Salalah Photos
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Africa
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks so much to all who have either PM'd or posted. I have forwarded all pics to the airport boss of Salalah airport, who is over the moon with the response.
I intend to travel there next week and will post pics of Salalah now.
Thanks again for the memories.
I intend to travel there next week and will post pics of Salalah now.
Thanks again for the memories.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Out of Africa but now not quite in Glos
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Salalah
Did a few Herc (from LYE) LCRA-OOSA-OOMA runs in the early 70s. Had to fly through the night to land early morning to mitigate the jebel activity. Maintained high alt until over the sea and carried out the NDB approach to 35. If the sea swell was up then lost sight of the R/W at the critical height but carried on regardless as the sandy R/W and threshold came in sight after crossing the coast. Parked in a revetment of oil drums to minimise the damage in case the morters were lobbed at the airfield. In bound cargo was food and mail and anythihg else to bulk out the hold
Quick offload/onload and a t/o on 17 to hot foot it to Masirah for crew rest and a few tinnies of Charlie Gold. Stayed in a 40-man room with blacked out windows and a motley collection of transiting crews. Hardly any rest and a night flight to Akrotiri overflying Iran and Turkey (part of the CENTO route). Deep joy.
Quick offload/onload and a t/o on 17 to hot foot it to Masirah for crew rest and a few tinnies of Charlie Gold. Stayed in a 40-man room with blacked out windows and a motley collection of transiting crews. Hardly any rest and a night flight to Akrotiri overflying Iran and Turkey (part of the CENTO route). Deep joy.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Detroit MI
Age: 66
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bushveld:
Funny... You post asking for pictures today and a mate on Rocknet posting this web site today...
http://www.omanrafveterans.org
Funny... You post asking for pictures today and a mate on Rocknet posting this web site today...
http://www.omanrafveterans.org
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Indonesia
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good memories of Salalah in 1973. My pictures are still in a stored hard drive and no way yet to get them out. There is a site Britain's Small Wars that is worth a look.
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lincolnshire
Age: 78
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Reply to Dagama
Parked in a revetment of oil drums to minimise the damage in case the morters were lobbed at the airfield.
There was nothing more amusing than observing a marshaller trying to persuade a hovering Chinook to move away from open office windows and the open doors of a hangar where the fitters were removing the engine from a Strikemaster. The things you see when a video camera is not available.
Gentleman Aviator
Salalah? Chinook?????????
Nothing else could lift the 5.5 guns to the border to shell Hauf .....
Gentleman Aviator
...and I might just have a piccie of one - must have lots of Salalah somewhere (shed? garage? loft? - wait 'til I retire!) from '73 to '75 .....
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: gloucester
Age: 94
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Salalah
Everything seems to have changed in 1972.
In 70/71 we never made use of Askari guards.
There were only 75 of us including two officers.
There were no roads. Taylor Woodrow were in the process of building the roads, harbour and hospital.
I controlled the MT which involved mine sweeping the Resuit road on a regular basis.
I have a few black and white snaps including my favourite of my three Salalah Pin ups, three 10 to 12 year old girls who caused quite a stir at the time, as the law forbade the taking of their image. Camera and film confiscated by the head Whali. Returned to me later when the new Sultan rescinded the old archaic laws.
In 70/71 we never made use of Askari guards.
There were only 75 of us including two officers.
There were no roads. Taylor Woodrow were in the process of building the roads, harbour and hospital.
I controlled the MT which involved mine sweeping the Resuit road on a regular basis.
I have a few black and white snaps including my favourite of my three Salalah Pin ups, three 10 to 12 year old girls who caused quite a stir at the time, as the law forbade the taking of their image. Camera and film confiscated by the head Whali. Returned to me later when the new Sultan rescinded the old archaic laws.
An Askari guard was always present when I passed through Salalah during my time on 105 Sqn in 1964-66. In fact one old man shot a hole in the wing of my Argosy while standing under it fingering the trigger of the Martini Henri rifle slung on his shoulder. Fortunately the bullet didn't hit anything important so we made Masirah before they closed the bar!
Last edited by brakedwell; 1st Apr 2013 at 10:10.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Glasgow
Age: 61
Posts: 909
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Bushveld,
When the R.A.F. Regiment depot was at R.A.F. Catterick the museum had access to a number of photographs from Salalah.
Might I suggest contacting R.A.F. Honnington (the current Regiment depot)?
When the R.A.F. Regiment depot was at R.A.F. Catterick the museum had access to a number of photographs from Salalah.
Might I suggest contacting R.A.F. Honnington (the current Regiment depot)?
