They have just released a Canberra in ETPS colours too, but at SIXTY quid I think I will wait for a proper RAE Canberra!

http://www.corgi.co.uk/CorgiSite/RAF...rs/AA34706.htm


Rgds Dr I

That's not ETPS, Doc - that's A&AEE. Not the same at all, even if same location.

Oh, and B73: XV370 wasn't even a Mk1, let alone a Mk3; she was a US built SH-3D, and IIRC even had "Sikorsky" on the yaw pedals. I hadn't come across the suggestion of a broken back in the early 90s, and am sure I'd have heard about it if so. I believe she's now sprayed grey and down at HMS Sultan as a trainer.

Still. none of this is RAE-relevant so back to the plot...

A&AEE, ETPS the same thing, Boscombe rabble!

When I was on the Chopper flight at Farnborough we had Seaking XV371. She also had Sikorsky molded on the pedals. A good aircraft that one, always ready to go. We also had a brand new MK4, ZB507 as well. That one was the typical friday afternoon aircraft, a bag of ......! They sent her off to Bardufoss to do some cold weather trials and on the first flight she sheared a engine to gear box drive. We changed the gear box only to find that the factory supplied unit was goosed too! So we took her to bits and loaded her into a Belfast to bring her home. I'd still like a model of her though!!

Rgds Dr I

Could be it was '371 that got broke then! I know it was one of the Sea Kings doing a practice 'throttle computer freeze' onto the now disused runway 29; controller (ex Navy) didn't see it happen for some reason and the pilot (current Navy) was reluctant to say anything on the r/t, (too much chance that OC Flying might be earwigging) so it happened 'quietly'!!

I seem to remember some scandle about 370 having an accident. XV371 was airworthy right up un till she flew to the RN training school where she is today (Fleetlands?) Sniff:{
371 was the first aircraft I declard servicable too. She took off and landed almost immediatly with a MRGB problem! Not a good start to my certifieing career!

Rgds Dr I

Whilst we are on the subject of Farnborough “Choppers”. Hear is one of my most precious possessions, a watercolour painting of two of “My” Farnborough helicopters.
I got it at an Aero jumble at Yeovilton back in 1984. A guy called R Finch who was based at Shoreham-by-sea painted it.
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...07/wessex1.jpg
XL728 was the prototype Gnome powered Wessex and it ended its life on Pendine Sands Rocket range.
ZA941 was the last Westland build Puma. It crashed in France killing two RAE engineers, who were on board.

Rgds Dr I

But there was also an earlier Wessex at Farnborough - single Napier Gazelle powered Mk 1?(as opposed to twin Gnomes).can't remember the reg but it's in my logbook.
OC Flying was booked for solo C/T in it one day, and I scrounged and had the time of my life being taught how to hover, lift off, land, transition etc. Touchdown was easy; when you felt the mainwheels touch, dump the collective; liftoff was far more complicated involving sychronised (well almost anyway!) movements of the controls in order to achieve a 'clean' lift ie collective as well as cyclic and yaw.

That was XM330, now at the International helicopter museum.
http://www.helicoptermuseum.co.uk/westland.htm
It was the last flying MK1 and was fitted with an APIN starter. From what I remember there was something odd about that as the MK3's had an airstart system. (I think!).This exploded on startup one day, blew an impressive hole in the nose and grounded it! I was in the last year of my apprenticeship at the time so that puts it about 1982ish

Rgds Dr I

AVPIN (Iso-propyl-nitrate) same as Lightnings; flashpoint about 75 deg I seem to remember.
An American company called Turbonique used to market rocket motors (pure thrust type) and rocket turbines powered by the stuff; the turbines would be attached to a differential to provide wheel drive!!! Used to smoke the tyres for the entire quarter mile.

Reading all this reminded me of my time at Bedford. I was too late for the exotic stuff, though the Fairey FD2 was parked in a hangar, as was that low speed research Handley Page thingy. There was a P1127 which caused me to push the crash button on at least one occasion and an assortment of fairly normal aircraft.

However, what I suddenly remembered was the Twin Comanche, in RAE colours which was also hangar bound....can anybody say why that would have been there (this was 1973-1974). It didn`t fly while I was there, what became of it I wonder.

Vague recollection of the Twin Com; was it something to do with a Cranfield research project?
There was also the Auster in '74. He did a 'practice pilot incapacitation' one day; all went well until the fire service lifted the pilot out of the aircraft, and dropped him, injuring his back poor guy!

ETPS Farnborough
 

Does anyone have any recollections of my late uncle Sdn Ldr M R "Jace" Alston when he was a TP at Farnborough? He was on No. 7 course in 1948 and was killed flying the third prototype B(I)8 Canberra in May 1956 when at Boscombe Down.

It is great hearing the stories and memories of that time. Oh, to be able to turn the clock back a bit...

Madbob

Sorry about your uncle. I never met him but I presume you know the facts about his crash? If not I have the bare bones. If you want them drop me a pm.

John

RAE Farnborough
 

Can anyone help me with a picture of the once beautiful, wrought iron gates with RAE emblazoned on them? Gone - where? However fondly remembered.

Just for info; No 1 RAF Officers Mess (originally built for the RFC) has disappeared and it's replacement is well advanced; a 5 storey hotel complex!
Did anyone ever find the model Spitfire that was stolen from the plinth in the mess grounds?

Farnborough's aviation history
 

Hi,

I've checked with the administrators that it's OK to post this, and they've said it's alright so I hope you can all help.

I have setup a new web site, Historic Farnborough www.historicfarnborough.co.uk which is trying to uncover more about Farnborough's history and encourage people with an association with the town to submit their own photos, memories, family histories from whatever period. One of Farnborough's biggest assets is clearly its aviation history from the early experimental work of Samuel Cody in the town through to
the establishment of the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) in the town, and we still have the international airshow every 2 years. Also, a lot of recent work has been done to help restore existing RAE buildings and a heritage quarter is being developed, the centre-piece of which is the reconstruction of the structure of one of the old Balloon Factory sheds from the early 1900s which Cody himself would have used. Currently I have a few photos from 1913 to the present day, but I'm also after memories as well - aviation-related or otherwise.

My reason for posting is to ask whether you have any photos or information which you'd be prepare to share with the site if you have or have had any link with the town? This is a non-commerical site, and I would acknowledge all sources as has been done with contributions received so far.

If this of of interest to you the URL is above, and there is a submission form on the site if you have anything you'd like to share.

Thanks, and I hope to hear from some of you.

Cheers,
Jon Cole.

You've probably seen these already but, just in case, there are lots of pictures of the RAE at pages 398-404 here:
http://viewfinder.english-heritage.o...place_name=Ham

And many fascinating personal recollections here.

Hi,

I wasn't aware of these, so many thanks for the pointer which I'll follow-up.

Thanks again.

Cheers,
Jon.

I see Puma '941 has appeared in the F.A.S.T. Museum compound from the Qinetiq site.

Sadly Chevron the Puma at FAST is XW241. I say sadly because Puma ZA941 crashed during a test flight killing two RAE engineers. One of them had moved onto chopper flight to replace me, when I moved on to bigger things:(
I spent many a happy hour on ZA941, back in those days Andy Warner and the late Pete Rainey were our main pilots. Top blokes both of them. Andy Warner was last heard of at Eurocopter flying the Tiger. I wonder what happened to him?

Rgds Dr I