RAF Jet Provost aerobatic teams

[David Layne]

1972 Blades.

[stevew62]

Shackman - Could that have been the same Dave Waddington who sent me solo in the JP4 at Acklington in 1967?

Hello Shackman, yes that would have been my father. My sister was born in Amble in 1967, so we were there exactly then.

Here's a picture of The Linton Gin Team from 1969 ( Including reserve pilots ). Dave Waddington is second from the left. I can name the other pilots should anybody be interested.

[Amos Keeto]

Now a question about colour....calling all CFS experts! The "CFS Aerobatic Team" of the 1960-62 period wore the standard silver and dayglo orange training scheme of the day, which was 'paint' as opposed to the later Fablon sticky dayglo paper. Here is that team at Farnborough in 1960:


In 1963, the team became "The Red Pelicans" and the aircraft got painted 'dayglo red' overall for the 1963-64 seasons as shown here at Farnborough in '64


Now I initially assumed that they just used the standard RAF dayglo paint on the aircrraft, but you can clearly see this is 'red' and not 'orange'.
The question is - was there a spec for this paint, or was it specially mixed just for the team? An all important question for us model makers!

[FAStoat]

Colin Woods was the Leader of the Poachers in '74,and the team included Eddie Danks and others that stayed into '75.John Barnet was the Manager,and occasional member was the Boss Mike Hughes(remembered for his good humour at "Run and Breaks" and an immaculate blue GT6).Colin was a good mate of mine ,and I was his Best Man on the second time around.Colin sadly died a couple of years ago,but should be rembered for the famous"Razzing" ATC Tape,and for leading Rothmans.Also it was under his leadership that on a Long Range Display Mission,entering Italian AirSpace,all hell let loose in foul weather with the 4 JP ships dispersing through controlled airspace,and landing anywhere and everywhere,much to the Italian Authorities displeasure!!.John Barnet went in and out via Britannia for a bit,before going back in on VC10s,Eddie Danks ia a current TRE/TRI on 146s.

[Been Accounting]

Red Pelicans 1973

L to R
Ivor Gibbs, Dick Lord, Bruce Byron, Marcus Edwards and Adrian Wall.

[Tim McLelland]

Interesting point concerning the Red Pelicans colours. I'd wondered about that too. I guess the overall colour ought to be dayglow orange (on the assumption that existing paint stocks were used) but photos seem to suggest it was dayglow red.

Have you asked Ray Deacon? he might know?

[Amos Keeto]

Yes,I've asked him, but he doesn't know, so is asking those that might.

[Dick Whittingham]

Amos

Do you know the exact year for the Farnboro' shot labeled 60-62?

Dick

[Amos Keeto]

Dick , that shot is at the Farnborough show September 1960 - the year before you joined them, I believe?

[sycamore]

New book out-`Jet Provost-The little plane with the big history` by Bob Clarke..try A$%zon..

[Dick Whittingham]

Thanks Amos. Yes I was there in '61. I should perhaps have spotted that the spare seat has a bang seat with a fully packed parachute, and if my memeory is up to it I think we had a tank with dieso for the smoke mounted on the seat rails. Or I may be thinking of a trial instalation for the '62 season.

Dick

And a postscript. THe colour scheme is exactly as ours - standard line aircraft at CFS

[opalnut]

Red Pelicans Aerobatic Team

I am trying to put together a record of my service career and need some serious memory jogging! In 1962? I was detached from RAF Valley to be part of the technical staff for the Red Pelicans display season at RAF Little Rissington. Almost certain the aircraft were JP4's on which our first job was fitting smoke generators. That season displays were in Northern and Southern France, Belgium, Sweden and Germany, plus displays in the UK including Farnborough.
I cannot remember any of the pilots names, only that the skipper was a New Zealander, of the ground crew Sgt Jones, JT John Savage & myself, JT Chris Timberlake. Would love fill in the other names. I attach a photo of John (Tich) Savage on one of the team aircraft I have a photo of the entire team and aircraft which I shall post later.

[Amos Keeto]

Team leader was F/Lt Ian McKee, indeed a New Zealander; No.2 was F/lt Keith Beck; No.3 F/Lt Ian Bashall(who became leader in '63); No.4 was F/Lt John Rolfe; No.5 was F/Lt. Richard Fox.

[opalnut]

Pelicans 1962

Thank you so much for your response Amos, putting names to faces has helped me a great deal. Having fallen victim to Motor Neurone Disease three years ago and now being completely paralysed to all intents most of my day is spent before the computer with which I communicate.
My wife and two sons urged me to put my story on paper, they seem to think it of some interest. I suppose it may be, from Trenchard Brat to Opal miner in outback Australia is a big leap.
Thanks once more,

Chris Timberlake

[Tankertrashnav]

Flt Lt Al Colesky

In 1970 the RAF still offered opportunities for fun, and after completing the Nav Course at Strad, four of us were sent to Linton to do a 4 week low-level navigation course on JP's. We were each allocated a pilot for the course and I was lucky enough to get Al Colesky who was a member of the Linton Gins (seen in Stevew62's picture, above, 2nd from right). Lesson one was aircraft famil and Al decided that as well as low level nav he ought to teach me to fly. Al reckoned that the boring stuff like straight and level could come later and talked me through a loop, which was literally the first manoeuvre I ever performed at the controls of an aircraft, and in a brand new JP5 with loads of power was something even I could manage. A great guy, a South African as I recall, hope he is still around and getting fun out of flying. I spent the rest of my flying career on Victor Tankers where anything below FL250 was considered low level, so the course wasnt a lot of use to me, but boy was it fun.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Chris, nice to welcome you to PPRuNe.

I am sure you have a lot to tell, so no good just sitting there thinking of things you might say - just do it - its good for the soul!

Look forward to it.

PPP

And if you have a few spare opals............

[klondyke]

1960 c f s aeros team

You are correct Dick. We went to Nigeria and Ghana to display in 1960-also
Farnborough. Leader was Roy Langstaff.You took over from me in the box for 1961.Gerry Nicklin.

[klondyke]

JP3s were in use at C F S early in 1960 and the first aeros team carried out
a full season of displays (synchronised pairs and form aeros) inluding SBAC
Farnborough and an epic trip to Nigeria and Ghana.
Flt.Lt. Roy Langstaff was the leader .
The others were:Flt.Lt. Gerry Nicklin, Flt.Lt.Frank Brambley and Plt. Off
Bruce MacDonald.

[hunty]

Gents

A friend of mine named John Aldington flew with one of the JP display teams. Does anyone know which team and when?

Cheers

Hunty

[BOAC]

Worth reading the thread from the start! Try post 15, CAW