|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 4, 2009 21:10:11 GMT 12
That'll teach me to be lazy and not check my own records! How about a couple of quick and nasty shots of the elephants graveyard at Woodbourne 1968/70  scan0213 by Neville Mines, on Flickr  |
|
|
|
Post by phil82 on Jul 5, 2009 10:20:12 GMT 12
RAF Tengah Javelins. Here they be, noisy fellas they were too! There were two Squadrons of Javelins: 60 and 64.  |
|
|
|
Post by phil82 on Jul 5, 2009 10:24:27 GMT 12
This was the 14 Sqn transport from Tengah to places like Gong Kedah, a Beverley courtesy of the RAF! Taken from the 14 Sqn line office  |
|
|
|
Post by phil82 on Jul 5, 2009 10:28:45 GMT 12
Also from Tengah:  |
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 5, 2009 13:43:08 GMT 12
While we are back at Tengah howabout this' Meteor NF 14 WS787 on gate guard uties. Reputedly made the last operational RAF Meteor flight  scan0011 by Neville Mines, on Flickr These were with 60 Sqn and were replaced by Javelins  scan0013 by Neville Mines, on Flickr and from the roof of Learoyd block here is a shot of a F 8 Meteor of the Target Facilities Flight at Changi  scan0014 by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 5, 2009 21:20:39 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 6, 2009 16:26:41 GMT 12
Staying on our exercise in Singapore we move from 60 Sqn to 20 (F) Squadron who were flying one of the nicest looking aircraft ever, I would even put it over the Spitfire. and I normally am not a fan of jets (except Canberras) So here are the Hunters F(GA) 9 of 20 Sqdn  scan0052 by Neville Mines, on Flickr  scan0053 by Neville Mines, on Flickr  scan0054 by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 8, 2009 10:03:39 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by skyhawkdon on Jul 8, 2009 12:52:54 GMT 12
I agree Shorty - the Hunter is one fine (sexy) looking jet. The Javelin on the other hand looks like something out of Thunderbirds! The fin is all out of proportion with the rest of the aircraft I reckon.
|
|
|
|
Post by tbf25o4 on Jul 8, 2009 13:37:01 GMT 12
I have several slides of the Javelins, single pins, and belvederes at Seletar in 1971 when they were taken over by the Singaporeans for "instructional airframes" Just missed out on photographing the last to TT meteors which were broken up at Changi same year. The story goes that The Poms got hacked off with the Singaporeans demanding they be handed over in a flying condition without payment, so they cut them up and then offered them to the locals!
There was also a Hunter F4 at seletar that had been assembled ex UK as a instructional airframe.
|
|
|
|
Post by FlyNavy on Jul 8, 2009 13:38:12 GMT 12
How can you say that Don? The Matchbox Javelin was my favourite ever metal model aeroplanes. ;D However agree the Hunter is probably close to the 'best ever' from that era (maybe even today?).
|
|
|
|
Post by obiwan27 on Jul 8, 2009 17:05:07 GMT 12
Yes, the Hawker Hunter was the premier of post-war Hawker product. Here's a nice vid of the late Mark Hanna talking us through his display of a Hunter at Duxford (I think!).
What an aeroplane, what a pilot!!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 12, 2009 10:13:32 GMT 12
|
|
|
|
Post by phil82 on Jul 12, 2009 13:11:15 GMT 12
Ahh, sweet nostalgia Shorty; the mighty Hunter FGA 9 of 20 Squadron.
I had a half-hour flight in the 20 Sqn T-bird once! Eat that!
It came about because I, as a Senior Fireman, was attached to the RAF of course, and worked their shifts. They also provide the occasional guy to attend the air-to-ground range up in Malaya at Asahan, and as no one else was keen to go and 14 were on some sort of standown, I volunteered. So they gave me a Landrover, and off I went to Asahan, which took most of the day. I found the two 20 Sqn Pilots running the Hunter 'shoot', both pilots, to be pretty reasonable guys, albeit somewhat mystified at having a sole Kiwi from 14 Sqn in their midst, but it all worked out in the end because I spent most of my time helping them out , as you do.
Come the time to go home, after a week or so, and these two characters approached me and asked if I could drive a three-ton Bedford, the one they had come all the way in! I said, yes, I can drive anything, and they then asked if they could take my Landrover back to Tengah as they had a social night to get to, and I would amble back with all their gear in the Bedford. I agreed, of course, but sensing an opportunity, I raised the topic of a right-hand seat in the Hunter? True to their word, about three weeks later I got a call from 20 asking how long would it take me to get over to there, and I think I did it in about four minutes flat.
The result was a half-hour in one of the classic fighters, and I had a smile on my dial which took weeks to wipe off. Mag-bloody-nificent!!
|
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 12, 2009 13:21:26 GMT 12
Nice one Phil, I too did a stint at Asahan and will post a few photos later. From memory there were about 6 of us Kiwis (14were using the range) and the rest were 20 Sqn types. In the meantime two more shots and then we might have a change while I sort the Asahan ones out   scan0078 by Neville Mines, on Flickr |
|
|
|
Post by phil82 on Jul 12, 2009 13:22:56 GMT 12
Those Javelins. When I was in ANZUK 1974-76 [as a RNZAF Flt Lt filling an RAF job because they didn't have anyone and it was "our" turn], I briefly lived at a former RAF Married Quarter in Hyde Park Gate, which backed onto the main runway at Seletar. In the corner of the airfield opposite the hangar side there were a pile of Javelins from 60 and 64, stacked about three deep!
The Javelin, incidentally was, strangely for a fighter, not fully aerobatic, in fact some moves were strictly forbidden. I could count at least four which were lost, although not due to aerobatics. One of those was a T-bird which tried to leap the Mossie ditch! No photos unfortunately!
I did read once of a USAF exchange puilot on a Javelin squadron in the UK who described the aircraft as "having the exact amount of thrust to overcome the drag".
|
|
|
|
Post by phil82 on Jul 12, 2009 13:31:29 GMT 12
One other tale from Seletar. When we Kiwis were living there it was a Singapore Armed Forces Base, and they had taken over the gate security from the RAF Police, and clearly wanted to show they could do it well! There was much saluting and showing of passes etc, but they gradually got to know myself and WO Jock Rowan, who lived in Edgeware Road.
We all had to have Seletar Passes of course, but I learned to my horror one day that my wife had lost hers, but was casually waving a Wellington Library Pass every time she drove in! They still saluted!
|
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 12, 2009 13:32:06 GMT 12
Slightly off the topic of aircraft but there was some mention a while ago about barrack fires at Woodbourne, well I came across some shots of when our block was burnt (deliberately!)  Some of the guys the only clothes they had were those on the clothes line  and this very dark photo shows what is meant by "smoke damage"  As a result we were moved into classrooms across at the brat school and lived there for the rest of the time. anyone want to hazard a guess at who that is in the white sweater? One person, at least,on the forum knows him VERY well! The guy nearest the camera is Robbie Poole  |
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Jul 12, 2009 14:27:03 GMT 12
Completly Off topic but may be of interest to all Blenhiemites. These two shots were what the town looked like when I first arrived there in 1968 as a TTS Trainee. Yes, that is the Echo tied up in the middle of town.   now back to aeroplanes |
|
|
|
Post by flyjoe180 on Jul 12, 2009 15:38:10 GMT 12
What is the Echo? Some sort of old barge? Very interesting photos, cheers. Pardon me for the interruption to aviation talk.
|
|
[/url]
