RAF Sharjah
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Hi Leesaranda,
probably fixed your radios. I ran the MEC there late '65 to late '66. Air Radio Fitter at that special place RAF Sharjah. Before the Aden mob moved up and ruined it.
probably fixed your radios. I ran the MEC there late '65 to late '66. Air Radio Fitter at that special place RAF Sharjah. Before the Aden mob moved up and ruined it.
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Hi AlisonCC,
Good to hear from you. Yup it was a special place. I didn't realise it at the time, but looking at the development that's taken place since, we were lucky to have been there, then. Getting out and about with Tom Sheppard was the icing on the cake. Were you on that long trip up the coast that he ran?
Good to hear from you. Yup it was a special place. I didn't realise it at the time, but looking at the development that's taken place since, we were lucky to have been there, then. Getting out and about with Tom Sheppard was the icing on the cake. Were you on that long trip up the coast that he ran?
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152 Squadron Sharjah
You could well be right. I arrive early Jan 66 from the OCU at Odiham. Mckee was the CO based in Bahrain and looking at my log book the following pilots were at Sharjah, Mavin,Davis,Stevenson.Happy days and a great first tour
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Slingsby T21b BGA 1965 thought to be exRAFGSA 404
BGA 1965 DAR has been operated for many years with the Nene Valley Gliding Club at Upwood just south of Peterborough and more recently flys with the RAFGSA 4 Counties Club at RAF Wittering. The records only go back to 2/7/1974 and show the fuselage was from RAFGSA404, the wings and tailplane were ex-BGA765. Richard Cawsey, who has a superb record of all things Slingsby confirms that BGA 1965 was ex-RAFGSA 404 believed to have been delivered to Aden in 1962 and operated by a civilian syndicate affiliated to the Aden Services Gliding Club and he suggests it was known as the "Yellow Peril". I suspect there were 3 T21's, 403,404 and the Yellow Peril. We think DAR was transfered to Sharjar and returned to the UK in 1971. We would like to clarify the a/c's history in this period and also try and establish who she was prior to 1962. Again Richard Cawsey suggests Slingsbt's works number 661 sold to Sweden in about 1951, registered SE-SHY and then sold to Finland in 1960 as OH-KSB.
Any comments that might help to ratify this a/c's history would be much appreciated. and could be rewarded by a ride in the Old Lady.
Any comments that might help to ratify this a/c's history would be much appreciated. and could be rewarded by a ride in the Old Lady.
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The T21b at Sharjah came from Aden and was known as '404' but i don't think it was marked as such. It had white fuselage, yellow wings, rudder, tailplane & elevator. We knew the club as 'Gulf Services Gliding Club' but i see that my membership card has 'R.A.F. Sharjah' at the top and simply 'Gliding club' at the bottom.
JIBDAR:
We had two T-21s in Aden; 403 and 404. We were not strictly RAFGSA but were known as the Aden Services Gliding Club. 404 was the Yellow Peril and it was indeed all yellow. Although it was part of the fleet, I believe it was owned by Shep Shepperd who was the civilian Chief of Police in Crater.
At the end of 1966, 404 was trailered down to Khormaksar from Sheik Othman for a recover and annual overhaul (as was Swallow 400). When they were finished, we decided that the security situation was too dodgy to take them back by road so we would try to fly them back.
The date was 22 January 1967 and Stu Hoy + 1 soared 404 back to base. She was then all silver with a red stripe on the top of each wing.
404 did indeed end up at Sharjah and I did some instructing there in 1970 and I last flew 404 there on 14 February 1970. At that time it was exactly as it was when it left Aden (no yellow wings).
I have two suggestions; get on to the Aden Services Gliding site on Facebook and scroll down towards the beginning where you will find some photographs that I posted on the site including 404 at Khormaksar. You will also find Yellow Peril photographs.
My second suggestion for you is to contact Stu Hoy at Anglian Sailplanes who probably knows more about 404 than the rest of us put together!
We had two T-21s in Aden; 403 and 404. We were not strictly RAFGSA but were known as the Aden Services Gliding Club. 404 was the Yellow Peril and it was indeed all yellow. Although it was part of the fleet, I believe it was owned by Shep Shepperd who was the civilian Chief of Police in Crater.
At the end of 1966, 404 was trailered down to Khormaksar from Sheik Othman for a recover and annual overhaul (as was Swallow 400). When they were finished, we decided that the security situation was too dodgy to take them back by road so we would try to fly them back.
The date was 22 January 1967 and Stu Hoy + 1 soared 404 back to base. She was then all silver with a red stripe on the top of each wing.
404 did indeed end up at Sharjah and I did some instructing there in 1970 and I last flew 404 there on 14 February 1970. At that time it was exactly as it was when it left Aden (no yellow wings).
I have two suggestions; get on to the Aden Services Gliding site on Facebook and scroll down towards the beginning where you will find some photographs that I posted on the site including 404 at Khormaksar. You will also find Yellow Peril photographs.
My second suggestion for you is to contact Stu Hoy at Anglian Sailplanes who probably knows more about 404 than the rest of us put together!
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So - i'm guessing i flew in 404 with you!.
In Feb1970 404 made 351 launches & a total of 30hours 17 minutes airborne!
in March 1970 it made 258 launches for 22hours 17 minutes airborne culminating in a very poor arrival bouncing about 5 feet up (occupants legs seen running) and a crunch which kept it out of the air till September.
In Feb1970 404 made 351 launches & a total of 30hours 17 minutes airborne!
in March 1970 it made 258 launches for 22hours 17 minutes airborne culminating in a very poor arrival bouncing about 5 feet up (occupants legs seen running) and a crunch which kept it out of the air till September.
I was always notoriously bad about keeping my gliding logbook up to date. What I can tell you for sure is that on 14.02.70, I checked out Davies and Jones for going solo in 404.
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Sharjah '65 - '66
Well done sisemen for starting off this thread! I came across it a few weeks ago and have been slowly reading thro' the posts(It's hard to find time when one is retired!!) to catch up with what's been said.
I was a 'carpenter & joiner' in the RAF but was always a bit of an a/c enthusiast, so I have lots of colour slides & info'(I know, I know, bit of an anorak!") of visiting a/c during my time there. Also, I managed to get 6 flights in the Twin-pins(great stories Brakedwell) to Al Khatt, Buraimi, Dibba, Abu Dhabi and one with our then C.O. Sqd/Ldr Tom Sheppard who wanted to recce for an expedition up towards Jebel Raudha. I see he is a well respected author on desert travel and all things 4 X 4. Whenever there was an interesting a/c due in, there was always a race between Tom Sheppard in his Landrover, my mate SAC Derek 'Ginge' Hine(a fireman) in the fire wagon and me on my old 'sit up and beg' Indian bicycle with 28" wheels and rusty everything.......and I still beat them on the odd occassion!
'captain salman' you have certainly brought this thread to life with all of your aviation archaeology 'discoveries,' well done. I revisited with my wife back in 2000 and shortly afterwards presented the museum with a copy of the station crest(painted by Mary Dent) which I commissioned for the RAF archive at Cranwell. Also I had a large map of the TOS which should still be on the "Commanders Office" wall(would be pleased to hear that they are both there?) Both of these were collected by (Capt.) David Mackenzie of the Ruler's Flight, Sharjah when the a/c visited Gatwick. I believe he was instrumental in getting quite a few exhibits for the museum.
Better not 'rabbit' on too much! Well done
to all of you for such interesting posts. Took me back to a most enjoyable and interesting time in my life.
I was a 'carpenter & joiner' in the RAF but was always a bit of an a/c enthusiast, so I have lots of colour slides & info'(I know, I know, bit of an anorak!") of visiting a/c during my time there. Also, I managed to get 6 flights in the Twin-pins(great stories Brakedwell) to Al Khatt, Buraimi, Dibba, Abu Dhabi and one with our then C.O. Sqd/Ldr Tom Sheppard who wanted to recce for an expedition up towards Jebel Raudha. I see he is a well respected author on desert travel and all things 4 X 4. Whenever there was an interesting a/c due in, there was always a race between Tom Sheppard in his Landrover, my mate SAC Derek 'Ginge' Hine(a fireman) in the fire wagon and me on my old 'sit up and beg' Indian bicycle with 28" wheels and rusty everything.......and I still beat them on the odd occassion!
'captain salman' you have certainly brought this thread to life with all of your aviation archaeology 'discoveries,' well done. I revisited with my wife back in 2000 and shortly afterwards presented the museum with a copy of the station crest(painted by Mary Dent) which I commissioned for the RAF archive at Cranwell. Also I had a large map of the TOS which should still be on the "Commanders Office" wall(would be pleased to hear that they are both there?) Both of these were collected by (Capt.) David Mackenzie of the Ruler's Flight, Sharjah when the a/c visited Gatwick. I believe he was instrumental in getting quite a few exhibits for the museum.
Better not 'rabbit' on too much! Well done
to all of you for such interesting posts. Took me back to a most enjoyable and interesting time in my life.
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Sharjah website.
Sorry Laurence, I missed you off my first message. Meant to say how I enjoyed your 'site.' I had seen it a good while ago and was going to get in contact, but things(like memory!) got in the way. Talking of crashes near to Sharjah, there used to be a Beuafighter(?) visible at low tide at Khan Creek, and I remember coming across an a/c frame in the desert, to the north I think. No photograph, but in my 'logbook' I'm sure I wrote down a few part numbers. Will have a search for it. Regards.
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Thanks for that OFL. If my memory seves me right, I think that only the cockpit and tops of the engine of the Beaufighter were visible? If we were out there now we would be trying to dig it out! How times have changed.
Ah, right maybe a Welington then.
Laurence will PM you.
Ah, right maybe a Welington then.
Laurence will PM you.
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SARO - Thanks for the comment. When I posed my original question I had no idea that the thread would run for so long.
There are some good pics on this site:
SharjahRAF Mountain Rescue Photo Gallery
Al Henshaw being Wessex'ed outRAF Mountain Rescue Photo Gallery
There are some good pics on this site:
SharjahRAF Mountain Rescue Photo Gallery
Al Henshaw being Wessex'ed outRAF Mountain Rescue Photo Gallery
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I have been in touch with Saroskeeterman about the crash he talks of in his post 284 on 15 December last. Oftenflylo: you mentioned it might have been a Wellington. Have you any other information about that as I would like to identify this aircraft as part of researching crashes along the Trucial Coast. Saro sent me his list of various part numbers he recorded when he found the wreck in 1966, it having crashed some 10 years earlier it seems. Saro: is it OK to publish your logbook notes here?
Laurence
Laurence
Last edited by l.garey; 10th Jan 2013 at 06:51.
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Saro's logbook says:
"Remains of an aircraft believed to have crashed 10 years ago by the side of the the road to Ras-al-Khaima near Umm-al-Qiwain. The following were on various bits of the airframe(not much left either)"
49606 61738/B 49623
HG116 LL269
WT
He does not know what the "bits" were, and there was apparently little identifiable. The only two numbers that could be RAF serials are HG116 and LL269. HG116 was a Warwick, but I do not know of any in service at Sharjah, and I would think 1956 was too late for them be have been in service anywhere. LL269 was not issued: it is in the middle of a Halifax batch, but not used.
So, can anyone hazard a guess? Thanks
Laurence
"Remains of an aircraft believed to have crashed 10 years ago by the side of the the road to Ras-al-Khaima near Umm-al-Qiwain. The following were on various bits of the airframe(not much left either)"
49606 61738/B 49623
HG116 LL269
WT
He does not know what the "bits" were, and there was apparently little identifiable. The only two numbers that could be RAF serials are HG116 and LL269. HG116 was a Warwick, but I do not know of any in service at Sharjah, and I would think 1956 was too late for them be have been in service anywhere. LL269 was not issued: it is in the middle of a Halifax batch, but not used.
So, can anyone hazard a guess? Thanks
Laurence
I would be surprised if HG116 and LL269 were serial numbers Laurence. Whatever type of aircraft it was must have crashed considerably earlier than 1956 as it would have still been common knowledge when I arrived at Sharjah in 1959.
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I was hoping you might show up Brakedwell. What I said was that they were the only numbers that COULD be RAF serials. I do not believe they are (from the fact that one was a Warwick and the other was not used). Probably part numbers. The date is approximate. I simply quoted from Saro's notebook.
I can find no civil crash that would fit, and I have no record of any military one either. There was a Pakistani DC3 crashed in 1953 soon after takeoff from Sharjah (being flown by the co-pilot in the left seat at night without instrument skills, it seems). (Sound familiar?)
By the way, was there an airfield in the 1950s at the site of the present Umm al Quain airfield, a bit north of Sharjah, but not as far north as Ras Al Khaimah?
Cheers
Laurence
I can find no civil crash that would fit, and I have no record of any military one either. There was a Pakistani DC3 crashed in 1953 soon after takeoff from Sharjah (being flown by the co-pilot in the left seat at night without instrument skills, it seems). (Sound familiar?)
By the way, was there an airfield in the 1950s at the site of the present Umm al Quain airfield, a bit north of Sharjah, but not as far north as Ras Al Khaimah?
Cheers
Laurence
Last edited by l.garey; 10th Jan 2013 at 11:39.
Between 1959 and 1961 there were no paved roads in the Trucial States, so there was very little habitation along the NE coast. The TOS camp at Al Khatt was the only recognised strip northeast of Sharjah that I know of at that time. I did land near Ras al Khaimah village once, on a flat area a couple of miles inland. I'm sure there were no marking. We were delivering half a dozen TOS officers for lunch with a Dutch couple who had just started a horticultural experiment growing tomatoes and vegetables.