RAF trooping 1950s
Paxing All Over The World
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RAF trooping 1950s
A senior member of the family, in his early 80s, was recalling a trooping flight to SIN in 1957 when in the Army. What aircraft might it have been?
Long haul trooping flights in that time were commonly conducted by civilian independent airlines contracted by the defence ministry. There were several such carriers and it was, for some, their principal work. Ministry contracts were given out to, inevitably, the bottom bidder, so it was a spartan experience. There have been a range of discussions, some lengthy, here over time about these operations, including some good recollections by onetime participants (a number, inevitably, were children at the time, travelling with families). The catering provisions en route were particularly challenging.
In 1957 a good proportion of the available fleet was made up of the Handley Page Hermes. This was a decidedly mediocre design, delivered to BOAC around 1950 which they got rid of after just a few years, and these independent carriers bought them up as they were not allowed foreign exchange to buy US aircraft. In 1957 Skyways had 8, Britavia had 5 and Airwork (Freddie Laker's company of the era) had 3, which was most of the onetime BOAC fleet of 20. They didn't get intensive use out of them, but long haul trooping, plus other commercial work, was what they did with them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Hermes
In 1957 a good proportion of the available fleet was made up of the Handley Page Hermes. This was a decidedly mediocre design, delivered to BOAC around 1950 which they got rid of after just a few years, and these independent carriers bought them up as they were not allowed foreign exchange to buy US aircraft. In 1957 Skyways had 8, Britavia had 5 and Airwork (Freddie Laker's company of the era) had 3, which was most of the onetime BOAC fleet of 20. They didn't get intensive use out of them, but long haul trooping, plus other commercial work, was what they did with them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Hermes
There are photos of Skyways of London and Airwork HP Hermes both at Paya Lebar in 1957 & 1958
Some tales here from HP site -
Stops were - Skyways Hermes G-ALDH 1958 Blackbushe UK to Singapore via Brindisi, Ankara, Abadan, Karachi (night stopover), Delhi, Calcutta, Bangkok and Paya Lebar.
I was 13, loved every minute and now just retired from an airline career. I went back to boarding school on a Britannia of Hunting Clan, then out on holiday on a BOAC Comet and back to school courtesy on a new Qantas 707.
Flew in an Airwork Hermes to Singapore in 1955, 3 days and 3 hours Blackbushe to Singapore. Two overnight stops in Nicosia and New Delhi. The seats were facing backwards, this was supposed to be safer in the event of a crash, Memories!
Flew to Singapore on G-ALDO in Oct '57 landing at Rome, Ankara, Bahrain, Karachi (overnight stop at Minwallah's Grand Hotel), Delhi, Calcutta , Bangkok finally arriving at Paya Lebar Airport during a monsoon where we finished up in a ditch off the runway. Looked quite dramatic in Straits Times photo next day. Nice way to celebrate my 20th birthday!
Flew back to the UK from Singapore, Early June 1959 by Skyways Hermes (G-ALDS) with wife and two small children. Stopped in many places seemed to be for meals, Karachi overnight, we were turned back after taking off from Bahrain and had to remain in some little hotel from Sunday till Tuesday when a new pilot arrived, he took us to Abadan and then over the mountains to Ankara (we circled over a crashed aircraft) Many had developed dysentery, and where given treatment in Ankara airport in full view of everyone. On to Brindisi for tea and then to Stansted, a very long and tiring flight. Then because of the lateness of arrival we had to sit up in Euston Station to await the first train to North Wales on the Wednesday morning. I think maybe this was one of the last Hermes flights as we saw a Britannia in Calcutta on its way to Singapore, refuelling.
Flew on a Skyways of London Hermes in 1957 troop flight from Blackbushe to Singapore. Flight was not without incident. Firstly a 'long drop' of what felt like at least 1000ft whilst circling over Rome, left everyone shaken. Secondly, undershot approach to Basra /Iraq, only prompt action by pilot revving engines up to max to gain height and banging the a/c down onto the runway, saved us ending up in the Euphrates. What memories - thank god we flew back in an Air Charter Britannia. At least I'm still here to tell my grandchildren.
More tales here plus an old Hermes Pprune thread - Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes - civil transport
https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/356877-handley-page-hermes-iv.html
Some tales here from HP site -
Stops were - Skyways Hermes G-ALDH 1958 Blackbushe UK to Singapore via Brindisi, Ankara, Abadan, Karachi (night stopover), Delhi, Calcutta, Bangkok and Paya Lebar.
I was 13, loved every minute and now just retired from an airline career. I went back to boarding school on a Britannia of Hunting Clan, then out on holiday on a BOAC Comet and back to school courtesy on a new Qantas 707.
Flew in an Airwork Hermes to Singapore in 1955, 3 days and 3 hours Blackbushe to Singapore. Two overnight stops in Nicosia and New Delhi. The seats were facing backwards, this was supposed to be safer in the event of a crash, Memories!
Flew to Singapore on G-ALDO in Oct '57 landing at Rome, Ankara, Bahrain, Karachi (overnight stop at Minwallah's Grand Hotel), Delhi, Calcutta , Bangkok finally arriving at Paya Lebar Airport during a monsoon where we finished up in a ditch off the runway. Looked quite dramatic in Straits Times photo next day. Nice way to celebrate my 20th birthday!
Flew back to the UK from Singapore, Early June 1959 by Skyways Hermes (G-ALDS) with wife and two small children. Stopped in many places seemed to be for meals, Karachi overnight, we were turned back after taking off from Bahrain and had to remain in some little hotel from Sunday till Tuesday when a new pilot arrived, he took us to Abadan and then over the mountains to Ankara (we circled over a crashed aircraft) Many had developed dysentery, and where given treatment in Ankara airport in full view of everyone. On to Brindisi for tea and then to Stansted, a very long and tiring flight. Then because of the lateness of arrival we had to sit up in Euston Station to await the first train to North Wales on the Wednesday morning. I think maybe this was one of the last Hermes flights as we saw a Britannia in Calcutta on its way to Singapore, refuelling.
Flew on a Skyways of London Hermes in 1957 troop flight from Blackbushe to Singapore. Flight was not without incident. Firstly a 'long drop' of what felt like at least 1000ft whilst circling over Rome, left everyone shaken. Secondly, undershot approach to Basra /Iraq, only prompt action by pilot revving engines up to max to gain height and banging the a/c down onto the runway, saved us ending up in the Euphrates. What memories - thank god we flew back in an Air Charter Britannia. At least I'm still here to tell my grandchildren.
More tales here plus an old Hermes Pprune thread - Handley Page H.P.81 Hermes - civil transport
https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/356877-handley-page-hermes-iv.html
(overnight stop at Minwallah's Grand Hotel)
Heavy flyscreens around the kitchen to stop the flies coming into the dining room. Two lift shafts; one lift; the other shaft empty with no doors or barriers to stop you falling in. Four taps on the sink; two worked and the other two delivered green slime.
Dreadful place.
Paxing All Over The World
Thread Starter
Thanks folks, very helpful. This evening, I asked him two questions without preamble. He replied without hesitation (if he has time to think answers can be suspect) and the above posts confirm.
What aircraft was it? "Hermes"
Where did you leave the UK? "Blackbushe"
What aircraft was it? "Hermes"
Where did you leave the UK? "Blackbushe"
Blackbushe. If in the army, handy for Aldershot. It was also quite a significant place for 1950s charter operators before Gatwick opened, not long after that they stopped commercial ops there.
Took the PA28 into there one day. Someone hearing of this thought it was where the whiskey (with an e) was made
Took the PA28 into there one day. Someone hearing of this thought it was where the whiskey (with an e) was made
My understanding is, being Irish and not Scotch, it does. Let's have a look in the cupboard ... https://www.distillersdirect.com/sho...iABEgL1ZvD_BwE
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Points even!!!
Blackbushe the airfield
Blackbush the whiskEy
https://www.distillersdirect.com/sho...iABEgL1ZvD_BwE
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
Blackbush the whiskEy
https://www.distillersdirect.com/sho...iABEgL1ZvD_BwE
PZU - Out of Africa (Retired)
I'm glad somebody was paying attention. 
Incidentally, the name Blackbushe (with an 'e') seems to be lost in the mists of time. The only other references visible on the map are a farm about a mile to the south of the airport and Blackbushes Road, which runs from the BCA roundabout towards Fleet (ignoring the much more recent "Blackbushe Business Centre").
Black Bush (no 'e') the whiskey, is of course derived from the distillery, Bushmills, which in turn gets its name from a local river. There is also a Red Bush imitation bourbon - best avoided. For those of us with long memories, Bushmills has an aviation (navigational) connection and was once the site of what I think was the only UK Consol station.
Incidentally, the name Blackbushe (with an 'e') seems to be lost in the mists of time. The only other references visible on the map are a farm about a mile to the south of the airport and Blackbushes Road, which runs from the BCA roundabout towards Fleet (ignoring the much more recent "Blackbushe Business Centre").
Black Bush (no 'e') the whiskey, is of course derived from the distillery, Bushmills, which in turn gets its name from a local river. There is also a Red Bush imitation bourbon - best avoided. For those of us with long memories, Bushmills has an aviation (navigational) connection and was once the site of what I think was the only UK Consol station.
Last edited by DaveReidUK; 30th Sep 2020 at 07:07.
When I was on detachment to Aldergrove battling the IRA I was o/ic Airman's Entertainments. Once a month I would head a visit to the Bushmills distillery. A quick trot around the works and we were then tasting the left over blenders samples.
I could never remember the trip back.
I could never remember the trip back.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Perhaps Blackbushe Farm included the area to the north which is now the airfield. 1800s map I'm looking at doesn't really show the field layouts though I would have said it was sandy heathland - my distant memory of the area is lots of pines and gorse!
The IRA blew up Bushmills Consul but Stavanger Consol was still going in the 70s and 80s. The dot count was in the Aerorad we carried.
Passed the time plodding up to the Shetland Basin.
Passed the time plodding up to the Shetland Basin.
