Does anyone remember my Dad? 'Vulcan Bomber'
 

Hi
I'm hoping to locate anyone who might remember my father - Alastair Bennett. He was Nav/Bomber Aimer (I think) for the Vulcan Bomber with IX Squadron circa 1963 through to 1968 when it unfortunately came down in Cottesmore. During the time he was flying I think he was based in Singapore and Cottesmore. The accident was in January during a routine test flight and consequently didn't involve his 'usual' crew. I would love to hear from anyone who may be able to help point me in the right direction to locate his old crew or anyone else who might happen to remember him.
Many thanks
Sarah

XM604 Down
 

I flew with Mike Gillett on Canberras in the Seventies but I don't know where he is now. You can try the 100 Sqn adjutant. Pete Tait stayed with the Vulcan way beyond what was sensible to get his rear crew out. He only survived because his deploying parachure was caught by power lines 35ft above the ground.

Incredible - but true. The overhead lines, on wooden poles, carried electrical power to a farm house. The only overheads for miles.

There's a 1964 picture of 604 at -

http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/crown_c...tering_orp.htm

Thank you all for suggestions and comments and clearly for taking the time to respond... it's truly amazing.

I will be following up all ideas put forward (probably as soon as I get to finish work tonight!!!)

In the meantime I look forward to Amazon dropping off my copy of Vulcan 607 in an attempt to understand a little more!

A Huge Big 'Thank you'

SarBen, why not pop over to either Bruntingthorpe or Wellesbourne and see a real, live Vulcan? Neither aerodrome is very far from Leicestershire. I'm sure if you got in touch with either organisation, they'd be prepared to show you where your Dad would have sat in the mighty beast.

Bruntingthorpe (XH558): http://www.tvoc.co.uk/

Wellesbourne (XM655): http://www.xm655.com/

And bear in mind that Vulcan 607 is about the Vulcan's part in the Falkland's war - to learn more about the Vulcan your Dad would have known (the Vulcan that was at the tip of Britain's nuclear deterrent spear), I'd recommend 'Bombers of the West' by Bill Gunston (it's beautifully written and not too laden down with detail, so is ideal for the lay reader, but can only be found second hand) and even the mammoth HMSO tome on RAF nuclear deterrent forces.

If you were an enthusiast, I'd probably recommend PPRuNer Tim McLelland's book on the Vulcan, or his V-Force tome (published under the name Tim Laming), but you might find Robert Jackson's Modern Combat Aircraft 11: V-Bombers to be a better start.

My own Vulcan book is still a work in progress - though it will feature an illustration of your Dad's old aircraft, and of a number of No.IX Squadron Vulcans that would be in his log book.

Sarah,

I knew Pete Tait and Mike Gillet but I cannot place your father even though I was a Nav Rad on the Sqn next door. (12(B)).

If you browse the Did You Fly Vulcans thread you will find some information about this crash. At the time I was at Waddington.

Your father did not 'serve' on Vulcans in Singapore in the then accepted sense of the word.

The Cottesmore Wing held the Far East reinforcement mission from 1964 through to about 1968 when the task was switched to the Waddington wing and all the aircraft were swopped over too. The Cottesmore wing then moved to Cyprus to become the Akrotiri Bomber Wing.

The Singapore task was for up to 24 Vulcans to deploy to RAF Tengah in Singapore where there were two purpose built squadron facilities. The crews were planned to fly either via Cyprus, Bahrein (overflying Turkey and Iran) thence to Gan and Singapore. Alternatively, in case the 'Eastabout' Route was not possible for pilitical reason there was also a 'Westabout' route via Canada, the USA, and Guam.

I do not know how often the mission was practised but I know of one eastabout from Cottesmore in Apr 65 with, if I recall correctly, 8 aircraft from 35 sqn. It is likely that IX would have done a detachment the following year. These exercises lasted some 4-6 weeks.

Jackson's "Avro Vulcan" was also a very good reference. Also, only available second hand now, I believe.

Sarah

to put some more flesh on Mike Jenvey's Innsworth suggestion, the current RAF Retired List shows:

MJ Gillett dob 26 Dec 40 retired as a flt lt GD (Aircrew) 3 Feb 80

and

PC Tait dob 3 Dec 42 retired as a flt lt GD (Aircrew) 3 Dec 80

who sound like yer men....

I was looking for more on 604 and came across this from one of the recovery team.

............... 604 cleared the end of the runway and went into a left hand turn to go around the circuit. Number two engine shaft broke so the compresser blades acting as a gaint saw went through the bomb bay cutting all the controls and hydraulics. The Vulcan crashed in the front yard of a local farm. When we went to recover the pieces........... as we where digging in the hole we found the entrance door of a B17 which had crashed in 1944. We also came across some other unidentified material. When we asked the farmer what he knew he told us the Vulcan was the fourth aircraft to crash in that spot.

:confused:

Sarah, Here's a route to the full Board of Inquiry from the National Archives. I haven't dug any deeper - as yet. Let us know how you get on
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...accessmethod=5

Also, Cow Close Farm, very bottom below, is crash site. Runway top centre.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...8096273116.png

Happy Birthday for Sunday, Sarah. It looks as if this thread has already got you a rather nice birthday present. Good luck to you, and well done to the contributors. :D

XM604
 

Hi All

Thank you to every one who has read and contributed. I am so very, very grateful. Clearly I shall/have followed up all suggestions and comments.

It’s become clear to me these such events have a great importance and stay in the minds of all those who understand and care. Never forgotten, but live on in the hearts of us all.

And yes Zoom… you are totally right… this thread has honestly been the bestest ever birthday present I could ever have hoped for I've been totally overwhelmed by the response and knowledge.

Thank you all so very, very much
Sarah

Hello Sarah,
I too was a Nav Rad at Cottesmore at the time of your Dads death, though on 12B Sqn. I knew your dad quite well as we travelled into work together some times, I lived at Langham and he nearby. As I remember just before the accident he had had a car crash, not serious, hitting a cow!, but his car was badly damaged.
The accident was horrific, with as you have heard the two pilots getting out by the skin of their teeth. Mike Gillette moved over to our Squadron later as co-pilot.

Hope this helps a little.

I must say that this thread has been fascinating to read and I feel genuinely happy for the young lady who has found the information she was looking for.

This has been a great example of one of the benefits of the Military Forum. The many contributors to this forum and their knowledge/experiences have been pooled together to enable Sarah to answer the questions she had.

I wish you all the best with your continued research into your fathers history Sarah.

Regards to all,

TF

Sarah, Looks like you've had a win with SRAM! :ok: If you're interested in the details of what happened to your Dad's aircraft the No 2 engine was the cause. The main shaft broke up and a turbine disc went through the bomb bay - severing the control runs. Approximate point of failure shown below. No doubt the BoI papers will fill you in.

Your Dad's 'desk' was number 132.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/XM604.jpg

From Andy Leitch's site - http://www.avrovulcan.org.uk/

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...pas/navrad.jpg

It's a small world SRAM. I was in the Wheatsheaf last night (well most Friday nights for that matter).

YS

;)
Following the withdrawal from RAAF Butterworth of the 55/57 Sqn Victor (Bomber) aircraft detachments in 'Aug '65, 4 Vulcans were detached from RAF Cottesmore to RAF Tengah, Singapore as the Medium Bomber Force Detachment. From Aug '65 to Feb '66 9 Sqn aircrew had the committment. Feb '66 saw 35 Sqn take over the detachment until May '66 when it was 9 Sqns turn again. From Nov '65 to Feb '66 the Det Cdr was Sqn Ldr DBR Harris (9 Sqn) and from Feb '66 to May 66 it was Wg Cdr DA Arnott, DFC (OC 35 Sqn). Engineering support coming from the Engineering Wing, RAF Cottesmore. Aircrew detachments were for up to 3 months at any one time. Groundcrew tour lengths were 3 months with an option to complete further 3 months. During Dec '65 and Feb '66 the whole detachment redeployed to RAAF Darwin for exercises with the RAAF.
I was on the detachment at Tengah from Nov '65 to May '66.
It was a long time ago but I think the dates are correct.
So Sarah's Dad could have spent a few months in Singapore.
'We knew how to whinge but we kept it in the NAAFI bar.'

Vulcan
 

Fascinating thread! Well done all! :)

old Bawtry hack

Thanks for that Phil, in the interests of completeness however, the V-bomber presence in 1964 was 10/15 Victors at Tengah and 55/57 Victors at Butterworth. The Victor detachment was replaced by a 4-ac Vulcan detachment from 12(B) Sqn of the RAF Coningsby Wing commanded by Wg Cdr Bob Tanner. Although the detachment deployed in early Sep 64 it was held at RAF Khormaksar for a week and then at RAF Gan for 2 weeks as HQ FEAF was concerned with the air threat and overloading of bases on the mainland. The Vulcan (4) and Victor (2) detachment at RAF Gan would have been a surprise to Indonesia if they had had to launch an attack from deep field in the West.

The Vulcans eventually arrived at Butterworth in Oct 64 and the Victors departed Tengah about the same time. The Vulcan detachment was suddenly withdrawn in early December 64 and not replaced until Apr 65. I had my ideas as to why we were withdrawn but I think it had to do with balance of payments at home rather than any pacifist sentiment by the new Labour Government. Research by Dr David Easter reveals that the Wilson Government was more concerned with maintaining a presence East of Suez than in Germany. The US was also concerned that we maintained our presence in the Far East as we could do things and go places that they could not.