By: pagen01
- 2nd September 2011 at 18:00Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Lovely Shackleton shots again CS, I've been trying to ID these but they seem as anonymous as they can get.
120, 201, and 206 Sqn MR.3s had red tip tanks, and 120 and 206 aircraft occasionally had Union Jacks applied where the fin flashes should be (see nearest A/C), personally I think with these combinations, the sqn code, roundel size/positioning, and lack of 'Royal Air Force' titles make these early 1960s and that these are likely to be 206 sqn St Mawgan Shacks.
New
By: Anonymous
- 2nd September 2011 at 18:58Permalink- Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
pagen 01
As these were my father's photos this ties them down to RAF Ballykelly.
He flew Shackeltons on 204 & 240 Sqdns from there. He was at RAF Ballykelly up to 1963 I think.
Hope this is of some help.
By: pagen01
- 2nd September 2011 at 20:59Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi CS, I'm away from sources but from memory 240 sqn had disbanded by 1959 and 204 never had Mk.3s, I think this is a case of your father running into the Cornish mob,
They could be Ballykelly 203 sqn MR.3s, but I don't know if they ever wore the Union Jack over the fin flash. 1963 seems the right date for the info I was working off in my previous post.
This is only a hunch and I could be wrong of course:)
New
By: Anonymous
- 2nd September 2011 at 21:29Permalink- Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
pagen01
You could well be right about 203. I found a couple of 203 flight suit patches among his bits. When I get his log books back from his brother all will be revealed.
By: nJayM
- 2nd September 2011 at 21:50Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Minneriya Airport - there's an honour - Minneriya landing strip
I found these photos among my late father's papers. There are some negatives as well and I will post them when I figure out how to scan them.
The first is my father landing a Hurricane at RAF Annan in 1943.
The second is an RAAF Dakota at Minneriya airport, Ceylon in 1952.
Regards,
CS
Hi CS
Thanks for posting.:)
Minneriya Airport - there's an honour - Minneriya landing strip more like it.
I have flown as a trainee CPL to and from it in an Auster on navigational exercises.
At night one had to over fly it a few times and if you were lucky a guy on an old Raleigh push bike would pedal away like mad and light the fires to mark the perimeters of the actual landing strip.
In reality we rarely attempted landing at night as near the airstrip is a huge natural water reservoir and it is frequented by wild elephants and often they would be on the landing strip.
An Auster against a Jumbo - no chance.
Current details are as follows -
"Minneriya
SLAF Minneriya no ICAO code, IATA-code MNH Military airport, not open for public use. Customs service not available Paved landing strip No officially published instrument approach procedure. 7500ft / 2290"
By: nJayM
- 2nd September 2011 at 21:57Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
These are at RCyAF Base Katunayake used for International Civilian Traffic
More, this time a Comet. I am pretty certain that these photos were taken in Ceylon. I don't know which airfield it is. The year would be Late 1951, 1952 or 1953.
Hi CS
Thanks for posting.
In the background is RCyAF Base Katunayake (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) used for International Civilian Traffic until a new Civilian airport terminal building was constructed on the other side of the runway.
Colombo airport at Ratmalana was outgrown when the jet airliners began service and could not be extended easily and all International services went to Katunayake.
The runway at Katunayake is still shared by both civilian and military aircraft.
New
By: Anonymous
- 4th September 2011 at 01:16Permalink- Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
nJayM
Thanks for the info. I shall update my photo captions as required.
By: pagen01
- 5th September 2011 at 19:03Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi CS,
I think we can safely say the pics are indeed of 203 Sqn.
Chris Ashworths' the Shackleton book mentions that "on the 23rd September (1959) No.203 squadron sent five Mk.3s to Norfolk, Virginia, for Fishplay IV." ..."The squadron returned home in mid-October and was replaced on the other side of the Atlantic by No.201."
This would explain the Union Jacks in place of the fin flashes.
If you haven't already done so check out our own Mo Botwoods' fantastic Shackleton site, it has a very detailed page on the Ballykelly Shackleton squadrons, info possibly pertinant to your pictures are in Para 4 (complete witha pic), about a third down the page here, http://www.avroshackleton.com/Ballykelly.html
Might be worth PMing Mo aswel.
It seems that in effect that 240 sqn disbanded on November 1st 1958 and reformed on the same day as 203 sqn with the same MR.1s.
Hope this helps
PS all this talk of Hurricanes, 240 sqn Shackletons, and Grapple has reminded me, I wonder if your father knew Cotteswold Tim?!
By: Anonymous
- 6th September 2011 at 11:26Permalink- Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
Typhoons
The first is a photo of a print and the artist is G.H. Davis(?) dated 1944.
The second is a photo of a print and the artist is C.E. Turner.
The third is a photo of MN304, photographer unknown. On the reverse is 'CH13344' which I assume is the negative serial number.
If anyboy can shed any light on who the artists are or any other details, I would be grateful.
How my father came by these items I have no idea except that he flew with 175 Sqdn. during the war.
CS
Attachments
New
By: Anonymous
- 14th September 2011 at 13:06Permalink- Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
Another print found!
No date and no idea where it was taken
Written on the reverse is 'Tiger Moth FIAB'
If anyone can add ony more info, I would be grateful
By: OneEighthBit
- 14th September 2011 at 14:59Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Glad I could help! :)
A quick dig indicates the Tiger Moth in question T5822 crashed into a hut when overshooting at RAF Booker 30th September 1948 and was delegated to an instructional airframe as 6611M.
By: Cranswick
- 15th September 2011 at 10:04Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Typhoons
The first is a photo of a print and the artist is G.H. Davis(?) dated 1944.
The second is a photo of a print and the artist is C.E. Turner.
The third is a photo of MN304, photographer unknown. On the reverse is 'CH13344' which I assume is the negative serial number.
If anyboy can shed any light on who the artists are or any other details, I would be grateful.
CS
The first print and possibly the second look like illustrations from The London Illustrated News or one of their spin-off publications. The first painting seems to be an illustration of Mortain or possibly the 'Falaise Gap'. It wouldn't score many points for accuracy!
The photo was 'British Official' now owned by the IWM. It was one of a series taken at Thorney Island just 2 days before D-Day. The aircraft is MN304, FJ-N of 164 Sqn.
Cranswick
New
By: Anonymous
- 13th November 2011 at 13:41Permalink- Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
More photos found. These Shackleton photos were in a container marked 'Norfolk'. So I don't know when they were taken or whether the aircraft were going to Norfolk, Virginia or returning to Ballykelly.
By: Ballykellybrat
- 14th November 2011 at 16:07Permalink- Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Many thanks for posting the photographs of Ballykelly. The Varsity is probably WF331, for some reason it was on 204's books & later on that of the Ballykelly Station Flight. My father was a pilot on 204 from 1957 to 1961 & has many entries for WF331 in 1959.
BK was by far the best posting (especially for a teenager) we ever had but for an aircraft nut it was heaven. Harpoons, Catalina, Neptune, Argus, Avenger, & Gannets (RNAS Eglinton was just down the road) were all common in the late 1950's, but guess who never had a camera.
As an aside the flat topped mountain that appears in several photographs is officially Binevengh but due to it being frequently shrouded in cloud was always known as Ben Twitch by the crews.
Kind regards,
Bill
New
By: Anonymous
- 14th November 2011 at 18:33Permalink- Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
Here are the last for the time being, till I find some more!
These were just marked 'Gibex'. No date or other info. So I am assuming that they were taken at Gibraltar.
Posts: 10,647
By: pagen01 - 2nd September 2011 at 18:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Lovely Shackleton shots again CS, I've been trying to ID these but they seem as anonymous as they can get.
120, 201, and 206 Sqn MR.3s had red tip tanks, and 120 and 206 aircraft occasionally had Union Jacks applied where the fin flashes should be (see nearest A/C), personally I think with these combinations, the sqn code, roundel size/positioning, and lack of 'Royal Air Force' titles make these early 1960s and that these are likely to be 206 sqn St Mawgan Shacks.
By: Anonymous - 2nd September 2011 at 18:58 Permalink - Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
pagen 01
As these were my father's photos this ties them down to RAF Ballykelly.
He flew Shackeltons on 204 & 240 Sqdns from there. He was at RAF Ballykelly up to 1963 I think.
Hope this is of some help.
Regards,
CS
Posts: 1,665
By: richw_82 - 2nd September 2011 at 20:34 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Gorgeous photos. Thanks for posting them!
Posts: 10,647
By: pagen01 - 2nd September 2011 at 20:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi CS, I'm away from sources but from memory 240 sqn had disbanded by 1959 and 204 never had Mk.3s, I think this is a case of your father running into the Cornish mob,
They could be Ballykelly 203 sqn MR.3s, but I don't know if they ever wore the Union Jack over the fin flash. 1963 seems the right date for the info I was working off in my previous post.
This is only a hunch and I could be wrong of course:)
By: Anonymous - 2nd September 2011 at 21:29 Permalink - Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
pagen01
You could well be right about 203. I found a couple of 203 flight suit patches among his bits. When I get his log books back from his brother all will be revealed.
Regards,
CS
Posts: 1,684
By: nJayM - 2nd September 2011 at 21:50 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Minneriya Airport - there's an honour - Minneriya landing strip
Hi CS
Thanks for posting.:)
Minneriya Airport - there's an honour - Minneriya landing strip more like it.
I have flown as a trainee CPL to and from it in an Auster on navigational exercises.
At night one had to over fly it a few times and if you were lucky a guy on an old Raleigh push bike would pedal away like mad and light the fires to mark the perimeters of the actual landing strip.
In reality we rarely attempted landing at night as near the airstrip is a huge natural water reservoir and it is frequented by wild elephants and often they would be on the landing strip.
An Auster against a Jumbo - no chance.
Current details are as follows -
"Minneriya
SLAF Minneriya no ICAO code, IATA-code MNH Military airport, not open for public use. Customs service not available Paved landing strip No officially published instrument approach procedure. 7500ft / 2290"
Posts: 1,684
By: nJayM - 2nd September 2011 at 21:57 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
These are at RCyAF Base Katunayake used for International Civilian Traffic
Hi CS
Thanks for posting.
In the background is RCyAF Base Katunayake (Ceylon now Sri Lanka) used for International Civilian Traffic until a new Civilian airport terminal building was constructed on the other side of the runway.
Colombo airport at Ratmalana was outgrown when the jet airliners began service and could not be extended easily and all International services went to Katunayake.
The runway at Katunayake is still shared by both civilian and military aircraft.
By: Anonymous - 4th September 2011 at 01:16 Permalink - Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
nJayM
Thanks for the info. I shall update my photo captions as required.
Regards,
CS
Posts: 10,647
By: pagen01 - 5th September 2011 at 19:03 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Hi CS,
I think we can safely say the pics are indeed of 203 Sqn.
Chris Ashworths' the Shackleton book mentions that "on the 23rd September (1959) No.203 squadron sent five Mk.3s to Norfolk, Virginia, for Fishplay IV." ..."The squadron returned home in mid-October and was replaced on the other side of the Atlantic by No.201."
This would explain the Union Jacks in place of the fin flashes.
If you haven't already done so check out our own Mo Botwoods' fantastic Shackleton site, it has a very detailed page on the Ballykelly Shackleton squadrons, info possibly pertinant to your pictures are in Para 4 (complete witha pic), about a third down the page here, http://www.avroshackleton.com/Ballykelly.html
Might be worth PMing Mo aswel.
It seems that in effect that 240 sqn disbanded on November 1st 1958 and reformed on the same day as 203 sqn with the same MR.1s.
Hope this helps
PS all this talk of Hurricanes, 240 sqn Shackletons, and Grapple has reminded me, I wonder if your father knew Cotteswold Tim?!
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=104922 & http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=106906
By: Anonymous - 6th September 2011 at 11:26 Permalink - Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
Typhoons
The first is a photo of a print and the artist is G.H. Davis(?) dated 1944.
The second is a photo of a print and the artist is C.E. Turner.
The third is a photo of MN304, photographer unknown. On the reverse is 'CH13344' which I assume is the negative serial number.
If anyboy can shed any light on who the artists are or any other details, I would be grateful.
How my father came by these items I have no idea except that he flew with 175 Sqdn. during the war.
CS
By: Anonymous - 14th September 2011 at 13:06 Permalink - Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
Another print found!
No date and no idea where it was taken
Written on the reverse is 'Tiger Moth FIAB'
If anyone can add ony more info, I would be grateful
CS
Posts: 729
By: OneEighthBit - 14th September 2011 at 13:11 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
"FIA" was the post/late-war(?) code for No.11 EFTS. They also had FIB, FIC and FID. B would of be the individual aircraft letter.
Can't tell you more than that I'm afraid.
By: Anonymous - 14th September 2011 at 13:42 Permalink - Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
OneEighthBit,
Jackpot!!
My father was posted to 11 EFTS in April 1946 after his tour with 175 sqdn.
Many thanks
Posts: 729
By: OneEighthBit - 14th September 2011 at 14:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Glad I could help! :)
A quick dig indicates the Tiger Moth in question T5822 crashed into a hut when overshooting at RAF Booker 30th September 1948 and was delegated to an instructional airframe as 6611M.
Posts: 189
By: Cranswick - 15th September 2011 at 10:04 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The first print and possibly the second look like illustrations from The London Illustrated News or one of their spin-off publications. The first painting seems to be an illustration of Mortain or possibly the 'Falaise Gap'. It wouldn't score many points for accuracy!
The photo was 'British Official' now owned by the IWM. It was one of a series taken at Thorney Island just 2 days before D-Day. The aircraft is MN304, FJ-N of 164 Sqn.
Cranswick
By: Anonymous - 13th November 2011 at 13:41 Permalink - Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
More photos found. These Shackleton photos were in a container marked 'Norfolk'. So I don't know when they were taken or whether the aircraft were going to Norfolk, Virginia or returning to Ballykelly.
Posts: 1,026
By: Banupa - 14th November 2011 at 09:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
That Shack formation must have been a sight to see. Imagine the noise too!
Posts: 400
By: SimonR - 14th November 2011 at 13:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
I'm really enjoying this thread - cheers for posting the pictures for us all to enjoy :-)
Yeah, it must have sounded am-A-zing ;-)
Posts: 77
By: Ballykellybrat - 14th November 2011 at 16:07 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Many thanks for posting the photographs of Ballykelly. The Varsity is probably WF331, for some reason it was on 204's books & later on that of the Ballykelly Station Flight. My father was a pilot on 204 from 1957 to 1961 & has many entries for WF331 in 1959.
BK was by far the best posting (especially for a teenager) we ever had but for an aircraft nut it was heaven. Harpoons, Catalina, Neptune, Argus, Avenger, & Gannets (RNAS Eglinton was just down the road) were all common in the late 1950's, but guess who never had a camera.
As an aside the flat topped mountain that appears in several photographs is officially Binevengh but due to it being frequently shrouded in cloud was always known as Ben Twitch by the crews.
Kind regards,
Bill
By: Anonymous - 14th November 2011 at 18:33 Permalink - Edited 30th November 2019 at 21:48
Here are the last for the time being, till I find some more!
These were just marked 'Gibex'. No date or other info. So I am assuming that they were taken at Gibraltar.