Master Pilot REDDELL, RAF Hullavington 1964-65

[madcat11]

I saw a thread on here some time ago titled “The Last NCO Pilot Entry?” It was from around 2014. In that thread a Master Pilot Reddell was mentioned at RAF Hullavington in 1964-65 flying Varsity and Valletta’s.

Can anybody on here confirm this and do they have any further information on him. His first name may have been Clifford. Long shot, I know but your help as ever is much appreciated.

[navstar1]

From my log book he was the captain on my night Astro trip at RAF Hullavington 20th August 1964

[Vulbuctor]

And in my log book I flew a cross country navigation exercise with him on 9 April 1964

[Barksdale Boy]

From my log book - 5:25 day on 19 April 1966; track plot and manual air plot in Varsity K WL 673, out of RAF Gaydon.

[madcat11]

You chaps are brilliant thanks. Did he have any initials or a first name?

[navstar1]

Sorry not in my log book.

[navstar1]

Vulbuctor. We were obviously at Hullabington at the same time. Do you remember your course number ?

[Brian 48nav]

MP Reddell is in my logbook for 1st Nov 1966 ( I'm only a young whippersnapper! ) from Gaydon - no initial I'm afraid!


Then I had a brainwave, I remembered that Warrant Officers appeared in the old Air Force List and lo and behold in an old copy I have ( 1973 - just to prove that this old scruffy long-haired git had once been an officer! ) there is a MP C Reddell, appointed 6th Sept 1959 - hope this helps.

[middlesbrough]

I was a student nav at Hullavington on 63 Course and Master Pilot Reddell was captain on three Navex sorties that I flew on:
5 August 1964 Valetta WJ485 3:55
2 September 1964 Valetta WJ485 3:50
27 October 1964 Valetta WJ487 4:10 Night Astro
All the pilots taught us a lot about airmanship, happy days, and the beginning of 31 years flying in the RAF.

[Cornish Jack]

Name rings a bell with forename association "Jock" but can't find a reference at the moment.

[madcat11]

Thank you once more. This is great information for his family!

[Barksdale Boy]

I have a feeling that it might have been Cliff.

[TimL]

I flew with MP Reddell three times while at Hullavington on 55 Course: 6 Feb 64 Valetta 'M' Astro Famil 3:15
19 Feb 64 Valetta 'Q' Mechnical Airplot 4:00
2 Mar 64 Valetta 'W' Night Astro Famil 3:25I used to prefer the Valetta T4 to the Varsity. For a start the nav station was immediately behind the pilots rather than way down the back, and you had Gee Mk 3, which you could read on counters instead of having to count ticks on a CRT. Happy days!

-- Tim L

[navstar1]

Gee Mk3 wonderful bit of kit.

[middlesbrough]

Especially in the Meteor NF14.......

[navstar1]

Yes indeed! Great fun in the last four weeks at Stradishall.

[madcat11]

His family have said that he was an ex-Dakota pilot and served in the Far East and during the Berlin Airlift. I’m currently sampling through the individual Squadron ORBs to try and find his name but it’s hard going. If any body knows of him from this era it would be great.

[madcat11]

The family have sent me a photograph that I thought you might like to see. Clifford Reddell is seated 2nd left.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1140x828/463ffb57_aa7d_4a40_b5d7_ea64e839a3aa_bb4944138e3efd5fbac244d 3c31ae77a2d058286.jpeg