RAF Finningley/Lindholme 1950s
Yes, Him
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 2,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RAF Finningley/Lindholme 1950s
I'm trying to ascertain which units/aircraft were at these stations from 1950 to the advent of the Vs at Finningley in 1957 and before the Lincolns/Varsities of Bomber Command Bombing School at Lindholme. Anyone know?
(As a kid, our house backed on to Finn and I remember Meteors there, just trying to fill the early memory gaps).
(As a kid, our house backed on to Finn and I remember Meteors there, just trying to fill the early memory gaps).
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1,797
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From Google & wilkpedia
From 1946 to 1954 a number of different training units were stationed at Finningley with a variety of aircraft types. 616 squadron was re-formed at Finningley on 31st July 1946 equipped with Mosquito NF XXX night fighters which were replaced with Meteor F 3 day fighters a few months later. On the 8th August 1952, a Meteor MK 4 serial number RA 376, based at RAF Finningley, and was one of the aircraft used by 215 AFS (Advanced Flying School) has just taken off from the airfield for an exercise and duly crashed close to Firbeck Hall in Nottinghamshire approx 8 miles from the runway. A number of units withdrew in 1954 (including 215 ATS) leaving only the Meteors of No. 616 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, manned largely by part-time personnel, but their days at Finningley were numbered for in May 1955 the squadron moved to Worksop. The reason was that Finningley was about to be given a new lease of life as a V-bomber station.
[edit] The Cold War Years
During the next two years work was carried out to relay and extend the main runway to approximately 3,000 yards (2.7 km). Unit stores for atomic weapons were also constructed.
Finningley re-opened in the spring of 1957, No. 101 Squadron was re-formed in October that year to operate Vulcan bombers. A year later No. 18 Squadron RAF with ECM Vickers Valiants was also established at Finningley. In 1961,No. 101 Squadron RAF took its Vulcans to RAF Waddington changing places with the Vulcan training organisation, No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit. The Vulcan OCU stayed with RAF Finningley from June 1961 until December 1969. During this time a notable incident occurred to Vulcan No XH505 which was the victim of an arson attack and was destroyed in a huge fire that also destroyed the roof of Hangar 3. It was two years from the last Vulcan leaving that the Valiant in 1961, having seen its day, No. 18 Squadron was disbanded.
Victor Bombers were added to the Finningley scene in later years before RAF Strike Command (the amalgamation of Bomber and Fighter Commands on April 30, 1968) moved its units out and Training Command took over the station in May 1970.
Arguably the the most famous of the Finningley's Avro Vulcan Bombers was aircraft No XH558. On the 1st July 1960 XH558 was the first Vulcan B.Mk2 to enter RAF service and was immediately transferred to 230 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Finningley before continuing it's long career. XH558 is now the subject of the 'Vulcan to Sky' Club which aims to restore the aircraft and return it to flying condition.
The Airbase became known as the home of the 'V' Bomber after Avro Vulcans, Handley Page Victors and Vickers Valiants had all been stationed at the base. Finningley maintained it's Nuclear weapon storage facility for many years.
Finningley has also made at least one appearance in fiction in the BBC film Threads, where it is destroyed by a Soviet nuclear warhead.
[edit] The Cold War Years
During the next two years work was carried out to relay and extend the main runway to approximately 3,000 yards (2.7 km). Unit stores for atomic weapons were also constructed.
Finningley re-opened in the spring of 1957, No. 101 Squadron was re-formed in October that year to operate Vulcan bombers. A year later No. 18 Squadron RAF with ECM Vickers Valiants was also established at Finningley. In 1961,No. 101 Squadron RAF took its Vulcans to RAF Waddington changing places with the Vulcan training organisation, No. 230 Operational Conversion Unit. The Vulcan OCU stayed with RAF Finningley from June 1961 until December 1969. During this time a notable incident occurred to Vulcan No XH505 which was the victim of an arson attack and was destroyed in a huge fire that also destroyed the roof of Hangar 3. It was two years from the last Vulcan leaving that the Valiant in 1961, having seen its day, No. 18 Squadron was disbanded.
Victor Bombers were added to the Finningley scene in later years before RAF Strike Command (the amalgamation of Bomber and Fighter Commands on April 30, 1968) moved its units out and Training Command took over the station in May 1970.
Arguably the the most famous of the Finningley's Avro Vulcan Bombers was aircraft No XH558. On the 1st July 1960 XH558 was the first Vulcan B.Mk2 to enter RAF service and was immediately transferred to 230 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Finningley before continuing it's long career. XH558 is now the subject of the 'Vulcan to Sky' Club which aims to restore the aircraft and return it to flying condition.
The Airbase became known as the home of the 'V' Bomber after Avro Vulcans, Handley Page Victors and Vickers Valiants had all been stationed at the base. Finningley maintained it's Nuclear weapon storage facility for many years.
Finningley has also made at least one appearance in fiction in the BBC film Threads, where it is destroyed by a Soviet nuclear warhead.
When the Victor OCU (232 OCU) disbanded at RAF Gaydon in 1965, the Vulcan OCU (230) took over the ground training responsibilities, however Victor flying training was done from RAF Wittering, for the Mk 2 Blue Steel bombers, or Marham for the Mk 1 tankers.
As far as I know, Victors were never based at Finningley, but they may have visited a few times.
As far as I know, Victors were never based at Finningley, but they may have visited a few times.
Yes, Him
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 2,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ZH,
That's more likely I'd think. I lived in the area until Oct 1967 when I joined the RAF and there were no Victors based at Finn up to then and I never saw any when home on leave, except for BoB day visitors. (One year the Vulcan scramble was swopped for four Victors, crowd not so happy I recall). Oh and the very occasional visit, I believe, to the Bomber Command Development Unit, which was based there. There was also aa Station Flight Anson in the late Fifties.
Anyone have any Lindholme memories? (Apart from Lindholme Willy).
That's more likely I'd think. I lived in the area until Oct 1967 when I joined the RAF and there were no Victors based at Finn up to then and I never saw any when home on leave, except for BoB day visitors. (One year the Vulcan scramble was swopped for four Victors, crowd not so happy I recall). Oh and the very occasional visit, I believe, to the Bomber Command Development Unit, which was based there. There was also aa Station Flight Anson in the late Fifties.
Anyone have any Lindholme memories? (Apart from Lindholme Willy).
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Morton-in-Marsh
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I remember Wellingtons at Finningley, before Meteors. Then, after building the new runway, the Vulcans (101 squadron) arrived around Decmeber 1957. There were Valients at Finningley, when 18 Squadron arrived about a year later. There were never Victors. The No. 1 group Communications Flight was based at Finningley at this time, with three Ansons, a Chipmunk, Meteor and Canberra. 101 Squadron left and was replaced by 230 OCU. The Valients were all withdrawn in 1965.
There were also Wellingtons at Lindholme in the early 50s. I believe it was No. 5 ANS, and I remember Wellington T.10s, Ansons, and 3 Valettas, coded A, B, and C.
In November 1952 things changed quite dramatically, when Bomber Command Bombing School was formed at Lindholme, using up to (at least) 18 Lincolns and 8 Varsities. In addition there was an Anson C19 based there (VM387 in 1958), and also in 1958 the first Hastings arrived - TG503. I can give you a list of all the Lincolns and Varsities based at Lindholme in 1958 if want to PM me.
BCBS reduced in size quite dramatically in 1959 and 1960 and in the latter year there seemed to be only 4 Lincolns left, but this type was being replaced by Hastings. All the Lincolns had gone by 1961, with 8 Hastings, including the forerunner TG503, having replaced them.
For a while there was a Canberra mod centre at Lindholme - at least, quite a number of Canberras were observed landing at Lindholme for mods of some sort. One Saturday morning I saw 6 arrive - a most unusual event.
The Hastings and Varsities continued to the end.
What is interesting is that because the approach to Finningley's runway 20 passed overhead Lindholme, the Lindholme visual circuit, which was pretty active, was carried out at 800 ft. Now Lincolns were rather noisy aircraft, and they did a lot of nightflying circuits, which were over populated areas. No one complained about the noise! (The Hastings were a bit quieter, but would still be regarded as very noisy today, especially when flying at 800 ft.)
Hope that is what you want Gainsey.
There were also Wellingtons at Lindholme in the early 50s. I believe it was No. 5 ANS, and I remember Wellington T.10s, Ansons, and 3 Valettas, coded A, B, and C.
In November 1952 things changed quite dramatically, when Bomber Command Bombing School was formed at Lindholme, using up to (at least) 18 Lincolns and 8 Varsities. In addition there was an Anson C19 based there (VM387 in 1958), and also in 1958 the first Hastings arrived - TG503. I can give you a list of all the Lincolns and Varsities based at Lindholme in 1958 if want to PM me.
BCBS reduced in size quite dramatically in 1959 and 1960 and in the latter year there seemed to be only 4 Lincolns left, but this type was being replaced by Hastings. All the Lincolns had gone by 1961, with 8 Hastings, including the forerunner TG503, having replaced them.
For a while there was a Canberra mod centre at Lindholme - at least, quite a number of Canberras were observed landing at Lindholme for mods of some sort. One Saturday morning I saw 6 arrive - a most unusual event.
The Hastings and Varsities continued to the end.
What is interesting is that because the approach to Finningley's runway 20 passed overhead Lindholme, the Lindholme visual circuit, which was pretty active, was carried out at 800 ft. Now Lincolns were rather noisy aircraft, and they did a lot of nightflying circuits, which were over populated areas. No one complained about the noise! (The Hastings were a bit quieter, but would still be regarded as very noisy today, especially when flying at 800 ft.)
Hope that is what you want Gainsey.
I remember my brother telling me that during ATC camp at Lindholme in '61, there were several Lincolns on the fire dump. Mainstay at that time were the Varsities, as they were when I went to camp there in '65; I don't remember Hastings there at this time, but there was certainly at least one still in a hangar when I was working at the radar unit there in '73, the airfield having closed the previous year. At this time, the Strike Command Bombing School was still active, and we were constantly getting Vulcans from Finningley flying over.
My cadets did camp there in '72 but I was unable to attend; at this time there was some sort of maintenance base for Victors, there being several in the hangars.
The radar unit using a Type 82 10cm radar (excellent piece of kit; no MTI and with a 20 or 30nm radius overhead and originally designed for air defence) was situated west of the airfield just across the main road. In '65 it was called Humber Radar; by the time I was posted there it had been re-named Northern Radar; I think it was closed in about '74 or '75
My cadets did camp there in '72 but I was unable to attend; at this time there was some sort of maintenance base for Victors, there being several in the hangars.
The radar unit using a Type 82 10cm radar (excellent piece of kit; no MTI and with a 20 or 30nm radius overhead and originally designed for air defence) was situated west of the airfield just across the main road. In '65 it was called Humber Radar; by the time I was posted there it had been re-named Northern Radar; I think it was closed in about '74 or '75
Yes, Him
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 2,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Riverboat and Chevvron, very many thanks indeed. Excellent memory-gap fillers.
Being in the ATC I used to scrounge rides in the BCBS Hastings and Varsitys in the holidays. One trip in a Varsity, they let me (aged 13 or 14) drop a couple of 25lb practice bombs on the range at Donna Nook. Imagine the kerfuffle that would cause these days with the H&S fun police.
Another memory is me and a mate spending all one Saturday trying unsuccessfully to remove the control column and wheel from a Linc in the fire dump. Then there was the crashed Wellington that would emerge from the peat bogs to the east of the airfield in dry summers.
They were always hot and long then were'nt they?
Being in the ATC I used to scrounge rides in the BCBS Hastings and Varsitys in the holidays. One trip in a Varsity, they let me (aged 13 or 14) drop a couple of 25lb practice bombs on the range at Donna Nook. Imagine the kerfuffle that would cause these days with the H&S fun police.
Another memory is me and a mate spending all one Saturday trying unsuccessfully to remove the control column and wheel from a Linc in the fire dump. Then there was the crashed Wellington that would emerge from the peat bogs to the east of the airfield in dry summers.
They were always hot and long then were'nt they?
I stayed in the Officers Mess while I was there. One night about 9 o'clock, corridors deserted, I was walking from the TV room to the bar, taking me past the snooker room. The door was ajar, and the light was on, I heard snooker balls 'clicking', so I thought 'must be SDO, wonder if he wants a game'.
I put my head round the door, and - yes you guessed it - the room was deserted and the snooker balls were still moving!! Those stories of Lindhome Willy hit me.
I put my head round the door, and - yes you guessed it - the room was deserted and the snooker balls were still moving!! Those stories of Lindhome Willy hit me.
Another tale I was told about Lindholme by a bombing school instructor.
One dark foggy night, the runway controller (in the caravan) was left out by the runway waiting for the finish of night flying. Suddenly there was a knock on the door of the caravan! He hadn't seen or heard a vehicle approach and on glancing out the window, all he could see was a mass of billowing white substance! He simply burst through the door and took off across the airfield.
This rather mystified the person who had knocked on the door, a USAF F-100 pilot who had run out of fuel and ejected, landed on the airfield, gathered up his parachute and 'found' the runway caravan!!
One dark foggy night, the runway controller (in the caravan) was left out by the runway waiting for the finish of night flying. Suddenly there was a knock on the door of the caravan! He hadn't seen or heard a vehicle approach and on glancing out the window, all he could see was a mass of billowing white substance! He simply burst through the door and took off across the airfield.
This rather mystified the person who had knocked on the door, a USAF F-100 pilot who had run out of fuel and ejected, landed on the airfield, gathered up his parachute and 'found' the runway caravan!!
Looking at poor old Lindholme on Flashearth, memory has just returned; there were Hastings there in '65, but they were in the hangars, all Hastings being grounded at that time due to an airframe (?) problem. Hadn't one just gone in near Colerne killing all on board (paras), different mark I know.
Yes, Him
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 2,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Might have been a Hastings accident at Colerne, but there was definitely a nasty at Abingdon round about that time with some 40 killed, I think the elevator bolts had fatigue cracks or something similar. Deffo a Herc crash at Colerne some time later. Assy overshoot and lost control.
Did I imagine a post by Shaggy Sheep Driver?
Did I imagine a post by Shaggy Sheep Driver?
Last edited by Gainesy; 16th Feb 2007 at 12:29.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Stafford
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Memoir Vulcan's
Just a few memories of the Vulcan plane some 50 years ago.
On holiday at Abergele, North Wales, in about 1954/56 a Vulcan flew, parallel to the beach, then climbing at a steep angle climbed upwards and upwards, thinking this “beast” cannot surely do a loop the loop. As it looked as though it was actually going to, it rolled over to do, what I believe is called a half loop. Then even more astonishingly it continued to do a total of at least four, if not six, each one being in the reverse direction to the other. How’s that for a free “awesome” show. Hoping nobody responds, shattering my memories, by telling me this plane could not do what I have described.
Visiting my uncle, by marriage, (rank unknown) Don Skeen, at RAF Finningley in approx. 1956/1957 where he, himself, flew Vulcans.
A Vulcan came into land over the married quarters, asking him if there was any chance of seeing it. To my disappointment he replied,” not on the base, but if I went outside of the camp there was a nearby public road, a dead end, where I might get a distant view.”
Arriving at the end of the public road, a few spectators had gathered for the same reason as myself.
The plane was quite some distance away, but one could judge the scale of this “giant bird” because the crew disembarking looked so minute, in comparison to the size of the plane.
The gathering had only been there for a few minutes, when a “military police” vehicle arrived.
The military police explained, “although we had every right to be where we were, as it was a public road, they would be obliged if we would please move away,”
(I wondered what they might be going to unload?)
Everybody of course obliged, well you did in those days didn’t you.
I remember my uncle telling me that he had flown two tours of duty in the Berlin Airlift.
He also recalled how he had flown the Vulcan at the Farnborough Air Show and then across to, I think, Montreal or Ontario, where their air show was over the river, or the Vulcan did a display over the river. Please forgive the vagueness as it was some time ago.
He also showed me a photo album, presented to him and the crew, upon leaving Canada, it showed pictures of the Vulcan display and a record of all the social functions etc, they had attended during their stay.
Hope these memories will be of interest to the “Vulcan enthusiasts” and maybe someone might be able provide me with some additional information to go with it.
.
On holiday at Abergele, North Wales, in about 1954/56 a Vulcan flew, parallel to the beach, then climbing at a steep angle climbed upwards and upwards, thinking this “beast” cannot surely do a loop the loop. As it looked as though it was actually going to, it rolled over to do, what I believe is called a half loop. Then even more astonishingly it continued to do a total of at least four, if not six, each one being in the reverse direction to the other. How’s that for a free “awesome” show. Hoping nobody responds, shattering my memories, by telling me this plane could not do what I have described.
Visiting my uncle, by marriage, (rank unknown) Don Skeen, at RAF Finningley in approx. 1956/1957 where he, himself, flew Vulcans.
A Vulcan came into land over the married quarters, asking him if there was any chance of seeing it. To my disappointment he replied,” not on the base, but if I went outside of the camp there was a nearby public road, a dead end, where I might get a distant view.”
Arriving at the end of the public road, a few spectators had gathered for the same reason as myself.
The plane was quite some distance away, but one could judge the scale of this “giant bird” because the crew disembarking looked so minute, in comparison to the size of the plane.
The gathering had only been there for a few minutes, when a “military police” vehicle arrived.
The military police explained, “although we had every right to be where we were, as it was a public road, they would be obliged if we would please move away,”
(I wondered what they might be going to unload?)
Everybody of course obliged, well you did in those days didn’t you.
I remember my uncle telling me that he had flown two tours of duty in the Berlin Airlift.
He also recalled how he had flown the Vulcan at the Farnborough Air Show and then across to, I think, Montreal or Ontario, where their air show was over the river, or the Vulcan did a display over the river. Please forgive the vagueness as it was some time ago.
He also showed me a photo album, presented to him and the crew, upon leaving Canada, it showed pictures of the Vulcan display and a record of all the social functions etc, they had attended during their stay.
Hope these memories will be of interest to the “Vulcan enthusiasts” and maybe someone might be able provide me with some additional information to go with it.
.
Nemesis of the Proot Dynasty
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Somewhere in Hampshire
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hastings Crash
Chevvron and Gainesy,
I also recall the crash in which some 40 paras were killed at either Colerne or Abingdon (the latter, I think). The elevator outriggers were blamed. I also recall, that one of the paras killed was the son of the 'Coronation Street' actress who played Minnie (Caldwell?).
I also recall the crash in which some 40 paras were killed at either Colerne or Abingdon (the latter, I think). The elevator outriggers were blamed. I also recall, that one of the paras killed was the son of the 'Coronation Street' actress who played Minnie (Caldwell?).
