Vickers Varsity
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
a quick Google suggests Sycamores were still at TH in '65/'66, so looks as if Herod just missed it.
C-J, I went to TH in May `64 ,lived in secret accommodation(Barthropp House), and did my basic helicopter training on a secret `stealth helicopter` with wooden rotor blades (not the Skeeter,but I did fly that once).There were no `see-thru` Sioux there at the time.Most of my flying was done in the dark or on foggy days to muffle the frantic noise and flaming exhaust as the `stealth `dayglo` paint was re-applied every few sorties,and we operated out of the `topless hangar` to avoid prying eyes..In Aug`64,I was then banished to an Island and even more remote accommodation,befitting my lowly airman status to fly a highly visible `big yellow` hecilopoter........I would, of course ,deny all this ,should I be impeached.......there is no-one under my desk.....
Arrived at TH in April 64, no Sycamores and Sioux for basic training.
I arrived in June 1965 and the basic training was on Sycamores, the Sioux being used for instructor courses. At the end of my course there were a few wobblies with Sycamores so the decision was made to use the Sioux for basic training.
The Sycamores went to Northolt and a couple of years later I had a go in one with Digger Barrell. What I remember is my 3R ducking when we got going because I had forgotten how close the blades went past the roof.
The Sycamore was possibly the best trainer the RAF ever had. If you could fly a Sycamore you could fly ANYTHING!!!!
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Was it the trainer for fiture heavy bombers pilots (Vulcan, Victor, Valiant, Canberra...) or were they selected from the fast jet pipeline?
By the mid 60s, when I went through the system, streaming from BFTS was done as follows:
Fast jet (Lightning, Hunter and occasional Canberra) to AFTS at Valley primarily on the Gnat or the Hunter if you couldn't fit into a Gnat.
Heavies (V force, Maritime & Transport/AAR) to Oakington on the Varsity
Rotary to Shawbury on the Whirlwind? - not sure after so many years!
At the end of the 60s Fast Jet also included Harrier, Buccaneer and Jaguar.
By the mid 60s, when I went through the system, streaming from BFTS was done as follows:
Fast jet (Lightning, Hunter and occasional Canberra) to AFTS at Valley primarily on the Gnat or the Hunter if you couldn't fit into a Gnat.
Heavies (V force, Maritime & Transport/AAR) to Oakington on the Varsity
Rotary to Shawbury on the Whirlwind? - not sure after so many years!
At the end of the 60s Fast Jet also included Harrier, Buccaneer and Jaguar.
https://raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/.../raf-shawbury/
Sycamore and FED - I shall plead impending insanity and 84th birthday! I confused my initial TH sojourn (64) with my return in 68. Logbooks are a blessing. My initial encounter with the Sycamore was in Aden in mid 50s. Not ideal operating conditions - make that totally unsuitable!!
Gentleman Aviator
This https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/161117 could be the Ternhill Sycamore fatality referred to above. March 1964 and seemed to have been a blade failure.
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Astro compass
Hi all. Found in my late fathers possessions an Astro compass mk2. Not sure how as he got it as he worked in Brize in TCW. I am trying to find some history of it’s use. It has some white pen under the bubble housing. WF380 TF/NU 21 2 69. So any history on that aircraft would be good and what the other letters and date mean. The compass itself is a MK2A ref 6B/399 serial no 657. Also white markings KHI-R-I0-63 not sure what these mean. Would like to try and trace its origins. Any advice for further research would be much appreciated.
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Just to advise you all that one of the last surviving Varsities, WH945 at St. Mawgan, is under threat as the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre is being evicted from its present site by Cornwall Council, who think we can just pick up all our aircraft and move them elsewhere.
More details and a petition here: https://www.change.org/p/save-cornwa...m_medium=email
More details and a petition here: https://www.change.org/p/save-cornwa...m_medium=email
Just to advise you all that one of the last surviving Varsities, WH945 at St. Mawgan, is under threat as the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre is being evicted from its present site by Cornwall Council, who think we can just pick up all our aircraft and move them elsewhere.
More details and a petition here: https://www.change.org/p/save-cornwa...m_medium=email
More details and a petition here: https://www.change.org/p/save-cornwa...m_medium=email
WF369 – Newark Air Museum
WF372 – Brooklands Museum
WF382 - stored for Allied Museum, Berlin
WL626 – East Midlands Airport Aeropark
WL679 – RAF Museum Cosford
82001 – Swedish Air Force Museum, Linköping
Varsity WJ897 / G-BDFT
This year is the 40th anniversary of the accident which befell Varsity WJ897 / G-BDFT. A small group of relatives and survivors will be gathering at the site to mark the occasion. Unfortunately in the 15 years which have elapsed since the last such gathering, some of the contact details we have are no longer working.
If you're a relative or if you know of someone who would like to attend, please message us here or via our website's contact page - details of which I can't post here, but search Google for WJ897 and it's the Wix one.
Thanks
If you're a relative or if you know of someone who would like to attend, please message us here or via our website's contact page - details of which I can't post here, but search Google for WJ897 and it's the Wix one.
Thanks
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