Hello, I worked on Varsity's for 8.5 years at Manby and Strubby.
The one at Oakington I was told when there didn't actually complete a loop, it reached 3/4's the way up and that was enough.
I saw it in the hangar and the most obvious thing was looking from front to rear the rudder was about 10 degrees over to port.
If anyone has photo's of Manby Strubby pigs I would be interested in getting copies.
I also worked on Meteors at Strubby 1964/1965 Summer to Spring and 3 Squadron had number 3 hangar on the far side of the airfield and we had up to 22 aircraft both sevens and eights so there wasn't room for any other machines, the Canberras occupied number 1 and 2 hangars on the Control Tower side of the camp.
All the major servicing was done at Manby ASF and the engine bearer changes were done at Strubby using a main jack and block of wood, the Chief Inspector Alan Tigwell led the team that did the work.
The Varsity was a direct development of the Viking/Velletta aircraft, we used to get Valletta's in on a fairly regular basis.
We used to do running changes usually flying four machines, the biggest problem was oil leaks and hydraulic leaks for which we were extremely grateful as it gave us much overtime, as civilians we were paid time and a quarter, time and a half and double time.
We finished work at 7pm Mon- Friday and Saturday mornings plus night flying.
I miss those days very much and shall never forget the sound of both a Meteor entering the circuit a distinctive sound and of a Varsity coming past the top hangar it gave a whistling resonance.
Refuelling at three or four in the morning watching the Sun come up standing on the wing and all the characters that formed 1 Squadron.
Last edited by donald d; 23rd Jan 2017 at 14:11.