RAF 100th Anniversary Photo Thread
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Treble one
From October 1951 onwards Tiger Moths in the Rhodesian Air Training Group (RATG) were gradually phased-out to be replaced by Chipmunks.
Chipmunks for the RATG were built at Hawarden near Chester, crated and shipped out to Durban in South Africa, transferred to rail wagons and sent to 394 MU at RAF Heany near Bulawayo. Here they were assembled, flight tested and then flown up to Thornhill.
Thornhill (5 FTS) was allocated 27 Chipmunks the first Chipmunk arriving at Thornhill in September 1951. This is it.
...and this photo shows the last two 5 FTS Tiger Moths departing Thornhill for the Royal Rhodesian Air Force in Salisbury, probably in October/November 1951.
a friend of mine also did his flying training in Rhodesia (at RAF Heany) at roughly the same time as you I think.
He told me his course was the last course to use the Tiger Moth for EFT. The course after switched to the Chipmunk. He continued onto the Harvard and then was posted to Meteors
He told me his course was the last course to use the Tiger Moth for EFT. The course after switched to the Chipmunk. He continued onto the Harvard and then was posted to Meteors
Chipmunks for the RATG were built at Hawarden near Chester, crated and shipped out to Durban in South Africa, transferred to rail wagons and sent to 394 MU at RAF Heany near Bulawayo. Here they were assembled, flight tested and then flown up to Thornhill.
Thornhill (5 FTS) was allocated 27 Chipmunks the first Chipmunk arriving at Thornhill in September 1951. This is it.
...and this photo shows the last two 5 FTS Tiger Moths departing Thornhill for the Royal Rhodesian Air Force in Salisbury, probably in October/November 1951.
Last edited by Warmtoast; 8th Jun 2018 at 22:32.
brakedwell,
we were there on July 14 1970. Did not take them too long to get it up and running ! Pic shows RN Wessex which had come to pick up the piston we delivered for the RFA ship.
we were there on July 14 1970. Did not take them too long to get it up and running ! Pic shows RN Wessex which had come to pick up the piston we delivered for the RFA ship.
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Both 240OCU...... Happy days
Warmtoast-thank you.
My chum sadly passed away last year-he had a lovely painting of 'his' Tiger Moth and Harvard flying together on the wall of his study.
He did actually fly Chipmunks later in life, both in the RAF (he was sent to Halton as a Flt Cmdr for refusing a CFS Tour), and as a Civilian whilst flying for BOAC/BA as part of a syndicate.
My chum sadly passed away last year-he had a lovely painting of 'his' Tiger Moth and Harvard flying together on the wall of his study.
He did actually fly Chipmunks later in life, both in the RAF (he was sent to Halton as a Flt Cmdr for refusing a CFS Tour), and as a Civilian whilst flying for BOAC/BA as part of a syndicate.
RAF Aircraft 1957
Photographed by me at RAF Negombo (Katunayake) in 1957, 39-years after the foundation of the RAF.
A nice selection of RAF types photographed from the tower, plus a civilian TWA Constellation.
A nice selection of RAF types photographed from the tower, plus a civilian TWA Constellation.
Warmtoast, great pics of a byegone era. My 'three for the price of one' ! Hastings and VC10 taken from the C130K at Akrotiri.
Transport/ Air Support Command has been virtually ignored during the 100th Anniversary nostalgia. These photos should make up for the oversight (a bit!)
Khormaksar dispersal April 1958
Khormaksar transit 1958 - 84 Squadron Beverley in background
8 Squadron Venoms April 1958
Hastings Nicosia 1958
XM496 Thule night stop during Polar Trainer 1971
Khormaksar dispersal April 1958
Khormaksar transit 1958 - 84 Squadron Beverley in background
8 Squadron Venoms April 1958
Hastings Nicosia 1958
XM496 Thule night stop during Polar Trainer 1971
brakedwell,
very evocative pics. Most of mine have appeared on the Hercules thread but if no objections I am happy tp post some here. ASI during Op Corporate build up
very evocative pics. Most of mine have appeared on the Hercules thread but if no objections I am happy tp post some here. ASI during Op Corporate build up
Looking through my Albums I came across these. Don’t know where or when this first one was taken but it was after 1991 because of the 16(R) Squadron Jaguar.
Again don’t know where or when but sometime between 1991 and 2005.
Out with the old and in with the new. Two ‘S’’s from when the Jaguars replaced the Phantoms at Laarbruch 1975 / 76.
Another ‘S’. 16 Squadron Buccaneer over Sardinia in 1976 during the annual APC there. I was one of the lucky groundcrew to have a jolly there with the late Ken Tait as my pilot. We finished the jolly by doing some (very) close formation aerobatics. Brilliant and effortlessly smooth for the ex- red arrows pilot. F/L M (Malcolm?) Brown was in ‘S’ which can clearly be seen as XW538. A year later, during a low level airfield attack on Volkel in Holland his engine exploded and the crew ejected safely. However, the report says it was again ‘S’ but XW548 not 538. Both were on 16 during my time there and I cannot remember 538 being re-lettered to ‘T’ and 548 becoming ‘S’. All the sites I have seen maintain that 538 was ‘T’ and 548 was ‘S’. Any info would be appreciated – sorry about the thread drift.
Representative RAFG Aircraft over Rheindahlen 1976.
Vulcan close to home – over Lincoln. Might have been a premature 44 Squadron farewell tour before they thought they were disbanding.
Vulcan a long way from home with improvised wing mounts second only in agricultural style to the skips fitted to 50 Squadron after the Falklands.
morton,
very nice pics. This thread is improving daily. Anymore contributors ? Penerak in Malaysia.
very nice pics. This thread is improving daily. Anymore contributors ? Penerak in Malaysia.
