Harvards,6 FTS
A friend is looking at purchasing a Harvard,and maybe repainting it in 6FTS colours.I can`t find anything about 6 FTS,so I wondered if any of you guys could assist ,with ,where ,what,etc,etc,and any photos of representative Harvards...
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The book " The History of Britain's Training Aircraft" by Ray Sturtivant contains a photo of 6 FTS Harvards in April 1950. The one nearest the camera is FS753 coded FB [ roundel ] GG. It's a black and white photo but this particular aircraft appears to be overall yellow with the usual black anti- dazzle surface in front of the cockpit.
Other Harvards in the photo are in the silver finish with yellow bands - can't see the serials but one is coded FB - HI. Roundels and finflashes are all red, white and blue. I've seen other pictures of 6 FTS Harvards but, at present, can't track them down - if I do, I'll post the details. |
http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/harvard.jpg
Harvard 2B of 6 FTS in 1952 http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn_Badges/FTS_6.JPG Look and imitate 6 FTS was at RAF Tern Hill 1946 - 1961. I don't know where it was after that, possibly RAF Acklington. (CFS(H) Squadron moved to Tern Hill.) FT391 (Harvard 2B) which Mark Hanna and I shared some years ago - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...wyer/FT391.jpg https://farm1.staticflickr.com/342/1...4fe82112_b.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ming-20may.jpg Filming Piece of Cake, summer 1988 The current owner of FT391 has kept the camouflage which I think looks better than the FTS scheme but that's just personal preference. (Edit) The yellow scheme also looks good - http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1482144F.jpg KF183 operated by ETPS Boscombe Down Wonderful aircraft, but they can bite >> http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../3/1050310.jpg (FT375 in Italy) and FL |
Of course there is always Air Britain's 'The Harvard File' which contains individual and unit histories - including that of No.6 FTS?
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Thank you all for the info and pics;
F-L, nice reminder as it is 44yrs to the week that I checked out in FT375 at B-D; That was a `knee-trembler` as I was a helo pilot ,and felt half of Flying Wing were watching this `upstart` wanting to fly such a revered aircraft...It is still a knee-trembler ` until the chocks are back in and the prop has stopped.... |
Small world. :)
I wondered if there might be a link but it wasn't the one I wondered about. I knew you were a rotary man and wondered if you might have been at CFS(H) when it was at Tern Hill. == Off topic, but perhaps of interest .... The 1940 Miles M14A Hawk Trainer (Magister) in the first photograph is still flying. (Real Aeroplane Company, Breighton.) http://i705.photobucket.com/albums/w..._Breighton.jpg After Elementary Flying Training in the Magister pilots progressed to advanced training in the Harvard and then to front line flying in the Hurricane or Spitfire. |
KF183 has been in constant use at Boscombe Down with the ETPS and other roles since 1952 and is still in use there now.
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No pics, but my Father's first logbook should have some representative serial numbers etc...
How's things, Sycamore? |
Sycamore
Likewise, how are things Sycamore, long time no hear, rgds, PH.
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Sycamore
I have a selection of B&W photos I took of Harvards whilst at 5FTS (RAF Thornhill, S. Rhodesia) 1951 to 1953. All without exception have a yellow band on the fuselage aft of the roundel and yellow bands on the wings. Probably all adhering to a standard RAF colouring scheme for FTS Harvards at the time? Examples below. The 'G' in the middle of the yellow band was the 5 FTS identifier, probably because Gwelo was the nearest town to Thornhill. 4 FTS aircraft at RAF Heany, 100-miles south near Bulawayo sported a similar colour scheme except the identifier was 'H' http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps9b3545b7.jpg http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps8a37c167.jpg http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...l/Harvard2.jpg http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r...tion-FX373.jpg |
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