Who, what, when, where?

[sycamore]

One for the Naval anoraks( or are they known as Sou`westers).

The last RN piston-engined fixed -wing a/craft to trap aboard a British carrier at sea?:rolleyes:

[ORAC]

I'd go for the Skyraider AD4/W (AEW1) as well. They were replaced in active service by the Gannet between February and November 1960, but some remained in service in supporting and training roles until 1962. No idea when the last trap was.

[sycamore]

I was aware that a Tigger had been on board, but had forgotten the `Fish- ---if it flew aboard and was trapped I`ll accept that, but was thinking more laterally,in more ways than one!!
Keep searching!:p :p

[sycamore]

I did say one had to think laterally,Navy, `cos for de last clue,its in a museum!!
Syc.:D

[Samuel]

Surely not! Would they have'trapped' a Swordfish? Or a Tiger?

My bet is the Douglas Skyraider, unless of course an American did it in one of those COD aircraft!

[Aerohack]

I have it in mind that the Mitchell-Procter Kittiwake XW784, built by RN apprentices at Arbroath and Lee-on-Solent, once landed on a carrier — the old Ark, maybe?). It first flew from Daedalus in October '71, so if it did indeed trap it would have been long after the Skyraiders had gone. On at least one occasion an Islander landed aboard a carrier but that wasn't an RN aircraft.

[sycamore]

Further clue?
I was a light -blue, and I don`t think it should be there.!;)

[MightyGem]

Hmm...I wouldn't have thought that a Moth would have had to trap to get aboard. Any sort of decent wind and it could probably have hovered above the deck!:D

[Spot 4]

Turboprop engine:confused:

[Spot 4]

Sea Balliol

Engines used during development include the RR Dart and AS Mamba. The Govt specification was for a Merlin powered aeroplane and for a while, Boulton Paul used a Bristol Mercury Radial engine, however they eventually settled on a single Mamba of which the Gannet later had 2.

30 sea Balliols were used between Sep 53 and Sep 63. ie in service after the last Skyraider with the airframe allocated to Boscombe Down serving until 1969, and now in the RAF Cosford museum.

I believe that all operational aircraft had the Mamba turboprop fitted which would exclude this aircraft from this particular "quizz".

I am enjoying the thread though, its almost as good as Damiens monthly photo quizz.

AL1 After checking that I am not talking b0110x:

The Sea Balliol was retro fitted with the Merlin 35, and is an RN aircraft in an RAF Museum (hence shouldnt be there?), further reading shows that the engine change was simply to appease the govt! One has to ask who knows best Aircraft manafacturer or Government. I suspect that the answer has been found, over to Sycamore for a response:

http://faasig.netfirms.com/reference/seaballiol/01.jpg

[sycamore]

Quite right chaps, for the first bit anyway.I was at AAEE in 1968-72 and the Balliol was in use by the Naval Sqdn, for mct and general training so I managed to wangle a couple of hours away from study to go and have a trip in the aircraft, as it was one of those times of wx.,a/c availability,chance to broaden one`s experience( as a helo pilot/u/t tp).Unfortunately, as we were going out to fly,someone snagged the canopy jettison system,and that was going to take a few hours to fix,-so,no trip!!
It was also used to swap crews who were doing ship-board trials as a COD, so it probably finished in 1969, as it went into a hangar where I seem to recall there was also another one,that had been used as a hangar queen.The T21 had a shortened prop and strengthened u/c plus hook. The RAF had most a/c ,Ceylon had 9, and the RN 30 T21`s.If that is a recent pic of it at Cosford, then I`m ashamed. It was serviceable when it went, as a flyer it would have been a great trainer for the BBMF; but instead it looks like it`s just been robbed and put into a corner, as I said it`s in the wrong b***** museum, it should be at Yeovilton. Rant over! :mad:
Anyway ,what about the Who, When and on What??;)

[Spot 4]

Here is a more pleasing view of a Balliol at Abingdon in 1968 which I believe was a review of the RAF!


Merlin exhaust stubs are visible on this one. http://www.airliners.net/open.file/216346/M/

[sycamore]

Spot 4
Thanks for that great photo.I have one from the stbd, side in b&w, but no date. I rang the photog. to check as I thought it was 1968 as well. The exhausts are partially hidden as its a side-by-side fuselage and wider than usual cowled Merlins.
Names that may have flown it at BD are; Olly Sutton, Chris Wheal, Al Tarver, and it may have been in support of F4, Buccaneer, or the Black Sea- Vixen trials.

Anyway, thanks all for your efforts,


PS Sp2- Yes I did fly Sycamores on basic helo training, and did do SAR in the Far East on 103 Sqdn, but left in `67.
;)

[Tiger_mate]

Bit of a Rotary trend here as Spot 4 is an RAF Rotary man! My 2-penneth bit FWIW is that is almost certainly is not Ark Royal leaving Eagle and Hermes. Eagle trialed F4 and Buccaneer and therefore gets my vote.

Boscombe had access to 6 Sea Vixens over a period mainly in missile & In-Flight refuelling trials and despite an extensive library of RN equipment due to a recent project, I am unable to confirm carrier ops for any of them.

I suspect that the last piston engine trap means a great deal to the individuals involved but has escaped Naval History in general.

T_M

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