The tide across the causeway to Shell Island "holiday park" could indeed be risky if timed wrong
Spent many happy weeks there with the ATC. The sight of the Vixen , 2 of the most gorgous coloured Canberras ever doing pairs approaches , the then based Hawks tail chasing whilst the runway was closed for the Jindivik to be recovered- great stuff
Flying was sporadic but quality.
Getting in the hangar and clambering over the fleet (Vixen -still in its real colours and not the pathetic circus act scheme at the moment)
Devon, 2 Hawks, 2 Meteors and about 12 Jindiviks.
The other Vixen XS577 had been retired and was sitting outside, this has since been chopped up but I believe the nose was spared - but from previous threads you may have noticed my hatred of that practice!
The two Hawks were XX154 and XX160 - the very first Hawk to fly and one of the pre-production airframes. Due to pathetic short sightedness, the RAF had to reclaim them as there was a shortfall in the number of Hawks available.Surely in the late 80s the question should have been asked- Our Hawks will soon be knackered shall we order some more while were still making them? But no, we wait until 2003 and very nearly buy joint Italian - Russian types!.
We then had to lease the Hawks lesser rival - the Alpha Jet to perform the reserach functions - any comments from BD or Llanbedr on operating these? Has anyone at ETPS performed an inverted spin since the Hunter was retired??
