206 Sqdn Nimrod long range SURVOP 20/21 May 1982
 

Hi

I am trying to locate crew members from 206 Squardron who took were part of the crew that flew several long range SURVOPs around this time 35 years ago. I believe the crew was commanded by Ft Lt D J Ford, and consisted of "crew 5".

I am trying to help an Argentine author who is writing about the air ops of 21st May and would like to interview crew members from this mission, if possible. I believe it flew around the islands to cover the amphibious fleet, and closed to within 120 NM of the Argentine coast, if the documents in Kew are correct.

I have also seen that Wing Commander D Emmerson had this mission mentioned in the London Gazette when awarded the AFC, but I am not 100% sure if he was part of the crew that day. The squadron logs are not clear about that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Andy

Two of these sorties are described on page 151 of Nimrod Rise and Fall by Tony Blackman, together with a chart (for one of them) and photo of the relevant page/entry of Dave Emmerson's log book. My eagle eye notes that DE recorded the P1 in his logbook, this may or may not have been the Crew Captain (I think not, but I'm not 100% sure) so don't let that confuse you.

For interest, some of us hand-amended the logbook by striking thru' "Pilot" and changing it to "Captain", thus enabling us to correctly record the aircraft commander.

I mention this detail purely - of course - for the sake of accuracy and to facilitate your research. It is not in the least an attempt to wind up the two-winged master race ;)

PS

Might help your cause if you put your email up?

Thanks for the pointers OFO. I haven't seen the book in question, though I guess I should look at picking one up. There are the squadron logs in Kew, along with another file with the navigation maps, and other logs from the long mission flown on the 15th May. Unfortunately, the one in question which my Argentine colleague wishes to open and close his book with on the air ops of 21st May (as it was the first mission of the day) is not in Kew.

My email is [email protected]

Thanks

Andy

Dave Ford was the Captain on Crew 5, but was an AEO, hence Dave Emmerson, the Sqn Boss at the time, would have flown as P1. I've PM'd a couple of guys that I know were on the Crew and may not have seen the OP.

Ahem.....
 

.....Dave Emmerson, lovely chap though he is, is a navigator. And would be mortified to be identified as a member of the two winged master race.

The Ancient Mariner

Not wishing to teach you to suck eggs, but did you check for the 20th (see note 1 below)

These are the pertinent extracts from the log book entry from the photo as per the reference above

May 20th (see note 1)
XV232
Flt Lt Gillespie (see note 2)
6.50 day (or poss 5.50, hard to tell from the quality of the photo and handwriting)
13.00 night

Note 1

Flight would have taken off on 20th and landed on 21st. For various, obvious and not so obvious reasons, this would seem to be the sortie in question.

Note 2 From what can gather from the book and other posters, the crew members in question would be

Dave Ford Air Electronics Officer and Crew Captain (I think he was a Flt Lt at the time, sort of 85% sure)
Flt Lt Gillespie, Pilot, P1 (would have been Air to Air Refueling qualified, don't recall his first name??)
Wg Cdr Dave Emmerson (the Sqn Cdr, who was a navigator) in attendance. Whether or not he actually did a shift as the routine or tactical navigator, you would have to ask someone who was there.

20 hours, all but, phew that's a lot of dairy cream sponge.

PS Dave Emmerson is a lovely chap...I wonder if he ever gave anyone a bollicking? I'd love to hear of it if he did. Dave Ford is a top guy too...He gave me plenty of bollickings.

I wonder what oil quantity was left in the Speys at the end of that one? I was always told that was the limiting factor on our tanked endurance (bet the eng was keeping a beady eye on the Temps towards the end...)

It was indeed the limiting factor and was one of the reasons that A M-J and Tony (not Ernie) Banfield flew the round Britain proving flight prior to the first op flights.

It's been a long time but I seem to recall that the limit due to oil capacity was 18 hours.

YS

Dave Ford was a Flt Lt at that time, I think he did 4 0r 5 "Deep South" sorties. The last uneventful sortie was on 25 May Mike Blee as captain.

Memory is fading, but I think its Pete Gillespie that TOFO is referring to in his post.

Actually I think you'll find it's Iain Gillespie

It was 18hrs 50 and I can confirm sadly there was no DCS, although the commissary appeared to have an endless supply of steak which sustained the crew through that epic trip.

I believe that oil capacity was the limiting factor, can't remember the actual figures, but don't recall any particular dramas with the Speys running sweet for almost 19hrs. However, I do remember the first AAR bracket made the heart beat a bit faster due to a wee RV faff. BZ to the tanker boys though, they done real good throughout the war and their contribution was much under-rated.

Concur that Dave Emmerson was a top boss, with Dave Ford a superb AEO skipper. Pretty sure the CO did some nav work during the trip, but can't remember if it was left or right hand seat.

It was all a long time ago.

Thanks for the help.

I have had contact from a couple of crew members. Yet again, Pprune proves its worth for this kind of thing. Last year, thanks to Pprune I was able to connect a RN Lynx pilot with the Argentine Aermachi pilot that had been trying to find out who he was. The Lynx had been a hair's breath from being shot out of the sky when the Argentine pilot spotted his ship in the distance and went for that instead. He flew so close to the Lynx he got a look of shock from the pilot as he flew past from behind. He always wondered what happened to the crew he had spared that day. They have since met up a couple of times and are firm friends.

We're aware the mission left on the 20th, but it was still an important mission on the 21st, given its duration and close approach to the Argentine coast. The squadron logs are in Kew, along with detailed files on the LR SURVOPs of the 12th and 15th - but that is all. The one from the 20/21st isn't there.

But, thanks once again Ppruners, for the help provided.