Congo. It resided on the fire pit on the north side of the airfield by the bomb dump.

Last edited by JW411; 10th Mar 2015 at 12:51.
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Old 10th Mar 2015, 12:59
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Parked next door to the B-26 was the Yemeni Air Force IL-14 which got lost and landed at Lodar by mistake. The crew tried to take off again but an Army officer drove a Land Rover in front of them. It was ferried to Khormaksar by a couple of gentlemen from RAE at Farnborough. That's my beloved Fiat 850 Coupe in the background.
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Old 10th Mar 2015, 17:55
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And here is another one that I found.
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Old 10th Mar 2015, 19:49
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K/Sar

Some of you had it easy, tarmac & concrete !, when I was there in 62-64 we had Gypsum as "hardstanding", plus our hangar is shown in the background (105 sqn) none of this fancy new stuff, PH.
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Old 10th Mar 2015, 20:35
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I wonder what happened to Falaise Field with its hangars and tower at Little Aden after we withdrew? I know the nearby camp had a church (that rather resembled a Mosque) which was completed just before we upped sticks. Plenty of Twynham (sp) accommodation too.
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Old 11th Mar 2015, 14:23
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Around '65

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Old 11th Mar 2015, 15:17
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I see the stadium lighting had been nicked by 1998.

From the old pics, any idea where the Vulcans parked? I know we sank in to the tarmac.
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Old 11th Mar 2015, 16:39
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Jindabyne,

That's the first Whirlwind 10 I've ever seen outside the Far East with the sand filter door. If that was '65, it would have been one of the first, I think, to have got the door.

It was probably a good idea in Aden as GW 1 showed further north but in Borneo it was regarded as 84 lbs of worthless weight, which reduced the payload/fuel and for little tangible benefit.

Old Duffer
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Old 11th Mar 2015, 17:35
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Further to which Wessex (if any) remained yellow, the words of a squadron song came to mind. To the tune of "Teeterboro Tower"

"Hello Khormaksar Tower, this is XT 603,
You're getting all bad-tempered, that's very plain to see.
I'm still a nice bright yellow, they haven't gone as far
As to paint me with distemper; I'm still on SAR"

I don't recall flying it in yellow colours though, so perhaps it was absorbed into the fleet by the time I got to Khormaksar in May '67. In fact, checking the logbook, I first flew it after the move to Sharjah, in Dec of that year.
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Old 11th Mar 2015, 20:31
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Old-Duffer

Have a peep at www.radfanhunters.co.uk
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Old 11th Mar 2015, 20:40
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... and where was the 37 sqn pub?

I remember being sat on the bar at the age of four!
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Old 11th Mar 2015, 20:41
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Picture

Who is the artist of the print & where can I get a copy please ?.
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