Here is TG503 at Scampton on 24 June 1976, with four Cod War fish symbols just visible below the cockpit.

I was lucky enough, as a civilian and temporary ROC "recruit", to do a 4-hour trip in 503 that day, including a low level run across Exmoor, Bristol Channel, the Welsh Hills and Cumbria and over the Yorkshire Moors back to Scampton. Captain, Flt Lt Fred Hambley. Fred, if by any chance you lurk here: it may have been a routine day in the office for you, but for me it was a very memorable occasion. Thank you again!


http://i358.photobucket.com/albums/o.../76-106web.gif

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps76cac86a.jpg

I think this is the Pershore Hastings but could easily be wrong, Taken from the Herc at Akrotiri with a VC 10 'escaping' !

Three generations. From a pilot's perspective, this is the best photo on this thread ever.

evansb,
thank you for your compliment. But just a case of right place, right time with for a change, a camera.

Ancient Aviator,

I would bet next weeks pension that the picture is of TG536 or TG568 from the bombing school.

They had 2 unmodified Hasting for crew training and 'transport support', and were allowed 'out' to various places for the weekend!

I would guess it was taken in the early 1970's, and I would be pretty sure the crew was in a bar somewhere!

Two of an older generation at Khormaksar in 1958

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...n/HastAden.jpg

Unfortunate incident at Lajes in December 1957 when WJ332, a mark 2 Hastings, broke free from it's picketing and rolled back into a Portuguese Air Force RB17 during a gale.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps83b1af36.jpg

staircase,
I doubt that your pension is in peril ! As I implied in my caption I was not sure who owned the a/c. Thanks for the correction.

Brakedwell,
reminds me of the time at Lajes when our Herc pulled out the ground picket points and made a dash for freedom. Found next day at the fence but amazingly without damage.

Seeing we're going into Hasting with different generation aircraft here is three with a Valiant at Tripoli.

It's a bit mauvy because its Agfa that fades with time.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...2-2010_016.jpg

An earlier generation perhaps, but the Hastings outlasted the Valiant by 12 years.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps322c5fe6.jpg

A slightly more intact Hastings at Lajes.

Our bent Hastings looked ancient compared to the MATS aircraft passing through Lajes in 1957.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psf09c4807.jpg

Also seems ancient looking from the inside out!
(Heading north from Nairobi 1958)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...on/HastKen.jpg

brakedwell,

Your Lajes picture of the C-54s brings to mind something I've always wondered about. Why didn't HP design the Hastings with tricycle gear?

It did - Google Handley Page Hermes.

I reckon the question should have been why did the RAF not buy the one with the nose gear.

To do with the loading height for military cargo, wasn't it?

They did - It was called a Hermes, but only 29 were built. BOAC used them for a short time before they were passed down to the independents.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps1fe18d66.png

The RAF was lumbered with the tail wheel Hastings because the Army wanted an aircraft capable of carrying underslung loads.

brakedwell,

I never would have guessed that the Army were involved in the decision!

BW - not sure I follow the last bit - ISTR there was a pannier for the Hastings, but surely it would have worked equally well with a tail or a nose wheel

W00
We used to drop underslung vehicles from the Hastings. The Army Heavy Air Despatch unit at Abingdon possessed an endless supply of battered Austin Champs, which we used to deposit on Watchfield with varying degrees of success. That's when I discovered a Champ can be reduced to 12" high if the parachutes fail to open! It was also possible to drop (small) field guns and trailers, but I never saw it done.

OK, would love to see a photo, but still cannot understand why if the aircraft is going to have its fuselage roughly parallel from the ground immediately before rotation (and maintain load clearance from the ground), it matters whether the beast has a nose or tail wheel.