RAF Bovingdon - 1960s
brakedwell - I believe this unfortunate accident was probably before your time at Bovingdon ?
https://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.c...955-foel-lwyd/
https://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.c...955-foel-lwyd/
Hi Mellywell
I've just, belatedly, picked up your message posted in Jan. 2008 regarding pics. in Aircraft Illustrated.
I used to go flying from Bov. very often in the mid-50s whent I was in the 23f Bushey and Oxhey Sqdn of the ATC. There were a number of us kids, all aged about 14yrs, who used to cycle out from Watford at every opportunity.
I am particularly interested in the pic.of the SM102 which I remember very well. It had wicker seats in it with oxygen masks hanging above.
I remember also that we used to climb inside this aicraft to eat our packed lunches in the flight deck. It was only after some time that we learned that the airplane belonged to "the Italian Embassy".
I often think to myself if the crew ever wondered where all the egg shells were coming from!
I have a number of photographs that I took at the time. If you would like copies I could email them to you.
I've just, belatedly, picked up your message posted in Jan. 2008 regarding pics. in Aircraft Illustrated.
I used to go flying from Bov. very often in the mid-50s whent I was in the 23f Bushey and Oxhey Sqdn of the ATC. There were a number of us kids, all aged about 14yrs, who used to cycle out from Watford at every opportunity.
I am particularly interested in the pic.of the SM102 which I remember very well. It had wicker seats in it with oxygen masks hanging above.
I remember also that we used to climb inside this aicraft to eat our packed lunches in the flight deck. It was only after some time that we learned that the airplane belonged to "the Italian Embassy".
I often think to myself if the crew ever wondered where all the egg shells were coming from!
I have a number of photographs that I took at the time. If you would like copies I could email them to you.
Bovingdon 1956. I believe only 21 of these Sm102s were built for The Italian Air Force. Photocredit Arthur Pearcy.
Bovingdon 1961. Photocredit Air Photographic International.
December 1961. Thought to be the same SM102 MM61791 on Bovingdon Fire Dump. ('War Lover' B17 in distance). Photocredit Key AeroForum
Bucks Examiner October 20th 1961. Source BNA.
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 19th Dec 2022 at 13:29. Reason: Newspaper extract added.
That reminds me of the Fouga Magister that was parked in the CCF hangar. I believe it was meant to be used by the French Air Attache from their embassy, but I cannot ever remember it flying.
A Few More Gleanings Unearthed
May 1957 Danish Delight. Photo Credit Arthur Pearcy.
January 1957
1957 Photo Credit Arthur Pearcy
Circa 1956. The first Anson MK X11. First flew 5th September 1944. After war used by our Air Attache in Madrid as G-AGLB before being restored to NL152 in 1948.
Same aircraft Circa 1964. Location not known.
These images of the Anson reminds me that Bovingdon could perhaps be described as a Confusion of Communications Squadrons.
These are thought to be members of The Southern Communications Squadron on an unknown date but prior to the Summer of 1968 when the Ansons were retired. In January 1969 The Southern Comms Squadron moved to RAF Northolt and flying ceased at Bovingdon. The squadron then became, in February 1969, 207 Squadron which reformed for that purpose. Photo Credit 207 Squadron Album.
All the above types had, over the years, become familiar sights at Bovingdon. I've found it very difficult to locate any decent snaps taken at Bovvy so the following images are of aeroplanes that have certainly been stationed there or have visited.
DH Devon VP958 Metropolitan Comms Squadron probably then based at RAF Hendon. Over Deptford Power Station which I think closed in the mid-sixties. Photo Credit 207 Squadron Album.
VH-EOB ex VP958 at Mackay, Queensland Australia in 1994. Dismantled in 2014 the fuselage rumoured to presently be used as a chicken house. All Credits Geoff Goodall.
Pembroke XL 929 with 60 Squadron at RAF Wildenwrath in 1986. Photo credit Michael Roeser with thanks.
This particular Pembroke of Bomber Command Comms squadron was the personal aircraft of Air Chief Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst. Based at RAF Booker the Squadron was briefly based at Bovingdon when Booker closed in 1963.
XL 929 later G-BNPU at South Wales Aviation Museum, St Athan in 2020. Photo Credit Stu Carr.
Beagle Basset XS 782 at RAF Coltishall Battle of Britain Day September 1969. Previously with Southern Comms Squadron Bovingdon but now with 207 Squadron at RAF Northolt. Photo Credit R.A. Scholefield.
According to 207 Squadron History 'Always Prepared' : The Basset was plagued by technical problems made worse by a shortage of spares. They were less comfortable than Devons, cramped and noisy, although pleasant to fly.
XS782 at Bates City, Missouri, USA. 1996.
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 20th Sep 2021 at 21:48.
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Bates City, Missouri - Harry S Truman Regional Airport almost rivals Oshkosh for airframes on the field, but not a fly in... or rather, not a fly out!
Google maps
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Avro Ansons Adieu
On 28th June 1968 a Farewell Flypast was performed by Ansons of The Southern Communications Squadron. Said to be amongst the last operational Ansons in The Royal Air Force. Unfortunately I've run out of space so the image will have to come on the next post ! Anyway if you read on.....!
TX227 departing Southampton for Leconfield in July 1965. Later to join SCS. Ended her days in warmer climes. Photo Barry Friend with thanks.
'Mosquito Squadron' was filmed at Bovingdon in 1968. TX227 foreground VM329 behind.
aviate1138 Ppruning in January 2008 wrote: 'Aviate shudders recalling the time we went to Bovingdon having been working on a movie called Mosquito Squadron a few weeks previously and carved up 4 lovely Ansons and removed the 450 HP Cheetah engines to use as wind machines........'
On their retirement the following Ansons at Bovingdon were sold for scrap to C. Bilson Ltd: TX191,TX227,TX230,VL349,VM329,VM332,VM351,VV958. TX209 of The Western Comms Squadron was also sold to Bilson but it is not known if it was scrapped at Bovingdon . VL337 was sold to Kemps Aerial Surveys in July 1968 for spares.
VL337 Kemps Aerial Surveys at Thruxton December 1968. (Air Support Command was formed in 1967.) Photo Barry Friend with thanks.
The same aircraft at Thruxton in September 1970. Photo Steve Darke with thanks.
The retirement of the Ansons coincided with the period of Civil War in Nigeria. The Biafran Airlift 1968-1970 was the largest Civilian operated undertaking of its kind on record. It was planned that two Ansons from Bovingdon would make a small contribution. The charity Mercy Missions purchased VV958 and TX227 from Bilson. They were registered as G-AWMG and G-AWMH respectively. Two further aircraft were reserved as standbys VL349 and VM351. Familiarisation training was provided for the crews by the RAF at Bovingdon.
Destination Biafra. TX227 with camouflage from 'Mosquito Squadron' overpainted and registered as G-AWMH at Bovingdon. Photo bovingdon-airfield.co.uk
Unlike its companion this was an Anson T21. 'MG' at Bovingdon. Photo Peter J Bish via Michael Draper with thanks.
The two Ansons departed Bovingdon on August 5th 1968. Both crews experienced an eventful trip. G-AWMG arrived at its operating base on Sao Tome August 16 1968 but unfortunately G-AWMH came to grief in Mauritania on the same day.
Starboard Engine failure on approach to Port Etienne airfield and a sudden violent sandstorm with nil viz caused the crew to pull up the undercart to arrest their progress. Minor damage but not repaired for quite some time. G-AWMH never reached Sao Tome but was later written off near the River Cess in Liberia in June 1969. Photo Aeroplane Monthly.
In Aeroplane Monthly Michael Draper who crewed 'MG' wrote: 'G-AWMG is seen being loaded for a Sao Tome-Fernando Po shuttle. The maximum permissible load was frequently exceeded. Milk Powder, Salt or Complan cargoes were also sometimes under threat from a leaking fuselage roof during the height of tropical storms.' Credit Aeroplane Monthly with thanks.
On September 3 1968 G-AWMG was tasked with a low- level food drop to an isolated Leperosy settlement in the valley of Uzuakoli, Biafra which was very close to the front line. Having completed three very slow low- level air drops the Anson was commencing its fourth run when it was hit by small arms fire which severed the fuel line to the port engine. As a result the aircraft crashed into a yam plantation, fortunately without any serious injury to the crew, who then camouflaged the wreck from further attack. Photo text Aeroplane Monthly and Michael Draper.
VM351 Bovingdon 1968. Photo Bernard Martin with thanks.
The two standby Ansons at Bovingdon VM351 and VL349 were purchased by John 'Jeff' Hawke and registered in July 1968 as G-AWSB and G-AWSA respectively. G-AWSB's registration was cancelled on November 5 1968 and the aircraft departed Bovingdon for the USA re-registered as N7522. I have not been able to find out who her first American owner was.
In the USA circa 1970
This Anson spent some time at Fabens Airfield Texas in the early seventies and there are indications that she might have been destined for The Confederate Air Force at Harlingen. She certainly came to the attention of Duane Egli while at Fabens. (Hawke and Egli crewed the B25 Camera Ship for The Battle of Britain). However N7522 suffered an engine failure after taking off from Fabens for Harlingen on May 17 1971 and crash- landed. I don't know if she ever flew again. She passed through various hands and the registration was cancelled in 2013.
N7522 at George Town Airport 1998.
G-AWSA's registration was cancelled on 18 August 1969 and she was re-registered to Duane Egli of Harlingen Texas as N5054 however contrary to some reports she never left the UK. Egli moved the aircraft to Horsham st Faith (later Norwich Airport) in November 1968 where she was initially hangared until cast out into the open in 1971. Further deterioration occurred with parts being robbed by The Confederate Air Force. She was rescued by The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum in early 1974. As VL349 the Anson received a full restoration and is now displayed at this splendid museum which is at Flixton near Bungay in Suffolk.
Still bearing traces of her registration G-AWSA at Norwich Airport in April 1973. Photo George Baczkowski with thanks.
VL349 restored. Photo Old Props with thanks.
Doing what a Comms Anson does best. VL349 is in this evocative photograph. Taken at Woodford in 1965 when serving with the Northern Comms Squadron. Collection of a Vulcan crew bound for Scampton. Photo Tony Coles with thanks.
I would like to thank Michael Draper who crewed G-AWMG in Biafra and authored 'Shadows' the standard reference work on the Biafran Air Lift, (a truly magnificent book both in production and content) for his assistance in allowing me to use extracts from his book and article in this little tribute to the 'Annie'. It was, he said a lovely aircraft to fly, a reflection echoed by thousands of pilots. He added that at the pre-departure dinner given for the Biafra crews by the RAF at Bovingdon the Station Commander had told them that they were "All Bonkers" . Matter of Opinion really.
TX227 departing Southampton for Leconfield in July 1965. Later to join SCS. Ended her days in warmer climes. Photo Barry Friend with thanks.
'Mosquito Squadron' was filmed at Bovingdon in 1968. TX227 foreground VM329 behind.
aviate1138 Ppruning in January 2008 wrote: 'Aviate shudders recalling the time we went to Bovingdon having been working on a movie called Mosquito Squadron a few weeks previously and carved up 4 lovely Ansons and removed the 450 HP Cheetah engines to use as wind machines........'
On their retirement the following Ansons at Bovingdon were sold for scrap to C. Bilson Ltd: TX191,TX227,TX230,VL349,VM329,VM332,VM351,VV958. TX209 of The Western Comms Squadron was also sold to Bilson but it is not known if it was scrapped at Bovingdon . VL337 was sold to Kemps Aerial Surveys in July 1968 for spares.
VL337 Kemps Aerial Surveys at Thruxton December 1968. (Air Support Command was formed in 1967.) Photo Barry Friend with thanks.
The same aircraft at Thruxton in September 1970. Photo Steve Darke with thanks.
The retirement of the Ansons coincided with the period of Civil War in Nigeria. The Biafran Airlift 1968-1970 was the largest Civilian operated undertaking of its kind on record. It was planned that two Ansons from Bovingdon would make a small contribution. The charity Mercy Missions purchased VV958 and TX227 from Bilson. They were registered as G-AWMG and G-AWMH respectively. Two further aircraft were reserved as standbys VL349 and VM351. Familiarisation training was provided for the crews by the RAF at Bovingdon.
Destination Biafra. TX227 with camouflage from 'Mosquito Squadron' overpainted and registered as G-AWMH at Bovingdon. Photo bovingdon-airfield.co.uk
Unlike its companion this was an Anson T21. 'MG' at Bovingdon. Photo Peter J Bish via Michael Draper with thanks.
The two Ansons departed Bovingdon on August 5th 1968. Both crews experienced an eventful trip. G-AWMG arrived at its operating base on Sao Tome August 16 1968 but unfortunately G-AWMH came to grief in Mauritania on the same day.
Starboard Engine failure on approach to Port Etienne airfield and a sudden violent sandstorm with nil viz caused the crew to pull up the undercart to arrest their progress. Minor damage but not repaired for quite some time. G-AWMH never reached Sao Tome but was later written off near the River Cess in Liberia in June 1969. Photo Aeroplane Monthly.
In Aeroplane Monthly Michael Draper who crewed 'MG' wrote: 'G-AWMG is seen being loaded for a Sao Tome-Fernando Po shuttle. The maximum permissible load was frequently exceeded. Milk Powder, Salt or Complan cargoes were also sometimes under threat from a leaking fuselage roof during the height of tropical storms.' Credit Aeroplane Monthly with thanks.
On September 3 1968 G-AWMG was tasked with a low- level food drop to an isolated Leperosy settlement in the valley of Uzuakoli, Biafra which was very close to the front line. Having completed three very slow low- level air drops the Anson was commencing its fourth run when it was hit by small arms fire which severed the fuel line to the port engine. As a result the aircraft crashed into a yam plantation, fortunately without any serious injury to the crew, who then camouflaged the wreck from further attack. Photo text Aeroplane Monthly and Michael Draper.
VM351 Bovingdon 1968. Photo Bernard Martin with thanks.
The two standby Ansons at Bovingdon VM351 and VL349 were purchased by John 'Jeff' Hawke and registered in July 1968 as G-AWSB and G-AWSA respectively. G-AWSB's registration was cancelled on November 5 1968 and the aircraft departed Bovingdon for the USA re-registered as N7522. I have not been able to find out who her first American owner was.
In the USA circa 1970
This Anson spent some time at Fabens Airfield Texas in the early seventies and there are indications that she might have been destined for The Confederate Air Force at Harlingen. She certainly came to the attention of Duane Egli while at Fabens. (Hawke and Egli crewed the B25 Camera Ship for The Battle of Britain). However N7522 suffered an engine failure after taking off from Fabens for Harlingen on May 17 1971 and crash- landed. I don't know if she ever flew again. She passed through various hands and the registration was cancelled in 2013.
N7522 at George Town Airport 1998.
G-AWSA's registration was cancelled on 18 August 1969 and she was re-registered to Duane Egli of Harlingen Texas as N5054 however contrary to some reports she never left the UK. Egli moved the aircraft to Horsham st Faith (later Norwich Airport) in November 1968 where she was initially hangared until cast out into the open in 1971. Further deterioration occurred with parts being robbed by The Confederate Air Force. She was rescued by The Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum in early 1974. As VL349 the Anson received a full restoration and is now displayed at this splendid museum which is at Flixton near Bungay in Suffolk.
Still bearing traces of her registration G-AWSA at Norwich Airport in April 1973. Photo George Baczkowski with thanks.
VL349 restored. Photo Old Props with thanks.
Doing what a Comms Anson does best. VL349 is in this evocative photograph. Taken at Woodford in 1965 when serving with the Northern Comms Squadron. Collection of a Vulcan crew bound for Scampton. Photo Tony Coles with thanks.
I would like to thank Michael Draper who crewed G-AWMG in Biafra and authored 'Shadows' the standard reference work on the Biafran Air Lift, (a truly magnificent book both in production and content) for his assistance in allowing me to use extracts from his book and article in this little tribute to the 'Annie'. It was, he said a lovely aircraft to fly, a reflection echoed by thousands of pilots. He added that at the pre-departure dinner given for the Biafra crews by the RAF at Bovingdon the Station Commander had told them that they were "All Bonkers" . Matter of Opinion really.
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 9th Oct 2021 at 20:43. Reason: Deleting image.
As promised. Header/Tailpiece to the above. 28 June 1968. The squadron was said to have eight Ansons on strength at that time. Photo credit bovingdon-airfield.co.uk
The following link is to an interesting film about the relief work of Caritas and Father Byrne in Biafra. There are a couple of very telling interviews although little footage of night flights into Uli which by their very nature were shrouded in darkness.
A link here with a little bit more about N7522 in Texas. There is mention of N5054 which is duff gen.
http://www.warbirdinformationexchang...=47916&start=0
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 9th Oct 2021 at 14:12.
OUAQUKGF Ops - Your photo of GAWMH at Port Etienne reminds me of an incident at Bovingdon when I was on Coastal Command Com Flt in 1962. A Fighter Com pilot couldn't get one of his main wheels to come down, so he retracted the good one, shut down an engine, and motored the prop to a horizontal position, then started an approach. Just before he reached the threshold of the north easterly runway he shut down the engine, ran the prop to horizontal and did a wheels up landing. We all went out to look at the Anson, which was completely undamaged!
Note the pristine looking T2 hangars (4 in total but only 2 visible); at the time the Annies were stood down and between our last ops by 613 GS on detachment from Halton and 617 GS moving in from Hendon, all 4 were reclad, only to be demolished/dismantled a short time later (1971?) when the airfield closed. Wonder if they were moved elsewhere or disposed of?
Last edited by chevvron; 9th Nov 2021 at 14:21.
Thread Starter
PoW camp set pictures
Photos (by Lloyd Dickinson) of the PoW camp set at Bovingdon for the Apple TV series Masters of the Air.
A Few More Gleanings Taken From The Ether
1954. Photo Arthur Pearcy.
December 1955 Italian Air Force probably on 'Operation Hannibal' Photo Arthur Pearcy.
1956 Photo attributed to Arthur Pearcy.
1956 Shackleton Mk1.
1956 Photo Arthur Pearcy.
1958. (One of 'The 'Greats' the C130 first flew in 1954)
1951. Vickers Viking G-AHOT of Trans-World Air Charter at Elstree. Photo credit as caption.
Trans-World Air Charter formed at Bovingdon in February 1948 and was active there and also for a time at Elstree where the company had a maintenance facility.
During its busy, short life the airline operated three Vikings of which G-AHON and G-AHOT participated in The Berlin Airlift as freighters operating out of Wunsdorf in the Autumn of 1948. Eventually the Company was absorbed by Crewsair of Southend and operations ceased at Bovingdon December 1951.
G-AHOT at Bordeaux circa 1952. Note minimal paint job on transfer from Trans-World Charter. Photo credit as captioned.
Photo Vic de Villiers
This is a replaced link. It is very slow - you need to let it do its own thing ?! More on G-AHOT here:https://saamuseum.co.za/history/Hist...#_Toc113256122
I'm finding it quite difficult to find images of the more obscure Bovingdon airlines so slight drift coming up.
Another Bovingdon operator who participated in The Berlin Airlift was Air Contractors Limited with three Dakotas. This company was founded at Woodley in May 1946 and was one of the earliest operators of the Miles Aerovan. The company then moved to Blackbushe and early in 1948 they established their base at Bovingdon. Their tenure was short-lived, the company ceased flying in January 1949. I've tried to find snaps of their Aerovans at Bovingdon (Still had four when they ceased flying) or indeed anywhere else but with no luck until I contacted Peter Amos who sent me the following images from Air Contractor's early days at Woodley.
All photographs courtesy of Peter Amos with thanks.
G-AIWC thought to be at Bovingdon, Between Hangar 2 and Hangar 3 in 1948. In the Autumn of 1947 the company's three Dakotas had flown to India to participate in the airlift of refugees. On one such flight 65 passengers were uplifted.
Extract from Aeroplane Magazine December 26th 1947.
G-AIWC at Multan Pakistan 1947. Scottish Airlines Dakota to rear. Photo taken by Captain D.M. Evans.
This appears to be a selection of out-takes and although interesting really doesn't convey the upheaval of forced migration, misery and blood-letting that resulted from the The Partition of India.
Many British airlines participated in what is probably now a forgotten Airlift in the Autumn of 1947. Mostly Dakota Operators with a scattering of Bristol Freighters: Air Contractors, BOAC, Kearsley Airways, Scottish Airlines, Silver City Airways, Sivewright Airways and Westminster Airways.
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 4th May 2023 at 21:21.
What a remarkable set of photo's!
Is the B-17 in #395 a passenger version? With the large and small windows? And the photo in Bordeaux seems to show a Boeing Stratoliner and a Languedoc airliner. Or am my eyes deceiving me?
Is the B-17 in #395 a passenger version? With the large and small windows? And the photo in Bordeaux seems to show a Boeing Stratoliner and a Languedoc airliner. Or am my eyes deceiving me?
washoutt
#395 Boeing VB17G 448990 (Transport for top brass). Your eyes aren't deceiving you. Sadly Stratoliner F-BELZ seen here in the colours of Aigle Azur, later operated by Airnautic crashed in 1962 - you can find information on the web about that. The Languedoc F-BATB was written off without loss of life at Le Bourget on 7 April 1952 perhaps not so long after this photograph was taken. Unfortunately Dakota G-AIWC later with Spantax as EC-ARZ crashed in 1965.
#395 Boeing VB17G 448990 (Transport for top brass). Your eyes aren't deceiving you. Sadly Stratoliner F-BELZ seen here in the colours of Aigle Azur, later operated by Airnautic crashed in 1962 - you can find information on the web about that. The Languedoc F-BATB was written off without loss of life at Le Bourget on 7 April 1952 perhaps not so long after this photograph was taken. Unfortunately Dakota G-AIWC later with Spantax as EC-ARZ crashed in 1965.
Last edited by OUAQUKGF Ops; 22nd Oct 2021 at 16:04.
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I regret do not have any Bovingdon pictures as I was a regular visitor in the mid 1950s,sometimes as a member of the Watford GS CCF and sometimes spotting at the Amersham end of the main runway.I had 3 flights,2 Anson and 1 Devon,one of the Anson flights was in the cockpit and I can remember priming the RH engine,the pilot doing the left who I think was Polish.There were also 2 Meteors,a T7 and an NF11 plus a C47/Dakota which had a VIP interior with armchairs.I can also remember a Shackleton and a Neptune visiting for Coastal Command.
The USAF was represented by very regular C47 flights plus once a Packet and an all Black Invader.
The USAF was represented by very regular C47 flights plus once a Packet and an all Black Invader.
