Dear fellow PPRuNe Members …
I’m trying to locate photographs of the following RAF Chipmunks during their service with No. 1 AEF at the various RAF Stations during the years mentioned … and wondered if any of you might be able to help ?
I know this might be a bit of a long shot for some of the early years. To help, in the early days, No. 1 AEF operated within a “pooled” fleet of aircraft shared with London UAS, RAF Biggin Hill Station Flight and No. 6 AEF. Typically, from the 60’s onwards, there were four resident aircraft at any one time on the No. 1 AEF dedicated fleet, so the additional serials shown reflect various inter fleet transfers made during the specified year.
The No. 1 AEF Fleet List reproduced below has been complied with the kind help of the UK author of “Chipmunk, The Poor Man’s Spitfire” (a recommended read for anyone interested in the history of the Chipmunk) along with some extensive aircrew log book research and cross-reference. That said there is some uncertainty around the final years at RAF Manston from 1988 to when the Flight ceased flying Chipmunks and closed in 1995.
I’m particularly keen to know if a final photograph was taken to mark the cessation of AEF Chipmunk flying at RAF Manston on the 31st March 1995. I seem to recall that RAF Manston had a semi-official Station Photographer who was a civilian working at the time with the Ground Radio Servicing Flight (GRSF) … a Mr Dave Keep … and wondered if anyone might know if he is still contactable these days ?
Any help would be greatly appreciated as I’m most keen to complete a potted history of No. 1 AEF during the Chipmunk years. A previous PPRuNe thread has helped with some useful information but I thought an ask outside the “History & Nostalgia” Forum might be more fruitful.
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...67-1995-a.html
RAF Biggin Hill
1958 WP 846, WK 577, WP 837, WK 621, WZ 876
RAF White Waltham
1959 WK 577, WP 837, WP 846, WD 372 WZ 876, WK 621, WK 636, WZ 850, WP 862
RAF West Malling
1960 WK 577, WP 837, WP 846, WD 372, WZ 876, WK 621
RAF White Waltham
1961 WP 837, WP 846, WD 372, WD 391
1962 WP837, WP 846, WD 372, WP 974
RAF Manston
1963 WP 837, WP 846, WZ 850, WK 621, WK577, WD 304, WD 344
1964 WK 577, WP 837, WP 846, WD 344
1965 WK 577, WP 837, WP 846, WD 344, WD 390, WK 628
1966 WK 577, WP 846, WD 344, WP 837, WK 638, WB 627
1967 WK 577, WP 837, WP 846, WD 344, WB 627, WK 586
1968 WP 846, WD 344, WB 627, WK 586, WP 837, WB 569, WK 577
1969 WK 586, WB 627, WD 370, WB 569, WP 837, WK 642, WZ 845, WP 846, WD 344
1970 WD 370, WB 627, WK 642, WZ 845, WK 586, WB 569
1971 WK 642, WD 370, WZ 845, WB 627, WK 586, WB 569
1972 WK 642, WD 370, WZ 845, WB 627, WK 586, WB 569
1973 WK 642, WZ 845, WB 627, WB 569
1974 WK 642, WZ 845, WB 569, WB 627, WG 466, WD 370, WK 586, WK 518
1975 WK 642, WZ 845, WB 569, WG 458, WK 518, WG 466
1976 WK 642, WZ 845, WB 569, WK 518, WZG 458
1977 WK 642, WZ 845, WB 569, WK 518
1978 WK 642, WZ 845, WB 569, WK 518
1979 WK 642, WZ 845, WB 569, WK 518, WG 430
1980 WK 642, WZ 845, WG 430, WB 569, WK 518
1981 WK 642, WZ 845, WG 430, WB 569,WK 518, WZ 872
1982 WK 642, WZ 845, WG 430, WB 569, WK 518
1983 WZ 845, WG 430, WB 569, WK 518, WK 642, WP 855
1984 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WB 569
1985 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WB 569, WK 642
1986 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WB 569, WK 642, WK 554
1987 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554
1988 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554, ?
1989 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554, ?
1990 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554, ?
1991 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554, ?
1992 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554, ?
1993 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554, ?
1994 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554, WG 458, ?
1995 WZ 845, WG 430, WP 855, WK 554, ?
Kind regards …
Coff.