RAF Manston History of No. 1 AEF (1967 to 1995)
Didn't fly with the AEF, but flew Chippies in and out of Manston a few times. Once in about 1988, I had to collect a Chippy from Manston for the summer camp at Coltishall. I got a lift in a Jaguar and got straight into the Chippy after signing the 700 still wearing leg restraints, g suit and oxygen mask. Got this piss taken a bit when I (eventually) got back to Colt.
Another time, I was ferrying a Chippy to Belgium, refuelling at Manton. The ceiling was 200' and right on the limits for a PAR. (I wasn't an AEF pilot, I had an IR on type.) I was haded over to a VHF frequency, but requested a UHF because the aircraft I was in had a full size UHF box and a tiny glider VHF in an almost inaccessable position under the instrument panel. They refused and kept on swapping me to other VHF frequencies and I was almost putting myself into UPs trying to tune the VHF. After I landed, I phoned ATC and asked what the problem with the UHF was. They replied ''But you're a Chipmunk, you don't have a UHF!''.
Another time, I was ferrying a Chippy to Belgium, refuelling at Manton. The ceiling was 200' and right on the limits for a PAR. (I wasn't an AEF pilot, I had an IR on type.) I was haded over to a VHF frequency, but requested a UHF because the aircraft I was in had a full size UHF box and a tiny glider VHF in an almost inaccessable position under the instrument panel. They refused and kept on swapping me to other VHF frequencies and I was almost putting myself into UPs trying to tune the VHF. After I landed, I phoned ATC and asked what the problem with the UHF was. They replied ''But you're a Chipmunk, you don't have a UHF!''.
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Any names?
Here's a couple of pics. Hope they download ok otherwise back to the drawing board!
This picture must have been taken about 1967 +or- a year. Any one remember who they are? I think in there somewhere are Boss Smith, Brian Lockwood, Arthur ?, Iain ? and others.
And the Messerschmitts. You can just see the Control Tower in the background. Was white in those days.
This picture must have been taken about 1967 +or- a year. Any one remember who they are? I think in there somewhere are Boss Smith, Brian Lockwood, Arthur ?, Iain ? and others.
And the Messerschmitts. You can just see the Control Tower in the background. Was white in those days.
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Pictures
Hi Captain W...
Thanks for your PM and the great pictures !
Left to Right... I recognise Left 1 Arthur Standen, Left 4 Bill Downing and Left 7 Darby Allen (clutching the broom !). Does anyone recognise the other faces ?
Best regards...
Coff.
Thanks for your PM and the great pictures !
Left to Right... I recognise Left 1 Arthur Standen, Left 4 Bill Downing and Left 7 Darby Allen (clutching the broom !). Does anyone recognise the other faces ?
Best regards...
Coff.
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Hi Coffman Starter. The reclining girl picture on the wall was done by a wife of one of the pilots. When the ops/crewroom was given a makeover, that wall looked a bit blank so one day the picture appeared. Fortunately the Station Commander didn't raise any objection so it stayed.
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Help With Historic Photos & Images
Fellow PPRuNe Members...
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread so far along with the PM's and other information provided.
I would really like to try and see if any PPRuNe Members might have some historic pictures relating to 1 AEF, Pilots, Ground Staff and in particular the Chipmunks that could be shared. Captain W has already posted a B&W from the 60's showing some of the regular weekend aircrew... does anyone have anything earlier that could be scanned and posted ? I would also be pleased to see later images... especially anything taken on the final day of flight operations at RAF Manston.
To help get the ball rolling here is a picture of WB627 in the Grey & Dayglow livery of the late 60's. Permission to upload this image has been kindly granted by the son of the pilot (Alpha 33) upfront.
Looking forward to your posts...
Best regards...
Coff.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread so far along with the PM's and other information provided.
I would really like to try and see if any PPRuNe Members might have some historic pictures relating to 1 AEF, Pilots, Ground Staff and in particular the Chipmunks that could be shared. Captain W has already posted a B&W from the 60's showing some of the regular weekend aircrew... does anyone have anything earlier that could be scanned and posted ? I would also be pleased to see later images... especially anything taken on the final day of flight operations at RAF Manston.
To help get the ball rolling here is a picture of WB627 in the Grey & Dayglow livery of the late 60's. Permission to upload this image has been kindly granted by the son of the pilot (Alpha 33) upfront.
Looking forward to your posts...
Best regards...
Coff.
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PAR Funnies...
Hi Dan W...
Thanks for your post... it was always amusing to be asked on PAR Finals to "check gear down - three greens"... prompting the inevitable reply "gear down and welded" !
Kind regards...
Coff.
Thanks for your post... it was always amusing to be asked on PAR Finals to "check gear down - three greens"... prompting the inevitable reply "gear down and welded" !
Kind regards...
Coff.
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WP837 - 1 AEF Founder Aircraft
Hi Captain W...
What a start ! WP837 (C1-0720) is one of the Founder Aircraft of the 1 AEF Fleet. According to some very helpful research shared by one of the authors of "DHC-1 Chipmunk - The Poor Man's Spitfire", WP837 officially joined a dedicated fleet established for 1 AEF 24/09/1959. Prior to that WP837 was part of a pooled fleet operation out of RAF Biggin Hill with London UAS. WP837 remained with 1 AEF until 29/09/1969 then joining Cambridge UAS.
WP837 can be seen here (3rd back from the front) in an article published by Flight dated 28/11/1958 covering the formation of 1 AEF at RAF Biggin Hill.
1958 | 1- - 0834 | Flight Archive
It would also seem that WP837 is still airworthy and flying in Australia under the Civil Registration of VH-WPO
WP837 Chipmunk VH-WPO Point Cook 09-04-06
Best...
Coff.
What a start ! WP837 (C1-0720) is one of the Founder Aircraft of the 1 AEF Fleet. According to some very helpful research shared by one of the authors of "DHC-1 Chipmunk - The Poor Man's Spitfire", WP837 officially joined a dedicated fleet established for 1 AEF 24/09/1959. Prior to that WP837 was part of a pooled fleet operation out of RAF Biggin Hill with London UAS. WP837 remained with 1 AEF until 29/09/1969 then joining Cambridge UAS.
WP837 can be seen here (3rd back from the front) in an article published by Flight dated 28/11/1958 covering the formation of 1 AEF at RAF Biggin Hill.
1958 | 1- - 0834 | Flight Archive
It would also seem that WP837 is still airworthy and flying in Australia under the Civil Registration of VH-WPO
WP837 Chipmunk VH-WPO Point Cook 09-04-06
Best...
Coff.
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Aerobatics - Pegwell Bay Rejoin
Hi all...
I thought this picture might stir a few memories for quite a few !
Letting down over Pegwell Bay, following an aerobatics session, for a rejoin over Richborough Power Station Cooling Towers.
Aerobatics at RAF Manston were either performed "overhead above three" (overhead the airfield to the north of the main runway) or at "Pegwell above three".
Again permission to upload this image has been kindly granted by the son of Alpha 33. At a guess this picture is mid to late 70's as Hoverlloyd packed up operations at Pegwell Bay at the turn of the 80's.
Kind regards...
Coff.
I thought this picture might stir a few memories for quite a few !
Letting down over Pegwell Bay, following an aerobatics session, for a rejoin over Richborough Power Station Cooling Towers.
Aerobatics at RAF Manston were either performed "overhead above three" (overhead the airfield to the north of the main runway) or at "Pegwell above three".
Again permission to upload this image has been kindly granted by the son of Alpha 33. At a guess this picture is mid to late 70's as Hoverlloyd packed up operations at Pegwell Bay at the turn of the 80's.
Kind regards...
Coff.
My memories of Manston are slightly different - first tourist Canberra pilot (only one in Signals Command/90 Signals Group), White Card, and usually launched on Friday afternoon for 3 hour navex. Weather clamps- only diversion Manston (again) - yet another weekend in a flying suit (or even an old style roll-waist immersion suit) in Manston OM, with just me and a navigator and the fruit machine! Hey, ho! Weather always seemed to clear on Monday morning!
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Thanks for replying
Hi Chipp63 ...
Thanks for your reply. I would be very interested to know more about any connection 1 AEF had with RAF Woodvale as all the records I've seen so far indicate that the Flight started life at RAF Biggin Hill and remained "southern" based. Could you be referring to another AEF Flight ?
Best ...
Coff.
Thanks for your reply. I would be very interested to know more about any connection 1 AEF had with RAF Woodvale as all the records I've seen so far indicate that the Flight started life at RAF Biggin Hill and remained "southern" based. Could you be referring to another AEF Flight ?
Best ...
Coff.
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Thanks for replying
Hi Wander00 ...
Ha ha ... the well known "clamp factor" ... the remainder of the UK "clamped" Manston open ... Manston "clamped" the remainder of the UK open !
So you were the guys that emptied the fruit machine after we had loaded it !
Great to hear from you ...
Best ...
Coff.
Ha ha ... the well known "clamp factor" ... the remainder of the UK "clamped" Manston open ... Manston "clamped" the remainder of the UK open !
So you were the guys that emptied the fruit machine after we had loaded it !
Great to hear from you ...
Best ...
Coff.
Coffman,
the Manston Factor usually worked, except for one Thursday (why do I remember it was Thursday): we had been flying a six-ship of T17s from Ballykelly, then moved to St Mawgan, flying an exercise in SWAPPs on the way. Should have realised something was "up" when the AEO heard on SSB a Shackleton being diverted to S France or Gib or somewhere distant. By the time we were overhead St Margan everywhere in UK was going out with fog, and I was the only White Card (add 300ft to decision height) in our bunch and I was top of the stack. The fog was rapidly getting worse and I was on top of the stack, last down the descent - options few- text book solution, if not in sight of lights at decision height, overshoot, fly over the airfield and bang the nav and aeo out, then take the aircraft out to sea and do ditto. Concluded that with a radar altimeter we could take it to 150 feet (my decision height was 863' as I recall - the 3' being all important) so we set off down the glide slope spot on the numbers all the way down and at 150' as I started to level for the overshoot the AEO called "lights straight ahead", and we landed. They had to send a "follow me" truck to get us to the pan, and the boss (one of the flight commanders) was giving me a funny look as we opened the door. Later in a quiet corner he gave me the official bollocking- "next time overshoot and throw the aeroplane away" , and then took me to the bar and bought my beer for the rest of the night.
I also recall a diversion to Manston where there were so many airliners there we were limited to loading "get you home + dibversion" fuel, and the started parking aircrafy down one side of the very wide runway.
Seems a lifetime ago now.
the Manston Factor usually worked, except for one Thursday (why do I remember it was Thursday): we had been flying a six-ship of T17s from Ballykelly, then moved to St Mawgan, flying an exercise in SWAPPs on the way. Should have realised something was "up" when the AEO heard on SSB a Shackleton being diverted to S France or Gib or somewhere distant. By the time we were overhead St Margan everywhere in UK was going out with fog, and I was the only White Card (add 300ft to decision height) in our bunch and I was top of the stack. The fog was rapidly getting worse and I was on top of the stack, last down the descent - options few- text book solution, if not in sight of lights at decision height, overshoot, fly over the airfield and bang the nav and aeo out, then take the aircraft out to sea and do ditto. Concluded that with a radar altimeter we could take it to 150 feet (my decision height was 863' as I recall - the 3' being all important) so we set off down the glide slope spot on the numbers all the way down and at 150' as I started to level for the overshoot the AEO called "lights straight ahead", and we landed. They had to send a "follow me" truck to get us to the pan, and the boss (one of the flight commanders) was giving me a funny look as we opened the door. Later in a quiet corner he gave me the official bollocking- "next time overshoot and throw the aeroplane away" , and then took me to the bar and bought my beer for the rest of the night.
I also recall a diversion to Manston where there were so many airliners there we were limited to loading "get you home + dibversion" fuel, and the started parking aircrafy down one side of the very wide runway.
Seems a lifetime ago now.
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Pegwell Hoverport
Coff
As hovercraft captain and flight manager of Hoverlloyd during the '70s I am very interested in the photograph.
With some ex-colleagues I am in the process of writing the history of Hoverlloyd from 1966 to its demise in 1981.
We would very much like permission to use the photo for our publication.
I think I can also identify the year it was taken. A new jacking area off to the left of the pad is being constructed in readiness for the delivery of our fourth SRN-4. That would put it around late summer 1976.
Regards Roger
As hovercraft captain and flight manager of Hoverlloyd during the '70s I am very interested in the photograph.
With some ex-colleagues I am in the process of writing the history of Hoverlloyd from 1966 to its demise in 1981.
We would very much like permission to use the photo for our publication.
I think I can also identify the year it was taken. A new jacking area off to the left of the pad is being constructed in readiness for the delivery of our fourth SRN-4. That would put it around late summer 1976.
Regards Roger
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Pegwell Hoverport
Hi Roger ...
Really pleased to hear from you ! If you drop me a private eMail (PM) via this forum with your contact details, I'll gladly put you in touch with the owner of the photograph who actually took the picture !
Thanks also for putting a date to the picture ... I thought the mid 70's was about right !
I can't count the number of times I watched you guys "appear" out of the spray and settle on the pad, whilst hanging upside down on my straps doing aeros over the Bay !
Best regards ...
Coff.
Really pleased to hear from you ! If you drop me a private eMail (PM) via this forum with your contact details, I'll gladly put you in touch with the owner of the photograph who actually took the picture !
Thanks also for putting a date to the picture ... I thought the mid 70's was about right !
I can't count the number of times I watched you guys "appear" out of the spray and settle on the pad, whilst hanging upside down on my straps doing aeros over the Bay !
Best regards ...
Coff.
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MID 60s 1 AEF
[IMG]02-17-2010 11;40;21AM[/IMG]
I'm a bit late joining this thread but I thought that the photo above may be of interest. It was taken by a local newspaper snapper who accompanied an ATC squadron from the Bexley area on their AEF trip, It was taken in 1967 with stalwart WP837 as it's centrepiece. Yours truly is doing the staff cadet job, the pilot is a guy called Tim Fear who was filling time between Hunter postings - I believe he'd just returned from Aden. I was the only staff cadet at the time and I seem to recall that I may have been the first, or certainly among the first, of these lucky lads who took some of the load from the ASF guys.
Our CO at the time was Ron Chapman who had recently replaced John Weeks. The Deputy Flight Commander was Arthur Standen. He hailed from Welling so we used to travel down together most weekends. The other pilots were usually from Les Zapp, Brian Lockwood, Derby Allen, Bill Downing, Ken Fluck, John Miles and Fred Insole from among others. Happy days!
I'm a bit late joining this thread but I thought that the photo above may be of interest. It was taken by a local newspaper snapper who accompanied an ATC squadron from the Bexley area on their AEF trip, It was taken in 1967 with stalwart WP837 as it's centrepiece. Yours truly is doing the staff cadet job, the pilot is a guy called Tim Fear who was filling time between Hunter postings - I believe he'd just returned from Aden. I was the only staff cadet at the time and I seem to recall that I may have been the first, or certainly among the first, of these lucky lads who took some of the load from the ASF guys.
Our CO at the time was Ron Chapman who had recently replaced John Weeks. The Deputy Flight Commander was Arthur Standen. He hailed from Welling so we used to travel down together most weekends. The other pilots were usually from Les Zapp, Brian Lockwood, Derby Allen, Bill Downing, Ken Fluck, John Miles and Fred Insole from among others. Happy days!
Last edited by staff cadet; 30th Jan 2015 at 12:40.
