Ugandan Thunderbolts (P-47s)

[Argonautical]

Hi Everyone

When I was a kid growing up in Uganda, we lived near Entebbe airport. Around 1960, around 6 Thunderbolts flew in and parked behind the control tower. I think they they stayed for about a week or so and then left. I remember one doing some rolls over the airport while waiting for the rest to join up.

Anybody know what they were up to and to whom they belonged ? Perhaps something to do with the Congo ?

thanks

[Mike Rouse]

My Father (Syd Rouse) was electrical engineer for the airport and when he gets back from Spain in a couple of weeks. I will see If he remembers(87years old ). I also lived near the airport most military aircraft were flown with american pilots as were some very old Constalations that took off trailing smoke oil and sometimes flames. The Isralies took over the training at Independence 62 and later the Chekoslvakians and Russians but mostly up at Gulu ( Syd Rouse once again the electrical engineer)
Tel 01302 532500 if you want more info.

[Argonautical]

I can well remember the Constellations, SAA and Trans European Airways, and it was always the latter that had troubles.

My favourites were the Sabena DC-6s especially when they took off over the swimming pool and the EAA Comets impressed me no end with their steep take offs.

[Mike Rouse]

You will also remember the USAirforce Globemasters bouncing down the run way on landing , there was concern that the continual pounding would lead to the run way breaking up. The crew of some of these aircraft were pretty generous with the free chewing gum, comics and K-rations which sometimes contained cigs. (Prefered the Four Aces and 555 never took to Kalikali). All these aircraft were in and out of the Congo, and if you lived close enough to the airport you will remember the Hercules that used to be kept with engines running just in case , we never found out what just in case was. Do you also remember the Dragon Rapide going into the side of the main run way, with the sad death of the pilot Mr Silverlocks, I flew with him and his two sons the previous evening on a test flight, one of the very few fatalities at Entebbe.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Mike

Fatalities are not that uncommon anymore.:(

When W. Clinton was in town a few years back, one of the C-5As was parked on the old runway and sank through the surface. A C-141 had to be flown out with lifting gear to get her out. Had a look around inside one at the invitation of the 22 year old captain. Lovely machine and the aircon works like a dream....:E :ok:

[Mike Rouse]

Just wondering if the P47s were'nt Harvards, they were used in Kenya during the MauMau uprising and were later sold to the South African Defence Force. (They used to practice formation flying 500ft above my house in Dunattor(Springs)) They were maintained by brits fromm Airworks UK for a long time.

[Argonautical]

I am pretty sure they weren't Harvards. They were tail draggers, had a bubble canopy and were very noisy. They were also in natural metal finish but I was young at the time and could be mistaken.

Don't remember the Rapide crash (we left in '63) but do remember the Lufthansa 720B that came in one night and woke up the whole town using its reversed thrust. The most exotic visitor I remember was a French Vautaur. Actually, I once suspected the perfidious French for the P-47s but they retired theirs after the Algerain war.

Are you aware of Malcom Macrows's web site ?

http://www.mccrow.org.uk

He has a very good section called "East Africa 50 years ago" which contains many photographs from Entebbe airport.