Harvards,6 FTS

[sycamore]

A friend is looking at purchasing a Harvard,and maybe repainting it in 6FTS colours.I can`t find anything about 6 FTS,so I wondered if any of you guys could assist ,with ,where ,what,etc,etc,and any photos of representative Harvards...

[papajuliet]

The book " The History of Britain's Training Aircraft" by Ray Sturtivant contains a photo of 6 FTS Harvards in April 1950. The one nearest the camera is FS753 coded FB [ roundel ] GG. It's a black and white photo but this particular aircraft appears to be overall yellow with the usual black anti- dazzle surface in front of the cockpit.
Other Harvards in the photo are in the silver finish with yellow bands - can't see the serials but one is coded FB - HI.
Roundels and finflashes are all red, white and blue.
I've seen other pictures of 6 FTS Harvards but, at present, can't track them down - if I do, I'll post the details.

[Flying Lawyer]

http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/harvard.jpg
Harvard 2B of 6 FTS in 1952


http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn_Badges/FTS_6.JPG
Look and imitate


6 FTS was at RAF Tern Hill 1946 - 1961.
I don't know where it was after that, possibly RAF Acklington.
(CFS(H) Squadron moved to Tern Hill.)



FT391 (Harvard 2B) which Mark Hanna and I shared some years ago -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v146/FlyingLawyer/FT391.jpg


https://farm1.staticflickr.com/342/19598662686_d44fe82112_b.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/Mark12/Harvard-03-PieceofCakefilming-20may.jpg
Filming Piece of Cake, summer 1988

The current owner of FT391 has kept the camouflage which I think looks better than the FTS scheme but that's just personal preference.


(Edit)

The yellow scheme also looks good -


http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1482144F.jpg
KF183 operated by ETPS Boscombe Down



Wonderful aircraft, but they can bite >> http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/0/1/3/1050310.jpg
(FT375 in Italy)

and

Dz2_QJpfqXI



FL

[Vampiredave]

Of course there is always Air Britain's 'The Harvard File' which contains individual and unit histories - including that of No.6 FTS?

[sycamore]

Thank you all for the info and pics;
F-L, nice reminder as it is 44yrs to the week that I checked out in FT375 at B-D; That was a `knee-trembler` as I was a helo pilot ,and felt half of Flying Wing were watching this `upstart` wanting to fly such a revered aircraft...It is still a knee-trembler ` until the chocks are back in and the prop has stopped....

[Flying Lawyer]

Small world. :)

I wondered if there might be a link but it wasn't the one I wondered about.
I knew you were a rotary man and wondered if you might have been at CFS(H) when it was at Tern Hill.



==

Off topic, but perhaps of interest ....

The 1940 Miles M14A Hawk Trainer (Magister) in the first photograph is still flying. (Real Aeroplane Company, Breighton.)

http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/ww55/tucano_01/Breighton1/HawkTrainer_G-AKAT_14041304_Breighton.jpg

After Elementary Flying Training in the Magister pilots progressed to advanced training in the Harvard
and then to front line flying in the Hurricane or Spitfire.

[Lynxman]

KF183 has been in constant use at Boscombe Down with the ETPS and other roles since 1952 and is still in use there now.

[Snakecharmer]

No pics, but my Father's first logbook should have some representative serial numbers etc...

How's things, Sycamore?

[zetec2]

Likewise, how are things Sycamore, long time no hear, rgds, PH.

[Warmtoast]

Sycamore

I have a selection of B&W photos I took of Harvards whilst at 5FTS (RAF Thornhill, S. Rhodesia) 1951 to 1953. All without exception have a yellow band on the fuselage aft of the roundel and yellow bands on the wings. Probably all adhering to a standard RAF colouring scheme for FTS Harvards at the time?

Examples below.
The 'G' in the middle of the yellow band was the 5 FTS identifier, probably because Gwelo was the nearest town to Thornhill.
4 FTS aircraft at RAF Heany, 100-miles south near Bulawayo sported a similar colour scheme except the identifier was 'H'

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/RAF%20Thornhill/HarvardFX435Adjusted_zps9b3545b7.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/RAF%20Thornhill/Harvard1a_zps8a37c167.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/RAF%20Thornhill/Harvard2.jpg


http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/RAF%20Thornhill/HarvardFormation-FX373.jpg