Eagle Airways "trooper" UK-Singapore 1961
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Eagle Airways "trooper" UK-Singapore 1961
Hi All. I would be realy realy grateful if somone could give me some info.
I'm writing a book. We were an RAF family going from UK-Changi c.1961.
1. Where in Uk did this flight leave from, Brize, Lynham?
2. How long would it have normally taken?
3. What were the refuelling stops?
4. Does anyone remember this actual flight? We lost an engine and were diverted to Abudabi or somthing and put up in an hotel for the night. There was extreme turbulance on the flight and most people were airsick.
We ran out of food on board and the aircrew ventured out and brought back freshly cut banans and pineapples. Never tasted anything as good since. It took best part of 3 days to reach Changi if I remember correctly.
Somone MUST remember this epic trip?
Chris
I'm writing a book. We were an RAF family going from UK-Changi c.1961.
1. Where in Uk did this flight leave from, Brize, Lynham?
2. How long would it have normally taken?
3. What were the refuelling stops?
4. Does anyone remember this actual flight? We lost an engine and were diverted to Abudabi or somthing and put up in an hotel for the night. There was extreme turbulance on the flight and most people were airsick.
We ran out of food on board and the aircrew ventured out and brought back freshly cut banans and pineapples. Never tasted anything as good since. It took best part of 3 days to reach Changi if I remember correctly.
Somone MUST remember this epic trip?
Chris
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The 2 routes for military families going to Singapore in 1961 were the either by civilian charter-usually BUA, but also Eagle at that time or by RAF Transport Command.
The flights were in Britannia's, see this post regarding BUA Brits:
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...ritannias.html
You obviously remember Eagle:
Here's Britannia G-ARKA (by now Eagle was Cunard Eagle) diverted to Changi instead of the usual Paya Lebar -this is 1963.
I flew out by BUA in 1961 from Stansted going via Istanbul and Karachi to Singapore Paya Lebar.
David T.
The flights were in Britannia's, see this post regarding BUA Brits:
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...ritannias.html
You obviously remember Eagle:
Here's Britannia G-ARKA (by now Eagle was Cunard Eagle) diverted to Changi instead of the usual Paya Lebar -this is 1963.
I flew out by BUA in 1961 from Stansted going via Istanbul and Karachi to Singapore Paya Lebar.
David T.
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Family flew out in a Bristol Brittania from Stanstead in 1962. Refueling stops were at Istanbul and Bombay, and then on to Singapore Paya Lebar. Seem to recall the trip took about 24 hours. Youngest was hanging from the overhead in a "Sky Cot"
Bob C
Bob C
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Return by Comet
Many many thanks for info so far.
The return journey by the way was made in the notorious Comet in Feb 1964. We were all scared. It didn't take too long but bacon and eggs were served on both refuelling stops as we were flying west.
The return journey by the way was made in the notorious Comet in Feb 1964. We were all scared. It didn't take too long but bacon and eggs were served on both refuelling stops as we were flying west.
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I flew Gatwick-Payar Lebar by Caledonian "Super DC7C" [the PA] via Istanbul and Calcutta. Feb 1964
Came back Cangi-LHR via Columbo and Kuwait on a British Eaggle Britannia Feb 1965
Came back Cangi-LHR via Columbo and Kuwait on a British Eaggle Britannia Feb 1965
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The return journey by the way was made in the notorious Comet in Feb 1964. We were all scared.
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Must be a mistake on your dates regarding the Comet as I was flying B707-320B/C's in and out of HNL as early as 1967 and they had been in service for sometime prior to that date.
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Trooping flights to Changi in 1961 would most likely to have been made from Lyneham by either RAF Britannias or charters by BUA or Cunard Eagle Airways as David pointed out. They would not have been made from Brize Norton, as that was still a USAF base with B-52 and B-47 bombers in 1961.
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I was self-loading freight on trooping flights between UK & Singapore three times.
With BUA :
August 1961 returned from Singapore Paya Lebar – Bombay – Istanbul – Stansted.
November 1963 (accompanied by Mrs A2, 2 year old daughter & 4 week old son) Stansted – Kuwait – Bombay – Paya Lebar.
With British Eagle (I think):
April 1966 (accompanied by Mrs A2, 5 year old daughter & 2 year old son) Paya Lebar – Colombo – Istanbul – Heathrow.
IIRC all flights took a little over 24 hours and were certainly the most unpleasant I ever endured; the discomfort of the in-flight accommodation and revolting food was matched only by the dreadful service provided by the cabin crew.
With BUA :
August 1961 returned from Singapore Paya Lebar – Bombay – Istanbul – Stansted.
November 1963 (accompanied by Mrs A2, 2 year old daughter & 4 week old son) Stansted – Kuwait – Bombay – Paya Lebar.
With British Eagle (I think):
April 1966 (accompanied by Mrs A2, 5 year old daughter & 2 year old son) Paya Lebar – Colombo – Istanbul – Heathrow.
IIRC all flights took a little over 24 hours and were certainly the most unpleasant I ever endured; the discomfort of the in-flight accommodation and revolting food was matched only by the dreadful service provided by the cabin crew.
Last edited by NutherA2; 3rd Jan 2010 at 08:43.
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Changi Hospital Brat
Born in Changi hospital Sep 60 (a victim of the 1959 Holiday excesses), I believe that my parents and I returned to the UK when I was 18 months old - so about March 62. Family stories state that we flew in a Brit from PL, via Bombay and Istambul and into Stansted. Engine problems at one and undercarriage at the other - not sure which but I believe that they both necessitated overnight stops.
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No mention of that fabulous airy the VC10. Flew on a Ten from UK (RAF Lyneham??) to Muharraq late '65. Had flown in numerous piston (brmm brmm machines) previous, and even a short test flight in a Vulcan, but the VC10 was something altogether different.
It was a troop ship for the Middle East and for many it was their first flight ever. The captain pulled the nose up and poured on the coals, and everyone cheered whilst hanging onto their armrests. I reckon the angle of the floor to the horizontal must have been in excess of 60deg. It just went. Magic aeroplane.
It was a troop ship for the Middle East and for many it was their first flight ever. The captain pulled the nose up and poured on the coals, and everyone cheered whilst hanging onto their armrests. I reckon the angle of the floor to the horizontal must have been in excess of 60deg. It just went. Magic aeroplane.
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Hi,I am new to the forum and was interested in the UK-Singapore trooping flights chat.I kept a (now moth-eared) account of our outbound flight from Stansted in Feb 1964.I don't know the aircraft serial number but it was a BUA Britannia and the A/C captain was called Bartlett.
We left Stansted at 2240 14 Feb and arrived Istanbul 0545 local time.
Dep Istanbul 0700 LT and arrived Bombay 1955 LT.
Dep Bombay 2110 LT and arrived Payar Lebar 0630 LT (with wife looking for snakes swimming in puddles)
Scrawled on the back of a postcard is 2590 miles at 365 mph at 19500 ft,so I presume that's the mileage Bombay-Singapore.
After a great two and half years at RAF Changi we returned to UK/Heathrow on a British Eagle Britannia from Payar Lebar via Colombo,Kuwait and Istanbul,August 1966.
Here's a few photos.
Our British Eagle Britannia at Payar Lebar.
Taken at Kuwait.I was taking a photo but the locals weren't happy and an RAF Flt Lt who was the OIC the flight moved my camera away hence half a Britannia
.Perhaps the A/C can be identified by it's name - "Team Spirit".I seem to recall that we could not take off until it cooled down a bit,not enough lift.The aircraft was packed.
These are copies of postcards I bought which may be of interest.
BUA Britannia.
Yesilkoy Airport,Istanbul
Santa Cruz Airport,Bombay.
New Operations Block at Payar Lebar.
British Eagle Britannia G-AOVE
And a couple of tarrifs
British United.
British Eagle.
I also have a BUA map which is too large to scan.I have recorded the temps at each airport. Stansted 42f,Istanbul 32f,Bombay 82f and Payar Lebar 80f.
We left Stansted at 2240 14 Feb and arrived Istanbul 0545 local time.
Dep Istanbul 0700 LT and arrived Bombay 1955 LT.
Dep Bombay 2110 LT and arrived Payar Lebar 0630 LT (with wife looking for snakes swimming in puddles)
Scrawled on the back of a postcard is 2590 miles at 365 mph at 19500 ft,so I presume that's the mileage Bombay-Singapore.After a great two and half years at RAF Changi we returned to UK/Heathrow on a British Eagle Britannia from Payar Lebar via Colombo,Kuwait and Istanbul,August 1966.
Here's a few photos.
Our British Eagle Britannia at Payar Lebar.
Taken at Kuwait.I was taking a photo but the locals weren't happy and an RAF Flt Lt who was the OIC the flight moved my camera away hence half a Britannia
.Perhaps the A/C can be identified by it's name - "Team Spirit".I seem to recall that we could not take off until it cooled down a bit,not enough lift.The aircraft was packed.These are copies of postcards I bought which may be of interest.
BUA Britannia.
Yesilkoy Airport,Istanbul
Santa Cruz Airport,Bombay.
New Operations Block at Payar Lebar.
British Eagle Britannia G-AOVE
And a couple of tarrifs
British United.
British Eagle.
I also have a BUA map which is too large to scan.I have recorded the temps at each airport. Stansted 42f,Istanbul 32f,Bombay 82f and Payar Lebar 80f.
Only just seen this 6 months after it started.
Eagle's first Britannia came in 1960, and they had three, later two, in the fleet through 1961. They also had four DC-6s in the fleet as well, and both types operated the MoD charters which in those days made up a lot of their workload. Does the original poster remember whether the engines were smooth turbines or hammered away all night ?
According to Tony Merton-Jones' book (invaluable aid for such questions) these charters were operated principally out of Heathrow and Gatwick, rather than from military bases. Their range meant that stops at Istanbul and somewhere in India were common.
Stories of desperately poor food provision on these flights (and multiple accounts of food poisoning en-route) are a recurring item in such accounts, and seem to be brought about by the MoD of the time driving the charter prices down and down as far as they could manage. Of course, the civil servants in question from Procurement, if they needed to actually go to Singapore, would be on BOAC from Heathrow with proper provisioning. It's surprising you were not issued rations; maybe those would have been more expensive.
Eagle's first Britannia came in 1960, and they had three, later two, in the fleet through 1961. They also had four DC-6s in the fleet as well, and both types operated the MoD charters which in those days made up a lot of their workload. Does the original poster remember whether the engines were smooth turbines or hammered away all night ?
According to Tony Merton-Jones' book (invaluable aid for such questions) these charters were operated principally out of Heathrow and Gatwick, rather than from military bases. Their range meant that stops at Istanbul and somewhere in India were common.
Stories of desperately poor food provision on these flights (and multiple accounts of food poisoning en-route) are a recurring item in such accounts, and seem to be brought about by the MoD of the time driving the charter prices down and down as far as they could manage. Of course, the civil servants in question from Procurement, if they needed to actually go to Singapore, would be on BOAC from Heathrow with proper provisioning. It's surprising you were not issued rations; maybe those would have been more expensive.
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Manxterberg - the nose of your British Eagle Britannia "Team Spirit" was registered G-AOVM. This Britannia was later sold to MoD who operated it as XX367 from Boscombe Down and became one of the last Britannias to fly. It ended up being sold to a company in Zaire and was last known as derelict at Kinshasa.
Trooping flights
First was back from Aden (1963)in Cunard Eagle Brit,landed at Stansted and was thoroughly searched by customs ,I had nothing !!Next year after my part in the "Indon conflict" was by BUA from Butterworth ,this was mid December and it had come from Kuching with others ,there was an engine problem so we sat around!Took of for Santa Cruz Bombay through a tropical storm with lightening strike!Landed Bombay with engine problem again,sat around ,then took of for Istanbul and landed as it was getting dark.Engine gave up so we were escorted to a hotel by turkish troops,next morning left for Heathrow and arrived OK.Customs were terrible then and I had to pay 16 shillings for an extra 50 fags!!Merry Xmas I said!
Most enjoyable flight then was to Mombasa and back in Aden Airways "Argonaut"!
Most enjoyable flight then was to Mombasa and back in Aden Airways "Argonaut"!
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As a brat I flew out to Singapore in December 1958 by Airworks Hermes from Stansted, via Istanbul, Bombay and Calcutta (Overnight stop). Came back in July 1960, again by Airworks Hemes, I think, to Blackbush airport.
Phil.
Phil.
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A great photo
It would have been taken at SAS flt I think - Staging Aircraft Servicing at Changi.The RAF Comets and Britannias called at Gan if I remember correctly.
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Manxteberg,
I was a teenager living directly above the 'western dispersal', when my father was stationed at Changi between July 1961 to January 1964.
Being made about planes, I photographed everything that moved on 'the pan' and at Paya Lebar and sometimes Seletar as well.
Luckily I kept all those aircraft pictures and I'm now regularly posting them on my 'aviation blog', address below, along with my current interest, aviation video.
I try and post an new 'theme' every few days...and I should be OK for awhile as I've digitised over 1000 of the photos so far!
So if you were in Singapore around those years...or perhaps just interested, do take a look.
Comments on my blog, perhaps with subjects you'd be interested in seeing would be appreciated.
David Taylor.
www.focalplanes.co.uk
I was a teenager living directly above the 'western dispersal', when my father was stationed at Changi between July 1961 to January 1964.
Being made about planes, I photographed everything that moved on 'the pan' and at Paya Lebar and sometimes Seletar as well.
Luckily I kept all those aircraft pictures and I'm now regularly posting them on my 'aviation blog', address below, along with my current interest, aviation video.
I try and post an new 'theme' every few days...and I should be OK for awhile as I've digitised over 1000 of the photos so far!
So if you were in Singapore around those years...or perhaps just interested, do take a look.
Comments on my blog, perhaps with subjects you'd be interested in seeing would be appreciated.
David Taylor.
www.focalplanes.co.uk