Names of the Pilots in the 22 Hunter Loop

[IanCMF]

Mandator - ever so sorry - I don't seem to be getting notifications of replies to this thread so I have only just spotted your post. Having said that I was in Edinburgh for the whole of August so it might have been while I was without email.

I'm afraid I haven't crossed paths with F.O. Sands, although I am aware of the name. I know someone who might know someone who might know, though. I'll ask around.

[nonnie]

Can you or anyone help

My wife's father Frank Day was a Hunter Pilot, does anyone have any info on him, he is sadly no longer with us and my wife would love to know more about his career. he was supposed to have taken part in the 22 hunter loop, as Roger Topp was his commanding officer, and often came round for tea. My wife only has scant info about her father and i would dearly love to know if you or anyone would know where such info could be found,, and if anyone is still alive that knew him, its a long shot i know, but can anyone help me ??

[roving]

This link is relevant to the very interesting discussion here.

lt-cdr | s/l | barcilon service | 1958 | 1- - 0407 | Flight Archive

[Offchocks]

One of the names posted was " FltLt "Will" Scarlett". I was wondering if he continued flying after the airforce, I flew with a Captain Will Scarlett in Air Anglia during the 70s who was also ex RAF.

[dh90pilot]

Black Knights?

Does anyone have the names of the Black Knights? ..the team that toured France and came back called Les Flèche Noir.

Originally Posted by Capt Kremin

This was being asked in another thread. Here is the definitive list:

Pilots were 111 Sqn unless otherwise annotated:

XG194 SqnLdr Roger Topp
XG170 FltLT "Oakie" Oakford
XG200 FlGOff "Oscar" Wild
XF515 FltLt Alan Brindle
XG201 FltLt Paddy Hine
XG171 FlTLT Brian Mercer
XG592 FLTLT George Ord
XE563 FlTLT Matthew Kemp
XJ715 Fg Off Ron Smith
XG189 FltLt Bob Smith
XF416 FltLt Bob Barcilon
XF424 FlgOff Roger Hymans 43 Sqn
XE616 FlgOff Peter Jennings 263 Sqn
XG190 FltLt Les Swart
XE656 FlgOff Norman Lamb 1 Sqn
XE584 FltLt "Will" Scarlett 1 Sqn
XG193 FlgOff "CJ" Clayton-Jones
XJ687 FltLt "Chas" Boyer 66 Sqn
XG266 FltLt Frank Travers-Smith 66 Sqn
XG160 FltLt Mike Thurley
XF506 FlgOff Tony Aldridge
XG191 FltLt David Edmondston 19 Sqn

Airborne Spares
FltLt "Chan" Biss 1 Sqn
FlgOff Barry Vaughan 56 Sqn

Extra pilots
FltLT Les Elgey
FltLt Fred Hartley

[Vampiredave]

1955: Four Hunter F.1 / F.4s of No.54 Squadron, Odiham, “The Black Knights”.
Capt R G Immig USAF, Fg Offs P V L Hamilton, B J Noble and C Redhouse (replaced by Plt Off K R Curtis). Flt Lt P J Fry (solo display pilot). Reserve: Fg Off P A de C Swoffer.

This is my 'definitive list' of the 111 Squadron pilots in September 1958:
Sqn Ldr R L Topp AFC**, Flt Lts M B Kemp, B P W Mercer, L Swart, R Barcillon, J M Oakford, P B Hine, S W Wood and Fg Offs W R Clayton-Jones, M S Wild, A M Aldridge, P D Jennings, R E Hymans, R C Smith, M Thurley and Plt Off N Lamb.

"Guest" pilots on attachment: Flt Lts A Brindle (West Raynham), F Hartley (RAF Chivenor), C Biss (1 Squadron), L A Boyer (2 Squadron), R Smith (92 Squadron), G E Ord (56 Squadron), D J Mcl Edmondston (19 Squadron), Fg Offs B Vaughan (56 Squadron) and L Elgey (North Weald Stn Flt).

[Wander00]

What worries me is the proportion of those guys I have know, some better than others. One was my station commander for a short time (I had always thought David Cowley was in "the" loop but I am clearly mistaken.)

[RAT 5]

Have I missed the video link? I've heard about it but never seen it.

[pjac]

pjac

I regret to advise that Leslie Alan (Chas) Boyer died whilst crewing a Cathay Pacific Convair 880 in which, a bomb was placed-that exploded near Pleku in Vietnam, in 1972. Brian Mercer died of lung cancer, last year.

[Cuillin Hills]

Originally Posted by Offchocks

One of the names posted was " FltLt "Will" Scarlett". I was wondering if he continued flying after the airforce, I flew with a Captain Will Scarlett in Air Anglia during the 70s who was also ex RAF.

Will was flying for AirUK, as a F27 Captain based at Leeds, as late as 1991.

I remember him chuckling away, as I attempted to meet the demands of Paris ATC, as I manually flew (no autopilot) the F27 into Charles de Gaulle one foggy, very low overcast, morning.

A gentleman.

[Herod]

Yes, that was the "Will" Scarlett. I believe he passed away a good few years ago. One thing the F27 did was sharpen your instrument flying skills.

[Offchocks]

Cuillin Hills & Herod
Thanks for the information on Will. I flew with him many times out of ABZ in the mid 70s, but had no idea he was part of that display team.
Yes Air Anglia and the F27 were great for young pilots like myself, just starting out with their airline careers.

[India Four Two]

Have I missed the video link? I've heard about it but never seen it.

See here at 1.09:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwn9DSG6Hvo

I am old enough to have seen the loop. Very impressive, but I didn’t appreciate the significance at the time!

[RAT 5]

I-42: thank you kindly. I saw them, but not this particular feat. It's surprising none of the later teams in Gnats or Hawks have tried to beat it. Have the powers that be deemed it too circus like? I wonder. If our boys don't do it then the Frecce Tricolour or Patrouille de France must be champing at the bit to give it a go. Their H & S might be more lenient, but it doesn't have to be at an airshow, just filmed officially.

[Herod]

I 42, thanks for that. Some great footage there as well as the loop.

RAT5. I think it's better being left for the achievement it was.

[Capt Kremin]

I am sorry to reveal that Air Commodore Roger Topp AFC* died Friday 6 March 2020 from complications due to a stroke.

What a life! His legacy lives on in the multi-coloured jets around the world that mimic the skills of the Black Arrows that he lead so well over 60 years ago.

I doubt the "22" will ever be beaten.

[brainofdeci]

22 Hunter Loop

Flt Lt Brindle lived down the road from me in Southport Lancashire for many years and my Dad ex Shacks, Hornets, Wellingtons used to share the time of day with him but he died before 2000 I believe - a very nice man.

[JENKINS]

There are aircrew around this parish who flew in later years with Al Brindle.

[culloden]

Contacted Ian at Classic Machine Films and found that he still sells the dvd and its nearly half the price quoted on amazon. Bill