Handley Page Hastings
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: The Deep South (Sussex)
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Actually, The aircraft was authorised to fly at the standard low level height of 250 feet above the sea.
I seem to remember that the Captain, "R" , actually said. "Pop into the astro-dome Nav, and let me know when you can see the prop wash on the water" Which the Nav duly did.
Unfortunately, not only did he see the prop wash, he also saw some splashes amongst the wash as the inboards started to clip the water.
It then required "R" to call for full power on the outboards to overcome the drag on the inboard modified props so that he could make it back to base. Hence the need to change all four donks.
Amusingly, his subsequent Court Martial was enlivened by the Court Martial of a member of the original Board of Enquiry who managed to have his Landrover nicked. The latter defendant was fined more than "R" I seem to recall.
The total bill was for four engines burned out, four engines shock loaded, eight bent propellors (four bent one way, four the other?), one complete Hastings airframe and a clapped out landrover!
I seem to remember that the Captain, "R" , actually said. "Pop into the astro-dome Nav, and let me know when you can see the prop wash on the water" Which the Nav duly did.
Unfortunately, not only did he see the prop wash, he also saw some splashes amongst the wash as the inboards started to clip the water.
It then required "R" to call for full power on the outboards to overcome the drag on the inboard modified props so that he could make it back to base. Hence the need to change all four donks.
Amusingly, his subsequent Court Martial was enlivened by the Court Martial of a member of the original Board of Enquiry who managed to have his Landrover nicked. The latter defendant was fined more than "R" I seem to recall.
The total bill was for four engines burned out, four engines shock loaded, eight bent propellors (four bent one way, four the other?), one complete Hastings airframe and a clapped out landrover!
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Great Photos
These are great photos. I am currently preparing a presentation on "The Right To Wear The Brevet" - also called the para wings. I did my course at Abingdon in 1960 while in the TA, and jumped from both the Beverley and Hastings aircraft. in those days we jumped from the boom of the Beverley, in addition to the side doors - 70 troops in all. Boom exits were later stopped due some accidents. My lecture covers the history of military parachuting up to the present. I plan to insert your photo of the two aircraft on the tarmac. Incidentally, I went on to train as a pilot at Hamble in 1962 and retired from BA in 1997.
Hastings nostalgia
I was an engine fitter having served at Colerne on 36sqdn and 48 at Changi...in 64-67..we used to accompany the a/c on flights across the far east which may involve several overnight stops thus groundcrew were necessary at times!!
One such trip took me to Tachikawa which was a follow up to an earlier mission..which we flew to HK ,onto Naha then to Tachikawa..a great trip especially passing Mt Fuji was very picturesque..shame I lost the photograph!
at Naha which had an enormously long flightline our Hastings was parked among a load of US military a/c of all types ..a jeep which was passing along the flightline suddenly stopped and an young USAF captain jumped out and said what in the 'goddam name' is this airplane! I said it was a RAF Handley Page Hasting ..which increased his knowledge tremendously!
The previous mission was grounded for a while and had to have a fuel tank change which when we arrived I hope we would get the same problem..it was not to be but we had a great time and were well looked after by the Yanks!
Rgds
Patkinson
One such trip took me to Tachikawa which was a follow up to an earlier mission..which we flew to HK ,onto Naha then to Tachikawa..a great trip especially passing Mt Fuji was very picturesque..shame I lost the photograph!
at Naha which had an enormously long flightline our Hastings was parked among a load of US military a/c of all types ..a jeep which was passing along the flightline suddenly stopped and an young USAF captain jumped out and said what in the 'goddam name' is this airplane! I said it was a RAF Handley Page Hasting ..which increased his knowledge tremendously!
The previous mission was grounded for a while and had to have a fuel tank change which when we arrived I hope we would get the same problem..it was not to be but we had a great time and were well looked after by the Yanks!
Rgds
Patkinson
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Hastybird
This might bring a tear to the glass eye of any old Hastings crews. I think it was sung to the tune of " a bird in a gilded cage."
"She has no jet engines, she just burns crude oil,
There's a creak in her dirty old spine,
But when she's ten thousand high, she's the Queen of the sky,
She's that Handley Page Hastings of mine."
It was often followed by a hangover some hours later!
"She has no jet engines, she just burns crude oil,
There's a creak in her dirty old spine,
But when she's ten thousand high, she's the Queen of the sky,
She's that Handley Page Hastings of mine."
It was often followed by a hangover some hours later!
I love those old aeroplane songs. I know this is a Hastings thread but as a former RAAF pilot who flew Wirraways, I thought Pprune readers would like this wartime ditty sung countless times in the Mess:
The Wirraway Song
To the tune of 'Bless 'em All'
They say there's a Wirraway out on the line
All set for a cross country flight
Hydraulics leaking and missing its revs
It's hoping to get there alright
There's many a cylinder running a temp
Through having no oil in its well
With good navigation and much concentration
You get there and back just like hell
Bless us all, bless us all
From Mildura right through to Rabaul
Bless the instructors who taught us to fly
Bless the OC and CGI
So we're saying goodbye to them all
Let the Wirras and Mildura recall
The scenes of emotion when we get promotion
So cheer up my lads bless them all
They say the Japs have some very nice crates
Now we are no longer in doubt
So if a Zero should get on your tail
This is the way to get out
Be cheerful, be careful, be calm and sedate
And don't let your British blood boil
And don't hesitate just go straight through the gate
And you'll blind the poor buggers in oil!
Oh Wirraways don't worry me
Wirraways don't worry me
Oil blowing buggers with flaps in their wings
Buggered up spark plugs and buggered up rings
So we're saying goodbye to them all
As back to the workshops they crawl
There'll only be elation and wild celebration
When we say goodbye to them all.
..................................................
,
The Wirraway Song
To the tune of 'Bless 'em All'
They say there's a Wirraway out on the line
All set for a cross country flight
Hydraulics leaking and missing its revs
It's hoping to get there alright
There's many a cylinder running a temp
Through having no oil in its well
With good navigation and much concentration
You get there and back just like hell
Bless us all, bless us all
From Mildura right through to Rabaul
Bless the instructors who taught us to fly
Bless the OC and CGI
So we're saying goodbye to them all
Let the Wirras and Mildura recall
The scenes of emotion when we get promotion
So cheer up my lads bless them all
They say the Japs have some very nice crates
Now we are no longer in doubt
So if a Zero should get on your tail
This is the way to get out
Be cheerful, be careful, be calm and sedate
And don't let your British blood boil
And don't hesitate just go straight through the gate
And you'll blind the poor buggers in oil!
Oh Wirraways don't worry me
Wirraways don't worry me
Oil blowing buggers with flaps in their wings
Buggered up spark plugs and buggered up rings
So we're saying goodbye to them all
As back to the workshops they crawl
There'll only be elation and wild celebration
When we say goodbye to them all.
..................................................
,
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Learned contributors,
Please can anyone tell me about the "Operation Heliotrope" flights by 230 OCU Hastings, unofficially 1066 Squadron, during the 1976 Cod War versus Iceland?
I understand up to twenty sorties were flown dropping supplies to RN ships at sea defending/protecting British trawlers in disputed waters off the Icelandic coast. I have established that Squadron Leader K.R. "Jacko" Jackson MBE, AFC flew 4 heliotrope sorties whilst squadron commander of "1066 squadron" at Scampton, and now know that TG517 flew 4 of the missions, though can not ascertain that these were the same four, or that TG517 was the Boss's ship back then. TG 517 has 4 dayglo fish on her nose as mission zaps, has anyone any record of these marks on other Hastings?
Which other aircraft were involved, from where were the missions flown, all from Scampton? Has anyone ever written a book about these ops?
Thanks in anticipation, for your time and trouble,
Be lucky
David
Please can anyone tell me about the "Operation Heliotrope" flights by 230 OCU Hastings, unofficially 1066 Squadron, during the 1976 Cod War versus Iceland?
I understand up to twenty sorties were flown dropping supplies to RN ships at sea defending/protecting British trawlers in disputed waters off the Icelandic coast. I have established that Squadron Leader K.R. "Jacko" Jackson MBE, AFC flew 4 heliotrope sorties whilst squadron commander of "1066 squadron" at Scampton, and now know that TG517 flew 4 of the missions, though can not ascertain that these were the same four, or that TG517 was the Boss's ship back then. TG 517 has 4 dayglo fish on her nose as mission zaps, has anyone any record of these marks on other Hastings?
Which other aircraft were involved, from where were the missions flown, all from Scampton? Has anyone ever written a book about these ops?
Thanks in anticipation, for your time and trouble,
Be lucky
David
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: North of Watford, South of Watford Gap
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Cosford claim that TG511 has the honour http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/document...ings-TG511.pdf
Hastings IRIS 2 - TG560
A photo from my album showing Hastings IRIS 2 (TG 560) making its annual visit to RAF Thornhill, S. Rhodesia in 1952. IRIS 2 was based at RAF Watton.
This IRIS (Inspectorate of Radio Services) Hastings carried the Group Captain CO of IRIS and his team in their specially adapted aircraft to check whether signals standards and Air Traffic Control procedures at RAF Thornhill were up to standard.
.
This IRIS (Inspectorate of Radio Services) Hastings carried the Group Captain CO of IRIS and his team in their specially adapted aircraft to check whether signals standards and Air Traffic Control procedures at RAF Thornhill were up to standard.
.
Avgas
I cannot help you with your questions regarding the Cod War operations other than say that the active T5 fleet had been whittled down to just TG503, TG505, TG511 and TG517.
I have only ever seen pictures of the fish symbols as applied to TG517.
Richard
I cannot help you with your questions regarding the Cod War operations other than say that the active T5 fleet had been whittled down to just TG503, TG505, TG511 and TG517.
I have only ever seen pictures of the fish symbols as applied to TG517.
Richard