RAF KHORMAKSAR
Indeed - with this as the aftermath of one such sortie in June 1967, a resupply to the South Arabian army that had taken over IS duties from 45 Cdo (RM) on the previous day.
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Dhala
ICM, JW411, Brings back memories from long ago, Dhala was on the daily schedule for 21 Sqn Twin Pioneers (can even remember the number/call sign, 8672). Land into the hill face, keep engines running, unload, take on any returning staff/ kit, take off the other way.
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Is the white building right of centre the Dhala Hotel ? used to go up there on weekends as a break from K/sar by AA DC3, lovely place for break.
Possible location:
Ad Dali
Yemen
Dhale or Dhala, also spelled Dali and Dhalea and sometimes prefixed with Al or Ad, is the capital town of Dhale Governorate in south-western Yemen. It is located at around 13°41′48″N 44°43′51″E, in the elevation of around 1500 metres. Dhala Airport is a few Kms East and runway heading looks like around 250.
Dhala Airport in 2004
IG
Ad Dali
Yemen
Dhale or Dhala, also spelled Dali and Dhalea and sometimes prefixed with Al or Ad, is the capital town of Dhale Governorate in south-western Yemen. It is located at around 13°41′48″N 44°43′51″E, in the elevation of around 1500 metres. Dhala Airport is a few Kms East and runway heading looks like around 250.
Dhala Airport in 2004
IG
Last edited by Imagegear; 4th Oct 2020 at 10:23.
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Re an earlier post, it’s not impossible that Lightnings were seen in Aden. Two development batch aircraft, XG333 and XG311 carried out the hot weather trials which took place between June and October 1961. As neither a/c was AAR capable, they were stripped of engines and some equipment, cocooned and shipped out on a freighter. In theory, the a/c should have not flown from Khormaksar as the barriers had been u/s for many months, a no-go situation for Lightning ops; fortunately, the barriers eventually become serviceable just before XG311 needed one in earnest on 27 Aug 61.
The last of Deano P's pics very likely Dhala, showing the 'bend' in the strip which required a"left hand down a bit" part way through the take-off run. We, APCSS/84 'pigs', didn't operate there but the Pembrokes did.
In one of the previous posts, a contributor asked whether the sandy conditions affected engine operation. It did! 78 Squadron set up with Single Pins initially and they experienced a number of engine failures. Investigations took a while before it was discovered that the sand ingested into the engines was being turned into glass and deposited on the plugs.
In one of the previous posts, a contributor asked whether the sandy conditions affected engine operation. It did! 78 Squadron set up with Single Pins initially and they experienced a number of engine failures. Investigations took a while before it was discovered that the sand ingested into the engines was being turned into glass and deposited on the plugs.
According to the 8 Squadron Association website:
(My emphasis) - so may be it was these.
I am sure others will know more (I was very much still in short trousers)
- and not tropical kit ones
Farwell to the Middle East
The Arab Israeli ‘six day war’ fought in October 1967 led to the closure of the Suez Canal. Aden had cut its ties with Britain, and the independence of several East African and South East Asian states had also diminished the importance of the Indian Ocean to Britain. Despite the importance of the Middle Eastern Oil fields, defence cuts in Britain hit the air force in the Middle East hard. Two of 8 Squadron’s Hunters were even sold to the Royal Jordanian Air Force as the Middle Eastern States formed their own air forces. Air Power and a British presence were no longer needed.I am sure others will know more (I was very much still in short trousers)
- and not tropical kit ones
Last edited by SLXOwft; 9th Oct 2020 at 16:49. Reason: afterthoughts
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Confused by the picture of 20 Sqn FGA9s in that. They would have been unexpected in Aden, though.
Further info from Ray Deacon's wonderfully informative RADFAN Hunters site.
The unit allocation tables say XG255 and XG298 were transferred on 09-09-67 (XG237 and XJ645 are both listed as sold to HSA). 8/43 had a pooled fleet towards the end.
Yes, I am a Hunter nerd,
On 9 September, the day after 1417 Flight’s disbandment, OC Strike Wing, Wg Cdr ‘Pancho’ Ramirez, 8 Squadron’s Fg Off Chris Bain and Flt Lt Wally Willman from 43 Squadron, ferried three ‘redundant’ FGA.9s, XG255, XG298 and XJ645 (or XG237), to Amman via Jeddah (with Dawsons Field as a diversionary should it have been needed), as replacements for Hunters lost during during the six-day war with Israel. Each aircraft was repainted in Jordanian colours before departure, including new serial numbers.
Yes, I am a Hunter nerd,
Possibly on their way to Oman? SOAF Hunters were ex Jordanian.
Bill
Bill
One of three airmen's barrack blocks at Khormaksar. Chairs are the grandstand on the touchline of the football field, with packed gypsum surface. On the right, Bedford QL on patrol at 4,500ft in the Jebel up country. It was slightly cooler at that height but not in the cab with its petrol engine across the middle. Once our QL gharri driver passed out on our way back from the Steamer Point lido, fortunately someone else was on board to take over.
BELOW: Goods vehicle in The Crescent, Steamer Point.
These pictures were taken during my father's posting at Khormaksar, 1951-1953, and were originally posted in the Brevet thread until Photobucket became greedy and wiped them out. For us children Aden was great, for the adults less so to put it mildly. I liked the tribesmen with their jezails in one of the fine pictures posted earlier. I remember seeing a Brigand mainplane in the 8 Sqn hangar with a one-inch hole in the underside and a jagged hand-size exit hole in the top. The aircraft had been cruising around 220 mph up country when a tribesman some 3000 ft below had taken a shot.
Thankfully those days disappeared with the wicked imperialist British colonialist oppressors, and the Arab people have long governed their own affairs in the delightful Republic of South Yemen.
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Thanks for the re-transmission ... bloody Photobucket! Killed a lot of my posts on numerous websites!
As for the ‘end of Empire’ comment ... yes, haven’t so many of them done brilliantly!!
As for the ‘end of Empire’ comment ... yes, haven’t so many of them done brilliantly!!
Geriaviator,
Lovely old pictures of Khormaksar and Aden.
Totally agree with you and MPN11 about Photobucket.
I am spending a lot of time reinstating the photos that were blocked (get a life I hear ). Luckily I do not have many posts to update, unlike many on this site, and so it is not an onerous task. I am doing this directly from my computer, by clicking on the 'Mountain' symbol and dragging the image across. No need to involve a third party and it seems to work a treat.
Lovely old pictures of Khormaksar and Aden.
Totally agree with you and MPN11 about Photobucket.
I am spending a lot of time reinstating the photos that were blocked (get a life I hear ). Luckily I do not have many posts to update, unlike many on this site, and so it is not an onerous task. I am doing this directly from my computer, by clicking on the 'Mountain' symbol and dragging the image across. No need to involve a third party and it seems to work a treat.