What about Tengah?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes
on
63 Posts
What about Tengah?
Sorry, but all the talk of Akrotiri (beaches and Kokkinelli) has touched a nerve. What about the major RAF station in the Far East? Air Defence, Strike, FGA, PR and so much more. Four/Five resident operational squadrons, and unlike the Mediterranean holiday camp actually conducting warry operations.
I open the door to those who have had the pleasure and privilege to serve in the major outpost in the Far East in the 60s (and at other times). Bugis Street will obviously feature, but there was much more going on at WSRT!!
I open the door to those who have had the pleasure and privilege to serve in the major outpost in the Far East in the 60s (and at other times). Bugis Street will obviously feature, but there was much more going on at WSRT!!
Was detached to parent unit (60 Sqdn) from the permanent detached flight at Kuching in June 64. We were supposed to familiarise with/learn about the Javelin because I, and all bar one of my colleagues, had been posted by some brain-dead numpty to Kuching, having never been anywhere near the flying flat iron. We were given various tasks on second-line servicing which wasn't exactly useful for fron-line duty at the sharp end. Work aside, we had a reasonable social life including the Mally (Malcolm Club) on camp, and the inevitable 'sunrise over Bugis Street' - the taxi race back to Tengah from downtown Singers was always won by 60, with us being the only entrants!
Other times, a stop for a refreshing pint of curry juice at JC's stall outside the main gate was often the precursor to a gruff 'morning after' voice, not to mention the unavoidable selection of 'reheat' when seated on the ceramic throne.
Other times, a stop for a refreshing pint of curry juice at JC's stall outside the main gate was often the precursor to a gruff 'morning after' voice, not to mention the unavoidable selection of 'reheat' when seated on the ceramic throne.
5 Squadrons? Pah! We had 6 at Seletar (34, 52, 66, 103, 110, and 209) plus an AAC Beaver flight and 65 ( Bloodhound) squadron. Not to mention two MUs, and JARIC FE where one SACW Pam Ayres worked. A few years later when I was on tankers we did a detachment to Tengah and did some AAR training with 74 Squadron. On one night sortie one of the Lightnings managed to break off his probe, leaving it in the basket. It was returned to 74 the next day along with a note which read - "Tiger, tiger burning bright, did you lose your end last night?" 
.
You will recall that the four major airfields on the island, all in close proximity and on similar North/South alignments led to a few embarrassing incidents, such as the Air India 707 which landed at Changi, when Paya Lebar was its intended destination. Also a 64 Squadron Javelin from Tengah found itself almost out of fuel one night with not even enough fuel to get home. In spite of the fact that Seletar was closed, and in almost total darkness, the Javelin crew managed to find the runway. An erk strolling across the runway from East Camp to West Camp was frightened s***less when a Javelin appeared out of the darkness, howled over his head, and plonked itself down on the runway.
. You will recall that the four major airfields on the island, all in close proximity and on similar North/South alignments led to a few embarrassing incidents, such as the Air India 707 which landed at Changi, when Paya Lebar was its intended destination. Also a 64 Squadron Javelin from Tengah found itself almost out of fuel one night with not even enough fuel to get home. In spite of the fact that Seletar was closed, and in almost total darkness, the Javelin crew managed to find the runway. An erk strolling across the runway from East Camp to West Camp was frightened s***less when a Javelin appeared out of the darkness, howled over his head, and plonked itself down on the runway.
As these places shut nearly 50 years ago, shouldn't this be in History and Nostalgia?
On or about 1970 I was a member of a Board of Inquiry on a Tengah Lightning which had caught fire on start up owing to the port wing vent valve seizing and hurling fuel all over the fuselage. They were doing tanker training with a Victor at the time so as part of the investigation I had a look at the tanker's fuel logs on the last sortie this aircraft was on to see if it was doing it then. (it was)
We put in our conclusions but as we were Whirlwind and not Lightning qualified we could not suggest any corrections.
The ventral on a Lightning had an AC pump which was switched on during the start up checks and came on line when the first engine brought the alternator on which caused the overflow. Rather than fix the problem the SOP was changed to switching the ventral pump on at the take off point as enough fuel would have been used so that the wing tank would not be filled before becoming airborne.
A few months later somebody did this followed by a full reheat take off, rotate and climb. The extra fuel in the ventral caused the aircraft to G stall on the rotate and it spiralled into the ground killing the pilot and a villager.
It was nothing to do with me or the other members of the Board but I always backed out of doing another one.
We put in our conclusions but as we were Whirlwind and not Lightning qualified we could not suggest any corrections.
The ventral on a Lightning had an AC pump which was switched on during the start up checks and came on line when the first engine brought the alternator on which caused the overflow. Rather than fix the problem the SOP was changed to switching the ventral pump on at the take off point as enough fuel would have been used so that the wing tank would not be filled before becoming airborne.
A few months later somebody did this followed by a full reheat take off, rotate and climb. The extra fuel in the ventral caused the aircraft to G stall on the rotate and it spiralled into the ground killing the pilot and a villager.
It was nothing to do with me or the other members of the Board but I always backed out of doing another one.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes
on
63 Posts
The "Tiger's Leap" was a near vertical departure to FL250+ to get above the airways that bracketed Tengah, allowing them to head off to the N/NE to play with Bukit Gombak. Not needed when playing to W over the Malacca Strait, as they could stay S of the airway that was running through the Jahore Baru beacon [5 miles N of the airfield].
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes
on
63 Posts
Originally Posted by Tankertrashnav
On one night sortie one of the Lightnings managed to break off his probe, leaving it in the basket. It was returned to 74 the next day along with a note which read - "Tiger, tiger burning bright, did you lose your end last night?"
Originally Posted by Fareastdriver
A few months later somebody did this followed by a full reheat take off, rotate and climb. The extra fuel in the ventral caused the aircraft to G stall on the rotate and it spiralled into the ground killing the pilot and a villager.
Last edited by MPN11; 23rd May 2018 at 09:02.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes
on
63 Posts
Now in my time (67-70) Tengah was a Mon-Fri operation, usually with Night Flying Mon-Thu. Thus weekends were leisure time... usually. Changi was the Master Airfield, open 24/7. However, it was not unusual for our OC Fg Wg (Wg Cdr M W P K) to open the airfield for the occasional weekend movement, such as a freight run. Why, you might ask, did that aircraft not go to Changi which was open anyway? Great careers are not built on saying "No", I suspect, and thus the assembly of ATC, Fire Section and a whole bunch of others would be required. These were almost exclusively shift workers, and thus would have to be 'invited' to attend their normal workplace on, say, Sunday morning. This obviously entailed a degree of phoning around to give out the good news. Now phone calls from work at the weekend only meant one thing ... and thus disguised voices would be used by the recipient to confound the caller, hopefully leading to a disconnected line. I never answered the phone in person at weekends, as a precaution!
was in 1969 and being video recorded.
I understand that a Tornado F3 mate, whilst out at Akrotiri on APC, decided to see what height he could reach. Full burner, accelerate to speed of heat, pitch to the vertical...and wait until V/S reached zero. All was going quite well until both engines decided not to play...and it wasn't until he'd lost a lot of height trying to regain control and restart that he began to breathe more easily.
Allegedly, a certain very unpopular WIWOL Air Marshal was all for throwing the book at him for flying his aircraft outside release-to-service limits.
Until, I was told, someone happened to ask the Air Marshal whether Lightning reheat rotation take-offs were within the Lightning's R-to S.
Whereupon the atmosphere became rather...chilly. F3 mate was simply told "Don't do it again!"
Hmmm...
Allegedly, a certain very unpopular WIWOL Air Marshal was all for throwing the book at him for flying his aircraft outside release-to-service limits.
Until, I was told, someone happened to ask the Air Marshal whether Lightning reheat rotation take-offs were within the Lightning's R-to S.
Whereupon the atmosphere became rather...chilly. F3 mate was simply told "Don't do it again!"
Hmmm...
I understand that a Tornado F3 mate, whilst out at Akrotiri on APC, decided to see what height he could reach. Full burner, accelerate to speed of heat, pitch to the vertical...and wait until V/S reached zero. All was going quite well until both engines decided not to play...and it wasn't until he'd lost a lot of height trying to regain control and restart that he began to breathe more easily.
Allegedly, a certain very unpopular WIWOL Air Marshal was all for throwing the book at him for flying his aircraft outside release-to-service limits.
Until, I was told, someone happened to ask the Air Marshal whether Lightning reheat rotation take-offs were within the Lightning's R-to S.
Whereupon the atmosphere became rather...chilly. F3 mate was simply told "Don't do it again!"
Hmmm...
Allegedly, a certain very unpopular WIWOL Air Marshal was all for throwing the book at him for flying his aircraft outside release-to-service limits.
Until, I was told, someone happened to ask the Air Marshal whether Lightning reheat rotation take-offs were within the Lightning's R-to S.
Whereupon the atmosphere became rather...chilly. F3 mate was simply told "Don't do it again!"
Hmmm...
"If a "rotation" is to be performed after a reheat take-off, it must be started at a minimum of 260 knots, and acceleration limited to 3G". End of paragraph.
This was added as AL5; not sure when but pre-1971 (AL7 was Sep 71) and most probably post 26 Jul 1970.
PS 48 in Akrotiri, Too......
Last edited by Percy Cute; 23rd May 2018 at 18:43.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes
on
63 Posts
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Often in Jersey, but mainly in the past.
Age: 79
Posts: 7,803
Received 135 Likes
on
63 Posts
Then, of course, we had the Javelin Mk. 9R (with refuelling probes). No 64 disbanded just as I get there, being replaced by No. 74 with the Lightning ... No. 60 soldiered on for a bit longer, giving us TWO Air Defence sqns with vastly different capabilities.
At the end of their Service life, the Javelins exhibited 2 particular characteristics. The first was on start-up, when a blocked vent from the Avpin (?) starter system would result in a huge bang, and the 2 large slipper-tanks (240 gal?) crashing onto the dispersal. The second was the failure of the u/c down-lock, due to wear ... basically a large hook which held the main gear in place. This would result in a graceful fold of the offending mainwheel, leading to an inelgant excursion onto the grass after landing. We used to get one or the other almost (literally) every week, and was a specific brief for new Local Controllers who may never have hit the Crash Alarm in their previous careers!
No. 64’s aircraft, post-disbandment, were deposited in F Dispersal, in front of the Officers Mess. Occasionally No. 60 would send a tug across to collect a ‘better one’ to replace one of their victims!
At the end of their Service life, the Javelins exhibited 2 particular characteristics. The first was on start-up, when a blocked vent from the Avpin (?) starter system would result in a huge bang, and the 2 large slipper-tanks (240 gal?) crashing onto the dispersal. The second was the failure of the u/c down-lock, due to wear ... basically a large hook which held the main gear in place. This would result in a graceful fold of the offending mainwheel, leading to an inelgant excursion onto the grass after landing. We used to get one or the other almost (literally) every week, and was a specific brief for new Local Controllers who may never have hit the Crash Alarm in their previous careers!
No. 64’s aircraft, post-disbandment, were deposited in F Dispersal, in front of the Officers Mess. Occasionally No. 60 would send a tug across to collect a ‘better one’ to replace one of their victims!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: over the rainbow
Age: 75
Posts: 562
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MPN11 did you ever get to Penang/Butterworth?
I think the Australians had taken over Butterworth by the time of your posting to Singapore.
The 'rovings' drove up to Penang for a holiday in 1958.
A visit to the snake temple was fun but the highlight was a trip in RSL1654, which included a stop at a small island. I recall the fishermen standing in shallow water pulling in the fishing nets and there being great excitement that the catch included a small shark.
https://rsl1654.weebly.com/history-of-rsl1654.html
I think the Australians had taken over Butterworth by the time of your posting to Singapore.
The 'rovings' drove up to Penang for a holiday in 1958.
A visit to the snake temple was fun but the highlight was a trip in RSL1654, which included a stop at a small island. I recall the fishermen standing in shallow water pulling in the fishing nets and there being great excitement that the catch included a small shark.
https://rsl1654.weebly.com/history-of-rsl1654.html
Cunning Artificer
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: The spiritual home of DeHavilland
Age: 76
Posts: 3,127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The best place to be in Singers was, without doubt, that RAF R&R Centre better known as RAF Changi. Nothing else in the then huge, worldwide Royal Air Force came anywhere near it.
(P.S. ...and Tengah didn't have a monopoly on nukes)
(P.S. ...and Tengah didn't have a monopoly on nukes)