RAF Sharjah
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 59°09N 002°38W (IATA: SOY, ICAO: EGER)
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My Father pretty much followed the Brit through Starways,Eagle,Monarch,Invicta and finished his flying career with a very dodgy outfit called Gaylan air cargo out of the ex-RAF Manston.Have not managed to find any entries for Sharjah in his log books although I'm convinced he flew the MOD charters there in British Eagle Brits?
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: where Palin isn't
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Brakewell,you are correct and confirmed via elderly mum(ex-Eagle training hostess) that Eagle never operated into Sharjah.However did find a trip Milan-Sharjah later in the old mans log book,Invicta Brit G-ANCF feb '77.
Many stories of amorous RAF types including a recently found note written to Mum on Eagle notepaper signed Murph,"H" Squadron,5 RTR(or RIR.hard to read).Dad got the thumbs up as they got engaged at the 'Tatty Cat' in Colombo on the Singapore run in '64.
Funny stories of the beaches being cleared in Gan and reserved only for Eagle girls,except for the local Padre!
Many stories of amorous RAF types including a recently found note written to Mum on Eagle notepaper signed Murph,"H" Squadron,5 RTR(or RIR.hard to read).Dad got the thumbs up as they got engaged at the 'Tatty Cat' in Colombo on the Singapore run in '64.
Funny stories of the beaches being cleared in Gan and reserved only for Eagle girls,except for the local Padre!
I have just been looking at my log books. During eight years on RAF Britannias. (66-74) I never went to Sharjah. My first visit in a Britannia was on 4th December 1974 in G-AOVS and the last time (shortly before it closed) was in G-AOVF on 17th October 1976. My next visit to Sharjah was on 21st April 1977 when I landed at the new airport in a DC8-55F, G-BDDE.
Last edited by brakedwell; 16th May 2012 at 08:47.
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Knole Somerset
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Britannias
He was a very good friend of mine unfortunately no longer with us. The good die young! Only two years on the Britannia force but as a young navigator a wonderful experience 
Join Date: Jan 2012
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152 Squadron B Flight RAF Sharjah
I have put some details of my stay with 152 B Flight in Sharjah during 1966 on the 152 web site., You may recognise some names. We were still doing exactly the same tasks and had a very close relationship with the TOS.
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Oman
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Sharjah Airport (RAF Hangar)
Hi Salman,
by chance i came across this website, i have spent around 20 years in Dubai, and have always been interested in what my fellow countrymen have gotten upto in far flung places, i work in the construction industry and have worked exclusively in Dubai since about 92' for Al naboodah Contracting (i'm currently in Oman, but thats another story) when i joined, i was shown a very rusty pile of scrap metal at the back of my old workshop at kawaneej, and was told that this was to be my new plant and transport workshop which we were to build up on the hatta road at al awir. the fact is the old rusty pile of steel trusses and uprights were the old RAF hangar from sharjah airport (Al naboodah demolished the buildings their around 1990-91) instead of cutting the hangar frame up, it was transported to kawaneej to await a new life as a plant and transport workshop, this was realised around 94', we split the sections into two, building a stores and offices between the 2 "short" sections (still very big for a plant workshop!) the steel was sandblasted, primed and re-clad in new sheeting, it looked brand new!, if you travel up the Hatta road to al awir, you can see the 2 section workshop to your right hand side (the new central prison is located behind it). the steel trusses and uprights are stamped in places with "Scunthorpe 1947" if my memory serves me right (mill stamps) i know its a little bit of trivia, but i thought worthwhile relaying keep up the good work with your historical endeavours.
Martin.
by chance i came across this website, i have spent around 20 years in Dubai, and have always been interested in what my fellow countrymen have gotten upto in far flung places, i work in the construction industry and have worked exclusively in Dubai since about 92' for Al naboodah Contracting (i'm currently in Oman, but thats another story) when i joined, i was shown a very rusty pile of scrap metal at the back of my old workshop at kawaneej, and was told that this was to be my new plant and transport workshop which we were to build up on the hatta road at al awir. the fact is the old rusty pile of steel trusses and uprights were the old RAF hangar from sharjah airport (Al naboodah demolished the buildings their around 1990-91) instead of cutting the hangar frame up, it was transported to kawaneej to await a new life as a plant and transport workshop, this was realised around 94', we split the sections into two, building a stores and offices between the 2 "short" sections (still very big for a plant workshop!) the steel was sandblasted, primed and re-clad in new sheeting, it looked brand new!, if you travel up the Hatta road to al awir, you can see the 2 section workshop to your right hand side (the new central prison is located behind it). the steel trusses and uprights are stamped in places with "Scunthorpe 1947" if my memory serves me right (mill stamps) i know its a little bit of trivia, but i thought worthwhile relaying keep up the good work with your historical endeavours.
Martin.
Join Date: Aug 2007
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New book on Sharjah
For those interested in a detailed history of the original Sharjah airfield and RAF Sharjah: I have just read a new book by Nicholas Stanley-Price "Imperial Outpost in the Gulf".
Excellent historical account of the establishment of the airfield in 1932 until the RAF left in 1971.
http://www.iccrom.org/eng/news_en/20...nley-Price.pdf.
Laurence
Excellent historical account of the establishment of the airfield in 1932 until the RAF left in 1971.
http://www.iccrom.org/eng/news_en/20...nley-Price.pdf.
Laurence
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Sharjah - UAE
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Thank you very much for the information Mr. Martin, I did not know this fact about the hangar steel... I will surely check them out this weekend towards Al Awir...never did notice much as I travel to Awir most of the times for official work... I presume you must have seen the RAF Sharjah in the 90s! If so, I would love to hear about what you saw it here....because this was the period (from late 80s to mid 90s) when the Mahatta area was neglected ... I could not remember much as I was a child during the mid 90s... what I could remember is there my dad used to pass King Abdul Aziz street (which was RAF's runway) and all I saw was an old faded control tower with broken windows... no display hangar was built back then...only the old fort and control tower along with the hangar (which still exists today) was there....the field was pretty much intact...with wickets and pitch marks for the asians to play Cricket there...it was a site of ruins ... and I am a history enthusiast ...just can't help recalling how this area looked like in its heyday ...
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: hampshire
Age: 79
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RAF Sharjah 'Gliding Club' - Coo after all these years- i find out why the T.21 (i flew) was called '404' an ex-Aden number. The Olympia 2b was BGA1036 and the K-8b c/n8797. None carried any external marks i flew with various instuctors Beck/Stockwell/Wilkinson/Carpenter/ Slater, in 1970. When the ex-kenyan wire wore out-more fence wire arrived in a Shackleton.
My then-wife started to learn and my 4 year old son was flown on her lap in the T-21. A trip to Manama wth the 'thames trader+ballon winch' towing the T-21 in a trailer.
The reason no Britannias came to Sharjah was that the runway lights were on tall stalks and might have hit the props.
Very happy times.
My then-wife started to learn and my 4 year old son was flown on her lap in the T-21. A trip to Manama wth the 'thames trader+ballon winch' towing the T-21 in a trailer.
The reason no Britannias came to Sharjah was that the runway lights were on tall stalks and might have hit the props.
Very happy times.
The reason no Britannias came to Sharjah was that the runway lights were on tall stalks and might have hit the props.
Last edited by brakedwell; 9th Jul 2012 at 09:38.
Join Date: Jul 2012
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It certainly applied in 1971, BCal thought of doing some trooping with Britannia and even B707- but declined. Just possible lights were changed after RAF left. The other little gem was that the lights were uni-directional and only visible on approach to R/w 30. Thus we could not be shelled from the sea!! Imperial logic
BCAL never operated Britannias. Caledonian had 4 for a short time, which were sold on or scrapped before merging with BUA in 1970 to become British Caledonian. The LCN's at (RAF) Sharjah were too low to take our DC8's, which no doubt would also apply to 707's.
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Misscanada
I served as an airman, (Admin), at RAF Sharjah from 30 Jun 70 until it's closure in Dec 71. Actually volunteered to complete extra 6 months duty there -1 year posting- as I was having such a bloody good time. Worked in SHQ in mornings and then sailed dinghys on Dubai creek at sailing club in afternoons.
It was a single posting and quite right only CO, Group Captain Cedric had wife there. Was a regular in the evenings at the gliding club and think achieved a small measure of fame for having an American girlfriend.
Through sailing club met BOAC crews and became, eventually CSD Longhaul and then aircraft dispatcher. Have many very happy memories and several photo's (somewhere) of those halcyon days.
Often used to visit the old ATC fort to meet up with a civilian ATC friend.
It was a single posting and quite right only CO, Group Captain Cedric had wife there. Was a regular in the evenings at the gliding club and think achieved a small measure of fame for having an American girlfriend.
Through sailing club met BOAC crews and became, eventually CSD Longhaul and then aircraft dispatcher. Have many very happy memories and several photo's (somewhere) of those halcyon days.
Often used to visit the old ATC fort to meet up with a civilian ATC friend.
Join Date: Jul 2002
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Khan Creek
All this talk of Sharjah brings back the odd memory, I was an oily offshore Dubai - best schedule ever - 4 days on platform 2 off (noise levels) & 3 mths then 1 month UK
Used to swim at Khan Creek which was understood to be border between Dubai & Sharjah, only a few fishing boats and a Pepsi wallah
A few RAF lads used to be around - though I believe it was technically off limits due rip tide
Remember trying to acquire a 'Landie' from surplus stocks but the prices were a bit high we'd hoped for about £75 and they allegedly went for £250+
Knew a Brit/Kenyan who was in Sharjah Police, he allegedly witnessed the Abu Defence guy (ex Marine?) who lost a finger(tip) during the overthrow of the Sheik
Following RAF pullout used to visit TOS/BATT Team Sgts Mess where on guest nights they used to rip us off by upping the beer by 10% - this to make life easy for the barman - normal price was 90 fils & guest nights 1 riyal (Now Dirham) ALL in a good cause
Also after RAF pull out I managed to get Draught Beer for my apartment (Double Diamond) - this from GrayMac's - Bristow's guys did the same
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
Used to swim at Khan Creek which was understood to be border between Dubai & Sharjah, only a few fishing boats and a Pepsi wallah
A few RAF lads used to be around - though I believe it was technically off limits due rip tide
Remember trying to acquire a 'Landie' from surplus stocks but the prices were a bit high we'd hoped for about £75 and they allegedly went for £250+
Knew a Brit/Kenyan who was in Sharjah Police, he allegedly witnessed the Abu Defence guy (ex Marine?) who lost a finger(tip) during the overthrow of the Sheik
Following RAF pullout used to visit TOS/BATT Team Sgts Mess where on guest nights they used to rip us off by upping the beer by 10% - this to make life easy for the barman - normal price was 90 fils & guest nights 1 riyal (Now Dirham) ALL in a good cause
Also after RAF pull out I managed to get Draught Beer for my apartment (Double Diamond) - this from GrayMac's - Bristow's guys did the same
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
Last edited by pzu; 11th Jul 2012 at 20:40.