On This Day 20th May 1959
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: NW England
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Not only did they attack the u-boat, but the aircraft was on its first operational flight. Bad weather meant they quickly lost sight of their prey and were not sure how much damage they had done.
I was fortunate to get a copy of the u-boat log for that day which reveals that one depth charge actually hit the submarine's deck and rolled off. Buchler ordered the crew to abandon ship but immediately recalled it. They had a long struggle back to Norway. Reading the reports from the aircraft and the u-boat side by side is quite sobering.
Then, yes, EJ155 had a spell wth 4(C)OTU (always good to see info on that thanks, the OTU ORB is very sparse), then with 88 squadron at Hong Kong, including Korean War operations, before joining 205/209 in January 1955.
I've got photos of the Tawau Beach incident filed - I'll dig them out tomorrow.
Allan
I was fortunate to get a copy of the u-boat log for that day which reveals that one depth charge actually hit the submarine's deck and rolled off. Buchler ordered the crew to abandon ship but immediately recalled it. They had a long struggle back to Norway. Reading the reports from the aircraft and the u-boat side by side is quite sobering.
Then, yes, EJ155 had a spell wth 4(C)OTU (always good to see info on that thanks, the OTU ORB is very sparse), then with 88 squadron at Hong Kong, including Korean War operations, before joining 205/209 in January 1955.
I've got photos of the Tawau Beach incident filed - I'll dig them out tomorrow.
Allan
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I'm not sure what shots Pondskater has but I have been given permission to post these two photos. They are reverse angles and show the degree of improvisation that had to be done to get EJ155 serviceable again.
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That's the ones. And here is the third one from the set I was sent some years ago showing the temporary dam to protect the aircraft during work.
And one more of EJ155 at Seletar - both these pics are courtesy of Ian Fraser.
And one more of EJ155 at Seletar - both these pics are courtesy of Ian Fraser.
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Sunderland pics
Hi 'Warmtoast'.
I'll be brief. I'm re-writing a book about my time in the RAF as a National Serviceman. It includes quite a bit about RAF Seletar and the Sunderland flying boats. The first edition feedback was that it would be better if were it little longer, hence the re-write.
I no longer have the pics I used for the front cover and would like to ask your permission to use the colour pic of 'P', which would be ideal. Credit would, of course, be given to the source.
I was at Seletar 56 - 58 and worked on most of the f/boats shown, including 'P'. The a/c being broken up were outside my billet at 'F' block and I have several similar photos.
I was not a 'Professional Pilot', more 'Professional Ballast' as an Air Wireless Mechanic, but flew many times in Sunderlands.
I said I'd be brief. So that will do as an opening shot.
Per Ardua etc etc,
Michael.
I'll be brief. I'm re-writing a book about my time in the RAF as a National Serviceman. It includes quite a bit about RAF Seletar and the Sunderland flying boats. The first edition feedback was that it would be better if were it little longer, hence the re-write.
I no longer have the pics I used for the front cover and would like to ask your permission to use the colour pic of 'P', which would be ideal. Credit would, of course, be given to the source.
I was at Seletar 56 - 58 and worked on most of the f/boats shown, including 'P'. The a/c being broken up were outside my billet at 'F' block and I have several similar photos.
I was not a 'Professional Pilot', more 'Professional Ballast' as an Air Wireless Mechanic, but flew many times in Sunderlands.
I said I'd be brief. So that will do as an opening shot.
Per Ardua etc etc,
Michael.
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Happy days in China Bay
In 1955 or thereabouts, my father, Squadron Leader A Brown, was posted to RAF China bay as station commander. My mother, sister and I followed soon after, making the trip via the Suez canal in the boat 'The Empire Clyde'. I have many happy memories of the time I spent in Ceylon, not the least being the flights I was able to cadge on the various Sunderlands that visited us as well as those stationed at China Bay - it seemed that short flights to test this or that were frequent so I was not without opportunities! In 1957 I was obliged to return to the UK and Boarding School but father stayed on to hand over the station in 1961. It was a different world in those days.
