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Democritus
4th Jan 2017, 23:09
I don't really expect a response to this memory of almost 52 years ago but PPRuNe has amazed me in the past so here goes. Today I started my New Year's Resolution of reducing the amount of memorabilia that I have collected but I got sidetracked by my diary for 1965.

As a newly qualified RN pilot, on Tuesday 31 August 1965 I flew on a British Eagle Britannia from Heathrow to Singapore to join HMS Ark Royal. The Flight Number was EGS 891 and we took off at 2145z.

As it was my first trooping flight I was wondering if anyone had a record of the Britannia's registration so I can see if the aircraft is in a museum somewhere.

DaveReidUK
5th Jan 2017, 06:58
As it was my first trooping flight I was wondering if anyone had a record of the Britannia's registration so I can see if the aircraft is in a museum somewhere.

Can't help with your registration, but the good news is that three of the four surviving complete Britannias served with British Eagle at one time or another (the Duxford and Cosford examples, plus the one being restored at Speke).

The bad news is that Eagle had a couple of dozen in the fleet at various times.

oldchina
5th Jan 2017, 07:52
When the country was three weeks old !

spanish no fly
6th Jan 2017, 09:50
January 05 1965 I left LHR on posting to Changi also by British Eagle Brit., transitting and departing IST on 06 January; In 1990 I was working for a cargo company on contract to Alitalia, and during an after duty soirée:p, we, the crew, were swinging the lantern whilst sitting on our sandbags, I mentioned this flight and my Captain, Jack, seemed interested in it. Next time we flew together, Jack had one of his old Log Books which showed he had operated as First Officer on the IST-BOM leg of the flight I was on. Great guy, our Champagne Jack.:ok:
SNF

Wander00
8th Jan 2017, 12:57
Have had SWMBNO's Aunt staying from Jo'burg for Christmas and NY. She mentioned that in 1962 she flew as a new "schoolie" on a Brit Eagle trooper UK to Nairobi, but via Aden to deliver urgent spares. Is this (very long) trip a memory for anyone? Was the start of her 55 years in Africa

falcon12
9th Jan 2017, 13:16
Democritus

Can't id the registration you flew on but its one of the following I would think.

G-AOVT, at Duxford, was operated by British Eagle from 13.09.63 to 10.05.74.

G-AOVF at Cosford now purporting to be a RAF Brit was also with Eagle as a freighter

G-ANCF at Speke, was with Eagle from 16.01.64 but converted to freighter between that date and going to Monarch 08.12.68

The Brit at Kemble XM497? is ex RAF so not likely.

Other Brits in use with Eagle in August 65 were G-AOVA, VH, VC,VG, VL,VM,VN,VR,VS -possibly, G-APPY, G-ARKB

Hope that help.

dixi188
9th Jan 2017, 13:38
falcon 12,

"G-AOVT, at Duxford, was operated by British Eagle from 13.09.63 to 10.05.74."

I thought British Eagle Airways ceased in 1968.

ZFT
9th Jan 2017, 13:54
falcon 12,

"G-AOVT, at Duxford, was operated by British Eagle from 13.09.63 to 10.05.74."

It thought British Eagle Airways ceased in 1968.

It did. I lost my job, along with many others that year thanks to the labour government of the time when the Bermuda routes were taken away.

Rescue3
9th Jan 2017, 16:19
There is a website [www.britisheagle.net] - perhaps they may have some records....

DaveReidUK
9th Jan 2017, 17:33
"G-AOVT, at Duxford, was operated by British Eagle from 13.09.63 to 10.05.74."

I thought British Eagle Airways ceased in 1968.

After Eagle, it flew for Monarch for a few years (including at least one Transatlantic trip), which of course is why it's in their colours at Duxford.

Bristol 175 Britannia 312 - Monarch Airlines | Aviation Photo #0105875 | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Monarch-Airlines/Bristol-175-Britannia-312/105875)

falcon12
10th Jan 2017, 13:05
Dixi188

You are right of course and I should have spotted that. My source was Airliner Production Lists for 1980/81.

I was on board VT at Duxford this summer and can report its in reasonably good nick. It appears, at last, that Monarch's apprentices visit regularly as part of their training to do relevant work.

The beer pump attachment, for a well known TV comedy show, has been removed as has the the master engine start switch!!

treadigraph
11th Jan 2017, 10:19
G-AOVT is currently inside at Duxford getting a fresh coat of paint. :ok:

barry lloyd
11th Jan 2017, 10:33
I was on board VT at Duxford this summer and can report its in reasonably good nick. It appears, at last, that Monarch's apprentices visit regularly as part of their training to do relevant work.

The beer pump attachment, for a well known TV comedy show, has been removed as has the the master engine start switch!!

...and the outside toilet, I would hope! :)

tiny fireburn
20th Jan 2017, 15:29
Was intrigued by the date of this flight because, from memory, I came HOME from Singapore at about the same time, courtesy of British Eagle. Checking the diary I kept, my actual flight date home was 7 Sep 65, the Brit was G-AOVT, and we flew out of Paya Lebar. Lovely airline!

Democritus
20th Jan 2017, 22:21
Thanks for all the replies and it looks as though tiny fireburn possibly has given me the answer to my query with G-AOVT. However, we arrived at Paya Lebar at 0515 on 2 September '65 so maybe it is too long a stopover until his departure on 7 September.

zip29
21st Jan 2017, 04:33
Hi Democritus

Brit Eagle Britannias are indeed an interesting thread subject. May I ask what you were flying on and off Ark Royal? Tales from then would make a great subject, although perhaps on the mil forum.

ZFT
21st Jan 2017, 06:53
Was intrigued by the date of this flight because, from memory, I came HOME from Singapore at about the same time, courtesy of British Eagle. Checking the diary I kept, my actual flight date home was 7 Sep 65, the Brit was G-AOVT, and we flew out of Paya Lebar. Lovely airline!

Umm. 1st employer. Such a long time ago, yet only fond memories. So yes, lovely airline.

Democritus
21st Jan 2017, 08:40
Zip29 - I flew the venerable Wessex helicopter from Ark. I always thought that in respect of flying from aircraft carriers it was better to stop and then land rather than the fixed-wing way of doing things of landing and then trying to stop. Much safer! You may find this PPRuNe thread HERE (http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/123915-what-about-wessex-makes-people-so-fond.html)about the Wessex of interest.

Ddraig Goch
22nd Feb 2017, 08:14
Just came across this thread. Though not strictly about British Eagle trooping I flew from Heathrow to Singapore December 1959 by Hunting Clan Britannia, with stops at Istanbul and Bombay (as it was then). I returned by RAF Britannia in 1962 with stops at Gan and Malta ( due to land in Libya but weather conditions caused the diversion). Would I be right in saying that Hunting Clan trooping was only around for a short time?

pjac
22nd Feb 2017, 23:36
No one seems to have mentioned (in the listing of aircraft rego , the ex Al Al aircraft, G-ARXA.



pjac

WHBM
23rd Feb 2017, 18:41
Eagle had 17 Britannias at this time, including a few that had just been bought. Two were freighters, the remaining 15 were pax aircraft. Trooping was their No 1 area of operations. This was often not efficient for aircraft usage, little back-to-back operation of a holiday IT style, empty legs generally without revenue, no crew base in Singapore, so I wouldn't be at all surprised at a 5-day layover.

Aircraft at that date were :


G-ANCF
G-ANCG
G-AOVA
G-AOVB
G-AOVC
G-AOVE
G-AOVF
G-AOVG
G-AOVK
G-AOVL
G-AOVM
G-AOVN
G-AOVR
G-AOVS
G-AOVT
G-ARKA
G-ARKB

First two were the freighters. Most had come direct from BOAC but some were from elsewhere. AOVS had just arrived on short-term lease from Lloyd for 3 months so they must have had a good amount of work at the time.

Mr Oleo Strut
23rd Feb 2017, 19:29
British Eagle - Be they trooping, scheduled or charter flights, they all had a very British character. Oldish aircraft, from comfortable, spacious Britannia's - the 'whispering giants' - to noisy 1-11's, homely and unpretentious in everything, from aircraft to staff to in-flight catering, I liked their cheerful confidence. From Harold Bamberg downward they were a pleasure to work with. Those spacious Britannia cockpits. Gurkhas soldiers sat round a gas stove at the back of the Brit brewing up tea. Squaddies back from Singapore loaded down with the same old duty-free crap which they tried to smuggle in.

The nice maroon livery and the big black 'E' on the tail. Happy days and and an absolute tragedy when they closed down. Everybody seemed to know each other and get on well. Such sadness when they lost one going into Innsbruck. My association with them was with Heathrow Customs, boarding, passenger and crew clearance, duty-free stores, etc. Cheerful far off days (62 to 68), now distant memories, but I can sometimes still hear the powerful whispering growl of those big Proteus' winding up or down and the graceful and dignified take-offs, although the Brits used to bounce around a wee bit when landing in a cross-wind...best of British.

DaveReidUK
23rd Feb 2017, 20:44
still hear the powerful whispering growl of those big Tynes winding up or down

That must be the first time in 50-odd years that "Tyne" and "whispering" have been used in the same sentence. :O

http://www.flightglobalimages.com/p/241/bristol-proteus-cutaway-drawing-4579004.jpg

Mr Oleo Strut
23rd Feb 2017, 22:28
Yes, memories have blurred Centaurus, Proteus and Tyne, even though I do recall (I think!) that a certain number of the Britannia derivative, the Canadair CL44, were Tyne-powered.

canberra97
1st Mar 2017, 04:01
pjac

G-ARXA was leased by British Eagle from EI AL not AI AI, it flew with the airline from 22 April 1966 to 08 November 1968 when it was returned to EL AL and was later sold to Monarch.

pjac
2nd Mar 2017, 02:10
G-ARXA
mea culpa-I operated in it twice, across the pond.


pjac