Originally Posted by
cageordie
So was that on XX105? Weren't they beam-penetration displays. Small by modern standards but bright and sharp compared to other things at that time. They were only fitted on the pilot side of XX105 when I was there, I think Dennis Stangroom (no idea about the spelling) was in the right seat on one of my few flights and said he preferred to use the CRTs even from the other seat.
Bedford had more than one BAC 1-11.
In the early '90s, not long before research flying moved to Boscombe, their latest one, a -500 arrived at Farnborough flown by OC Flying Bedford (I do remember his name but it wasn't Dennis Stangroom - correct spelling) .
For some reason, COEF objected to this and having told us (ATC) off for accepting it, instructed the crew not to disembark and to return to Bedford immediately.
I have no idea what the problem was; this particular COEF was one of the more easy going ones to hold the post, in fact he was the last because a short time afterwards Experimental Flying Wing was formed with a Wg Cdr in charge (COEF was a Gpt Capt post and oversaw Farnborough, Bedford and the other RAE sorry DRA airfields) prior to their move to Boscombe Down