Air Cadet Gliding pix in the 80s (pre glass)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Malaysia
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
644 and 621 G/S at Spitalgate and Weston -s-Mud
I don't know whether it might help those interested in the history of the ATC gliding movement but I see from my log book that I flew T21 WB959 four times at Grantham on the 4th April, 1958. The instructor was a P/O (VRT) Pentelow. During the same week, I subsequently solo'd on one of the Mark 3s.
I flew with 621 G/S from Jan. 59 to sept. 61. "Robbie" Robinson was the C.O., "Hobbie" Hobkirk was Adjutant; Bill Moody, John Stride, S/L Bridges, Roger Dudley, Roger Elseworthy, Mark Rudd, Peter Clay, Dave Bense, Manx Kelly ... some other names - I went to Hawkinge in July 61 for the cat C course and flew with F/Lts Ladley, King, and Vourden. Other Air Force officers who came to Weston were Fl/Lts. Ladely and Don Ross.
As to the aircraft at Weston I have recorded Mark 3s. WT874, XA310, WT875, XA308; T21s WB991, WB929, XN151 (usually based up at Halesland), Prefect WE980 in which I gained my "C" on the 26th June, '60 with a climb to 3,000ft. (must have been a rare easterly wind) and Prefect WE990 also usually based at Halesland.
Happy days ... at the time I was an impoverished Bristol Aircraft apprentice based at Filton. I subsequently moved into civilian gliding, then powered flying and joined BOAC in 1970. I have always been grateful to those dedicated individuals who stopped me from killing myself at an early age ... thank you all ... Jim
I flew with 621 G/S from Jan. 59 to sept. 61. "Robbie" Robinson was the C.O., "Hobbie" Hobkirk was Adjutant; Bill Moody, John Stride, S/L Bridges, Roger Dudley, Roger Elseworthy, Mark Rudd, Peter Clay, Dave Bense, Manx Kelly ... some other names - I went to Hawkinge in July 61 for the cat C course and flew with F/Lts Ladley, King, and Vourden. Other Air Force officers who came to Weston were Fl/Lts. Ladely and Don Ross.
As to the aircraft at Weston I have recorded Mark 3s. WT874, XA310, WT875, XA308; T21s WB991, WB929, XN151 (usually based up at Halesland), Prefect WE980 in which I gained my "C" on the 26th June, '60 with a climb to 3,000ft. (must have been a rare easterly wind) and Prefect WE990 also usually based at Halesland.
Happy days ... at the time I was an impoverished Bristol Aircraft apprentice based at Filton. I subsequently moved into civilian gliding, then powered flying and joined BOAC in 1970. I have always been grateful to those dedicated individuals who stopped me from killing myself at an early age ... thank you all ... Jim
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: manchester
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WB 927
Hand built in the context of initial build prior to completion of production line jigs. In the case of WB927 it came to light when it was returned from St Athan following modification and rejected on the acceptance flight by Bill Grey due to it flying nose heavy, this being attributed to the tailplane angle of incidence. HQAC could not accept this suggestion stating that it had been rebuilt on standard jigs and that the angle of incidence was fixed.
WB 927 was then returned to St Athan who were unable to solve the mystery and so it went back to Slingsby and it was then recognised as being one of the four handbuilt Sedbergh Gliders.
Singsby's simple answer was to fit a wooden shim under the tailplane to correct this critical angle and the problem was resolved.
From that time on whenever further major modifications or repairs were needed to WB 927, it was always returned to Slingsby due to it being a non-standard Glider.
Presumably this was the reason why WB 927 was eventually scrapped at Slingsby in 1983/84.
Out of interest WB 993 was also at 631 GS, having been built at nearby RAF Hooton Park by Martin Hearn who I had the pleasure of meeting in the mid 1960's where he owned a posh restaurant on the outskirts of the old airfield which he had named the Glyder Club.
When I get the time to venture up into my loft I will dig out some old photo's; I should also have some cine film although I imagine this could be difficult to transfer to digital ?
WB 927 was then returned to St Athan who were unable to solve the mystery and so it went back to Slingsby and it was then recognised as being one of the four handbuilt Sedbergh Gliders.
Singsby's simple answer was to fit a wooden shim under the tailplane to correct this critical angle and the problem was resolved.
From that time on whenever further major modifications or repairs were needed to WB 927, it was always returned to Slingsby due to it being a non-standard Glider.
Presumably this was the reason why WB 927 was eventually scrapped at Slingsby in 1983/84.
Out of interest WB 993 was also at 631 GS, having been built at nearby RAF Hooton Park by Martin Hearn who I had the pleasure of meeting in the mid 1960's where he owned a posh restaurant on the outskirts of the old airfield which he had named the Glyder Club.
When I get the time to venture up into my loft I will dig out some old photo's; I should also have some cine film although I imagine this could be difficult to transfer to digital ?
Last edited by midnight retired; 23rd Nov 2009 at 11:15.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Upper Gumtree
Posts: 757
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All these posts and still no mention of Cambridge! Was anyone else there?
I remember I trained on the Mk III, but they switched me to a Mk I for my first solo, after having explained that it had no aileron differential, and "if you put the stick over to the left it will turn to the right, so use lots of rudder."
Cambridge was a busy place to learn, with three parallel runways in operation - the hard runway, the grass one, and then one for the two gliding organisations, the ATC and the University Club. I can remember almost forgetting to fly the plane once, through looking down on a Balliol just taking off below me on a parallel runway.
And learning to drive on the Bedford 15cwt truck - "the gears are all in there somewhere!"
The instructors all used to push off to The Ancient Shepherds for lunch, but of course we cadets were too young (and skint!) for that.
I remember we aerotowed to Waterbeach for an RAF at home display in the T 21, with me as a delighted passenger, but it was a severe test for a young and unaccustomed stomach and I was glad to get on the ground again! Happy times - but what a long time ago now.
I remember I trained on the Mk III, but they switched me to a Mk I for my first solo, after having explained that it had no aileron differential, and "if you put the stick over to the left it will turn to the right, so use lots of rudder."
Cambridge was a busy place to learn, with three parallel runways in operation - the hard runway, the grass one, and then one for the two gliding organisations, the ATC and the University Club. I can remember almost forgetting to fly the plane once, through looking down on a Balliol just taking off below me on a parallel runway.
And learning to drive on the Bedford 15cwt truck - "the gears are all in there somewhere!"
The instructors all used to push off to The Ancient Shepherds for lunch, but of course we cadets were too young (and skint!) for that.
I remember we aerotowed to Waterbeach for an RAF at home display in the T 21, with me as a delighted passenger, but it was a severe test for a young and unaccustomed stomach and I was glad to get on the ground again! Happy times - but what a long time ago now.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Bedford
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have 105 Gliding School being at Teversham 06 May 1945 and disbanded there on 01 Sep 1955. Aircraft listed Grunau VT923, Cadet 1 RB116, T.2 VD105,VM636, Mk.3 XA283, T-21 WB985.
Also at Waterbeach by Sep 1954 was this due to Cambridge Airport being too busy ?
Also at Waterbeach by Sep 1954 was this due to Cambridge Airport being too busy ?
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: London
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
XE799
Thanks,
XE 799 at Cosford a few years back
Photos: Slingsby T-31B Cadet TX3 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
Currently missing Instruments, type Z seatbelts and gosport tubes or intercom
Please pm if you can help.
Guy
XE 799 at Cosford a few years back
Photos: Slingsby T-31B Cadet TX3 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
Currently missing Instruments, type Z seatbelts and gosport tubes or intercom
Please pm if you can help.
Guy
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Somerset
Age: 76
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What a wonderful thread. Here's my very modest contribution. I was on a weeks course at 2 Gliding Centre RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey in August 1964. Instructors were F/Lt Rayner, F/O Hewitt, F/Lt Johnson and F/O Bullivant. Aircaft were Mk3's WT871, XA302, WT911 AND WT910 and Sedbergh WB948. My three solos were on XA302 which I'm told is hanging up in the RAF Museum at Hendon - is this true?
Bill
Bill
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Former Home of the Hercules, Wilts
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Former Home of the Hercules, Wilts
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
T.45 Swallow
My winter project is to return a Slingsby Swallow to full Air Cadet colours for use by the 621 VGS Historic Flight. Does anybody have any Swallow photos they can post here?
I am also looking for for an authentic narrow type canopy - just in case anybody has was hidden away for old times sake.
I am also looking for for an authentic narrow type canopy - just in case anybody has was hidden away for old times sake.
WATB, agreed. This is one of the best threads for a long time. The ATC organisation has been responsible for the inspiration of tens of thousands of young people to get involved in aviation. To give you an example, I fly for a Chinese airline and recently, I was flying with a local Chinese pilot. I asked him how he came to be in aviation. His answer was that his parents sent him to an English public school, he joined the CCF and had an air experience flight in a Chipmunk and that's when he decided he wanted to be a pilot - just like myself!
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Fife.UK.married,2 kids
Age: 75
Posts: 166
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quite agree Dan. A good proportion of my interview by the then Board of Trade concentrated on my ATC experience including my gliding course. Result; I got into the other ATC and spent 42 years doing one of the best jobs in the world.
Absolutely .... my soloing at RAF Burtonwood in 1969 gave me a lifelong passion and means that although I still only have a paltry 225 hours, when instructors give me check rides and ask how long I have been flying. I can usually respond .. "I've been commanding flying machines a damn site longer than you, sunshine."
And I have loved every minute of it and flown in a whole stack of different countries at every opportunity.
And I have loved every minute of it and flown in a whole stack of different countries at every opportunity.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: LOWTON
Age: 81
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Gliding Experiance - Dave Gittins
Its natural to be proud of going solo at Burtonwood, many did over the 25 years we where located there.
Your somewhat exaggerated comment reminded me of when a cadet came for interview. He had flown once on a grasshopper so in givng his gliding experience he said "Of course you would not know about them as I have been in gliding since it's infancy!"
You sound just like him.
Unfortunately Burtonwood is no longer - most of it is buried under Barret Boxes. Indeed all the airfields (apart from Woodvale) in the North West have now gone to their happy hunting grounds.
Your somewhat exaggerated comment reminded me of when a cadet came for interview. He had flown once on a grasshopper so in givng his gliding experience he said "Of course you would not know about them as I have been in gliding since it's infancy!"
You sound just like him.
Unfortunately Burtonwood is no longer - most of it is buried under Barret Boxes. Indeed all the airfields (apart from Woodvale) in the North West have now gone to their happy hunting grounds.
Exaggerated indeed - and I put it in a far nicer way than I wrote it.
However in 1969 I had aspirations to a bit more than a PPL and 200 hours over the next 40 years - but I ended up building airports not flying aeroplanes .. although I have flown a 172 or PA-28 off a few international airport's runways.
Were you at BWD when I did my training there ?
One of the first jobs I did when I started in Civil Engineering for Warrington NTDC was surveying the new town boundary, which was the fence of the M62 ... where I was sadly able to watch the runway I had once used becoming the M62 Motorway.
However in 1969 I had aspirations to a bit more than a PPL and 200 hours over the next 40 years - but I ended up building airports not flying aeroplanes .. although I have flown a 172 or PA-28 off a few international airport's runways.
Were you at BWD when I did my training there ?
One of the first jobs I did when I started in Civil Engineering for Warrington NTDC was surveying the new town boundary, which was the fence of the M62 ... where I was sadly able to watch the runway I had once used becoming the M62 Motorway.
Last edited by Dave Gittins; 15th Dec 2009 at 03:59.
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: LOWTON
Age: 81
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Burtonwood
Yes I was there from the start up 1959 to its transfer to Samlesbury 1984.
The fence line to the South of the M62 should have been much further North.
The Ministry of Transport wanted to rout the M62 to the North of ‘A’ Site and north of the Water tower before Joining at St Helens where it is now. Unfortunately the American Army Base Commander (Col Grabinski) at that time gave in to public pressure to use what was seen as an unused runway. Thus that is why there is a curve of the M62 in its direction. Shortly after that the Commander was killed in a helicopter crash on his way to Hythe. There where plans to reactivate the runway until this decision was made thus the die was cast
Regards
The fence line to the South of the M62 should have been much further North.
The Ministry of Transport wanted to rout the M62 to the North of ‘A’ Site and north of the Water tower before Joining at St Helens where it is now. Unfortunately the American Army Base Commander (Col Grabinski) at that time gave in to public pressure to use what was seen as an unused runway. Thus that is why there is a curve of the M62 in its direction. Shortly after that the Commander was killed in a helicopter crash on his way to Hythe. There where plans to reactivate the runway until this decision was made thus the die was cast
Regards
Way back before I moved to Lymm from "dahn sarf" in 1967 or 1968, I remember a photo in Air Pictorial of a C-124 Globemaster "At it's new Base at Burtonwood". I never saw such a thing whilst I was there (and anyway it would have played havoc with the light aircraft corridor).
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Norfolk, UK
Age: 62
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
About time I made a small contribution.
I did my A & B in March 1978 with 611 VGS at RAF Swanton Morley under the command of Sqd Ldr Ron Page.
The day I soloed I had brought along my Instamatic camera and took a few very poor quality shots that have deteriorated since. While doing my 3 solo flights I gave a fellow Cadet my camera for safekeeping and he snapped this photo on the way back from my first landing (XN252 I think):
There's also a very blurry shot of taking the T31's out of the Hangar in the morining:
I'm sure I had more, but can't find them at the moment.
From my log book I seemed to have done most of my flying in XN252 and XN236. According to sources I've seen XN236 was written off less than a year after this photo was taken but XN252 is still flying, but now in the USA.
I'd noted my instructors surnames at that time in my log book and they were Chatfield, Thompson, W/O Lighthowler and Page. Sqd Ldr Ron Page did my final checks and sent me solo.
I got a bit of a rollicking after my third and final solo, as on the downwind I ran into a nice little bit of lift and instinctively turned into it and extended the expected 3 mins circuit to over 5 mins - which apparently I was not supposed to do! But as my father was a civilian gliding instructor I was also gliding at Crowland Gliding Club and the civil club at Swanton Morley at the same time. So I was used to flipping into soaring mode at the slightest hint of lift.
I also remember flying in a civilian T53 at the Swanton civil club, and being aerotowed behind a Tigermoth. I can clearly recollect that the flight was in strong thermal conditions and the T53's metal panels were flexing so much it sounded as if one was flying inside a steel drum orchestra at times!
They were great days and Swanton was a wonderful and vast grass airfield. Such a shame it's all been ploughed up now.
Julian
I did my A & B in March 1978 with 611 VGS at RAF Swanton Morley under the command of Sqd Ldr Ron Page.
The day I soloed I had brought along my Instamatic camera and took a few very poor quality shots that have deteriorated since. While doing my 3 solo flights I gave a fellow Cadet my camera for safekeeping and he snapped this photo on the way back from my first landing (XN252 I think):
There's also a very blurry shot of taking the T31's out of the Hangar in the morining:
I'm sure I had more, but can't find them at the moment.
From my log book I seemed to have done most of my flying in XN252 and XN236. According to sources I've seen XN236 was written off less than a year after this photo was taken but XN252 is still flying, but now in the USA.
I'd noted my instructors surnames at that time in my log book and they were Chatfield, Thompson, W/O Lighthowler and Page. Sqd Ldr Ron Page did my final checks and sent me solo.
I got a bit of a rollicking after my third and final solo, as on the downwind I ran into a nice little bit of lift and instinctively turned into it and extended the expected 3 mins circuit to over 5 mins - which apparently I was not supposed to do! But as my father was a civilian gliding instructor I was also gliding at Crowland Gliding Club and the civil club at Swanton Morley at the same time. So I was used to flipping into soaring mode at the slightest hint of lift.
I also remember flying in a civilian T53 at the Swanton civil club, and being aerotowed behind a Tigermoth. I can clearly recollect that the flight was in strong thermal conditions and the T53's metal panels were flexing so much it sounded as if one was flying inside a steel drum orchestra at times!
They were great days and Swanton was a wonderful and vast grass airfield. Such a shame it's all been ploughed up now.
Julian