Royal Navy Historic Flight - Information Request
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: RNAS Yeovilton
Age: 43
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Royal Navy Historic Flight - Information Request
Greetings,
Lee Howard and myself are trying collate the history of Royal Navy Historic Flight (RNHF) as it has never been particularly well documented. As part of this research, we are trying to create a list of pilots who served on RNHF since its formation in 1972. As an aside we would also like to try and establish a list of who displayed or flew our aircraft between 1960, when Swordfish LS326 was given to the RN and the formation of RNHF in 1972, including those who may have flown our aircraft since then for other reasons such as test flights for example.
If you were a member of the Flight (aircrew or maintainer) or know somebody who was, we would be very interested to hear from you. We would like to know the following information;
Name
Rank
Period served on RNHF
Types flown
Any good dits about your time on the Flight
Contact details if possible
There are 63 names so far and we are missing most of the above detail for a large number of them. We would like to fill in the gaps if possible and not leave anybody out. We are sure there are quite a few more than 63 and would like to complete the list by the time RNHF reaches 40 years of age in 2012.
We have already been to the FAA Museum and are in touch with both Pete Sheppard and John Beattie.
If you can help us with any of the information above we would love to hear from you. I can be contacted via PM or email me at RNHF_PILOT @ hotmail.co.uk
Many thanks,
Simon Wilson
RNHF Pilot
Royal Navy Historic Flight
Lee Howard and myself are trying collate the history of Royal Navy Historic Flight (RNHF) as it has never been particularly well documented. As part of this research, we are trying to create a list of pilots who served on RNHF since its formation in 1972. As an aside we would also like to try and establish a list of who displayed or flew our aircraft between 1960, when Swordfish LS326 was given to the RN and the formation of RNHF in 1972, including those who may have flown our aircraft since then for other reasons such as test flights for example.
If you were a member of the Flight (aircrew or maintainer) or know somebody who was, we would be very interested to hear from you. We would like to know the following information;
Name
Rank
Period served on RNHF
Types flown
Any good dits about your time on the Flight
Contact details if possible
There are 63 names so far and we are missing most of the above detail for a large number of them. We would like to fill in the gaps if possible and not leave anybody out. We are sure there are quite a few more than 63 and would like to complete the list by the time RNHF reaches 40 years of age in 2012.
We have already been to the FAA Museum and are in touch with both Pete Sheppard and John Beattie.
If you can help us with any of the information above we would love to hear from you. I can be contacted via PM or email me at RNHF_PILOT @ hotmail.co.uk
Many thanks,
Simon Wilson
RNHF Pilot
Royal Navy Historic Flight
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Age: 52
Posts: 195
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As a kid I collected autographs of aircrew at airshows 
Clearly remember some names of aircrew & the RNHF aircraft they were flying at that time, but you probably need more detail than that? Would love to have a copy of the book when published...
I remember at CU in 1981 being shown around TF956 after it had been pushed into 750 NAS hangar (C2?) for the night. Was even allowed to sit in the cockpit, as did my Dad & brother. Quite an experience for a 9 year old! The kind gent who allowed this was called (I think) Ron Gourlay?
Happy days!
Clearly remember some names of aircrew & the RNHF aircraft they were flying at that time, but you probably need more detail than that? Would love to have a copy of the book when published...
I remember at CU in 1981 being shown around TF956 after it had been pushed into 750 NAS hangar (C2?) for the night. Was even allowed to sit in the cockpit, as did my Dad & brother. Quite an experience for a 9 year old! The kind gent who allowed this was called (I think) Ron Gourlay?
Happy days!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: RNAS Yeovilton
Age: 43
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nick,
I would be grateful if you could furnish me with any names you have as I am still missing a few names from that era. If I have names as a starting point I can then fill in the blanks from other sources.
Chief Petty Officer Ron Gourlay was the first Chief Engineer of the Flight when it started.
I would be grateful if you could furnish me with any names you have as I am still missing a few names from that era. If I have names as a starting point I can then fill in the blanks from other sources.
Chief Petty Officer Ron Gourlay was the first Chief Engineer of the Flight when it started.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Age: 52
Posts: 195
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello Simon,
I will dig out my autograph book this w/e & be back in contact.
One name that spring to mind is Lt/Cdr Keith Harris who flew WG655 in about 1984/85. As kids we joked that Orville the duck used to sit in the back seat!
There was a SHAR pilot who also flew WG655 at about that period, but he was sadly killed in a T4N crash on the approach to VL in 1985 - Lt Andy George if I recall correctly?
I will dig out my autograph book this w/e & be back in contact.
One name that spring to mind is Lt/Cdr Keith Harris who flew WG655 in about 1984/85. As kids we joked that Orville the duck used to sit in the back seat!
There was a SHAR pilot who also flew WG655 at about that period, but he was sadly killed in a T4N crash on the approach to VL in 1985 - Lt Andy George if I recall correctly?
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Age: 52
Posts: 195
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: RNAS Yeovilton
Age: 43
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks Gents. Keep it coming. PM sent Jack thank you. I have seen that article already Nick, it was very interesting. I'm up to 66 on the list now.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: RNAS Yeovilton
Age: 43
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
oscardog177 - Thanks for that, I had the surname and only a nickname, nobody could remember his first name! I can think of worse places to work!
Wander00 - Unfortunately we do not have any contact details for PS.
Wander00 - Unfortunately we do not have any contact details for PS.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: RNAS Yeovilton
Age: 43
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for all the help so far from everyone who has given me information about previous RNHF pilots. I am now up to 77 names on the list. Keep 'em coming! 
Simon
Simon
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: RNAS Yeovilton
Age: 43
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Do you have John Baker?
If anybody has contact details for any of these guys I would be very grateful, so that I can establish which aircraft they flew and which seasons they flew them.
Many thanks.
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: crewe
Age: 77
Posts: 438
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Might be having a senior moment, but wasnt the old pilot that sometimes dished out our TOT at Lossiemouth Tanky Hamshaw ?? an old and bold RNHF Swordfish pilot?????? and Ted Anson was a Skin Bucc Pilot, on my squadron
