Beverley or Hasting tales please
Flew a number of times with George Luckins in Aden on Valettas. He was, indeed, an ex-Flt Eng. The Hastings co-pilot episode doesn't surprise me. Memories of being in a Cu Nim near Kirkuk with airspeed going from Vne to 70 kts and icicles in the astrodome, to a seatbelt testing approach to Salalah and a mutual IF detail with him and Don Huard which displaced every loose item in the aircraft.
Here is a Hastings story told me by a friend who was a captain on the type. I was holidaying with him and his wife in Singapore, 1966/67-ish. I have no idea if it is true. I assume the Hastings were operated out of Changi, but I could be wrong.
This was in the days before CRM. His colleague, also a Hastings captain, was returning from a task and joined very long finals for a Changi runway. As they neared the airfield, the captain, who was the handling pilot, called for whatever degrees of flap. The co-pilot replied on the lines of, "Very well, but I think you are a bit early for that." The captain made no reply but continued and landed.
After landing, the captain taxied his aircraft to the far end of the runway, stopped, and said to his crew, "The co-pilot is getting out now" and left the co-pilot to walk back to the office. The aircraft was then taxied back to dispersal.
This was in the days before CRM. His colleague, also a Hastings captain, was returning from a task and joined very long finals for a Changi runway. As they neared the airfield, the captain, who was the handling pilot, called for whatever degrees of flap. The co-pilot replied on the lines of, "Very well, but I think you are a bit early for that." The captain made no reply but continued and landed.
After landing, the captain taxied his aircraft to the far end of the runway, stopped, and said to his crew, "The co-pilot is getting out now" and left the co-pilot to walk back to the office. The aircraft was then taxied back to dispersal.
Nevertheless, considering the passive aggressive nature of the co-pilots comment, it may have been appropriate.
We seem to be doing the "characters" which were numerous in the 60s. A quite well known one on the Hastings fleet was "Frosty" Winterbottom (who else?). Before my time at Changi he was renowned for somewhat elaborate japes such as slipping an Air Movements Officer armband onto his KD sleeve and once all the pax were seated prior to departure, go through a scripted dialogue of how the Captain had informed him that the Flight Time to Gan was such and such, the weather enroute was so and so, etc, wish them all a pleasant flight, exit down the pax stairs, sneak forward out of sight to the crew entrance ladder (never used in my time but a steep climb to the underfloor emergency exit in the Nav's "Bomb Aiming" compartment) and go to his captains seat. Having driven to Gan, he'd perform the whole ritual in reverse, and welcome the pax to Gan and tell them the local time and temperature. Needless to say, few noticed or cared that both AMOs were one and the same!
A more successful wheeze was to have the co-pilot take control of the auto pilot (each pilot had a simple turn, go up, go down, controller on their outboard coaming) and slump down in his seat so as to be invisible from the cabin. Frosty would attach a string to his own control wheel and another to the co-pilots, open the flight deck door wide and slowly and ponderously make his way down the cabin paying out his strings until he spotted a likely candidate for his ruse, usually the youngest and prettiest female pax. He would politely explain that he needed to answer a call of nature (the loos were right at the back of the cabin). Would she kindly hold the two strings, this one in her left hand, and this in her right? If she spotted the aircraft trying to turn left then simply tug on the right string, and if a right turn then ditto with the left. The co-pilot of course was ready to initiate such turns (with the Nav's agreement). Frosty wouldn't be long and he was very grateful for her help. The time that then elapsed depended on the gullibility of the victim and the necessary acquiescence of the more switched on pax.
Humour was different in those days, witness his other favourite joke which was to simply take a box of empty gin bottles to the flight deck before the pax boarded. Once airborne, on the hour, every hour, the flight deck door would be flung open and another empty tossed to the cabin floor. How they laughed! About the only trick he didn't pull to my knowledge (though I could be wrong) was the old one of dark glasses, white stick, and tapping his way to the flight deck after boarding pax. You have to draw the line somewhere!
Frosty later became an instructor pilot at 242 OCU Thorney Island. One night he was doing co-pilot dual training. The co-pilot would do the landing/arrival and Frosty would run the flap to the T/O setting, re-trim, say I have control and open up the throttles for a roller. He'd done this a few times already, but this time a car suddenly appeared ahead crossing the runway (those who know Thorney will remember the "level crossing" gates that prevented traffic crossing the runway on the road to the Officers Mess, OMQs, Church, etc during T/Os or Ldgs). Finger trouble by the SAC in the tower had obviously let this one through. Frosty made an appropriate utterance, went through his tidy up drill in double quick time, and poured on the coals. As soon as he had flying speed he hauled on the stick and managed to clear the car. Not much else was said, other than once downwind he told the tower that this would be a full stop landing. Once the shutdown checks were finished and the F700 signed off he headed back home towards his OMQ. To do so he had to pass the Officers Mess and felt he had at least earned a quick dram given the fright he had just experienced. A quick dram became a double, followed by another, but eventually he arrived home. He apologised for his tardiness and began to explain that he'd had a bit of a scare earlier. His wife cut him off, "Never mind about your little scares, I was almost run down by a Hastings tonight!". Poetic justice perhaps?
A more successful wheeze was to have the co-pilot take control of the auto pilot (each pilot had a simple turn, go up, go down, controller on their outboard coaming) and slump down in his seat so as to be invisible from the cabin. Frosty would attach a string to his own control wheel and another to the co-pilots, open the flight deck door wide and slowly and ponderously make his way down the cabin paying out his strings until he spotted a likely candidate for his ruse, usually the youngest and prettiest female pax. He would politely explain that he needed to answer a call of nature (the loos were right at the back of the cabin). Would she kindly hold the two strings, this one in her left hand, and this in her right? If she spotted the aircraft trying to turn left then simply tug on the right string, and if a right turn then ditto with the left. The co-pilot of course was ready to initiate such turns (with the Nav's agreement). Frosty wouldn't be long and he was very grateful for her help. The time that then elapsed depended on the gullibility of the victim and the necessary acquiescence of the more switched on pax.
Humour was different in those days, witness his other favourite joke which was to simply take a box of empty gin bottles to the flight deck before the pax boarded. Once airborne, on the hour, every hour, the flight deck door would be flung open and another empty tossed to the cabin floor. How they laughed! About the only trick he didn't pull to my knowledge (though I could be wrong) was the old one of dark glasses, white stick, and tapping his way to the flight deck after boarding pax. You have to draw the line somewhere!
Frosty later became an instructor pilot at 242 OCU Thorney Island. One night he was doing co-pilot dual training. The co-pilot would do the landing/arrival and Frosty would run the flap to the T/O setting, re-trim, say I have control and open up the throttles for a roller. He'd done this a few times already, but this time a car suddenly appeared ahead crossing the runway (those who know Thorney will remember the "level crossing" gates that prevented traffic crossing the runway on the road to the Officers Mess, OMQs, Church, etc during T/Os or Ldgs). Finger trouble by the SAC in the tower had obviously let this one through. Frosty made an appropriate utterance, went through his tidy up drill in double quick time, and poured on the coals. As soon as he had flying speed he hauled on the stick and managed to clear the car. Not much else was said, other than once downwind he told the tower that this would be a full stop landing. Once the shutdown checks were finished and the F700 signed off he headed back home towards his OMQ. To do so he had to pass the Officers Mess and felt he had at least earned a quick dram given the fright he had just experienced. A quick dram became a double, followed by another, but eventually he arrived home. He apologised for his tardiness and began to explain that he'd had a bit of a scare earlier. His wife cut him off, "Never mind about your little scares, I was almost run down by a Hastings tonight!". Poetic justice perhaps?
Last edited by Chugalug2; 24th Aug 2020 at 19:03.
Another George Lucking's story was that he ordered the crew coach driver off the bus thinking he was just an airman scrounging a lift. Chug, could you recount your problem with a Hastings mainwheel and the subsequent BOI.
Apropros George Luckins, an apocryphal story:
After landing he boarded the crew coach and ordered an airman sitting in the coach, in a passenger seat, to get off as it was for the crew only. Once all the crew were on the coach and ready to go he found out that they did not have the coach driver!
After landing he boarded the crew coach and ordered an airman sitting in the coach, in a passenger seat, to get off as it was for the crew only. Once all the crew were on the coach and ready to go he found out that they did not have the coach driver!
AA62:-
Exercise Drumbeat required the detachment of some half dozen Hastings and crews to RAF West Raynham. Various missions ensued but the one in question required the movement of Italian troops from W Germany to Northolt. Duty duly carried out and we returned empty to WR. Almost immediately after landing (I was HP) the aircraft started veering right Progressively more rudder applied (we wheeled them on in those days so plenty of rudder effect). Still it veered right. Opened up #4 throttle in a desperate attempt to stay on the R/W. No go, so slammed it shut, pulled back hard to get the tailwheel down, and we took to the grass, still going right until suddenly the a/c veered even more to the right and the nose came down despite my efforts. We came to a grinding halt, nose buried in the grass in a classic prang pose. All the feather/fire buttons pushed, "evacuate, evacuate" given (or words to that effect). Flight Deck emergency exit (next to Flt Eng posn) used by everyone, the AQM had deployed the pax door escape rope only to find it didn't reach the ground in this tail high attitude! Apologies for the poor pic, a combination of poor photographer and AGFA slide rot :-
Star witness at subsequent BoI. "When you say you applied full rudder, which rudder was that?", etc. Everyone else had long since returned to Colerne and I was beginning to feel I might be fated for elsewhere. In the midst of yet another interrogation, Rex Oates the detachment EngO interrupted proceedings by announcing that they had removed the stbd main wheel to find it entirely separated around its circumference in the tyre well. It had thus locked on the axle bursting the tyre which resulted in the subsequent excursions. All interest in me suddenly ceased, the BoI continued with its deliberations and the Boss sent an aircraft over to sweep me up. As a kind gesture he had authorised me to captain the return flight. I was blessed with excellent bosses throughout!
It transpired that this was a "known fault" in these large single mainwheels which dated from WWII types like the Lanc and Halifax. As a driver it wasn't well known to me though.
Subsequent reflection underlined how lucky we had been that the accident hadn't happened on the previous landing at Northolt with a full pax load onboard. That sentiment though probably wasn't shared by the Stn Cdr WR who now had a Cat 5 hulk in the middle of his pristine a/f with an AOCs inspection imminent....
Chug, could you recount your problem with a Hastings mainwheel and the subsequent BOI.
Star witness at subsequent BoI. "When you say you applied full rudder, which rudder was that?", etc. Everyone else had long since returned to Colerne and I was beginning to feel I might be fated for elsewhere. In the midst of yet another interrogation, Rex Oates the detachment EngO interrupted proceedings by announcing that they had removed the stbd main wheel to find it entirely separated around its circumference in the tyre well. It had thus locked on the axle bursting the tyre which resulted in the subsequent excursions. All interest in me suddenly ceased, the BoI continued with its deliberations and the Boss sent an aircraft over to sweep me up. As a kind gesture he had authorised me to captain the return flight. I was blessed with excellent bosses throughout!
It transpired that this was a "known fault" in these large single mainwheels which dated from WWII types like the Lanc and Halifax. As a driver it wasn't well known to me though.
Subsequent reflection underlined how lucky we had been that the accident hadn't happened on the previous landing at Northolt with a full pax load onboard. That sentiment though probably wasn't shared by the Stn Cdr WR who now had a Cat 5 hulk in the middle of his pristine a/f with an AOCs inspection imminent....
Chugalug2
I remember the incident as I was one of Rex Oakes' ground party and subsequent to 491 being placed in its more familiar tail down pose on the ground was sent back to WR to recover the V & A (Valuable and Attractive!!!) items from the imminently Cat 5 aircraft.
The whole incident was of particular annoyance to us all as the returning aircraft was to be our carriage back to Colerne. I did not see the whole episode due to our HQ (tent) being behind the grass bund but saw the aircraft downwind to land then some time later witnessed the top of the fin appearing above the bund.
Our interest was aroused and several of us jumped into the Land Rover and went to the scene. By then, all the drama was over and all on board were safely back on terra firma. I spoke to the Flt Eng, Dave H, a former 24 Sqdn ground crew member, who complained that he was brushed aside by the evacuating crew members as he dutifully completed his shutdown ritual. There was a story that somebody trod on his hand as they made their exit though the adjacent escape hatch.
We returned to base via Mildenhall which was the nearest airfield that open at that (much later) time of night - West Raynham having gone back to sleep. A few days later, after the aircraft had been released from investigation I, together with a couple of others, returned to remove the V&A items. By then, the otherwise empty freight compartment was rather insanitary with the contents of an Elsan somewhat forward of their usual position down the back.
I remember the incident as I was one of Rex Oakes' ground party and subsequent to 491 being placed in its more familiar tail down pose on the ground was sent back to WR to recover the V & A (Valuable and Attractive!!!) items from the imminently Cat 5 aircraft.
The whole incident was of particular annoyance to us all as the returning aircraft was to be our carriage back to Colerne. I did not see the whole episode due to our HQ (tent) being behind the grass bund but saw the aircraft downwind to land then some time later witnessed the top of the fin appearing above the bund.
Our interest was aroused and several of us jumped into the Land Rover and went to the scene. By then, all the drama was over and all on board were safely back on terra firma. I spoke to the Flt Eng, Dave H, a former 24 Sqdn ground crew member, who complained that he was brushed aside by the evacuating crew members as he dutifully completed his shutdown ritual. There was a story that somebody trod on his hand as they made their exit though the adjacent escape hatch.
We returned to base via Mildenhall which was the nearest airfield that open at that (much later) time of night - West Raynham having gone back to sleep. A few days later, after the aircraft had been released from investigation I, together with a couple of others, returned to remove the V&A items. By then, the otherwise empty freight compartment was rather insanitary with the contents of an Elsan somewhat forward of their usual position down the back.
Interesting photo but frustratingly hiding an area I wanted to examine - the DV window. The interest? When were in Aden, a Hastings operated a 'fill-in' delivery for us to Ataq, an up-country dirt strip with a small fort. On take-off for the return, it hit a goat with one main gear and ended up off the 'runway', in flames. The co-pilot, so the story goes, was a chap of ample girth but, with the aircraft burning merrily and Avgas fuel, he generated the impetus to escape via the DV window - a feat subsequently proved to be impossible. Anyone with details?
Re unconventional Bev uses. one of our AQMs - 'Mannie' Mercer' dedide to marry ( at age 60!!). His wedding reception was held in one of 47Sqdn's Bevs at Abingdon - tables and chairs laid out for the guests in the freight bay and (of course) a small band playing on the nose platform ... otherwise referred to as 'the bandstand'.
As to characters, both Hastings and Beverley , two immediately spring to mind - Hastings, 'Capt' Jack Huntingdon, once met never forgotten, 'A' Cat Master Pilot, with a turn of phrase which left no doubts as to intention and couched in words of minimum length!. On Bevs, also a M. Plt ,- Johnny Loveridge, 'A' Cat on Bevs and Hastings and the two of them were 'politically' embarrassing at a time when such aircraft Captains had to be commissioned. Thus, both were sent on the 'Rupert' course at Jurby. I believe that Capt Jack had two goes!
Jack was still in the Sgts' Mess at Dishforth when the first WRAF Loadies arrived for training - a certain amount of chaos ensued - especially around the ante-room card 'school'!
Re unconventional Bev uses. one of our AQMs - 'Mannie' Mercer' dedide to marry ( at age 60!!). His wedding reception was held in one of 47Sqdn's Bevs at Abingdon - tables and chairs laid out for the guests in the freight bay and (of course) a small band playing on the nose platform ... otherwise referred to as 'the bandstand'.
As to characters, both Hastings and Beverley , two immediately spring to mind - Hastings, 'Capt' Jack Huntingdon, once met never forgotten, 'A' Cat Master Pilot, with a turn of phrase which left no doubts as to intention and couched in words of minimum length!. On Bevs, also a M. Plt ,- Johnny Loveridge, 'A' Cat on Bevs and Hastings and the two of them were 'politically' embarrassing at a time when such aircraft Captains had to be commissioned. Thus, both were sent on the 'Rupert' course at Jurby. I believe that Capt Jack had two goes!
Jack was still in the Sgts' Mess at Dishforth when the first WRAF Loadies arrived for training - a certain amount of chaos ensued - especially around the ante-room card 'school'!
NO, thanks for the tweak. Through all the gathered detritus at least you can see full left rudder applied in answer to the BoI.
CJ, Another pic which may answer your question. It also shows Snowdrop, God-Botherer, and Doc all seeking custom. The previous pic showed the village Bobby set upon the same errand. :-
CJ, Another pic which may answer your question. It also shows Snowdrop, God-Botherer, and Doc all seeking custom. The previous pic showed the village Bobby set upon the same errand. :-
Thank you C 2 - that does nicely. I can see that exiting via the DV window might well need some 'encouragement' from burning bang juice!
Re your 'known fault' mention, probably common to tail-traggers in general, certainly to the Valetta - as witness our Boss 'bagging' a Nairobi 'meat run', with the Wing Pilot in the rhs. Schedule was slated for an intermediate in Hargeisia, an uneven landing surface. Touchdown was slightly 'hot' and on the bounce they noticed a large black round object appearing ahead of them on the runway. The subsequent one-wheel arrival was relatively gentle!
Re your 'known fault' mention, probably common to tail-traggers in general, certainly to the Valetta - as witness our Boss 'bagging' a Nairobi 'meat run', with the Wing Pilot in the rhs. Schedule was slated for an intermediate in Hargeisia, an uneven landing surface. Touchdown was slightly 'hot' and on the bounce they noticed a large black round object appearing ahead of them on the runway. The subsequent one-wheel arrival was relatively gentle!
Last edited by Cornish Jack; 25th Aug 2020 at 20:48.
I was at Gan in 1958 and photo'd the first Beverley to visit Gan on 14th February 1958.
My photo taken at Gan 14th February 1958
This 47 Sqn Abingdon-based Beverley, serial number XB263, pilot F/Lt Peter Dudley, detached to FEAF flew in from RAF Negombo in Sri Lanka the advance contingent of Pakistani workers who were to do most of the construction work to convert Gan from a sleepy island with a short crushed-coral landing strip to a busy RAF staging post with an 8,694ft/2,650m long concrete runway.
The interesting point is that the nose of the aircraft sports the arms of the town of Abingdon (where it was based) and above that the arms the ribbon of the GSM annotated underneath "Malaya".
Beverley landing at Abingdon 1959
RAF Abingdon 1959. Hastings returns to Abingdon after a drop at nearby Weston-on-the-Green drop zone. Parachute door left open as Weston is about 10-miles up the road from Abingdon and just north of Oxford.
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My photo taken at Gan 14th February 1958
This 47 Sqn Abingdon-based Beverley, serial number XB263, pilot F/Lt Peter Dudley, detached to FEAF flew in from RAF Negombo in Sri Lanka the advance contingent of Pakistani workers who were to do most of the construction work to convert Gan from a sleepy island with a short crushed-coral landing strip to a busy RAF staging post with an 8,694ft/2,650m long concrete runway.
The interesting point is that the nose of the aircraft sports the arms of the town of Abingdon (where it was based) and above that the arms the ribbon of the GSM annotated underneath "Malaya".
Beverley landing at Abingdon 1959
RAF Abingdon 1959. Hastings returns to Abingdon after a drop at nearby Weston-on-the-Green drop zone. Parachute door left open as Weston is about 10-miles up the road from Abingdon and just north of Oxford.
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We usually left the para doors off after para sorties as they were a pig to fit in the air and the chance of losing one was too great ! When we did an airdrop called 'Roller Conveyor' we flew with the cargo door removed as can be seen in the picture.
A very much younger Geriaviator at Khormaksar in early 1953 with the Hastings which would take him back to Lyneham the following day. 'Pig' in the background was used for comms flights between various RAF stations, including one 'up country'. My father served with 8 Sqn which operated the unloved Bristol Brigand.
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Virtually everyone who flew the Brigand made disparaging comments but the one exception was James D 'Dougie' Oughton. He was a production line test pilot for Bristol and described it to me as a pussy cat! He flew many hours testing it in its intended role as a torpedo bomber but for various reasons it never served in that role.
I know it's a thread drift but in 75 we had a Master Pilot Ken Shardlow as a Assistant Ops Controller in ATFOC at Upavon. He flew Brigands during the Malayan War. He as far as I know didn't dislike it, although he did say it would have been hard to get out of in an emergency.
One of the more remarkable events in Hastings history was the locked/reversed elevator incident. Sketchy memory says airborne and had to fly on trims only?? Anyone anything further?
The pics of return from WOTG revive memories of dispatching as No 2 or 3 and, once we had got the bags recovered, putting heads round the door frame to get a marvellous slipstream head massage!The pic of the 'wheelie' landing is a bit 'down market'! 'Proper' tail-dragger chaps insisted that the simultaneous contact of all three was the 'approved method'!
Generally acknowledged that the Hastings was very much the most tricky to manage. Our transatlantic cousins went for wheelies or nose wheels - nuff said!
The pics of return from WOTG revive memories of dispatching as No 2 or 3 and, once we had got the bags recovered, putting heads round the door frame to get a marvellous slipstream head massage!The pic of the 'wheelie' landing is a bit 'down market'! 'Proper' tail-dragger chaps insisted that the simultaneous contact of all three was the 'approved method'!
Generally acknowledged that the Hastings was very much the most tricky to manage. Our transatlantic cousins went for wheelies or nose wheels - nuff said!
AA62 - I can't throw any light on your Kai Tak incident but it brought to mind an incident 'somewhere in the Caribbean' when a Hastings struck a ground power unit while on an engine run. During the ground run the aircraft performed a partial pirouette and delivered a sharp whack (or several!) to the GPU that resulted in a lack of voltage, a consequent prop change and shock load test to the engine. All this took several days due to the exotic location, not that the crew were too upset.
