Air Cadet Gliding pix in the 80s (pre glass)
Lincoln at Kenley
Frelon when was the Lincoln removed,as i do not remember seeing any of it circa 1960 on.I will not mention the 'cloud searchlight' !! (situated near the old aviation fuel farm). Were they still using 'bats' and intermediate signallers when you started,or had George started to improve the situation with an 'aldis' on a raised frame by then, (before the Airfield Control Caravan arrived).Looking down on 'Alex's image it is interesting to see the original Battle of Britain op's room (looks like a bungalow) surrounded by its earth banks (some protection),and the mess coke store (raided by me in a noddy Landrover on the occaision of a 615 Christmas do in the old parachute store to feed the black stove) Tree came from the O-Mess woods assisted by one DJN.
Indeed they were the days, Hot Anglia on Cinturato tyres,CFI's GT Cortina,and a veritable fleet of Beetles.
Indeed they were the days, Hot Anglia on Cinturato tyres,CFI's GT Cortina,and a veritable fleet of Beetles.
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The intermediate signaller must have still been in use in circa 1960 because I recall the daglo bats being used by someone positioned on the pill box nearest to the Wattenden.
When did the rugby and soccer posts get removed?
Frelon's Anglia, and the two GT Cortina's (Alex and Brian Hughes) were a bit later in 1965.
Off for my afternoon nap now.
When did the rugby and soccer posts get removed?
Frelon's Anglia, and the two GT Cortina's (Alex and Brian Hughes) were a bit later in 1965.
Off for my afternoon nap now.
Kenley
Even Brian Hughes succumbed to a Beetle eventually,i always remember his comments with regard to his GT Cortina (Its only done 56000 and its F.....d) this summed up the situation quite well.
One of the perks of being a staff cadet was driving the various cars back from the launch point after the days flying;the GT's were considered to be 'quite sporty' drifting around the peri track,so were usually the first back !!
One of the perks of being a staff cadet was driving the various cars back from the launch point after the days flying;the GT's were considered to be 'quite sporty' drifting around the peri track,so were usually the first back !!
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Does anyone remember a staff cadet named Robin Vince? He was on an advanced course with me at Halesland in April '59. He was a great Connie Francis fan and kept on playing her latest record on the juke box in the NAAFI at Locking every evening.
Robin Vince (poss Kenley)
615 had a VRT 'import' from a local Squadron (near Croydon) called RV.I was not aware he had prev gliding experience or had been a s/cdt, but he became a categorised instructor with 615,and i bought his old AC Greyhound (1947) two litre saloon off him for £20.
May be a different person,but that old AC could carry all the staff cadets in one go which meant we could afford to fill it up with fuel for trips to London and the West Country.
This aluminium bodied machine was finished in a rather tatty black,so one non flying (weather) w/end there was a mass rubbing down with the help of the course cadets and then hand painted in fetching wedgewood blue enamel coach finish, and christened COBRA EATER (on the front wings)
The 'triple' SU carb engine had a vast 'hatch' that swung open on the rocker cover to allow copious quantities of OMD110 to be administered with a gallon at a time.
When the starter failed we just used the handle all the time,and when the generator packed up we found a large 'surplus' battery and added it to the system that got charged once a week.
Its finest hour was probably its run from Kenley to Dishforth (Yorks) where it towed a dead beetle back using a shock absorber rope tied to the bumper.The sight of this beetle upside down in the hangar (1917 Belfast) being stripped by the ever helpful course cadets took some explaining to the 'powers to be',but by then we had what we wanted and the empty carcase was lifted by many willing hands onto a glider retrieve trolley and secreted in the O-Mess woods.(its probably still there).
Come on Farns where is the picture !!!
Said AC was sold for £15 to someone in Cornwall who took it home and who's father 'exploded' on seeing it.
May be a different person,but that old AC could carry all the staff cadets in one go which meant we could afford to fill it up with fuel for trips to London and the West Country.
This aluminium bodied machine was finished in a rather tatty black,so one non flying (weather) w/end there was a mass rubbing down with the help of the course cadets and then hand painted in fetching wedgewood blue enamel coach finish, and christened COBRA EATER (on the front wings)
The 'triple' SU carb engine had a vast 'hatch' that swung open on the rocker cover to allow copious quantities of OMD110 to be administered with a gallon at a time.
When the starter failed we just used the handle all the time,and when the generator packed up we found a large 'surplus' battery and added it to the system that got charged once a week.
Its finest hour was probably its run from Kenley to Dishforth (Yorks) where it towed a dead beetle back using a shock absorber rope tied to the bumper.The sight of this beetle upside down in the hangar (1917 Belfast) being stripped by the ever helpful course cadets took some explaining to the 'powers to be',but by then we had what we wanted and the empty carcase was lifted by many willing hands onto a glider retrieve trolley and secreted in the O-Mess woods.(its probably still there).
Come on Farns where is the picture !!!
Said AC was sold for £15 to someone in Cornwall who took it home and who's father 'exploded' on seeing it.
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Sounds like the same Robin Vince.
Funny you should mention OMD110 oil. At 616 Henlow in 1964 I bought a new Mini Cooper. My great friend, the late Stan Easton who later became Flt. Lt. Easton at Swanton Morley, was helping me to do an oil change, but whilst I was fitting a new filter, he forgot to re-fit the sump plug. So I poured 1 gallon of the latest Mobil Multigrade oil in the top and it came out the bottom and onto the grass at the edge of the airfield. So we went to MT section and 'obtained' a gallon of OMD110. It turned out to be the best oil I ever used back then!
Funny you should mention OMD110 oil. At 616 Henlow in 1964 I bought a new Mini Cooper. My great friend, the late Stan Easton who later became Flt. Lt. Easton at Swanton Morley, was helping me to do an oil change, but whilst I was fitting a new filter, he forgot to re-fit the sump plug. So I poured 1 gallon of the latest Mobil Multigrade oil in the top and it came out the bottom and onto the grass at the edge of the airfield. So we went to MT section and 'obtained' a gallon of OMD110. It turned out to be the best oil I ever used back then!
OMD 110
It appears that 110 was a mono grade SAE 30 oil, so would have suited most applications,and especially when free !!. As Staff Cadets we were not entitled to 'mileage' when helping at the Centres or Halesland,which was a sore point for those of us that also had a 'Cat',as non-cat CI's and VRT were onto the 'claim' system.
This meant 'arrangements' had to be made to provide enough capacity to do the return runs on what was available from the 'contaminated fuel' stock. If the entire return run could be done without a 'bought' top up then we were happy.They should have been called the MB (Friesian or Jersy) Winches they were milked so often. Flew the T53 with Stan on a Cat check (i think we even had an a-tow) for some upper air work. I seem to recall that it was expected to attend a certain ale house in Norwich as part of the course.The instructors at Swanton were quite happy to operate the T53,and it certainly pointed the way we should have been going even if it needed some 'sorting' in the build quality. Never really understood the reason for the 'Chipmunk' incident and missed his cheery approach to ATC Gliding.
This meant 'arrangements' had to be made to provide enough capacity to do the return runs on what was available from the 'contaminated fuel' stock. If the entire return run could be done without a 'bought' top up then we were happy.They should have been called the MB (Friesian or Jersy) Winches they were milked so often. Flew the T53 with Stan on a Cat check (i think we even had an a-tow) for some upper air work. I seem to recall that it was expected to attend a certain ale house in Norwich as part of the course.The instructors at Swanton were quite happy to operate the T53,and it certainly pointed the way we should have been going even if it needed some 'sorting' in the build quality. Never really understood the reason for the 'Chipmunk' incident and missed his cheery approach to ATC Gliding.
Last edited by POBJOY; 6th Feb 2012 at 17:47.
Pobjoy, keep an eye out for one of those black Omega's parking outside your house (or whatever they use these days!)!
Yes, Stan Easton was a gent, one of the old school of ATC instructors.
Yes, Stan Easton was a gent, one of the old school of ATC instructors.
Milking
Let him that hath no sin cast the first stone !!!
This could be just like the 'phone hacking' saga,and my list will make Watergate seem pretty tame.
Anyway it is locked away in a Clotted Cream mine near the Pasty Quarry in ......... so everyone is quite safe until 2095 when it will be released on You Tube.
If i had known 110 was a SAE 30 i could have used it in the Beetle when short of Castrol.
And of course the reason Winch drivers never had the mk8 goggles issued (as was their right) was because certain instuctors used them for motorcycling 'now where did i put that list'.
This could be just like the 'phone hacking' saga,and my list will make Watergate seem pretty tame.
Anyway it is locked away in a Clotted Cream mine near the Pasty Quarry in ......... so everyone is quite safe until 2095 when it will be released on You Tube.
If i had known 110 was a SAE 30 i could have used it in the Beetle when short of Castrol.
And of course the reason Winch drivers never had the mk8 goggles issued (as was their right) was because certain instuctors used them for motorcycling 'now where did i put that list'.
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Yes, Stan Easton was a good friend and we were fellow apprentices at de Havilland Aircraft, Hatfield from 1957 to '62. We were also staff cadets together at 616, became CI's at the same time and went to our first instructors course together at Swanton Morley in my old 850 Mini in 1963.
I stopped gliding to concentrate on international motor sport, but Stan went on to greater things in flying. The crash whick killed him at Aboyne was very sad and in no way his fault. He was flying the tug and the glider was allowed to climb too much, pulling up the tail of the tug.
As has been said, a great guy.
I stopped gliding to concentrate on international motor sport, but Stan went on to greater things in flying. The crash whick killed him at Aboyne was very sad and in no way his fault. He was flying the tug and the glider was allowed to climb too much, pulling up the tail of the tug.
As has been said, a great guy.
Last edited by GliFly; 7th Feb 2012 at 22:44.
Ah those were the days: open cockpit barge (before they added those terrible canopies) elbow over the side, lots of padding irrespective how warm it was on the ground etc etc ..........
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Ahh Chevvron,
Reminds me of my 60 odd flights in T-21s at Cranwell 1967 as a 14 year old. Once went to 6000feet in cloud for most of the 50 minute flight with Dan Delap off a winch launch. I was in shorts/T-shirt and we were both cold and damp taking it in turns to fly and spinning to get down it was so thermic that day. Aferwards with temps in the 70's on the ground they put us both in a sealed car until we had warmed up.
Reminds me of my 60 odd flights in T-21s at Cranwell 1967 as a 14 year old. Once went to 6000feet in cloud for most of the 50 minute flight with Dan Delap off a winch launch. I was in shorts/T-shirt and we were both cold and damp taking it in turns to fly and spinning to get down it was so thermic that day. Aferwards with temps in the 70's on the ground they put us both in a sealed car until we had warmed up.
Barge Canopies
I think the 'canopies' were a 'centre trial' rather than general use Chev.
I was sent off in one to do to AE flights for Station staff as a perk for a weeks s/cadeting at Swanton.
Due to it being a rather damp afternoon the launch soon turned into an IMC affair as the beast misted up like a bathroom mirror.
Not wishing to miss out on getting the launches in i pressed on to complete all the details and was pleased we did not have to suffer this mod back at Kenley.
When the 'Sedburgh's' first came out at Slingsbys they did not even have those little celluloid screens !!!
I was sent off in one to do to AE flights for Station staff as a perk for a weeks s/cadeting at Swanton.
Due to it being a rather damp afternoon the launch soon turned into an IMC affair as the beast misted up like a bathroom mirror.
Not wishing to miss out on getting the launches in i pressed on to complete all the details and was pleased we did not have to suffer this mod back at Kenley.
When the 'Sedburgh's' first came out at Slingsbys they did not even have those little celluloid screens !!!
Well most of the barges at 613 had them, (late 60s)but we retained the flyscreens so we could still operate open cockpit. You tended to use the sound of the air rushing past to judge speed rather than look at the ASI,(flying by ear?) and the canopies made the sound totally different, mucking up your speed control
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AC could carry all the staff cadets in one go which meant we could afford to fill it up with fuel for trips to London and the West Country
) and a trip down to Cornwall. Anyhow here are a couple of piccies taken January 1968.
Happy days P. I do have more if you wish to view include full SCUBA kit in the pond at Earlswood.
Last edited by Farns744; 19th Feb 2012 at 19:40.
615 History
Well done Farns, just a reminder of some of Kenleys history.Ist shot inside that famous Belfast shed which has the same background as the Hurricanes in RFTS. 2nd image shows the still extent 'Portcullis Club' in the background. One of the original Kenley buildings and still very much the 'hub' of Kenleys heritage group and the local RAFA club. To complete the 'off thread' details the AC had an all aluminium body over a wooden frame,the bonnet used to frequently 'fly off' at high speed,and the boot would also fly open under heavy cornering scattering tools and oil cans everywhere.Do you have an image after painting !!.
The previous owner claimed he had backed into a tree near Croydon and 'knocked it over'.However it could carry ALL the staff cadets in one go thereby providing the required cash/fuel input for many forays after a days ops. No need to bore them with the 'Rubber suit' bit.
PS Sums up what being a Staff Cadet was all about.Lots of hard work,trips to the NAFFI, Never enough flying, but a MEGA AMOUNT OF FUN which served us all well.(not to mention the beat ups and aero's)
The previous owner claimed he had backed into a tree near Croydon and 'knocked it over'.However it could carry ALL the staff cadets in one go thereby providing the required cash/fuel input for many forays after a days ops. No need to bore them with the 'Rubber suit' bit.
PS Sums up what being a Staff Cadet was all about.Lots of hard work,trips to the NAFFI, Never enough flying, but a MEGA AMOUNT OF FUN which served us all well.(not to mention the beat ups and aero's)
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FOGIES
Just to let you know about FOGIES (Frelon Page 33). This stands for Former Old Gliding Instructors Extension Society and is open to all (subject to committee acceptance). Members consist of former ATC Gliding Instructors, Officers, Civilian Instructors,Categorised Staff Cadets and those closely associated with Air Cadet Gliding. All the ages of ATC gliding are covered, Wooden, Venture, Vigilant, Viking etc., encapsulating 70 years of Gliding with the Air Training Corps. Therefore making the society an excellent choice for those who have volunteered over the years. Thus encouraging the youth of this country to accept responsibility for their actions by taking command of Her Majesties Aircraft. Not only in this the Queens Diamond Jubilee year but also, we celebrate70 years of ATC Gliding FOGIES of course is at the forefront of these celebrations.
Fogies have a contact email for all those interested as follows [email protected].
Fogies have a contact email for all those interested as follows [email protected].
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Cobra Eater - Kenley 1968
Come on Farns where is the picture !!!
PC with the AC outside the hangar doors in 1968.
Sorry it is in B&W.
Now what did it say on the outside of the roller blind of the rear window....
Last edited by Farns744; 19th Feb 2012 at 19:32.
Ac !!! Kenley
Oh MY Gawd exposed at last !!.
Note the casual dress, entirely due to the problem of not being able to extract the correct attire from the Equip-Officer.
In fact the 'Jacket Cold Weather' was only obtained by going to the stores with 'half' an old jacket that had been severly burnt by a ships funnel on a fishing trip. The other half was exchanged later when visiting another station. The glasses were 'overseas issue' and came in a blue metal case with cleaning fluid and cloth. The bobble hat was red and white and knitted by my Aunt. (After an 'interview' by the CFI as to my attire, some 'flying kit' came my way including a pair of Mk 8 Goggles with two sets of lenses!!). These were lent years later to Neil Williams to fly a Sopwith Pup at an airshow before he was lost in the Casa (Heinkel) crash in Spain.
Note the excellent job the Cadets made of painting the AC (by hand) and the very tasteful 'sign writing' that really upset the CFI at the time.
As for the 'rear window sun blind' i seem to recall it had a brief message painted on it to advise following cars to B...... Off or to dip their lights,which must have been a surprise to them when it was wound up.
On one notable trip from Kenley (midnight) to Cornwall (to visit our old CO) we stopped at an all night cafe in Exeter and all trooped in to be regaled with a 'Hello Boys','where are you all going'. In a flash i intoduced the late Jim Kosa (SC) and said he was going to a Pasty Crushing Competition in Falmouth and needed to practice on some stale ones if there were any.OOh she said and disappeared to find some !!!
The sequel to this trip was a grilling by our new CO and the CFI the next w/end as to why there were no staff to run things,and how we had been 'missed'. There had been a bit of friction in that an 'intake' of CI's and Squadron VRT 'trainee's' seemed to get a lot of launches over the SC, so this rather made our case as to who was actually doing the work !!
Note the casual dress, entirely due to the problem of not being able to extract the correct attire from the Equip-Officer.
In fact the 'Jacket Cold Weather' was only obtained by going to the stores with 'half' an old jacket that had been severly burnt by a ships funnel on a fishing trip. The other half was exchanged later when visiting another station. The glasses were 'overseas issue' and came in a blue metal case with cleaning fluid and cloth. The bobble hat was red and white and knitted by my Aunt. (After an 'interview' by the CFI as to my attire, some 'flying kit' came my way including a pair of Mk 8 Goggles with two sets of lenses!!). These were lent years later to Neil Williams to fly a Sopwith Pup at an airshow before he was lost in the Casa (Heinkel) crash in Spain.
Note the excellent job the Cadets made of painting the AC (by hand) and the very tasteful 'sign writing' that really upset the CFI at the time.
As for the 'rear window sun blind' i seem to recall it had a brief message painted on it to advise following cars to B...... Off or to dip their lights,which must have been a surprise to them when it was wound up.
On one notable trip from Kenley (midnight) to Cornwall (to visit our old CO) we stopped at an all night cafe in Exeter and all trooped in to be regaled with a 'Hello Boys','where are you all going'. In a flash i intoduced the late Jim Kosa (SC) and said he was going to a Pasty Crushing Competition in Falmouth and needed to practice on some stale ones if there were any.OOh she said and disappeared to find some !!!
The sequel to this trip was a grilling by our new CO and the CFI the next w/end as to why there were no staff to run things,and how we had been 'missed'. There had been a bit of friction in that an 'intake' of CI's and Squadron VRT 'trainee's' seemed to get a lot of launches over the SC, so this rather made our case as to who was actually doing the work !!
Last edited by POBJOY; 10th Feb 2012 at 21:53.