Biafra
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The Last Flight Book
TJ Johansen,
Thanks for pointing out this book written by a Biafran pilot and incidentally I'm in Lagos at the moment. So called the auther up he gave me directions to his address. He was waiting for me and it would have been a pleasure to have met him, but due to work commitments, sent my driver and just got the book less than 20 minutes ago and it looks like a keeper! It cost the equivalent of about 20 pounds sterling. Let me know by pm if you need a copy.
Thanks for pointing out this book written by a Biafran pilot and incidentally I'm in Lagos at the moment. So called the auther up he gave me directions to his address. He was waiting for me and it would have been a pleasure to have met him, but due to work commitments, sent my driver and just got the book less than 20 minutes ago and it looks like a keeper! It cost the equivalent of about 20 pounds sterling. Let me know by pm if you need a copy.
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Jimbo Webb well retired by now I expect although he was involved with G2/3s in JED, IIRC, certainly until about 10 years ago. I certainly guzzled some locally brewed ale with him when on a slip there at that time.
A Jack Palliser and John Driver also flew the Migs (both ex-RAF) and ISTR Jack ended up parking his cab on a road?
I think the chopper puke you are referring to was South African and flew out of the UAE at some point on offshore work. First initial was A and am trying to recall his surname.
All a loooong time ago!
FW
A Jack Palliser and John Driver also flew the Migs (both ex-RAF) and ISTR Jack ended up parking his cab on a road?
I think the chopper puke you are referring to was South African and flew out of the UAE at some point on offshore work. First initial was A and am trying to recall his surname.
All a loooong time ago!
FW
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Resurrecting this fascinating thread
A few questions, please
1) Has anyone any details of Axel Dutch’s book especially an English translation of it ?
2) Has anyone collated a comprehensive of books by or about the guys who who actually flew into Biafra ?
3) Have any books been published in Nigeria published anything on the Biafran Airlift?
Thanks for your time and trouble.
Be lucky
David
1) Has anyone any details of Axel Dutch’s book especially an English translation of it ?
2) Has anyone collated a comprehensive of books by or about the guys who who actually flew into Biafra ?
3) Have any books been published in Nigeria published anything on the Biafran Airlift?
Thanks for your time and trouble.
Be lucky
David
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After this terrible conflict finished there was a Dc7 parked up at manston around 71 with church aid painted on rumours it belonged to Hank Warton and was involved in this conflict
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If it had ‘Church Aid’ titles it is unlikely to be one of Warton’s craft. His were consistently unmarked often with bogus 5T-xxx registrations. If it had those titles it would almost certainly have been a DC6B not a Dc-7. The various church organisations used Icelandic or Swedish registered Dc-6 B or C-97 Stratocruisers either US or Swiss register. I think most of Warton’s aircraft retired to Basle after peace broke out.
Hope it helps
Be lucky
David
Hope it helps
Be lucky
David
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of the five DC-7CF used one crashed on approach to Uli, one was damaged on the ground at Uli and was subsequently bombed by Federal Nigerian Air Force, the other three were repatriated to Basle two were broken up there the one remaining aircraft was stored at Basle until moved to Geneva where it served the fire training unit as HB-SSA in an all white scheme.
Hope it helps
Be lucky
David
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Balair Douglas DC-6's used on the IRC operations in Biafra late 1960's
On the subject of Douglas DC-6,s flown during the War in Nigeria (Biafra) thought some of you would be interested in the two that are very close to my heart as having work for BUA at SEN I dispatched & flew in both Airframes many times between 1960 & 1966. I do have a lot of images of both Airframes if anyone is interested’’’
HISTORY OF HCA, BUA, AIR FERRY, BALAIR, CONAIR DC-6 G-APNO / HB-IBS / C-GIBS.
Douglas DC-6A G-APNO (c/n 45531) Was the first of two Douglas DC-6,s supplied to Hunting-Clan Air Transport in September 1958 together with her sister ship G-APNP, G-APNO was transferred to BUA when the company was combined with all the other associated company’s which were to make up the new Airline and BUA continued to operate the HCA Africargo service taken over by the company in 1960 and also the MOS military contract to the Woomera rocket range in South Australia plus many other both Pax & Cargo Charters worldwide. Then in 1966 She was handed over to another Air Holdings company AIR FERRY before being sold to BALAIR in 1968 as HB-IBS with the intention of using both Airframes on the IRC (International Red Cross) relief flights into Biafra the Airframes were then repainted in IRC colours sporting a large IRC Red Cross on the vertical stabilizer it was by good fortune that November Oscar survived her considerable time on this contact as many A/C did not survive, At the end of the War She was ferried back to Basle give a major check and reconfigured back into Pax service and operated many flights with Balair until being sold on to Conair a Canadian Bug/Tanker sprayer airframe who were based in Abbotsfield BC, She was then registered as C-GIBS and converted and emerged as Conair’s Tanker 51 She has now been retired and last report of a month or so ago did not appear in a very good condition in the last picture taken in Fairbanks Alaska so I fear that it may not be too long before she is scrapped it is a shame as he has had an interesting career and served all her operators over the years well She did perform well and gave us all a good living.
HISTORY OF HCA, BUA, AIR FERRY, BALAIR, DC-6 G-APNP / HB-IBT..
Douglas DC-6A G-APNP (c/n 45532 ) was the second of the pair of aircraft delivered to Hunting Clan Airtransport 1i 1958 that would spend their entire service lives together until NP crashed during the Biafran Airlift. G-APNP was transferred to British United Airways in 1960 and nominally transferred to Manston-based Air Ferry (both Air Holdings-owned companies) in December 1965. However, the aircraft continued during the period 1960-1966 operating the twice weekly "Africargo" freight schedules to South Africa from Heathrow (LHR-JNB) in between visits to Southend for maintenance. The first sign of a change came on February 3 1966 when 'NP undertook crew training at Southend and Manston with Captain Wood in command. A brace of Britannia’s later replaced the DC-6A's on the "Africargo" services, and in Air Ferry service the aircraft were operated in passenger configuration on IT charter flights radiating from Manston to the Mediterranean and western Europe. Ad-hoc freight charters were operated, including assignments for Airwork from Bournemouth (Hurn). Air Ferry ceased all flying on October 31 1968, and G-APNP was sold to Balair for Red Cross work as HB-IBT. Flown initially to Castle Donnington, the DC-6A ferried onward to Southend on January 10 1969 and was delivered to Basle on the evening of January 11 in the hands of Captain Ahmad, who had delivered sistership G-APNO to Basle earlier in the day. Sadly, HB-IBT was written off on approach to Uli Airstrip on May 7 1969 Whilst delivering food aid (dried fish) with the tragic loss of all three crew members.
HISTORY OF HCA, BUA, AIR FERRY, BALAIR, CONAIR DC-6 G-APNO / HB-IBS / C-GIBS.
Douglas DC-6A G-APNO (c/n 45531) Was the first of two Douglas DC-6,s supplied to Hunting-Clan Air Transport in September 1958 together with her sister ship G-APNP, G-APNO was transferred to BUA when the company was combined with all the other associated company’s which were to make up the new Airline and BUA continued to operate the HCA Africargo service taken over by the company in 1960 and also the MOS military contract to the Woomera rocket range in South Australia plus many other both Pax & Cargo Charters worldwide. Then in 1966 She was handed over to another Air Holdings company AIR FERRY before being sold to BALAIR in 1968 as HB-IBS with the intention of using both Airframes on the IRC (International Red Cross) relief flights into Biafra the Airframes were then repainted in IRC colours sporting a large IRC Red Cross on the vertical stabilizer it was by good fortune that November Oscar survived her considerable time on this contact as many A/C did not survive, At the end of the War She was ferried back to Basle give a major check and reconfigured back into Pax service and operated many flights with Balair until being sold on to Conair a Canadian Bug/Tanker sprayer airframe who were based in Abbotsfield BC, She was then registered as C-GIBS and converted and emerged as Conair’s Tanker 51 She has now been retired and last report of a month or so ago did not appear in a very good condition in the last picture taken in Fairbanks Alaska so I fear that it may not be too long before she is scrapped it is a shame as he has had an interesting career and served all her operators over the years well She did perform well and gave us all a good living.
HISTORY OF HCA, BUA, AIR FERRY, BALAIR, DC-6 G-APNP / HB-IBT..
Douglas DC-6A G-APNP (c/n 45532 ) was the second of the pair of aircraft delivered to Hunting Clan Airtransport 1i 1958 that would spend their entire service lives together until NP crashed during the Biafran Airlift. G-APNP was transferred to British United Airways in 1960 and nominally transferred to Manston-based Air Ferry (both Air Holdings-owned companies) in December 1965. However, the aircraft continued during the period 1960-1966 operating the twice weekly "Africargo" freight schedules to South Africa from Heathrow (LHR-JNB) in between visits to Southend for maintenance. The first sign of a change came on February 3 1966 when 'NP undertook crew training at Southend and Manston with Captain Wood in command. A brace of Britannia’s later replaced the DC-6A's on the "Africargo" services, and in Air Ferry service the aircraft were operated in passenger configuration on IT charter flights radiating from Manston to the Mediterranean and western Europe. Ad-hoc freight charters were operated, including assignments for Airwork from Bournemouth (Hurn). Air Ferry ceased all flying on October 31 1968, and G-APNP was sold to Balair for Red Cross work as HB-IBT. Flown initially to Castle Donnington, the DC-6A ferried onward to Southend on January 10 1969 and was delivered to Basle on the evening of January 11 in the hands of Captain Ahmad, who had delivered sistership G-APNO to Basle earlier in the day. Sadly, HB-IBT was written off on approach to Uli Airstrip on May 7 1969 Whilst delivering food aid (dried fish) with the tragic loss of all three crew members.
A fascinating thread.
G-AHNL thank you for posting information on the HCA DC6 sixes.I am saddened to hear that the ex'PNO is in poor condition after a long career. Always interested in seeing photographs of the "6" in British Service.
A couple of ex-Air Ferry pilots found employment on the airlift as mentioned in shadows and twilight of the pistons.
G-AHNL thank you for posting information on the HCA DC6 sixes.I am saddened to hear that the ex'PNO is in poor condition after a long career. Always interested in seeing photographs of the "6" in British Service.
A couple of ex-Air Ferry pilots found employment on the airlift as mentioned in shadows and twilight of the pistons.
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browndhc2
Thanks for the reply one of the pilots who was with Air Charter Ltd when I joined the company in 1958 was Eddy Roocroft at the time he was on B-170 fleet and later on the C-54 & ATL-98 until he was
retrained on the DC-6 with BUA & later stayed with the 6's when the where transferred to Air Ferry then followed them to Balair via Transavia hense Biafra, He later came back to BAF on the ATL-98 after the war ended
I am afraid he passed on some years ago. Another ex Air Charter pilot was Alex Nicholl who unfortunatly lost His life whilst flying C-97 N52676 on the 26.09.69 on approch to ULI Strip, One other person who I knew from my ACL days was Flight Engineer Jock Chisholm when I joined the company he was F/E on our C-54 fleet its a shame but I do not know what happened to him after the war ended.
I will now attach pictures of our DC-6 G-APNO during her busy life will follow up later with pictures of NP later. I hope you find them intresting'''.
G-APNO HCA LHR 1958
G-APNO HCA LHR 1958
G-APNO BUA DUSSELDORF
G-APNO BUA COCUS ISLANDS ENROUTE TO ADELAIDE
G-APNO AF BASLE.
G-APNO AF BIRMINGHAM.
HB-IBS BAIR BASLE
HB-IBS BAIR BASLE PRIOR TO DEP TO BIAFRA
HB-IBS / C-GIBS BAIR / CONAIR AFTER DELIVERY TO ABBOTSFORD BC. PRIOR TO CONVERSTION.
C-GIBS AFTER A REPAINT MID 90'S
C-GIBS JUST AFTER CONVERSTION ON STANBY AT ABBOTSFORD.
C-GIBS PARKED AT FAIRBANKS AROUND ONE MONTH AGO.
Thanks for the reply one of the pilots who was with Air Charter Ltd when I joined the company in 1958 was Eddy Roocroft at the time he was on B-170 fleet and later on the C-54 & ATL-98 until he was
retrained on the DC-6 with BUA & later stayed with the 6's when the where transferred to Air Ferry then followed them to Balair via Transavia hense Biafra, He later came back to BAF on the ATL-98 after the war ended
I am afraid he passed on some years ago. Another ex Air Charter pilot was Alex Nicholl who unfortunatly lost His life whilst flying C-97 N52676 on the 26.09.69 on approch to ULI Strip, One other person who I knew from my ACL days was Flight Engineer Jock Chisholm when I joined the company he was F/E on our C-54 fleet its a shame but I do not know what happened to him after the war ended.
I will now attach pictures of our DC-6 G-APNO during her busy life will follow up later with pictures of NP later. I hope you find them intresting'''.
G-APNO HCA LHR 1958
G-APNO HCA LHR 1958
G-APNO BUA DUSSELDORF
G-APNO BUA COCUS ISLANDS ENROUTE TO ADELAIDE
G-APNO AF BASLE.
G-APNO AF BIRMINGHAM.
HB-IBS BAIR BASLE
HB-IBS BAIR BASLE PRIOR TO DEP TO BIAFRA
HB-IBS / C-GIBS BAIR / CONAIR AFTER DELIVERY TO ABBOTSFORD BC. PRIOR TO CONVERSTION.
C-GIBS AFTER A REPAINT MID 90'S
C-GIBS JUST AFTER CONVERSTION ON STANBY AT ABBOTSFORD.
C-GIBS PARKED AT FAIRBANKS AROUND ONE MONTH AGO.
Glad to see this thread come alive again. Since it was last active I have gotten hold of both Verdun Polley and Noel Vonhoffs books. Both worth reading, not only for the Biafra connection but for the lives lived in general.
I was just posting on a different forum some screenshots taken from a documentary in the Norwegian TV archives. There is an interview with several pilots or F/Es on the airlift in the timeframe between Dec 1968 and Feb 1969. I tried asking for anyone who might remember who these guys were. We might have gotten one, but the others are still unknown. Maybe some of you here might know.
Photos of the flight crews can be found in this thread:
https://www.pprune.org/where-they-no...ir-pilots.html
TJ
I was just posting on a different forum some screenshots taken from a documentary in the Norwegian TV archives. There is an interview with several pilots or F/Es on the airlift in the timeframe between Dec 1968 and Feb 1969. I tried asking for anyone who might remember who these guys were. We might have gotten one, but the others are still unknown. Maybe some of you here might know.
Photos of the flight crews can be found in this thread:
https://www.pprune.org/where-they-no...ir-pilots.html
TJ
Last edited by T J Johansen; 3rd Nov 2019 at 03:25. Reason: Managed to edit photos in another thread.
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Great to see this thread back in daylight. It’s good to re-read it again.
Does anyone know if Axel Duch ever got his autobiography published in English? Is he still alive ?
Be lucky
David
Does anyone know if Axel Duch ever got his autobiography published in English? Is he still alive ?
Be lucky
David
http ://theairlifttobiafra.com - space added so that pprune doesn't treat it as a link.
https://web.archive.org/web/20190608...ttobiafra.com/
is one image, taken June 8 2019 (the last one).
I am not exactly sure how it all works but I have in the past found that it was worth while going back to older copies of the site where more material can often be found.There are older images, 2011 - 2019, 47 scans.
