The Rotary Nostalgia Thread
Thread Starter
OJB: If 8185 flew Anneka in Malta then it should be possible to obtain a photographic record of this event - let's see what we can come up with!
Wildboy: A warm welcome to Nostalgia.
These are lovely images, well done. Some of these aircraft have appeared previously on this thread but their return is most welcome.
Perhaps you might like to share with us who your Dad was! For my part much of my 'nostalging' is drawn from my childhood memories of accompanying my godfather, Bob Smith (ex-Army and former Ferranti Helicopters MD), on his various aviation escapades.
Rgds
Sav
Wildboy: A warm welcome to Nostalgia.
These are lovely images, well done. Some of these aircraft have appeared previously on this thread but their return is most welcome.
Perhaps you might like to share with us who your Dad was! For my part much of my 'nostalging' is drawn from my childhood memories of accompanying my godfather, Bob Smith (ex-Army and former Ferranti Helicopters MD), on his various aviation escapades.
Rgds
Sav
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Hi Sav.
My dad was Wally Wilding.
G-BAKG
He did 17 years in the RAF as pilot including Q.H.I. (C.F.S)
And flew with various companies who had the British Gas contract in the 80s.
(the white cap was sort of his trademark
)
Cheers
Ben
My dad was Wally Wilding.
G-BAKG
He did 17 years in the RAF as pilot including Q.H.I. (C.F.S)
And flew with various companies who had the British Gas contract in the 80s.
(the white cap was sort of his trademark
)Cheers
Ben
Last edited by Wildboy; 20th Nov 2016 at 21:52.
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Savoia - can't find any photos, but if you search YouTube "Treasure Hunt Malta", you'll see the old girl. Check out the low flying in Part 5, 3:40 onward:
Part 6, 1:00 onward:
Part 6, 1:00 onward:
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 9th May 2012 at 08:48. Reason: Add YouTube clips
Thread Starter
Ben: I met your father at Biggin Hill, I suppose it must have been 1978 or 79. He was flying a Dollar 206 (I don't remember which one) and he was on a gas survey.
I was just a wee lad in those days but he knew my godfather and remains in my memory for his spirited take-off which he performed for my pleasure. He was, by all accounts, a most capable pilot.
Keep the photos coming - wonderful!
OJB: Great clips from the Treasure Hunt days. As you've probably read we have an ex-Treasure Hunter on Rotorheads, PPRuNer Geoffersincornwall.
Here's a shot of your bird in the same colours she wore for the Treasure Hunt shoot during her time with the Maltese Police:
Agusta-Bell 206A [cn: 8185] 9H-AAJ in the service of the Malta Police Air Wing as seen at Luqa in Malta in 1985 (Photo: Lawrence Dalli)
* * *
Anyone else with memories of Wally Wilding?
I was just a wee lad in those days but he knew my godfather and remains in my memory for his spirited take-off which he performed for my pleasure. He was, by all accounts, a most capable pilot.
Keep the photos coming - wonderful!
OJB: Great clips from the Treasure Hunt days. As you've probably read we have an ex-Treasure Hunter on Rotorheads, PPRuNer Geoffersincornwall.
Here's a shot of your bird in the same colours she wore for the Treasure Hunt shoot during her time with the Maltese Police:
Agusta-Bell 206A [cn: 8185] 9H-AAJ in the service of the Malta Police Air Wing as seen at Luqa in Malta in 1985 (Photo: Lawrence Dalli)
* * *
Anyone else with memories of Wally Wilding?
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B206s
Hi all ... and not having posted for some time, I'm getting withdrawal symptons so just thought I'd add a note to B206 G-FSDA pictured. Many will know that the FSA series were operated by Derek Chandler of 'Flair Soft Drinks' 'A' being the first ... they went on to FSDC etc. Derek's son, Wayne ran the Heli Flair and Southernair businesses in the 1990s and noughties. An innocent note, Derek Chandler left fixed wing for rotary in the mid 1970s when he was driving along the A27 past Shoreham Airport when I was display practicing an Enstrom. Derek was interested in display flying and turned into the airfield to enquire about the manoeuvres and was introduced to yours truly. A short time later he took delivery of Enstrom G-BHAX a 28C-2. With the demise of Southernair, I believe Wayne is now a fixed wing man. Warm wishes if you are reading this. Dennis Kenyon.
PS. I think FSDA or one of them was originally G-ROOT which I purchased as an OO reg from Belgium and next owned by a certain Godfrey Hope. If he is reading this, I have your log book!
PS. I think FSDA or one of them was originally G-ROOT which I purchased as an OO reg from Belgium and next owned by a certain Godfrey Hope. If he is reading this, I have your log book!
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Great that you met him an remember!
He did the gas survey for a good many years, looking at his logbooks sometimes 7 hours of flying a day.
Here's a shot of a bell 47 (he flew G2,3,4,5 variants between '77-'79)
Don't know the tail number of this one or the exact date but I'm guessing the trousers were a bet (or it was Rupert the Bear week
)
He did the gas survey for a good many years, looking at his logbooks sometimes 7 hours of flying a day.
Here's a shot of a bell 47 (he flew G2,3,4,5 variants between '77-'79)
Don't know the tail number of this one or the exact date but I'm guessing the trousers were a bet (or it was Rupert the Bear week
)
Last edited by Wildboy; 20th Nov 2016 at 21:59.
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G-FSDG
DennisK
The JR from Belgium was G-FSDG with Flair, started its G reg's with JETR in 4/82, ex OO-CDP, to ROOT 8/82 to 4/85, FSDG 4/85 to 10/95, COUR 10/95 to 5/98 then off to Austria as OE-XLM, the other one, FSDA was ex AWJW in 1/83, then became SHRR in 2/90, was destroyed, reg. cancelled 10/97, both FSDA and FSDG were used, 'on hire',by Clyde Helicopters while waiting for the arrival of EYEI in 1987.
Wiggy.
The JR from Belgium was G-FSDG with Flair, started its G reg's with JETR in 4/82, ex OO-CDP, to ROOT 8/82 to 4/85, FSDG 4/85 to 10/95, COUR 10/95 to 5/98 then off to Austria as OE-XLM, the other one, FSDA was ex AWJW in 1/83, then became SHRR in 2/90, was destroyed, reg. cancelled 10/97, both FSDA and FSDG were used, 'on hire',by Clyde Helicopters while waiting for the arrival of EYEI in 1987.
Wiggy.
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I remeber meeting Wally in a hotel near Leiscter around 78 or so when he was flying a G5 or G5a for Bristows on the pipeline contract, he had landed and overnighted in the garden of a newly converted old house that was just starting business as a hotel, in the morning the machine refused to start in the cold weather and the battery went flat, so I and another engineer were dispatched from Redhill to get him going again, the machine was parked neatly in the middle of what can only be discribed as an immaculatley flat croquet lawn.
After a drawn out process of changing plugs, Battery and several attempts to start failed I resorted to the old trick of soaking a load of rags in a bucket of hot water and draping them around the induction tubes, much to Wallys amazement the old bird farted!! and away she went.
The rest of the evening was spent in the local pub listening to Wally stories, I was too young and didn't have many to tell then!, myself and the other engineer spent a strange night sharing the Honeymoon suite! (the only room finished apart from the one Wally ocuppied), in the morning we awoke to find Wally had started, taken off and disappeared, leaving the once immaculate croquet lawn with a horse shoe pattern of mud made by engineers feet right in the middle, so we quickly paid the bill and legged it!.
Best Regards
Stacey
After a drawn out process of changing plugs, Battery and several attempts to start failed I resorted to the old trick of soaking a load of rags in a bucket of hot water and draping them around the induction tubes, much to Wallys amazement the old bird farted!! and away she went.
The rest of the evening was spent in the local pub listening to Wally stories, I was too young and didn't have many to tell then!, myself and the other engineer spent a strange night sharing the Honeymoon suite! (the only room finished apart from the one Wally ocuppied), in the morning we awoke to find Wally had started, taken off and disappeared, leaving the once immaculate croquet lawn with a horse shoe pattern of mud made by engineers feet right in the middle, so we quickly paid the bill and legged it!.
Best Regards
Stacey
Wally Wilding
One day on the Gas contract Wally's observer had called in sick and Wally was about to go home so I volunteered to act as observer. We flew around the south-east landing at Southend and overnighting at Fairoaks and staying in a hotel at Woking. The intention of observing was to report by map ref any JCB's etc operating near the pipeline to BG at the next landing. I found it hard to get all the ref's ready for each landing so we had to report at the end of the day, BG was not pleased. It was surprising that so many diggers were operating near the pipelines.
Another time Wally had a leaking fuel tank near Sheffield, I took a spare tank in the back of my MGB GT and a container for any drained fuel. After changing the tank I was left with a partly filled tank and a container of fuel which we couldn't use, so I drove down the M1 with all the windows open and having to stop at nearly every service station to have a cigarette.
Another time Wally had a leaking fuel tank near Sheffield, I took a spare tank in the back of my MGB GT and a container for any drained fuel. After changing the tank I was left with a partly filled tank and a container of fuel which we couldn't use, so I drove down the M1 with all the windows open and having to stop at nearly every service station to have a cigarette.
Thread Starter
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Louis Blériot's epic Channel crossing on 25th July 1909 the Daily Mail (who sponsored the initial Channel crossing with a £1,000 prize) organised a London to Paris race from Marble Arch to l'Arc de Triomphe. The race, which attracted some 150 participants, took place between 13th-23rd July 1959.
The 'Anniversary Race' involved competitors in desperate measures not merely in the air (which was perhaps the easiest part of the course) but on the roads of the respective capital cities and their environs, as the contestants strove first to get from the centre of London to an airfield not too far distant, and then having flown the Channel to get from their landing point in France to the finishing line.
The rules of the race stipulated that the laws and regulations of both Britain and France (particularly air navigation laws and road speed restrictions) must be complied with. Within those restrictions the race was open to anyone, using any form of transport he or she liked. Competitors ranged from well organised teams such as those of the RAF to eccentric individuals.
The race was won by a team led by Squadron Leader Charles G. Maughan, the commanding officer of No.65 Squadron. Squadron Leader Maughan completed the course between Marble Arch and l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris in a time of 40 minutes 44 seconds, travelling by Royal Air Force Police motorcycle, Bristol Sycamore helicopter and Hawker Hunter T7. The prize money of £6,500 was donated to charity.
From Marble Arch Maughan was driven at a furious pace as a pillion passenger on a motorcycle to Chelsea Embankment where a Bristol Sycamore helicopter was waiting to carry him to Biggin Hill in Kent. There a Hunter T7, with dual side-by-side seating, was waiting, cleared for immediate take-off, with turbojet engine running and Flight Lieutenant Jim Burns at the controls. This streaked across the Channel at high subsonic speeds and touched down at the Armée de l’Air’s Villacoubly base on the south side of Paris where another helicopter was waiting to get him to the centre of Paris.
There, a motorcycle was waiting to get Maughan as close to the Arc de Triomphe as it could without infringing Paris’ traffic regulations. The Squadron Leader then completed the course with a 100-yard dash to the finishing line in what proved to be the winning time from Marble Arch of 40 minutes 44 seconds.
In practice for the race Maughan had (illegally) arranged for the traffic lights on the route from Marble Arch to Chelsea to be held at green, by getting fellow airmen from 65 Squadron to jump up and down on the pressure pads in the road. But on the day the police, who had got wise to the practice, put a stop to it.
The leader of the RAF’s team, Group Captain E. N. Ryder, was third in a time of 42min 6sec, having injured his leg in a motorcycle accident in Paris. British contestants scooped the top three prizes, £5,000, £2,500 and £1,500, with a civilian, Eric Rylands, taking second place in 41min 41sec.
Charles G. Maughan during the 1959 London to Paris Air Race with his motorcyclist
The Daily Mail poster for the event
Enter Jeremy Hughes ..
Jeremy has most graciously agreed to showcase his small private collection of black and white images taken during the race and which captured some of the rotorcraft involved. Here's what he had to say:
"In July 1959 I had recently left school and was waiting to start work at my first job which was in a bank. I lived in Shirley near Croydon and at this time Croydon airport was closing down with its aircraft transferring to Biggin Hill. Access to photograph aircraft at Croydon had been very difficult due to police security, however, at Biggin one was pretty much free to wander about and take photos and I was able to get there easily on my bicycle.
By chance a well known newspaper (The Daily Mail) sponsored a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Louis Blériot's channel crossing in his monoplane by holding a London to Paris race. This was to be timed between Marble Arch in London to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Quite a few people and teams entered including Billy Butlin,a celebrity who was famous for pioneering holiday camps where the public could stay by the seaside and be entertained at very low cost. They were very popular and he was later knighted by the Queen for his services. He used a Spitfire T.8 for the cross-channel part, other teams used jets or helicopters but most employed a helicopter at some stage of the race. Many also used motorcycles through the city streets which must have been quite dangerous. The race was won by an RAF pilot, Squadron Leader Charles Maugham in 40 minutes 44 seconds.
Other teams came from the Army, the French and various private individuals who obviously enjoyed the publicity it gave. The race generated many aircraft movements which I was of course eager to photograph. I used a small Zeiss Nettar folding camera (fairly inexpensive) which took 12 6x6 cm. pictures and I developed and printed the results myself. Of course I have looked after the negatives carefully which I hope is shown in the results.
The following year I started learning to fly and eventually joined BEA which later became British Airways. I retired as a captain in 1995.A 100th anniversary race was held in 2009 though I doubt if it was as exciting."
All images by Jeremy Hughes, taken at Biggin Hill Aerodrome between 13th-23rd July 1959:
Westland S51-2 Widgeon G-APVD at Biggin Hill Aerodrome in July 1959
APVD came onto the British register a month before the race in June '59 and was operated by Westlands for four years until being bought by Ferranti in 1963. APVD was pretty much 'kept in the family' being sold by my godfather to his dear friend John Crewdson (Helicopter Hire) and from Crewdson to Andrew Walters (an ex-Army friend of my godfather and owner of International Messengers who also bought G-BBEU and G-OIML).
Westland S51-2 Widgeon G-APTE at Biggin Hill Aerodrome in July 1959
APTE was registered to Westlands from 1959 to 1973 during which time she seems to have been leased to several operators including Bristows (as shown in Jeremy's image above) as well as Aer Lingus. [Note the winged ‘BH’ on the upper fuselage].
Agusta-Bell 47J Ranger G-APTH at Biggin Hill Aerodrome in July 1959
Registered to British European Airways in April of 1959, transferred onto the Nigerian register in March 1963 and then back on the UK register (still with BEA) in December of the same year. In April 1965 she was bought by Freddie Wilcox (Autair) and then went on to accommodate a string of owners until being sold to Germany in 1992.
Alouette II F-OBMV serial no. 1244 at Biggin Hill Aerodrome in July 1959
Close up of F-OBMV
Hiller 12-E EI-AKT at Biggin Hill Aerodrome in July 1959
Copy of the signed menu cover from the dinner sponsored by the Royal Aero Club on 27th October 1959 for the race-goers
From the start on the morning of Monday, July 13, when Capt. R. M. B. Walker on a motor cycle, Stirling Moss in a Renault Dauphine and Lt-Cdr. W. Boaks on roller skates left Marble Arch and headed south, to the final evening eleven days later when a quartet of motor-cycle decoys did their best to confuse the police and assist Colette Duval's husband, the Daily Mail Bleriot anniversary race was an undoubted success. The total number of competitors was 135, including the efficient and well-drilled Service entries, a number of enthusiastic amateurs flying their own light aircraft, and a sprinkling of one-off off-beats.
The shortest time for the journey from Marble Arch to the Arc de Triomphe (or vice versa) was 40 min 44 sec in the Paris-London direction by S/Ldr Charles Maughan, commanding officer of No. 65 Sqn., Duxford, who received the £5,000 first prize on behalf of the R.A.F. Second fastest at 41 min 41 sec from London was Eric Rylands, who was awarded the second prize of £2,500, and the £1,500 third prize went to G/C. Norman Ryder, station commander at Duxford (42 min 6 sec from Paris). Each used the motor-cycle/helicopter/Hunter Two-Seater/helicopter/motorcycle sequence, with change-overs at the Thames (at Chelsea), Biggin Hill, Villacoublay and Issy.
A special prize of £1,000 awarded on the basis of journey time, originality, ingenuity and initiative went to the BEAline syndicate, a group of 11 men and two women from British European Airways who made the exceptionally good average time of 62 min 15 sec for a journey by special double-decker bus from Marble Arch to Paddington Station, special diesel train to Ruislip Gardens, cars to Northolt, Comet 4B to Le Bourget and taxis to the Arc de Triomphe.
Ten consolation prizes of £100 were awarded to "competitors who have emerged with high merit." These were Brian Neely, "remarkable ingenuity and practical example in demonstrating a high-level heliport on Hungerford Bridge"; W. E. Butlin, "initiative and a journey considerably speeded by a floating heliport on the Thames"; Capt. R. M. B. Walker, "personal dash, efficient organization and example with a river-bank helicopter platform"; Bill Aston, "initiative and practical demonstration of amphibian aircraft operation between the two cities"; Pierre Auerbach, "fastest user of personal transport with the light executive jet, a Morane Saulnier Paris"; Owen Dixson, "who drove his two-seat invalid carriage—a courageous and remarkably fast journey by a disabled competitor"; Jonathan Hutchinson, "ingenious example of personal transport—a folding motor scooter carried in a light plane"; Fergus Ferguson, "a determined and fast single- handed attempt"; Derek Mott, "students' initiative and ingenuity in building their own cars and aircraft"; and Madame Madelaine Rassam, "excellent time by an energetic airline traveller who made no special advance arrangements and found fast transport as she went along."
Among the other entries, several used the Air Charter and Silver City cross-Channel air ferries, in vehicles ranging from Lord Montagu's 1909 Humber to Freddie Laker's Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and a Heinkel bubble-car, and several used the combination of car, scooter or cycle and light aircraft. On the first day of the race the Amsterdam paper Algetneen Handekblad,having published a London edition carrying an exclusive report that Bleriot was a Russian, entered a team of four reporters who, wearing bowler hats and busily typing their stories, completed their journey through the streets of Paris on an open lorry.
Among the fixed-wing aircraft used were Spitfire two-seater, Piaggio P. 136, MS.760 Paris, Hunter T.7, Vautour, Jet Provost, Tiger Moth, Aiglet, Turbulent, Jodel D.I 17, Dove, Prentice, Proctor, Avro 19, Miles Student, Vampire and Viscount. Prior to the race, on July 2, Fairey Aviation Ltd. had announced that the Rotodyne would not take part because "it is essential that an unbroken flight development programme be completed between now and the end of August.
The shortest time for the journey from Marble Arch to the Arc de Triomphe (or vice versa) was 40 min 44 sec in the Paris-London direction by S/Ldr Charles Maughan, commanding officer of No. 65 Sqn., Duxford, who received the £5,000 first prize on behalf of the R.A.F. Second fastest at 41 min 41 sec from London was Eric Rylands, who was awarded the second prize of £2,500, and the £1,500 third prize went to G/C. Norman Ryder, station commander at Duxford (42 min 6 sec from Paris). Each used the motor-cycle/helicopter/Hunter Two-Seater/helicopter/motorcycle sequence, with change-overs at the Thames (at Chelsea), Biggin Hill, Villacoublay and Issy.
A special prize of £1,000 awarded on the basis of journey time, originality, ingenuity and initiative went to the BEAline syndicate, a group of 11 men and two women from British European Airways who made the exceptionally good average time of 62 min 15 sec for a journey by special double-decker bus from Marble Arch to Paddington Station, special diesel train to Ruislip Gardens, cars to Northolt, Comet 4B to Le Bourget and taxis to the Arc de Triomphe.
Ten consolation prizes of £100 were awarded to "competitors who have emerged with high merit." These were Brian Neely, "remarkable ingenuity and practical example in demonstrating a high-level heliport on Hungerford Bridge"; W. E. Butlin, "initiative and a journey considerably speeded by a floating heliport on the Thames"; Capt. R. M. B. Walker, "personal dash, efficient organization and example with a river-bank helicopter platform"; Bill Aston, "initiative and practical demonstration of amphibian aircraft operation between the two cities"; Pierre Auerbach, "fastest user of personal transport with the light executive jet, a Morane Saulnier Paris"; Owen Dixson, "who drove his two-seat invalid carriage—a courageous and remarkably fast journey by a disabled competitor"; Jonathan Hutchinson, "ingenious example of personal transport—a folding motor scooter carried in a light plane"; Fergus Ferguson, "a determined and fast single- handed attempt"; Derek Mott, "students' initiative and ingenuity in building their own cars and aircraft"; and Madame Madelaine Rassam, "excellent time by an energetic airline traveller who made no special advance arrangements and found fast transport as she went along."
Among the other entries, several used the Air Charter and Silver City cross-Channel air ferries, in vehicles ranging from Lord Montagu's 1909 Humber to Freddie Laker's Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and a Heinkel bubble-car, and several used the combination of car, scooter or cycle and light aircraft. On the first day of the race the Amsterdam paper Algetneen Handekblad,having published a London edition carrying an exclusive report that Bleriot was a Russian, entered a team of four reporters who, wearing bowler hats and busily typing their stories, completed their journey through the streets of Paris on an open lorry.
Among the fixed-wing aircraft used were Spitfire two-seater, Piaggio P. 136, MS.760 Paris, Hunter T.7, Vautour, Jet Provost, Tiger Moth, Aiglet, Turbulent, Jodel D.I 17, Dove, Prentice, Proctor, Avro 19, Miles Student, Vampire and Viscount. Prior to the race, on July 2, Fairey Aviation Ltd. had announced that the Rotodyne would not take part because "it is essential that an unbroken flight development programme be completed between now and the end of August.
Eric Rylands gets aboard smartly at Biggin Hill: his Hunter Two-Seater, provided by Hawker Siddeley, was powered by a 200-Series Avon. Mr. Rylands is chairman of Skyways Ltd
Bill Aston, chief production test pilot of Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), used this Piaggio P.I36 from the Thames at Barking to the Seine in Paris
Brian Neely used a special platform on Hungerford Bridge to alight from his Alouette II
Capt. Roderick Bamford Walker, 23rd Special Air Service Regiment, T.A., approaches his Saunders-Roe Skeeter on its floating platform on the Thames at Chelsea
A third type of helicopter technique, complete with frogmen, was used by Roy Lover of B.E.A., who flew by Comet 4B from Villacoublay to Biggin Hill, and Bell 47 J to the Thames at Westminster (51 min 19 sec)
British Pathé clip following George Eyles (Director of tests for the Institute of Advanced Motorists) who flies aboard G-APTE from Battersea
With special thanks to Jeremy Hughes whose photos were the inspiration for this piece.
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22 Sqn 'D' Flight. XP347 , XP350.
Many thanks Stacey and Oldlae for your stories and taking the time to post them.
My Dad was in 22 Squadron 'D' flight based at RAF Manston (October '62 -September '64)
They did Search and Rescue. Heres a picture of what i believe to be XP347 (There is an entry in his log book in April 7th '64 for Daily Mail pictures in 347 and I'm thinking these are the shots they took.)
I remember him telling me the story of a 'scramble' where the bell rang and off they ran, jumped in, helmets on and strapped in. After taking off and flying out to sea, my dad felt a 'rustle' in his helmet and had to flip it off. There was a rat inside that jumped out and ran about causing havoc in the back until they kicked it out! I remember as a kid, If he ever heard a bell (fire alarm, etc) he was always ready to run and scramble.
Heres a picture from his log book, the entry 26th May '64 in aircraft 347 reads Valiant "wheels up" in the details.
Heres another he flew quite regularly, XP350 - This happened on the 13th Febuary 1963.
I had a look into what became of this craft and found a few nice pictures of it. Here it is on display to the public at Flambards Theme Park, Helston, Cornwall (Thanks to Tristan for use of the photo)
Lost a bit of the sheen in this picture in its current resting place by M Lawson (thanks to him and Demobbed - Out of Service British Military Aircraft for permission to use)
Its been living since 2003 at the national Paintball fields, Bassetts pole. Thanks to Chris at NPF for letting me use these pictures of the old girl back in action and offering me a look around it under 'cease fire conditions', he tells me people have come as far as the Netherlands to see it.
Strangely I went to NPF as part of my 'stag do' in 2010 and saw the whirlwind there, but didn't go too close for fear of getting trapped in a corner of it and being shot to bits.
A nice little coinsidence none the less.
Ben
My Dad was in 22 Squadron 'D' flight based at RAF Manston (October '62 -September '64)
They did Search and Rescue. Heres a picture of what i believe to be XP347 (There is an entry in his log book in April 7th '64 for Daily Mail pictures in 347 and I'm thinking these are the shots they took.)
I remember him telling me the story of a 'scramble' where the bell rang and off they ran, jumped in, helmets on and strapped in. After taking off and flying out to sea, my dad felt a 'rustle' in his helmet and had to flip it off. There was a rat inside that jumped out and ran about causing havoc in the back until they kicked it out! I remember as a kid, If he ever heard a bell (fire alarm, etc) he was always ready to run and scramble.
Heres a picture from his log book, the entry 26th May '64 in aircraft 347 reads Valiant "wheels up" in the details.
Heres another he flew quite regularly, XP350 - This happened on the 13th Febuary 1963.
I had a look into what became of this craft and found a few nice pictures of it. Here it is on display to the public at Flambards Theme Park, Helston, Cornwall (Thanks to Tristan for use of the photo)
Lost a bit of the sheen in this picture in its current resting place by M Lawson (thanks to him and Demobbed - Out of Service British Military Aircraft for permission to use)
Its been living since 2003 at the national Paintball fields, Bassetts pole. Thanks to Chris at NPF for letting me use these pictures of the old girl back in action and offering me a look around it under 'cease fire conditions', he tells me people have come as far as the Netherlands to see it.
Strangely I went to NPF as part of my 'stag do' in 2010 and saw the whirlwind there, but didn't go too close for fear of getting trapped in a corner of it and being shot to bits.
A nice little coinsidence none the less.
Ben
Last edited by Wildboy; 21st Nov 2016 at 18:38.
It's a small world, I joined 22 Sqdn in April 1964 and ended up at Manston when I demobbed and joined Bristow March 1969. I worked on all the 22 Sqdn Whirlwinds as they rotated through St Mawgan for major maintenance and mods, I have mixed feelings about seeing XP350 again in such circumstances.
Thread Starter
Great images there Ben!
Is it true that your Dad picked-up the nickname "Golden Balls" after the pub landing!
I'm sure I'm not the first to say that your Dad bore a mild resemblance to the late Richard Harris.
Richard Harris; who was not entirely dissimilar in appearance to Wally Wilding
Is it true that your Dad picked-up the nickname "Golden Balls" after the pub landing!
I'm sure I'm not the first to say that your Dad bore a mild resemblance to the late Richard Harris.
Richard Harris; who was not entirely dissimilar in appearance to Wally Wilding
Thread Starter
Air Glaciers AS350B3 HB-ZCZ near Sion in Switzerland on 28th April 2012 (Photo: Philippe Rey)
Philippe Rey has kindly contributed the above photo to the Nostalgia Thread and which wonderfully compliments our 'At Odds' photo series.
While on the matter of Air Glaciers .. this great Lama shot also:
Air Glaciers SA315B Lama HB-XTO taken on 1st September 2007 (Photo: Zaki)
More "At Odds" images at the following links: AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4
Sav,
I raise you this...
Circa 1989 overhead Truro with yours truly driving the nag and Nigel "Bomber" Harris the only paramedic in Kernow who could map read backwards lying on his back.......... Legend
I raise you this...
Circa 1989 overhead Truro with yours truly driving the nag and Nigel "Bomber" Harris the only paramedic in Kernow who could map read backwards lying on his back.......... Legend
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Sav - Very funny, He did bear a mild resemblance. Great read by the way (London to Paris '59). Must take a good deal of research for a piece like that!Oldlae - I can imagine how you feel, as you worked on the Whirlwinds to keep them in fine fettle. The pictures of choppers broken up and rotting to the ground are very poignant. I think NPF seem pretty proud to own their one and I hope they keep it intact as long as possible.
great action pics Sav and Griffo.
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Essex
Age: 52
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Borneo
Dad was in Borneo September '64 - March '67.He was in 103 / 110 sqn doing medevac / casevac / searches /ops / etc. He flew over 700hrs, 600hrs as 1st Pilot and flew 30 different whirlwinds 10s during his tour.
Heres one of them in action XK968 dropping off or picking up in a clearing, this one looks quite spacious but I remember him saying that some of the LZs were just big enough to fit into and the rotors often trimmed the foliage.
Heres the same craft shot at RAF Manston March 1991, by 1997 it had been completely destroyed.
WHIRLWIND HAR10 XK968 by Gaz West, on Flickr
But here the same craft immortalized on a st Kitts 80c stamp. I was very pleased to find this on ebay and the seller kindly sent me a detailed picture when i queried the tail number.
Heres a couple of pictures from his log book of an unidentified Whirlwind aboard the Empire Kittiwake during the same era.
Lastly heres another picture from his Log book of the time i can only guess either bleach was involved or that he was flying VIP (there is some mention to VIP in the duty section on some days.)
Ben
Heres one of them in action XK968 dropping off or picking up in a clearing, this one looks quite spacious but I remember him saying that some of the LZs were just big enough to fit into and the rotors often trimmed the foliage.
Heres the same craft shot at RAF Manston March 1991, by 1997 it had been completely destroyed.
WHIRLWIND HAR10 XK968 by Gaz West, on Flickr
But here the same craft immortalized on a st Kitts 80c stamp. I was very pleased to find this on ebay and the seller kindly sent me a detailed picture when i queried the tail number.
Heres a couple of pictures from his log book of an unidentified Whirlwind aboard the Empire Kittiwake during the same era.
Lastly heres another picture from his Log book of the time i can only guess either bleach was involved or that he was flying VIP (there is some mention to VIP in the duty section on some days.)
Ben
Last edited by Wildboy; 21st Nov 2016 at 19:05.
Off Cape Wrath, 18 June 1987. Crew change, HMS Ark Royal.
And here are two for the Maestro...the sublime G-SUTT and the more prosaic but still great-fun and sweet to fly F28A, a much underrated helo.
And here are two for the Maestro...the sublime G-SUTT and the more prosaic but still great-fun and sweet to fly F28A, a much underrated helo.
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Kings Caple, Ross-on-Wye.orPiccots End. Hertfordshire
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Dear Old Shoreham
Sorry folks ... the moment I see dear old Shoreham Airport, I have to pipe up! Especially for an Enstrom. G-BBIN, Serial Number 157 I seem to recall was naturally nick-named 'Breadbin' locally. I supplied her when new to a client at Helston, Cornwall. That would have been circa 1973 ish. Looking in my files, I see I subsequently sold her no less than three times. My original pic of her was a standard 28A colour scheme in a sort of Orange/White.
Hughes (as she was then) G-SUTT went to Sutton windows after they traded in their first Enstrom 28A being serial 150 ... may have been G-BBHD. Funny how I can rmember CAA reggies after forty years but can't remember where I left my glasses yesterday! Good flying to all. Dennis Kenyon. President designate for the COF society. (a subsidiary to Pprune)
Hughes (as she was then) G-SUTT went to Sutton windows after they traded in their first Enstrom 28A being serial 150 ... may have been G-BBHD. Funny how I can rmember CAA reggies after forty years but can't remember where I left my glasses yesterday! Good flying to all. Dennis Kenyon. President designate for the COF society. (a subsidiary to Pprune)
Join Date: Mar 2002
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Shoreham
Oh ... and incidentally that Enstrom pic must have been taken after 1980 as in the background, the last steep roof house on the horizon up Mill Hill was the home I built in 1979! Take care all and thanks for putting up with this trivia. Dennis K.