SAL Bulldog XX549

[777fly]

XX549 is coming out of a winter refurb/repaint to original military specc in a few weeks time. We are trying to trace her UAS service history and would appreciate details of any dates and locations that might be hidden in your old logbooks. We know that she entered service on 1st March 1974, probably with Manchester UAS, and might also have spent some time in UWAS and Southampton UAS. Any info appreciated!

[212man]

I first flew her on MASUAS on the 9th July 1986 (Max Rate turns.) I'm sure she had just arrived from Shawbury from storage, but my memory may be wrong. My last flight in her was 21st March 1987 (solo GH.)

[Oceanic815]

I flew xx549 on Southampton UAS on 20 Oct 93 doing Advanced Circuits. Last flew 5 Feb 94 on Solo GH:eek:. It doesn't seem to have been one of our regular aircraft, hence the short time frame.

[Peter Carter]

549 was on SUAS at least from 1996 to 1999, probably longer.

[DeepestSouth]

If you've not already seen it, there is a picture of XX549 taken on 24 July 1999 at:

Photo Search Results | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=&airlinesearch=&countrysearch=&specialsearch=&daterange=&keywords=XX549&range=&sort_order=photo_id+desc&page_limit=15&thumbnails)=

[H Peacock]

XX549 was a very special Bulldog. My first trip in her was in Feb 84 at RAF Woodvale. My QFI was a certain Flt Lt Rod Newman - XX549's 'owner'. I recall that each QFI on MASUAS had their own Bulldog. XX615 belonged to Flt Lt Keith Hewitt; we also had XX614, XX616 and XX617.

Each Bulldog had a different coloured air filter in the intake to aid recognition from head-on. Saved me at least once as I started the walk-round on the wrong aircraft until I got to the intake - Rod's Bulldog intake was painted green!

Also flew my very last Bulldog trip in Aug 86 in XX549 - 1:45 of formation & navigation. Possibly the rtb from summer camp at St Athan. Once again in the company of Uncle Rod.

Bulldog, Woodvale, Rod Newman, Keith Hewitt & co - simply wonderful days!

:D :D :D

[rodnewman]

Have flown many hundreds of hours in 549 and did if my memory is good pick it up from the factory at Prestwick

Regards Rod

[212man]

I see my penultimate flight with Rod was in 549 too - 11th March 1987, Aeros, early preparation for the Reid Trophy I think.

Hope you are well Rod

Ian

[OldBonaMate]

I flew XX549 on 19 March 2000 with 2 AEF (shared fleet with SUAS) from Boscombe Down. No specific memories of this Bulldog, only to say that AEF flying was great fun that I was very happy to do as a VR(T) after leaving the Service.

[rodnewman]

Yes fit and well Ian, but still very busy. Used 549 for a lot of great formation photographs of the other 4 Bulldogs on MASUAS at the time. Also used for the 6 episodes of High Flyers the ITV series explaining what we did on the UAS. Really enjoyed making that with Dave Nadin who did the photography.

Hope you're well too
Rod

[Idle Reverse]

As has already been said, XX549 belonged to Rod and XX615 belonged to Keith Hewitt. XX617 definitely belonged to Bob German ( lots of fatigue used in the run-up to the Reid trophy in '83 with Bob and Tim ) and I think XX616 was the Boss' cab ie Graham Timms. At my time on MASUAS I think XX614 must either have been Ron Chivers' machine or maybe Cliff Hilliker's ? Good days at Woodvale . . . "known only to a few but forgotton by none" ! By the way, does anyone have a copy of the airborne video that was shot on MASUAS summer camp around '82 / '83 ? Choreographed / shot by Rod I think ? :ok:

[67Wing]

Logbook shows I first flew it on 15 Mar 1975 at Woodvale (MUAS) on a Nav 1 sortie and last flew it at Woodvale (now MASUAS) 13 Feb 1977 on a solo GH sortie.

[rodnewman]

I have my original filming/ choreograph of the wye valley low level in s Wales and some formation aerobatics / tailchasing prior to landing at Abingdon. It's in VHS format, but not the best quality. Have converted it to DVD . Includes tiny small piece sketch, some marching and lasts just under an hour. 549 is there , year 1984 July

[777fly]

Many thanks to all for the responses! With your help and other information we now have a very good idea of where XX549 was during RAF service, but the personal feedback is adding a lot of interesting detail. Apparently she was a King's Cup winner, does anyone know anything about that?
Rod, you would be most welcome to a reunion with your old steed, it's not too far way from you, at White Waltham. Send a PM if interested in doing that. I will post a picture once she is back at base and looking brand new again.

[sharpend]

Oh the names... Rod (Canberras?) I knew well, Cliff too (14 Sqn FRG). Keith VC10s. Makes me feel old...

Oh yes, I am old :)

ps as you can see from another post, I own XX614. Cliff, was it yours?

[fredbare]

Sharpend,

XX614 was definitely at Woodvale in 83/84 as I have it in my logbook during that period. It would have been one of the MASUAS aircraft.

[777fly]

Well, it took much longer than expected to get XX549 back from the re-spray, until 15th July in fact. Lots of post military neglect had to be rectified, but the expensive (£19K+) refurb/respray means that XX549 is in a better than new condition and is back to turning the world upside down again.
Thanks once more to all who helped piece her history together, we now have a good idea of what happened to her from 1976-2002. If you ever flew her, you must have some good and some bad memories. I hope the latest picture, Brize Norton October 2013, brings it all back.
http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p650/colinarkle/photo20_zps06919f45.jpg

[NutLoose]

Schneider trophy?

Schneider Trophy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneider_Trophy)

[Capt Scribble]

My last trip in a dog at 2AEF Boscombe Down was in xx549 with 4 cadets on 10 May 2001. Next entry on 11 Jun 01 shows convex to Grob115 as it was then.

[FrustratedFormerFlie]

"Apparently she was a King's Cup winner, does anyone know anything about that?"

Could that have been Sqn Ldr Mike Baker in 1988? I know he won a Kings Cup in a Bulldog that year.

[NutLoose]

FFF see my link two up

1993Scottish Aviation Bulldog (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Aviation_Bulldog)http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ae/Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom.svg.png United Kingdom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom)Sq Ldr Mike Baker

[FrustratedFormerFlie]

In that case he won both: heres a ref to him winning the Kings in 88
King's Cup Race - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Cup_Race)

[sharpend]

£19K+ for the respray/refurbish..... I wish!

Mine will cost twice that. So that leads to an interesting question. Now that most Bulldogs are getting rather elderly (bit like some of their owners) and requiring/deserving a full rebuild costing upwards of £30K, I wonder what a mint Bulldog will sell for.

That of course depends much on the FI, so I wonder when DHSL will come up with the spar mod?

[yorkshirelass]

Flew my first solo on MASUAS in this little beauty on April 13th 1986!!!:O

[yorkshirelass]

Happy days indeed :rolleyes:

[NutLoose]

I suppose it depends on if you do a lot of it yourself. Most of the price will be labour.

[sharpend]

True, but unlike motor cars, I suspect that the main bulk of cost in restoring a Bulldog is parts. If you can get them! I have just managed to get a genuine windscreen (just the Perspex) and paid £850. I count myself lucky in finding one. That amount would have paid for 20 hrs labour.

[Perrin]

What a plane ,I worked at SAL and was in charge of flight line and flew on many, hopefully this one, the company plane was G Gasl I think???
Chasing rabbits over the hills was great fun with John Blair and Len Houston.
:ok:

[Flintlock]

I had the fortune to be allocated XX549 for my entire tour at MASUAS from Sep1976 - Apr1980 and proud to have my name painted on her engine cowling. 549 was said to be not as fast as 614,615,616 & 617 and as Rod Newman has said, was used extensively as the photo ship for the four consecutively numbered machines during some excellent formation shots of the Lakes. Each machine had its own quirks, on 549 you could never close the canopy in the air, unless the speed was reduced considerably below the 120Kt limit, nearer to 110 kts from memory, Just grateful to hear that she is still going strong and maybe pay a visit to W-W. She never missed a beat, hence my reference to old faithful
Thank you for looking after this grand old lady.