Sabres

[George Richardson]

70 years ago today,Fighter Command received its first swept wing aircraft. Two Canadair Sabres, XD706 & XD720 landed at Linton on Ouse. 66sqn.took them on charge.We locals were treated to regular sonic bangs from 66 & 92 sqns. for the next couple years! Complaints spoiled the fun as usual, & the bangs were no more.

[Geriaviator]

I remember the excitement at Leuchars when a USAF Sabre produced a fine bang for Battle of Britain Day in 1953. Always a big day for the kids from the Patch, such a fine assortment of visiting aircraft from many stations. Happy days growing up in the post-ww2 RAF.

[GeeRam]

70 years ago today,Fighter Command received its first swept wing aircraft. Two Canadair Sabres, XD706 & XD720 landed at Linton on Ouse. 66sqn.took them on charge.

These were not even close to being the first two Sabre's the RAF received..!
In fact they were almost in the last batch of aircraft the RAF took on charge, being in a batch of ex-USAF aircraft, rather than the Canadair Sabre's delivered earlier. Most of the RAF Sabre's were in the XB serial range.
The first 3 x Sabre's taken on charge by the RAF flew into RAF North Luffenham on 10th October 1952 after being ferried across from Canada.

[BEagle]

One of the events of the flying programme for the 1954 RAF Merryfield 'At Home' day was 'Breaking the sound barrier by a Sabre of Fighter Command'.....

Which it did!

Even if there were still such things as 'At Home' days, I somehow can't see 'Breaking the sound barrier' being included in the flying programme nowadays.

[Davef68]

These were not even close to being the first two Sabre's the RAF received..!
In fact they were almost in the last batch of aircraft the RAF took on charge, being in a batch of ex-USAF aircraft, rather than the Canadair Sabre's delivered earlier. Most of the RAF Sabre's were in the XB serial range.
The first 3 x Sabre's taken on charge by the RAF flew into RAF North Luffenham on 10th October 1952 after being ferried across from Canada.


Fighter Command received its first swept wing aircraft.

The apposite part of the post

PS The XD aircraft were also Canadair aircraft, delivered for ADGB rather than the 2TAF ones in the 'XB' serial ranges. As they were MDAP they has US serials, but they were delivered from Canada for the RAF

[601]

I remember the excitement at Leuchars when a USAF Sabre produced a fine bang for Battle of Britain Day in 1953.
I remember the day a Tiger Moth caused a fine bang in a dive at an airshow at Toowoomba.
I guess that it was just coincidence that there was a cloud of dust at the nearby rubbish tip.

[aw ditor]

RCAF had a Wing of Sabres at N. Luffenham. Great visit there as a CCF Cadet in 1952 (?)

[pulse1]

My one chance to get close to a sonic bang was foiled by a but of poor navigation. This was by a Sabre at a Battle of Britain air display at St Athan. We all waited to have our ear drums assaulted by the bang and, although it came in very fast, there was no bang. Apparently, the commentator explained, the USAF pilot had mistaken nearby RAF LLandow for St Athan and by the time he had recognised his mistake, he had slowed somewhat. I am sure he was an American pilot because, with his nice black leather jacket, he looked so much smarter as he crawled down the air inlet as he did his preflight checks.

[teeteringhead]

There were certainly some in the Coronation flypast. Some years ago I worked with an aged spec aircrew Sqn Ldr (err 16 years younger than I am now!) who had flown a Meteor in the flypast.

He said several Sabres had flamed out, successfully relit, and rejoined the formation!

Can’t imagine THAT happening now either…..

[Asturias56]

sabres can be seen in this fabulous picture - front row in front of the B-29 Washingtons​​​​​​​
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1538/raf_coro_display_f4_e8a1f6abc8f2d3a45ebe83670881d4b4759cf157 .jpg

[POBJOY]

sabres can be seen in this fabulous picture - front row in front of the B-29 Washingtons
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1538/raf_coro_display_f4_e8a1f6abc8f2d3a45ebe83670881d4b4759cf157 .jpg
Now that is what I call an Air Force, including the vintage stuff,, where were the T21's and T31's !!!

[Herod]

I believe that's Odiham for the Royal Review. All home-based aircraft.

[brakedwell]

I remember the aircraft arriving at Odiham for the review in 1953 as I was at boarding school three miles south of the airfield. It partly inspired to join the RAF two years later!

[ItsonlyMeagain]

POBJOY

Look carefully and you will find……

A T21 with one wing up behind the Ansons.

Me

[Brewster Buffalo]

Some closer B&W photos of the Sabres and also of the Lincolns at the other end of the flight line at this website. Says 600 a/c in the fly past..

Royal Review (https://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/nos10.html)

On the 4th photo down there is a balloon flying behind the Ansons - presumably weather and not barrage!

[langleybaston]

Some closer B&W photos of the Sabres and also of the Lincolns at the other end of the flight line at this website. Says 600 a/c in the fly past..

Royal Review (https://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/nos10.html)

On the 4th photo down there is a balloon flying behind the Ansons - presumably weather and not barrage!

I cannot think of a single reason for any balloon flown by / for Met. to be there, and it surely was not allowed up when any flying [arrive/ display/ depart] was in progress.
It looks like a standard war time issue such as my father flew to protect Coventry, the Suez Canal, and D Day ships.
A mystery to me.

[DogTailRed2]

Are those Vulcans at the back? Oh to be a boy on the road at the end of the runway when they took off, if the road was there of course.

[RetiredBA/BY]

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1258/52fbd5df_f4ee_4e92_8dd5_5e6033abae96_2e6f47a0538f75697d49185 b6d69674b29737062.jpeg
Theres one still flying !

[oldmansquipper]

I think Cliff Spink still flies a full sized one

[DogTailRed2]

I think Cliff Spink still flies a full sized one
Didn't his one (the Black Knights old mount) get written off in a take off accident?

[Innominate]

On the 4th photo down there is a balloon flying behind the Ansons - presumably weather and not barrage! Used for initial parachute training - certainly into the 1980s.

I think Cliff Spink still flies a full sized one He mentioned in a lecture last month that it's no longer flying; I think he said something about issues with the ejector seat.

[langleybaston]

Used for initial parachute training - certainly into the 1980s.

.

Of course of course ............. fortunately jumping from balloons was not a Met. duty, although I could tell of a naughty prank involving a large sonde balloon, a wallet and a pompous S Met O.

[oldmansquipper]

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1910x1517/img_5070_3ec4525f452e9cf5f10c28e494368cd48f71df19.jpeg
Five swords. Four Sabres & One Rapier Ahlhorn 1958

[SLXOwft]

Are those Vulcans at the back? Oh to be a boy on the road at the end of the runway when they took off, if the road was there of course.

Only Vulcan involved that day was the 1st prototype VX770 - it entered service in '56 (a Victor and a Valiant prototypes also took part in the flypast)

Sabres on static dispay at were 12 RCAF (410/439/441 Sqns), 4 RAF (2TAF) out of c300 a/c The flypast included 50: 36 RCAF, 24 RAF out of c.600 aircraft in total.

Even nerdier fact prompted by New BoB Film thread., the Station Commander at the time was Gp Capt J A Kent DFC* AFC aka Kentowski - Flt Cmdr with 303 Sqn during the Battle of Britain (CO 92 sqn for the last 6 days of the Battle)

The aircraft are lined up along the shorter now RW only runway, if they were taking off Westish or SouthWestish the roads are very close.

As a teenager I thought the Silver Jubilee Review at Finningley was impressive - however, only 74 a/c but I suspect as loud if not louder given F-4s, EE Lightnings, Harriers, Vulcans, Victors and Canberras + Gnats, JPs etc. (and an RAAF F-111)

[megan]

The ultimate Sabre, powered by Avon.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1280x854/sabre_b6c4dfe5e07291d87a39f9621a2fc8706cba8df3.jpg

[Squipdit Fashions]

On the 4th photo down there is a balloon flying behind the Ansons - presumably weather and not barrage
​​​​​​​Used for initial parachute training - certainly into the 1980s
The balloons used for parachute training were effectively re-purposed Low-Zone barrage balloons designed in 1934, with the addition of a cage for the trainee parachutists and instructors/despatchers. Following the disbandment of Balloon Command in 1945, the balloon operations squadron worked with 1 PTS from Ringway, Upper Heyford, Abingdon and then Hullavington; and were deployed to training sites across the UK and Europe as required. It was not officially disbanded until 1995; when the basic design of their balloon was over 60 years old.

I suspect those in the 1953 review were there to demonstrate the capability; the photographs of the royal 'drive-by' show the balloon inflated and flown at only 100 ft or so, perhaps in readiness for the flypast. In the colour photo above, I think you can also see the silver envelope deflated and on the ground behind the row of Ansons.

During WWII, the balloons were manufactured by the aircraft section of the Lea Bridge Rubber Works and their successor company, Airborne Industries, still manufactures (or, at least, advertises) them today - last seen in use by the Belgian Army, as well as Thai and Korean units. (Other manufacturers of lighter-than-air aerial vehicles may be available!). Hope that solves your mystery, Langley....

[DuncanDoenitz]

As a teenager I thought the Silver Jubilee Review at Finningley was impressive - however, only 74 a/c but I suspect as loud if not louder given F-4s, EE Lightnings, Harriers, Vulcans, Victors and Canberras + Gnats, JPs etc. (and an RAAF F-111)
And with a Tornado prototype as the finale.

[MPN11]

Lousy pictures, but this was 77 Sqn RAAF (MOGAS*) passing through Tengah on their way home to Oz in early 1969. Landed and taxied in as pairs, neatly turning into line on the main dispersal to shut down -a lovely example of ground-based formation flying!

* MOGAS = Malaysia's Only Group Attack Squadron.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1653/mogas_5e6ea0472e8ea0855d55bd0645cc202b9c08d4fa.jpeg

[langleybaston]

Re. balloon history, It certainly does educate me, thank you very much: PPRUNE at its best.

[treadigraph]

I think Cliff Spink still flies a full sized one

It went back to the USA about ten years ago.

Didn't his one (the Black Knights old mount) get written off in a take off accident?

That was one Haydon-Baillie's old T-33s, failed to get airborne at Duxford and went through the hedge. Both crew survived with some injuries. H-B did have half a dozen F-86s, ex German or something but they never flew with him, sold on by his estate after he died in a P-51 crash.

[Davef68]

The balloon - image snapped from the book 'Coronation Wings' by Eric Bucklow, which details all the aircraft that took part in the Review

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/377296840_715781657170305_1013056497070231214_n_73754a99213f 419efbcec819f94266baa3caabab.jpg

[Davef68]

I believe that's Odiham for the Royal Review. All home-based aircraft.

Not all home based, in addition to the RAAF and RCAF units there were some 2ATAF/ RAF Germany aircraft in both the static and flypast.

[Davef68]

Are those Vulcans at the back? Oh to be a boy on the road at the end of the runway when they took off, if the road was there of course.

Canberras, Valettas, Neptunes and Varsities. And a single RNZAF Bristol Freighter

Single examples of the prototype Victor, Valiant and Vulcan took part in the flypast

[chevvron]

The balloon - image snapped from the book 'Coronation Wings' by Eric Bucklow, which details all the aircraft that took part in the Review

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/377296840_715781657170305_1013056497070231214_n_73754a99213f 419efbcec819f94266baa3caabab.jpg
I last saw one of those at Queens Parade, Aldershot in about 1995.
The jumpmaster often used his boot to 'assist' the para in his first jump; if you stood at the edge of Queens Parade you could clearly hear them screaming as they exited the cage because they were only jumping from 800ft agl and the main parachute took so long to deploy you might not have time to use the reserve.
A new contracter later in the year used Short Skyvans operating in/out of Farnborough dropping at the already existing Hankley Common DZ. There were plans to re-develop the grass strip at Gypsy Hollow, Longmoor in order to shorten the transit time between the takeoff point and the DZ (I saw the plans) but this was overtaken when Nos 1 and 3 Paras moved to Colchester instead.

[treadigraph]

I recall the balloon at Hankley Common (near my alma mater) often visible from the A3 as the next stick of victims was dropped! Also used to get a C-130 (not RAE's Snoopy!) on a seemingly endless low level orbit there, too low for para dropping I'd have thought, but maybe kit deliveries? (Probably asked before but don't remember the answer!)

[langleybaston]

I last saw one of those at Queens Parade, Aldershot in about 1995.<br />The jumpmaster often used his boot to 'assist' the para in his first jump; if you stood at the edge of Queens Parade you could clearly hear them screaming as they exited the cage because they were only jumping from 800ft agl and the main parachute took so long to deploy you might not have time to use the reserve.<br />A new contracter later in the year used Short Skyvans operating in/out of Farnborough dropping at the already existing Hankley Common DZ. There were plans to re-develop the grass strip at Gypsy Hollow, Longmoor in order to shorten the transit time between the takeoff point and the DZ (I saw the plans) but this was overtaken when Nos 1 and 3 Paras moved to Colchester instead.<br /><br />Author and ex Gurkha officer John Masters tells a marvellous story of a Gurkha unit being asked to volunteer for Para. No volunteers.<br />"How high" they wanted to know.<br />Definitely no volunteers.<br />"But my dear old Gurkhas, the parachutes always work"<br />"Ah, PARACHUTES!"<br />At which they all volunteered.<br />Digression but definitely aviation of a sort.

[sycamore]

Langley,you may know how JM got his MC,but otherwise `google` Wiki,`Operation Claret`;right at the bottom are `external links`;`How John Masters received an immediate MC`...Thread drift/digression but there is aviation content,I know,I was there...
Sadly JM died of C a few yrs ago....

[JEM60]

The T.33 did get airborne at Duxford, but at too low a speed. It failed to climb, but avoided some trees when crashing, and the back seater, Mr. Francis, escaped completely unhurt. He subsequently was awarded a bravery medal for rescuing his pilot, who was not in the best shape. Years ago, I had a long chat at Duxford with Mt. Francis, whose first name has escaped me, a couple of weeks after the crash.

[chevvron]

I recall the balloon at Hankley Common (near my alma mater) often visible from the A3 as the next stick of victims was dropped! Also used to get a C-130 (not RAE's Snoopy!) on a seemingly endless low level orbit there, too low for para dropping I'd have thought, but maybe kit deliveries? (Probably asked before but don't remember the answer!)
We regulalrly had Hercs operating from Farnborough for 1 & 3 Paras at Aldershot and Ghurkhas based at Church Crookham for droppng at Hankley Common.
On one occasion when they dropped some Ghurkhas we were asked to have an ambulance standing by when they landed back at Farnborough.
Apparently one of them managed to break a leg before he jumped. This would have been in the mid '90s because the MOD withdrew ambulances from Farnborough when Experimental Flying moved to Boscombe Down in '94 but under other MOD rules, an ambulance service was still required to be present during flying operations (we weren't yet a civil airfield where there is no requirement to have ambulance services based there) so the good old St John Ambulance Service were contracted to provide the service. When we told them they were to get an actual casualty, they were over the moon and transported the Ghurkha to Frimley Park Hospital in well under the required 7 minutes; I know because I timed them.

[GeeRam]

It went back to the USA about ten years ago.


Yep, 48-148 returned to the USA in 2014, and returned to the air after an overhaul in 2015. Its owned by Heritage Aero of Rockford, Illinois.

[langleybaston]

Langley,you may know how JM got his MC,but otherwise `google` Wiki,`Operation Claret`;right at the bottom are `external links`;`How John Masters received an immediate MC`...Thread drift/digression but there is aviation content,I know,I was there...
Sadly JM died of C a few yrs ago....

Thank you. I am a big JM fan, autobiogs and novels. His wartime promotions and "acting" roles are the stuff of dreams. A rather interesting private life, and a very interesting step-son of course.

[langleybaston]

We regulalrly had Hercs operating from Farnborough for 1 & 3 Paras at Aldershot and Ghurkas based at Church Crookham for droppng at Hankley Common.
On one occasion when they dropped some Ghurkas we were asked to have an ambulance standing by when they landed back at Farnborough.
Apparently one of them managed to break a leg before he jumped. This would have been in the mid '90s because the MOD withdrew ambulances from Farnborough when Experimental Flying moved to Boscombe Down in '94 but under other MOD rules, an ambulance service was still required to be present during flying operations (we weren't yet a civil airfield where there is no requirement to have ambulance services based there) so the good old St John Ambulance Service were contracted to provide the service. When we told them they were to get an actual casualty, they were over the moon and transported the Ghurka to Frimley Park Hospital in well under the required 7 minutes; I know because I timed them.

Thank you.
No big deal but the Gurkhas do get a bit touchy about the spelling. And we none of us want to be faced with a touchy Gurkha, do we?

[pr00ne]

I cannot think of a single reason for any balloon flown by / for Met. to be there, and it surely was not allowed up when any flying [arrive/ display/ depart] was in progress.
It looks like a standard war time issue such as my father flew to protect Coventry, the Suez Canal, and D Day ships.
A mystery to me.

It was from 1 PTS as part of the display of RAF ground equipment.

[NutLoose]

Prestwick Sabres

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1600x1066/image_a12370287c5b29a9ba946beee65e22aefe34ea1f.jpeg

click on images for more.

https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/prestwick/

[NutLoose]

Scroll down this fascinating site of yesteryear and you will see the RCAF sabres including their demise chopped up.

​​​​​https://dhc-2.com/Prestwick%20Portraits.html​​

https://dhc-2.com/Prestwick%20Portraits.html

[renfrew]

RCAF Sabres were overhauled at Renfrew as well as Prestwick and some were passed to the Lutwaffe.
I remember being in the Renfrew terminal when one taxied past with it's iron cross markings which quite shocked some of the waiting passengers.

[chevvron]

Thank you.
No big deal but the Gurkhas do get a bit touchy about the spelling. And we none of us want to be faced with a touchy Gurkha, do we?
Amended out of respect for the Ghurkhas.
First time I helped out at Bisley for the ISCRM one of my cadets opened his tent flap to go for a pee at about 2am. Standing there right outside was one of the Ghurkha guards; his teeth whitened in the moonlight as he smiled and he started (only started) to draw his kukri.
Cadet never did get his pee.

[spekesoftly]

RCAF Sabres (F86E) based in the UK and Germany were also overhauled at Filton by the Bristol Aircraft Company.

[TCAS FAN]

Remember from my reggie spotting days multiple ex RCAF Sabres in a scap yard across The Avenue on the north side of Lasham. Where did they come from?

[langleybaston]

It was from 1 PTS as part of the display of RAF ground equipment.

Thank you.
When I was a keen young boy scout I was much into knots, lashings and splicing.
"Splicing" said dad "I had to splice not only ropes but wire" [I assume cables?]
Thus I became best damned splicer in the troop, and I still maintain bell ropes in S Lincs.

[treadigraph]

Remember from my reggie spotting days multiple ex RCAF Sabres in a scap yard across The Avenue on the north side of Lasham. Where did they come from?
Ah Staravia, long gone before my first visit to Lasham in 1978... Believe they came from Prestwick where a lot of Canadian aircraft were retired.

[TCAS FAN]

Ah Staravia, long gone before my first visit to Lasham in 1978... Believe they came from Prestwick where a lot of Canadian aircraft were retired.

Thanks, looking at Google Earth now no sign of the taxiway and hangar that existed in those days.

[treadigraph]

Still sorta visible in the crops!

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.1913057,-1.0326209,349a,35y,353.37h/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

[sycamore]

I`m sure there were Sabres stacked near a road between Odiham and F`borough,about `67....

[treadigraph]

Staravia also had a yard at Church Crookham and one at Ascot. I seem to recall they kept a rather nice Dove at Blackbushe. Doug Arnold was supposed to have made his fortune in scrap metal, a link perhaps?

[chevvron]

There was another smaller dump at Sandhurst on the road from RMAS towards Crowthorne.

[NutLoose]

Staravia also had a yard at Church Crookham and one at Ascot. I seem to recall they kept a rather nice Dove at Blackbushe. Doug Arnold was supposed to have made his fortune in scrap metal, a link perhaps?

Didn't that deal in Puma seat swings? :E

[POBJOY]

I`m sure there were Sabres stacked near a road between Odiham and F`borough,about `67....

615 (GS Kenley) had an 'away day ' on one of our non flying days (they were laying a gas pipe across the airfield) so went to Lasham in an assortment of cars.
memorable moment was seeing seemingly 'new' Sea Furies across the road in various stages of undress with some upside down whist they attended to the Dowty bits.

[bonajet]

On a summer '69 visit to Lasham there were 54 CF-86s, 31 Seahawks, 10 Sea Fury and 18 Hunters. I can remember that the Sea Hawk wings were all stacked like a knife rack. How they had all survived so long from the mid 50s is curious but whilst steam locomotives had their saviours from Barry, no-one came forward to help these!

[dixi188]

Seahawks were in use by Airwork / FRU at Hurn until 1967.

[BEagle]

In the early 1960s I lived near Merryfield in Somerset. After the RN had left at the end of the '50s, it was under so-called care and maintenance, but I used to explore the place by bicycle. One day I peerd through the gap in some hangar doors, to see a Beligan CF-100 fuselage....until a security guard shouted at me to leave! Quite why it was there, I've no idea - perhaps it was the remains of the one which had crashed near Folkestone?

There was a Sabre connection in earlier days - Westlands were modifying ex-RCAF(?) aircraft for the Italian Air Force. They briefly wore USAF markings before going to Italy.

[NutLoose]

On a summer '69 visit to Lasham there were 54 CF-86s, 31 Seahawks, 10 Sea Fury and 18 Hunters. I can remember that the Sea Hawk wings were all stacked like a knife rack. How they had all survived so long from the mid 50s is curious but whilst steam locomotives had their saviours from Barry, no-one came forward to help these!


Ahhhhh many a summers day in 76 spent wandering around the Barry steam loco's while I was on my course at Saints. Even now you do not seem to get many trying to rescue modern stuff, remember the stack of stripped out Tornado F3's in the scrappy, all I can imagine is that part of the contract specifies total destruction.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1200x812/1280399_795654167f9d685753618ed0a24192c5a0ac105a.jpg
https://www.airliners.net/photo/UK-Air-Force/Panavia-Tornado-F3/1280399

[Innominate]

Even now you do not seem to get many trying to rescue modern stuff, The issue has for many years been that surplus aircraft had to be sold, usually to scrapdealers who could outbid the enthusiasts. More recently the policy has changed and museums have been able to bid for aircraft to be gifted to them. Apparently there were more museums hoping for a Tornado than airframes available! I believe five went to museums in various areas of the country.

[Davef68]

The issue has for many years been that surplus aircraft had to be sold, usually to scrapdealers who could outbid the enthusiasts. More recently the policy has changed and museums have been able to bid for aircraft to be gifted to them. Apparently there were more museums hoping for a Tornado than airframes available! I believe five went to museums in various areas of the country.

Although, as Newark and the IWM recently found out, the MOD reserves the right to recall the airframe if the Museum seeks to divest it.

"It is a condition of all MoD donations that they be given first refusal should IWM choose to deaccession and dispose of an aircraft. In the case of the Typhoon DA4 the MoD have been consulted and have found a new home for the aircraft as a Ground Training Aid at RAF Cosford. Whilst we understand there may be disappointment that the aircraft is not being transferred to Newark Air Museum, the new home for the Typhoon offers continued public benefit through its training of RAF engineers of the future."