BFTS Uranquinty
 

I was on RAAF 11BFTS Uranquinty in 1958...anyone know if others are still around??
Graham King RAN
Lionel Griffiths RAAF
John Franklin RAN
Frank Clough RAAF
PNG PILOT

Hope you find them mate.

Off track, but you probably heard about the large rainfall in NSW on the weekend so you may be interested in this. This is the Bakehouse at Uranquinty with the RAAF memorial site to the training scheme on other side of the 'road'.

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/8152/717038.jpg

Many rejoice at sudden rainfall - Local News - News - General - The Daily Advertiser

That sounds like around No 27 Pilots Course? Lional Griffiths still around and flies a DC3 occasionally in Victoria. I wondered about John "Judge " Franklin myself, as I was his QFI at Uranquinty in that period. Good bloke. Also did a few flights with Frank Clough as well.

Suggest you would get more gen by posting your questions re Uranquinty on the Australian GA and Questions Forum.

Back around 1957 floods hit the area and Uranquinty aerodrome was flooded for two weeks. We were forced to operate Wirraways from the tarmac next to the hangars and also landing and taking off depending on wind, on the narrow taxiway which separated both parts of the aerodrome. No solo flying allowed with instructor only landings.

This was quite dicey stuff as the Wirraway could really get going if you lost control after touch down. All the airmen like ghouls would come out of the hangars to watch each Wirra land waiting for the fun to start then run for cover if the Wirra headed in their direction. All these were landings from the back seat of the Wirraway which had less view than a Mustang. The taxi way between the fields had a 30 degree kink and on take off and landing the instructor had to carefully rudder around the kink. Interesting times.

Frank Clough
 

I flew with Frank Clough in 75 SQDN and later when I was at CFS he came through on course. I did not know until recently that he passed away - I think about 3-5 years ago....the dreaded lung cancer I believe.

The advertised "Sweet Tarts" sound interesting.:ok:

Frank Clough
 

What a pity....was a great bloke.
Greg

Uranquinty
 

I guess you must have been there when wild Bill was instructing??
Cant remember many of the names other than close mates.
Remember pommy D/I.Nice bloke, but cant remember his name.
I think there was a Flt.Kidd???
and a radio guy who played a guitar...aspecially when full??
Getting too old to remember most.

Are you talking about Flight Sgt Bill Monaghan? Cranky type sometimes If so, he finished up as a Group Captain. F/L Bob Kidd was the navigation instructor and later killed in the Neptune fatal crash at Richmond. Really nice bloke.

The W/O drill instructor may have been "Dutchy" Holland. Big handlebar moustache and decorated in WW2 for bravery as a soldier in the battle against German forces at Arnhem in 1944.

Was that the Neptune crash in which John Rock was killed??

I remember as a kid living in Meadowbank Sydney, a RAAF car picking up the family of one of the enlisted airman killed in the crash to take them to the funeral - can't recall the name. I believe a supercharger failed on one of the engines and the ensuing fire burnt through the wing spar.
GAGS
E86

Hard to believe but I understand in those days the Neptune did not have an engine fire extinguishing system installed.