Vickers Varsity
small point. In 1973 WJ 921 was with 5 FTS Oakington. The School of Refresher Flying was at Manby/Strubby
When Strubby closed in 1972, I believe the Varsities and the multi-engine element of SORF moved to Oakington.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Yep, and I was there. First flight May 2nd, last flight Jul 18th. Not a long refresher course; I was off sick for about a month, sitting by the Cam admiring all the lovely female uni students.
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Spekesoftly/Herod
The School of Refresher Flying at Manby/ Strubby was part of the College of Air Warfare and all its Varsitys were on CAW strength.
When, in Autumn 1972, the Varsity element of the Refresher School moved to Oakington it was absorbed into 5 FTS and its Varsitys were taken onto 5 FTS's strength.
So, although technically correct, I was being boorishly pedantic -sorry about that.
Ron
The School of Refresher Flying at Manby/ Strubby was part of the College of Air Warfare and all its Varsitys were on CAW strength.
When, in Autumn 1972, the Varsity element of the Refresher School moved to Oakington it was absorbed into 5 FTS and its Varsitys were taken onto 5 FTS's strength.
So, although technically correct, I was being boorishly pedantic -sorry about that.
Ron
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Varsity bombing practice
Good point, Pontius Nav.
I'm fairly sure we bombed at 18,000ft on some occasions. The operating altitude may have been because of low level ops being conducted at the same time (FGA Hunters as I mentioned earlier).
After 65 years, I have to say that I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these memories.
I'm fairly sure we bombed at 18,000ft on some occasions. The operating altitude may have been because of low level ops being conducted at the same time (FGA Hunters as I mentioned earlier).
After 65 years, I have to say that I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these memories.
Varsity story
Another small incident.Went out to the line to watch a crew change,in came the varsity and the ladder was placed for the crew .This time it was students who changed, the QFI staying in his seat,I did the walk round and came back in front of the nose and started chatting to my "oppo"when I saw something very unusual!Lots of liquid in the bomb bay and very dark pink!It was of course hydraulic fluid,I signaled the cockpit and gave the "chop"signal to stop engines which I am happy to say the QFI obliged immediately!!The accumulator was empty, when we had a look ,cant remember where the leak was but it was big and things could have got worse very quickly!!Accident averted!!
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Hello, I worked on Varsity's for 8.5 years at Manby and Strubby.
The one at Oakington I was told when there didn't actually complete a loop, it reached 3/4's the way up and that was enough.
I saw it in the hangar and the most obvious thing was looking from front to rear the rudder was about 10 degrees over to port.
If anyone has photo's of Manby Strubby pigs I would be interested in getting copies.
I also worked on Meteors at Strubby 1964/1965 Summer to Spring and 3 Squadron had number 3 hangar on the far side of the airfield and we had up to 22 aircraft both sevens and eights so there wasn't room for any other machines, the Canberras occupied number 1 and 2 hangars on the Control Tower side of the camp.
All the major servicing was done at Manby ASF and the engine bearer changes were done at Strubby using a main jack and block of wood, the Chief Inspector Alan Tigwell led the team that did the work.
The Varsity was a direct development of the Viking/Velletta aircraft, we used to get Valletta's in on a fairly regular basis.
We used to do running changes usually flying four machines, the biggest problem was oil leaks and hydraulic leaks for which we were extremely grateful as it gave us much overtime, as civilians we were paid time and a quarter, time and a half and double time.
We finished work at 7pm Mon- Friday and Saturday mornings plus night flying.
I miss those days very much and shall never forget the sound of both a Meteor entering the circuit a distinctive sound and of a Varsity coming past the top hangar it gave a whistling resonance.
Refuelling at three or four in the morning watching the Sun come up standing on the wing and all the characters that formed 1 Squadron.
The one at Oakington I was told when there didn't actually complete a loop, it reached 3/4's the way up and that was enough.
I saw it in the hangar and the most obvious thing was looking from front to rear the rudder was about 10 degrees over to port.
If anyone has photo's of Manby Strubby pigs I would be interested in getting copies.
I also worked on Meteors at Strubby 1964/1965 Summer to Spring and 3 Squadron had number 3 hangar on the far side of the airfield and we had up to 22 aircraft both sevens and eights so there wasn't room for any other machines, the Canberras occupied number 1 and 2 hangars on the Control Tower side of the camp.
All the major servicing was done at Manby ASF and the engine bearer changes were done at Strubby using a main jack and block of wood, the Chief Inspector Alan Tigwell led the team that did the work.
The Varsity was a direct development of the Viking/Velletta aircraft, we used to get Valletta's in on a fairly regular basis.
We used to do running changes usually flying four machines, the biggest problem was oil leaks and hydraulic leaks for which we were extremely grateful as it gave us much overtime, as civilians we were paid time and a quarter, time and a half and double time.
We finished work at 7pm Mon- Friday and Saturday mornings plus night flying.
I miss those days very much and shall never forget the sound of both a Meteor entering the circuit a distinctive sound and of a Varsity coming past the top hangar it gave a whistling resonance.
Refuelling at three or four in the morning watching the Sun come up standing on the wing and all the characters that formed 1 Squadron.
Last edited by donald d; 23rd Jan 2017 at 14:11.
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That photograph was taken in front of the bottom hangar No. 2, I was the tractor driver that placed it there, it was shortly before the colour scheme was changed, we didn't like the new scheme sort of you can't make a silk purse out of a pig !
Tim, Your wish is granted - here is WJ947 of the College of Air Warfare at Strubby on 16th October 1970.Join Date: Jan 2017
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Strubby closed in October 1972 we had been told that we had a number of years to go in the September, Manby closed in March 1974.
Manby was all spit and polish because of the College of Air Warfare and a Air Commodore in residence, the Group Captain Bailey was a nice man and the Air Comm wasn't.
I did from close of Strubby to the November 1973 at Manby, all those bloody JP's, I went to work in Abu Dhabi and returned in 1974 and started work at the Heliport at Strubby !
A great old place a bit short on amenities, we still had bucket toilets up to 1965 but it was a far better place then Manby.
Manby was all spit and polish because of the College of Air Warfare and a Air Commodore in residence, the Group Captain Bailey was a nice man and the Air Comm wasn't.
I did from close of Strubby to the November 1973 at Manby, all those bloody JP's, I went to work in Abu Dhabi and returned in 1974 and started work at the Heliport at Strubby !
A great old place a bit short on amenities, we still had bucket toilets up to 1965 but it was a far better place then Manby.
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Strubby never had the Zig Zag stripe.
Pigs with Day Glo =Zig Zag or lightening stripes as we called them came into Strubby on occasion and they were from Stradishall or Bassingbourn, later we got Signals kites in and the Zig Zag was green.
Our Strubby kites were always more or less standard colour scheme and we always felt they should have a distinctif scheme to make them standout.
Pigs with Day Glo =Zig Zag or lightening stripes as we called them came into Strubby on occasion and they were from Stradishall or Bassingbourn, later we got Signals kites in and the Zig Zag was green.
Our Strubby kites were always more or less standard colour scheme and we always felt they should have a distinctif scheme to make them standout.
Last edited by donald d; 11th Feb 2017 at 19:14. Reason: correction
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I was at Manby from Sep 70 - Sep 72 and was lucky enough to get a ride in one of the JPs in the Strubby close down formation flypast of the Lincs Air Force stations.
My log has the date of that flight as 20 July 1972 and the aircraft was XP688/22 flown by OC 3/4 Sqn, Sqn Ldr D.... G........
Apologies for the quality of the photo below but the print has not survived that well. It shows the JPs breaking away from the formation at the conclusion of the flypasts.
My log has the date of that flight as 20 July 1972 and the aircraft was XP688/22 flown by OC 3/4 Sqn, Sqn Ldr D.... G........
Apologies for the quality of the photo below but the print has not survived that well. It shows the JPs breaking away from the formation at the conclusion of the flypasts.