Flights to Berlin in the Sixties.

[Oldlae]

When I joined 88 Sqdn at RAF Wildenrath in November 1961 I was told the the B(I)8 Canberras were flown to Berlin along the corridors to keep the lanes open. Recently a colleague has queried this as the Canberra was a war plane and was unlikely to have been allowed to go to Berlin.

So, which aircraft were regularly flown to Berlin along the designated corridors in the early sixties?

[longer ron]

2 x Chipmunks.(Gatow Station Flight)

[Less Hair]

Pembrokes and Valettas might have made the flights mentioned.

[chevvron]

Hughie Green in a Twin Comanche.(nearly got shot down so the story goes.)

[Less Hair]

Odd Canberras (PR) have been to Gatow.

[longer ron]

Pembrokes and Valettas might have made the flights mentioned.

60 Sqn Pembrokes -
I put Pembrokes (?) in my original (edited) post above but wasn't sure from memory,but yes looks like 60 sqn did do some corridor flights.

[Less Hair]

RAF Pembrokes were used between 1956 and 1990 to Berlin. Three from Wildenrath and later Rheindalen were PR equipped with five F.96 cameras (9 inch) each. That's what Luftwaffenmuseum at Gatow says. They display a german Pembroke. The local Chipmunks were used for BRIXMIS support.

[DGAC]

Follow this link for full details of the PR Pembrokes and their role in intelligence gathering along the Berlin Corridors and East Berlin.

https://www.16va.be/pembrokes_part1_eng.html

[Less Hair]

Excellent source.

[taxydual]

WJ916 (a VERY secret squirrel Varsity) used to flog the lanes. The only aircraft I've ever seen taxy into an empty hangar under it's own power.

[PaulH1]

I flew to Berlin in the mid 70s in an Andover. It was an amazingly vibrant city in those days. It showed the way that peoples inner characters come out when under oppression.

[Crromwellman]

The Berlin Corridors and Control Zone (BCZ) were established by formal treaty between the four wartime Allies (Britain, France, USA and USSR) in 1945 in the wake of the Potsdam Conference. They were to allow free air access to Berlin. The Corridors were 20 statute miles wide and connected Berlin with Hamburg, Hanover and Frankfurt-am-Main. The Control Zone was 40 statute miles diameter, centred on the BASC building in the Kliestpark in Berlin. The Berlin Air Safety Centre (BASC) managed the traffic in the Corridors and BCZ and authorised flight plans. Physical control of aircraft in them was the responsibility of the US operated Berlin Air Route Traffic Control Center (BARTCC).

Up until 1953 the Corridors and BCZ were from Ground to Unlimited and could be used by any aircraft of the four wartime Allies. In the early days the RAF had regular fighter detachments to Gatow from airfields in the British Zone. This changed in 1953 when the Russians unilaterally imposed height limitations of 3,500 to 10,000 feet in the Corridors and 2,500 to 10,000 feet in the BCZ. They also restricted the types of aircraft allowed to use them to unarmed military transport and training aircraft and airliners belonging to the four wartime Allies. These restrictions were never formally accepted by the western allies but were tolerated to avoid rocking the boat.. Eventually aircraft from other nations could apply to use the Corridors and BCZ but this depended on permission being given by BASC. Aircraft registered in Germany, both East and West were NOT normally allowed to use the Corridors and BCZ. Post 1953 NO combat aircraft were allowed to use the Corridors and BCZ.but there may have been some unarmed (e.g. PR versions) that visited for Open Days but given Russian intransigence, and adherence to the letter of the rules, this seems unlikely

So, any British transport aircraft could use them which accounts for the variety of military transport types seen at Gatow as well as civil airliners (e.g. Britannia B-737 trooping flights). Within Germany 60 Sqn and its predecessors operated Ansons, Pembrokes and Andovers out of Buckeberg and Wildenrath on normal communications flights as well as some more nefarious operations. Also 115 Sqn in UK and EWAU operated into Berlin on 'calibration' flights.

Hope this helps clarify things

[DeanoP]

Article in the Aeroplane June 2017, Issue 230, gives details of the Military Sponsored Air Service in which RAF crews were trained on BEA Viscounts to fly the corridors empty in times of heightened tension with the USSR.

Crews were trained at the BEA facility at Heathrow which consisted of basic simulator training and two familiarisation flights of about 5 hrs total. I was the navigator on a crew with two pilots drawn from the Handley Page Hastings at RAF Colerne. It was a rapid conversion course for the pilots who were not turboprop trained and I was rather glad that we did not do it for real due to our lack of familiarisation and experience with the Viscount.

We operated from Templehof airport and flew, as observers, with the BEA crew and flew each of the three corridors on two separate occasions.

I believe RAF crews drawn from the Brittannia and Argosy fleets also took part as did Comet crews who, I believe, were converted to BEA BAC 111's when the Viscounts were withdrawn from service.

[pr00ne]

BEA Viscounts outlasted the Argosy, Comet and Britannia in RAF service.

[Yellow Sun]

For a fairly comprehensive account of corridor operations and associated activities try:

Looking Down The Corridors by Kevin Wright and Peter Jeffries
ISBN 978 0 7509 5577 5 (tel:978 0 7509 5577 5)
Pub. The History Press - 2015
YS

[Crromwellman]

For a fairly comprehensive account of corridor operations and associated activities try:

Looking Down The Corridors by Kevin Wright and Peter Jeffries
ISBN 978 0 7509 5577 5 (tel:978 0 7509 5577 5)
Pub. The History Press - 2015
YS
This bok has jest had a revised edition gone to print to-day. Should be available via THP or big river son

[Cornish Jack]

!st May 1959, 30 Sqn Beverley 130, Wildenrath - Gatow. 2nd May 1959 Beverley 130 Gatow - Wildenrath. Vague memories of a lively nightclub, much sharper recall of a huge plate of cold pig's trotters for a late evening Mess 'snack'!!:D

[1771 DELETE]

I went down the corridor in a Varsity while going through AEOp training in 75.

[chopper2004]

USAF did lots especially in The early days with EC-97G And RC-130A up and down the Berlin corridor 60s/70s. Then the Fulton recovery equipped mC-130E/H Combat Talon operated by the Rhein Main 7th Special Ops Squadron (now based at the ‘Hall) we’re sighted flying up and down the corridor in the 80s.

Also slightly digressing, the FAA had variety of C-47, C-131, DC-6, T-39 Sabreliner going into Tempelhof from the 60s onwards till the wall came crashing down. Think they were runway calibration / checker a/c.

cheers

[spitfirek5054]

USAF did lots especially in The early days with EC-97G And RC-130A up and down the Berlin corridor 70s/70s. Then the Fulton recovery equipped mC-130E/H Combat Talon operated by the Rhein Main 7th Special Ops Squadron (now based at the ‘Hall) we’re sighted flying up and down the corridor in the 80s.

Also slightly digressing, the FAA had variety of C-47, C-131, DC-6, T-39 Sabreliner going into Tempelhof from the 6ps onwards till the wall came crashing down. Think they were runway calibration / checker a/c.

cheers
I can remember the 60`s, but not the 6ps

[treadigraph]

Used to occasionally see camouflaged C-140s about which as I recall were used for checking navaids and so on, did they go to Berlin and were they used for anything else... ?

[longer ron]

. The only aircraft I've ever seen taxy into an empty hangar under it's own power.

Not seen very often these days,the last one I was involved with (although it was not an empty hangar) was after an evening display - we waved a low back seafire into our hangar with the exhausts twinkling in the twilight - absolutely lovely :).

[MPN11]

In 1988 I had the good fortune to have MoD/NATS HQ Staff responsibility for the RAF Element of the Berlin Air Safety Centre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Air_Safety_Center) and a Staff visit was essential. What a strange World it was back then! Kindly accommodated in the palatial residence of the RAF element CO (a lucky wg cdr) and chauffeured around in his luxury limo, we parked at BASC next to the Soviet CO's tatty old Opel with missing hub caps etc.

It was interesting to see the good relationships between the 4 Powers at 'shop floor' level, despite the on-going Cold War, and to hear of the intense competition over the quality of F&B at social functions ... ISTR the French were usually on top!

[Less Hair]

Impressive how this system even worked in the frostiest days of the cold war.

[scorpion63]

RAF Pembrokes were used between 1956 and 1990 to Berlin. Three from Wildenrath and later Rheindalen were PR equipped with five F.96 cameras (9 inch) each. That's what Luftwaffenmuseum at Gatow says. They display a german Pembroke. The local Chipmunks were used for BRIXMIS support.
As Rheindalen has no runways no Pembrokes ever flew from there! The F96 cameras were not 9 inch, no such camera exists, but 3 X 12 inch and 2 X 48 inch.

[Less Hair]

Took it from the Luftwaffenmuseum's website. Rheindalen might be meant to be just their legal unit's base.
http://mhm-gatow.de/luftfahrzeuge
Die britische Royal Airforce setzte Pembrokes von 1956 bis 1990 für den regelmäßigen Flugverkehr durch den Berliner Korridor ein. Drei dieser zunächst in Wildenrath, dann in Rheindalen stationierten Maschinen waren mit jeweils 5 Kameras des Typs F.96 (9 inch) ausgerüstet und lieferten wichtige Ergebnisse für die britische Militäraufklärung in der DDR.

[Brewster Buffalo]

WJ916 (a VERY secret squirrel Varsity) used to flog the lanes. The only aircraft I've ever seen taxy into an empty hangar under it's own power.
Dave Forster & Chris Gidson's history of RAF Electronic Intelligence mentions WJ916 being used as a trials aircraft in 1974 for "testing and proving systems in an airborne environment".
The Varsity was replaced by an Andover (XS 644) in 1977.

[air pig]

Impressive how this system even worked in the frostiest days of the cold war.

Same as how BRIXMIS operated and according to some historians, they at times may have been the only form of communication between the two sides, that did not involve politicians.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brixmis-Untold-Exploits-Britains-Mission/dp/0006386733/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=brixmis&qid=1599234232&s=books&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.co.uk/BRIXMIS-Last-Cold-War-Mission/dp/0750987723/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=brixmis&qid=1599234273&s=books&sr=1-2

British Commanders’-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany | BRIXMIS (http://www.brixmis.co.uk/)

it would appear it was an interesting posting. Remember Recognition Journal and their somewhat hazy photographs.

[Spyglass]

[QUOTE=Less Hair;10878355]Took it from the Luftwaffenmuseum's website. Rheindalen might be meant to be just their legal unit's base.
QUOTE]

"9 inch" refers to the size of the image, 9x9, on the 10 inch film used in the F96 camera

[Chugalug2]

In 1988 I had the good fortune to have MoD/NATS HQ Staff responsibility for the RAF Element of the Berlin Air Safety Centre (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Air_Safety_Center) and a Staff visit was essential. What a strange World it was back then! Kindly accommodated in the palatial residence of the RAF element CO (a lucky wg cdr) and chauffeured around in his luxury limo, we parked at BASC next to the Soviet CO's tatty old Opel with missing hub caps etc.

It was interesting to see the good relationships between the 4 Powers at 'shop floor' level, despite the on-going Cold War, and to hear of the intense competition over the quality of F&B at social functions ... ISTR the French were usually on top!

We Dan-Air 1-11 and 727 crews were encouraged to visit the BASC at least once to understand its operation and particularly the difficulties involved in getting extensions if delayed en-route for a return to Tegel. The work was done at an over-sized dining table, with each corner inhabited by a commissioned officer of the Soviet, French, UK, and USA air forces. The Soviet and RAF ones were amending their respective publications, the French one was reading Le Figaro and wreathed in smoke from his Gauloise cigarette, and USAF was watching a ball game on a small portable TV. The work involved reacting to alerts from the Berlin Air Traffic Centre of a departing/arriving allied aircraft approaching a corridor entry point. The alert would go to the French, UK, or USA reps for the North, Centre, and South Air Corridors respectively. The flight info would already be sitting in their pigeon-holes on a post-card type form. The post-card would be handed across the table to the Soviet Officer, which counted as formal notification of the movement. Having recorded it he would stamp it with an outsized imprint with Cyrillic script stating that the USSR could not guarantee its safety but acknowledging the movement.

Our conducting S/Ldr explained that you started off UI to make sure that you were fully practiced in the routine before going solo. His turn came, BARTCC rang to say that Flt No XXXXX was a/b TXL and heading for the Centre Corridor. He carefully extracted the appropriate card, time stamped it, and handed it over to the Soviet officer who recorded the movement and handed it back. Having placed it in the approved rack our man relaxed, first one done at least. A few moments later the Soviet Officer suddenly asks for the card back. This isn't in the script! Card duly returned to Soviet corner with trembling hands. "Ah", says the Russian, "I forget to stamp it! I will do it now for you!" Russia 10 points, and new boy thus welcomed into the fold.

Off duty they were teaching the Russians the game of darts, much to the cost of the walls of the BASC building. It had been the Prussian equivalent of the Old Bailey and was used by the NAZI People's Court for the trial of those involved in the 20 July Bomb Plot. Once convicted they were to be hung (by piano wire, "like cattle!") within two hours on Hitler's express orders. Executions were to be carried out across town at Moabit. With round the clock bombing this created a logistical problem and was partially overcome it is suspected within the Court building itself, for in the basement there was still a crudely made braced beam high up on the wall. Our guide explained that in the top of the beam were grooves as though worn into it by wires under tension...

[ICM]

Can anyone confirm this story that I became aware of in my Argosy days? I believe it is from 1965, when the Bundestag held a meeting in West Berlin, something to which the Soviet Union took great objection, claiming that the city was not part of the Federal Republic. All manner of hindrances to Berlin access were initiated and, amongst other things, special probe flights using the Argosy were tasked. These would often see a MIG on the wingtip at some point. On one occasion, it was said, a captain slowed to airdrop speed and opened the rear doors, at which point the accompanying MIG had to give up as an incipient stall threatened. I'd like to think it was true.

[Video Mixdown]

[QUOTE=Less Hair;10878355]Took it from the Luftwaffenmuseum's website. Rheindalen might be meant to be just their legal unit's base.
QUOTE]

"9 inch" refers to the size of the image, 9x9, on the 10 inch film used in the F96 camera
The film was in fact 9.5" wide. It was delivered to PRU (HQRAFG) at Rheindahlen for processing, then upstairs to the PI's of 6(Int) Coy, BAOR.

[Less Hair]

Thanks for the clarification.

[t211]

I would just like to add to Chualug2 post. The Dan-air Hs748 and the Bae146 also frequented the Corridors when i was on the 748 we operated from Saarbrucken to Txl via the southern corridor which was 200 nauticle miles long entry was Mansbach NDB and not far from the Fulda VoR if i remember correctly. There was a localizer but these aids were frequently jammed . We had quite a few Migs come and have a look and on one occasion i was Pf the commandant for Txl was on board when one of the Migs got a bit to close The commandant saw what was going on and when we arrived at Txl He asked to use the phone in our Ops building. Anyway i have never seen a French man so angry in all my life he was jumping up and down and the phone with it i have not got a clue what he said but by the time we headed back to Saarbrucken everyone knew. This incident ended up on Maggie Thatchers Desk.Regarding the entry into the corridor in the BASC the paperwork for a schedule Flight was stamped ( Safety assured) And for a Charter flight it was ( Safety not Assured ) as my coleague said the BASC was well worth a visit because of the History I would not have missed it for the world. Happy Days

[Haraka]

"The film was in fact 9.5" wide. It was delivered to PRU (HQRAFG) at Rheindahlen for processing, then upstairs to the PI's of 6(Int) Coy,"

IIRC in my time RAF PID did the airflelds stuff, 6(Int) the ground equipment . (Although there was close co-operation)

[Crromwellman]

Haraka,

You are absolutely right The RAF's PID looked at air related targets such as airfields, radar sites etc and 6 Int dealt with ground force targets. The only duplication was AAA and SAM associated targets where 6 Int looked at ORBAT ant TO&E and the RAF looked at the technical parameters to ascertain the threat to aircraft and helos.

[JW411]

ICM: In 1965 the Mayor of Berlin, Willy Brandt, announced that he was going to hold a Bundestag meeting in Berlin. Since Berlin was not part of the FDR (West Germany), this incensed the Russians. They put out a NOTAM stating that they intended to have a major exercise with the forces of the DDR (East Germany) and for flight safety reasons they were going to close the bottom 5,000 ft of the corridors for their ground attack aircraft. The Brits, the French and the Americans asked for 5,000 ft to be added to the top of the corridors (10,000 ft upper limit was laid down in the Potsdam agreement in 1945). "Niet" said the Russians so it was decided to ignore the NOTAM and to exercise our rights by flying up and down the corridors at the minimum possible level (2,500 ft on one of the corridors). 2 RAF Argosys, 2 USAF C-130s and 2 French Noratlas's would be involved. (In the end, the French stayed on the ground).
06.04.65. Got called out from standby. XR136 with Stan Brecken to Gutersloh. Briefed on arrival. Set out down the centre corridor at about 3,000 ft. Crossed the border at HLZ in cloud. Berlin Centre advised "fast moving, height unknown" which eventually was "6 o'clock, 100 yards". Popped out of cloud and their on my (right) wingtip was a Russian MIG-19 with large red star and the number 30 on the nose. I got Stan's attention. He put full power on and that got us about another 11 knots!!!! Our friend went through the intercept procedure. We declined to follow him and he broke off at the Berlin CTZ boundary. Landed Gatow, debriefed back to Gutersloh
07.04.65 We got to Gatow without being intercepted but when we got there a large flying display was in progress. MIG-19s, MIG-21s, SU-7s and YAK-28s planting sonic booms on Willy's Bundestag meeting which broke up in some disorder. When we were starting engines at Gatow, a SU-7 came across the airfield very, very low and flew past below our cockpit windows. He then pulled up and twinkle-rolled into East Germany. He was obviously having a wonderful day!
08.04.65 XR139 with Dennis Burles. Crossed at HLZ and got intercepted by MIG-19 number 10. This time he had a white missile on each side which was a bit of a worry for a time. He followed us right down a PAR approach into Gatow and eventually broke off into the East at 700 ft.
10.04.65. XR133. No intercepts. Russians had proved their point and we all went home next day.
Their were several flippant conversations about what defensive measures we could take. One idea was to load a couple of tons of gravel chippings in the freight bay. Next time Chummy was at 6 o'clock in cloud, open clam shell doors and start shovelling gravel down his intake. Another idea was to mount a 105 mm howitzer on an MSP and show him what a gun really looked like. No such attempts were made! Incidentally, we were all also Viscount trained.

[ICM]

Jock, Many thanks - that confirms the timeframe and general context. It looks as if I 'misheard' that story all those years ago, perhaps in some mash-up of the possibilities you say were discussed as 'countermeasures.' Hoping you're well, Ian.

[Chugalug2]

t211, apologies for not mentioning Dan-Air's 748's and 146's. Berlin was a gold mine for Dan-Air and other non-German airlines (West German airlines, including Lufthansa, were forbidden from entering the Berlin corridors); income in DM's and most costs in £'s. Though as the pound continued to sink each visit meant the beer cost more in £'s, though its DM price stayed exactly the same.

JW411, the events that you describe were no doubt in the forefront of BARTCC and BASF minds when, unannounced and off frequency, a Soviet transport a/c entered the Berlin Zone from the East. Continuous avoiding action for Tegel and Tempelhof traffic was necessary as it meandered erratically through the zone. Was this yet another Soviet provocation? Was there still more to come? Just as suddenly as it had appeared it exited the zone and disappeared into East German airspace. While the turmoil it had created subsided and normal routine was re-established, a phone call came into BASF. It was from the Soviet Airforce HQ in East Germany. Far from being threatening and bombastic, the tone was apologetic and reassuring. Their ATC had lost R/T contact with this nomad and they hoped it had not created too much trouble. They promised that severe disciplinary action would be taken against all those that had failed in their duty at their end. It was one thing to beat up the Reichstag when so ordered, quite another to make waves of one's own accord!

[Onceacaptain]

Argosy aircraft from 114 and 267 Sqns flew the corridor over the period 1966-68 or possibly longer

[JW411]

My first visit was 11.05.63 (XP447/267 Sqn) and there were lots more ahead of me. Last visit 05.03.71 (XR135/114 Sqn).

[DCS99]

Great thread - I was lucky enough to fly BA Staff Travel LHR-HAJ-TXL on my days off in November 89. IGS - Internal German Service. I do wonder what became of those German BA Cabin Crew

Superb experience to see the Wall falling. Berlin history capital of the World
Thanks to all for their memories.

[Chugalug2]

DCS99 :-
I do wonder what became of those German BA Cabin Crew

Indeed. Dan-Air's were all local too, though not necessarily West Berliners. One I remember had fled with her parents as a little girl into West Berlin before the wall went up. What had it been like to live behind the Iron Curtain? "I remember my mother making it very clear to me that I was never to repeat anything I heard that she or my father might have said at home. Never!".

Loading was quick at Tegel as the Terminal had been designed to allow for the rapid mass evacuation of the population should Soviet Occupation of West Berlin seem imminent. The roadway, specific check in desk, gate lounge, and air bridge were all within metres of each other in the 50p coin with a hole in the middle shaped building, with a roadway loop in the hole and airbridges on the outside. A matching second terminal was planned and the apron layout clearly showed where it was going to be. It never happened; the wall came down, the city re-united, and Tegel obtained makeshift extra terminals until Brandenburg/Schonefeld in the East was ready to become the new dedicated city airport. This has taken much longer than planned but Tegel is destined for closure imminently. It has an honourable history of serving the Capital in the turbulent post war era, for its very survival during the airlift, and keeping it sane by ensuring escape to foreign holidays (usually Greek ones!) thereafter.

[friendlypelican 2]

The status of the 4 occupying powers was strongly enforced and sometimes as visiting aircrew (especially at a weekend) we were encouraged to visit East Berlin in uniform to show the locals that we Brits were still there. Part of our brief was that we were to studiously ignore any East German police or military and in the event of any incident we were to insist on dealing only with Russian officers. If the level of tension was raised, we sometimes would send additional aircraft to Berlin to again 'show the flag' and our freedom over the city. Checking my logbooks, I see that on Feb 3rd 1975 we took 2 X Hercules to Gatow at very short notice and for 4 days each crew flew 4-hour long sorties remaining within the Belin CTZ ! We stayed below 2000ft and filled our boots (and some!) with approaches to Gatow, Tegel and Templehof. The residents of the East would be in no doubt as to who we were and our intentions. We returned to Lyneham on the 7th.

[Ken Scott]

I flew to Gatow as part of my ME training in Dec 1991 in the Jetstream (XX482). After an entertaining night in Berlin we departed back to Finningley, I was no 2 in a stream of 3 ac, the last RAF ac to fly down the corridors as they closed at the end of that day & became normal airways.

[unmanned_droid]

USAF did lots especially in The early days with EC-97G And RC-130A up and down the Berlin corridor 60s/70s. Then the Fulton recovery equipped mC-130E/H Combat Talon operated by the Rhein Main 7th Special Ops Squadron (now based at the ‘Hall) we’re sighted flying up and down the corridor in the 80s.

Also slightly digressing, the FAA had variety of C-47, C-131, DC-6, T-39 Sabreliner going into Tempelhof from the 60s onwards till the wall came crashing down. Think they were runway calibration / checker a/c.

cheers

Out of interest, is there any evidence that they were retrieving people/packages with Fulton gear along the way?

[ICM]

The status of the Occupying Powers was made clear to me during a couple of visits. First, the RAF Staff College visit in 1978 when we Brits plus the Americans on the course (all in uniform) went through Checkpoint Charlie with minimal fuss whilst all the other nationals in another coach had quite a difficult crossing. (Our Yugoslav MIG 21 pilot colleague, a fairly hardline communist, was outraged at such treatment of a comrade!) Some years later, my NATO Defense College course had Berlin as part of the European tour. The Belgian Air Force B727 that we used for transport was not permitted in the corridors and, as I recall, we flew in/out using Pan Am. And as this was a NATO rather than national visit, there was no question of anyone on the course going into the East on that occasion. (The wife of one of our US Army officers had grown up in East Berlin and, on the day they started to build the wall, she had crossed into the West. Prior to the tour, she had gone through all required formalities to see her family during the visit and, despite that, got a pretty hard time when going through Charlie.)

[mcdhu]

I guess I was lucky re going down the Central Corridor to Gatow. The first time was on my conversion to nice red and white Andover Mk2s from Benson in 1969. The trg capt was friends with OC Ops at Gatow (I think they had been on Comet 2s in the past). We did lots of (radar) circuits to give the PAR controllers some practice. There were quite a few other training occasions during my 3 years as a copilot. Later in my career (1974) I stood in for the CinC RAFG's Andover Mk2 (60 Sqn Wildenrath) captain and made a few trips up and down the corridor with the CinC (Sir Nigel Maynard, I think). Did a Jetstream refresher at Leeming in 1985 which also involved a trip to Gatow and a night downtown with the ubiquitous WRAF Officer who was keen to visit the odd nightclub!! Also took an HS125 (32 Sqn) to a couple of Berlin Air shows, one at Gatow and one at Templehof. The Berliners loved it because I guess there wasn't too much call for airshows in the Berlin area!
I must have been lucky; never saw an unfriendly aircraft and always managed to get back to Gatow unscathed after a night downtown although the headaches were similar to those gained after a night downtown Limassol!!
Boy were we lucky in having those experiences.
mcdhu

[NRU74]

In the sixties I ‘indulged’ (are they still called Indulgence Flights’ ?) twice by Argosy from Benson to Gatow and back. It was so cheap, I think, certainly, less than £10 return. Couldn’t understand why more people didn’t do it.I took my uniform and visited East Berlin on each occasion and managed to stay each time at Edinburgh House.
Later when I was based in W Germany I also went by road and by the Military Train.

[Less Hair]

Concerning Tegel: The commercial airport will close in November but Tegel North Air Base will remain open for some more years to come. However it might be only used for some Tegel North based VIP military helicopters in the future. Possibly only the military apron in the north will remain operational but no more runway.

[chopper2004]

Not forgetting US Army Berlin Brigade Aviation Detachment with Bell UH-1H, Pilatus UV-24 , Beech C-12. The black Hueys had FReedom City painted in white on the sliding doors, Pilatus Porters perfect for their STOL capabilities. In the 70s the Aviation Det had Cessna O-2 Skymasters (think one of them ended up post Army service at Strike / Top Gun at NAS Fallon as range a/c).

Photos courtesy of US Army Germany website


http://usarmygermany.com/Sont.htm

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/400x524/95340b4a_71c4_44e9_8250_19ba2b066552_61a04afd04981d6281005c4 d4f81e75e662aa321.jpeg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/800x547/a6dbab69_eec2_4ac2_937d_63253a03354b_5bd1481db16976e0be1794f 01837e4c914cc8a9c.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1000x642/4c2954f5_9e67_4d7c_81df_22dbbe33f400_c6074bb68cf81b4d5b69849 1e16501dcf0a3c873.jpeg

cheers

[LOMCEVAK]

An ex 60 Sqn Andover C1, XS596, became the UK 'Open Skies' aircraft in the late '80s/early '90s, based at Boscombe Down. It had been highly modified for 60 Sqn to carry vertical cameras and, from memory, an infrared line scan and I was told that it used to fly the Berlin corridors. The modifications made it ideal for installing the equipment required for 'Open Skies' tasks.

[Less Hair]

The Pilatus UV-20A Chiricahua had photo recon capabilities as well. On clear days you could see them almost standing still at high altitude. They did special forces paradrops as well.

[pasta]

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Berlin with the CCF, travelling in from Braunschweig on the British Military Train. Aswell as the normal sightseeing we did FIBUA training at the Ruhleben complex, were driven around the Havel in Rigid Raiders, had a sightseeing ride in a Gazelle, and spent half a day wandering around Treptower Park - in uniform, of course - after going through Checkpoint Charlie. Was quite the eye-opener for a schoolboy who'd never left the UK before. My only regret is that I didn't know more about WWII history; I was pretty much in awe of the Wall, and tales of BRIXMIS derring-do, but when one of our hosts told us he'd met Hess - who was still alive at that point - I didn't really know who he was...

[Vzlet]

Lots of detail on air operations by BRIXMIS (Operation "Schooner/Nylon" (http://www.16va.be/vols_brixmis_part1_eng.html)) and USMLM (https://www.16va.be/operation_larkspur_part1_eng.html) on the "Red Stars Over Germany" (http://www.16va.be/)site.

[Video Mixdown]

There used to be a dedicated department in the UK that used the photography from BRIXMIS, HALLMARK and ‘other’ sources to make extremely detailed scale models of Warsaw Pact equipment for recognition purposes.

[Haraka]

There used to be a dedicated department in the UK that used the photography from BRIXMIS, HALLMARK and ‘other’ sources to make extremely detailed scale models of Warsaw Pact equipment for recognition purposes.

Indeed .In my day the JARIC model section at RAF Wyton, A very skilled team sadly disbanded years ago.

[Commander Taco]

My first visit was 11.05.63 (XP447/267 Sqn) and there were lots more ahead of me. Last visit 05.03.71 (XR135/114 Sqn).
My Dad was a 267 Sqn pilot during that time and I well remember him getting a Viscount checkout courtesy of BEA. He flew into Berlin several times, as I remember him bringing home big jars of excellent German pickles.

Which of the three Berlin airports was BEA using back then?

[Chugalug2]

My Dad was a 267 Sqn pilot during that time and I well remember him getting a Viscount checkout courtesy of BEA. He flew into Berlin several times, as I remember him bringing home big jars of excellent German pickles.

Which of the three Berlin airports was BEA using back then?

It would be Tempelhof. All the scheduled airlines operated out of there, Those airlines operating charter flights used Tegel.

[Less Hair]

BA flew to Gatow as well occasionally. There was even a small passenger terminal.
Tegel was used by aircraft needing longer runways. Like Pan Am quads not only charters. Air France flew their Caravelles to Tegel (North) as well.

[topgas]

I flew to Berlin from Luton in the early eighties, checking in at the Smith Air desk, and I'm fairly sure we flew in to Gatow. Dan Air possibly.

[JW411]

In the 1960s, BEA and PanAm used Tempelhof and Air France used Tegel.

Commander Taco: I did my Viscount course with the late Joe G****s who had a Canadian connection. Possibly your Dad?

[Less Hair]

Pan Am used Tegel for individual long range jet flights as well back then.
DC-8:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/north-america/united-states/galleries/The-golden-age-of-Pan-Am/pan-am12/

[Commander Taco]

In the 1960s, BEA and PanAm used Tempelhof and Air France used Tegel.

Commander Taco: I did my Viscount course with the late Joe G****s who had a Canadian connection. Possibly your Dad?
Yes JW, that be him. What a coincidence to be on a thread with someone who did a course with him 57 years ago. I’d like to PM you, his logbooks and photos of that time were lost in a fire a few years later in Australia. Perhaps you could fill in a few blanks for me.

Cheers,

’Taco

[JW411]

Commander Taco: Please feel free to send me a PM.

[condor17]

DeanoP , that arrangement carried on into the '90s . 2 RAF crews were trained on 737-236s , every 3 months they'd do a sim session , and the j/s to TXL , next day go cct. bashing at Gatow to maintain currency . Was not well known , but met a LGW trainer '' 'wot are you doing in Berlin ? '' . ''Cct. bashing tomorrow at Gatow ''. In times of tension , we civvy crews and pax would get off leaving empty a/c piloted by the RAF boys to fly the corridors , keeping them open .
Chugalug [ still waiting to hear the true story of Maastricht ATC- Dan-Air piss up ] . Good visit to the BASC . Still remember the 4 signatures on cert. of no objection needing to be obtained and passed on B4 we'd get start clearance . Still have enamel lapel badge of BASC. Was told that the Templehof airport buiding in plan view is shaped like a German Eagle . Next VMC departure off 08 confirmed it . Body , wings , head , talons .
DCS99 , must have crossed paths . Did Haj-TXL-HAJ-MAN-GLA on 9/11/89 . Next day in GLA looking for the Hebrides wx , all I could find was the Wall falling down ! The Berlin 'gurls 'n guys , not all German , some Brits and Yanks . About 2 dozen after Balpa protested on their behalf , [ It was after all a mainline BA base , thus should have been a base transfer , Not reselection ] ! . They transferred to BA LHR base . Larger amount transferred to Lufti . The rest I know not as we , the ATP fleet had left TXL in Autumn 91 , going back to roots of Highlands and Islands. Before the base completely shut .

rgds condor .

[oldmansquipper]

JW411 - great stuff, matey. Thank you. The only corridor issues I had during my 2 tours in West Germany usually involved evicting fragrant but temporary occupants from, or clearing up the mess outside, my room in Block 40 Laarparts, often after a ‘corridor party’.

(have I forgotten all about your exploits or did you just never tell?....til now.)

[JW411]

I could not possibly comment.

[Lance Shippey]

Dear Chevvron,
Hughie Green was flying a Cessna 310, in the Southern Corridor
Stuttgart / Gatow when the Soviets opened fire. The a/c received
some damage. Green replaced the a/c with a Cessna 337. which
was often parked outside the Fairey hangar at MAN, during his
recording his show at ABC studios in Didsbury, Manchester. The
C.337 .was registered to G and M Air Interests. The "M" was his
friend, Michael Miles, who also had a TV game show called "Take
your Pick"

Lance Shippey

[Chugalug2]

LS, I believe that Hughie was once obliged to help the Police at Heathrow when passing through there as a pax. They believed him to be somewhat tired and emotional, but he wasn't that tired and emotional as not to give his name as Michael Miles...

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Autair based two Vickers Vikings at Templehof during the early 1960s. During the week the aircraft flew daily to Schipol under a contract to uplift flowers for The Berlin Market whilst at week-ends seats were fitted and passenger charters were undertaken.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1280x869/1283797221_pb_berlin_64_370bcd32aca848a558c9480f4554409eacea 4a4d.jpg
G-AHPB 1964. Photo Ralf Manteuful with thanks.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x683/1128564_large_390ba53a8a7985e9493ae6897bbef6a6a41c09c7.jpg
G-AGRW landing Templehof 1966. Photo credit Ralf Manteuful with thanks.


Read all about it in the first few parts of this excellent book.....https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/I_Have_Control.html?id=_axTDwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y

[Foul-Sudan]

I used to fly the corridors in the 60's

There was a question further back, enquiring what happened to the local BEA cabin staff!

From recollection, a number turned up on BEA front doors in Camberley et al.

The introduction went like " E doesn't luff you E luffs me!!

[Finningley Boy]

I flew up and down in a Britannia Airways Boeing 737 during 1987/88. The flight was regular, every Wednesday if I recall and always used to calibrate the radar.

FB

[Commander Taco]

How were the Argosy pilots selected for the BEA operation? Volunteered or voluntold? Perhaps Boxkite or JW could explain.

[BANANASBANANAS]

I flew the Dominie in the RAF (not 1960's though) and we regularly operated from Gutersloh to Gatow via the Centre Corridor to exercise the freedom of the corridors. This would have been 1980's.

[1771 DELETE]

AEOp training in the 70s always had our overseas run to Gatow in a Varsity.

[Lonewolf_50]

In summer of 1969 I flew into Tempelhof on a Pan Am 727. (My dad had been assigned to work in West Berlin). Speaking of dad, he got to fly in and out of the Berlin during the Blockade (he was a courier during the Blockade while it was happening). From his stories it was usually C-47's and C-54's that he flew in. Dad will be 94 in May. The camera with which most of the pictures of my siblings and me were taken was a either a Leica or a Zeiss (it was black, and it folded open, acdordian lens) that Dad traded a few cartons of cigarettes and some chocolate for when he was a GI. Mom didn't start using an instamatic until the mid 1980's.
Gail Halverson's son (Terry) and I were in the same junior high school in West Berlin. (He was a year ahead of me).
Colonel Halverson was, as a JO, somewhat famous as The Candy Bomber during the Blockade.

[ShyTorque]

Chugalug2: Off duty they were teaching the Russians the game of darts, much to the cost of the walls of the BASC building. It had been the Prussian equivalent of the Old Bailey and was used by the NAZI People's Court for the trial of those involved in the 20 July Bomb Plot. Once convicted they were to be hung (by piano wire, "like cattle!") within two hours on Hitler's express orders. Executions were to be carried out across town at Moabit. With round the clock bombing this created a logistical problem and was partially overcome it is suspected within the Court building itself, for in the basement there was still a crudely made braced beam high up on the wall. Our guide explained that in the top of the beam were grooves as though worn into it by wires under tension...

I visited BASC about ten days before the Berlin wall came down, during my RAF time. We were given a guided tour of the building and as we walked along the corridor, I suddenly experienced a very strange and unsettling choking sensation, the likes of which I'd never had before (and not had since). At that stage I hadn't been made aware of the ghastly history of that room. I did go in but couldn't stay there for long; I found the atmosphere too oppressive.