Britannia comes home
Britannia comes home
This Britannia survived it's post RAF life in Africa and came back to Kemble in 1997, I didn't work on the type but flew in it a couple of times as pax, known as the "whispering giant" in the RAF.
Re: Britannia comes home
Flewed in one of them things from Bahrain to Gan and then on to Changi, an awfully long time ago.
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.
Sent from my PDP11/05 running RSX-11D via an ASR33 (TTY)
Sent from my PDP11/05 running RSX-11D via an ASR33 (TTY)
Re: Britannia comes home
Me too, 1967. Rostered sup crew from Lyneham to Changi and back for 'route experience' as a young QFI. Great trip until we went tech on the way back on Gan for 5 days........
- ian16th
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Re: Britannia comes home
Every time I got on one of them, it took me to, or through Karachi!
Transport Command a/c that is.
Transport Command a/c that is.
Cynicism improves with age
Re: Britannia comes home
Did a few trips in Brits when I was at Brize. The back end had a nasty habit of corkscrewing and that, combined with the chemical smell of the dunnies down the back, was quite nauseating.
Re: Britannia comes home
Thought we had met before. Would have been Dec '66 - Jan '67 or thereabouts for me.
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.
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- ExSp33db1rd
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Re: Britannia comes home
?? maybe 'cos it had F... All to shout about ?..........known as the "whispering giant" in the RAF.
Thanks, fond memories of the Brit.
Info ? ... were the RAF Brits. original purchases, or hand-me-downs from BOAC ? Can't remember. If so any clue what the civil rego. of this one might have been, time to scrutinise the logbooks maybe ?
Re: Britannia comes home
Atcherley, Alison - I appear to have time-warped there! It was 1968.
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Re: Britannia comes home
Weren't they the last a/c off the production line?ExSp33db1rd wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 7:54 am?? maybe 'cos it had F... All to shout about ?..........known as the "whispering giant" in the RAF.
Thanks, fond memories of the Brit.
Info ? ... were the RAF Brits. original purchases, or hand-me-downs from BOAC ? Can't remember. If so any clue what the civil rego. of this one might have been, time to scrutinise the logbooks maybe ?
The RAF had to wait until all the civilian orders were filled.
Cynicism improves with age
Re: Britannia comes home
The aircraft in RAF service were built to Ministry of Supply Specification C176P and delivered new to the RAF, although one ex BOAC/British Eagle aircraft, a series 312, was operated and registered as XX367.
The aircraft at Kemble was XM496.
The aircraft at Kemble was XM496.
Re: Britannia comes home
The ex-airline Britannia XX367 was bought for A&AEE at Boscombe Down.
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Re: Britannia comes home
They also had the only Bristol Freighter in the RAF!
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Re: Britannia comes home
Flew on British Eagle Britannia trooping flights from LHR to Singapore's Paya Lebar and back twice, out 1965, back in 66 then the same in 67 and 68. Only once made it all the way without going u/s enroute.
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org
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Re: Britannia comes home
I think that was the lot we went to Cyprus with.CharlieOneSix wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 12:44 pmFlew on British Eagle Britannia trooping flights from LHR to Singapore's Paya Lebar and back twice, out 1965, back in 66 then the same in 67 and 68. Only once made it all the way without going u/s enroute.
It was SM's first ever flight.
Very quickly killed off all of the Hollywood generated images of the glamour of flying!
Cynicism improves with age
Re: Britannia comes home
Thought it was Changi back then. Still shared RAF station and international airport. The other two strips were at Tengah and Seletah, both RAF stations.CharlieOneSix wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 12:44 pmFlew on British Eagle Britannia trooping flights from LHR to Singapore's Paya Lebar and back twice, out 1965, back in 66 then the same in 67 and 68. Only once made it all the way without going u/s enroute.
Rev Mother Bene Gesserit.
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Sent from my PDP11/05 running RSX-11D via an ASR33 (TTY)
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Re: Britannia comes home
No, definitely Paya Lebar. At just 20 it was my first trip abroad so it made a lasting impression even with an 0500 arrival!
As well as the RAF strips we (RN) had one at RNAS Sembawang (HMS Simbang) just outside Nee Soon village. Used by FAA helicopter squadrons when disembarked from aircraft carriers. It still had shell and bullet holes in the hangars from the time of the Japanese invasion.
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org
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Re: Britannia comes home
From my logbook .... Sept 7 1959 Brit. 312 G -AOVM Nav.1 Rome-Khartoum - 6 hrs. / Khartoum -Entebbe - 3.28 / Entebbe-Nairobi 1.17..........although one ex BOAC/British Eagle aircraft, a series 312, was operated and registered as XX367..........and BOAC as G-AOVM. ( says Wiki. )
Total duty period 15.42.
Happy Days.
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Re: Britannia comes home
I was at Luqa on Exercise Sunspot with 214 Sqdn.ExSp33db1rd wrote: ↑Thu Nov 14, 2019 10:49 pmFrom my logbook .... Sept 7 1959 Brit. 312 G -AOVM Nav.1 Rome-Khartoum - 6 hrs. / Khartoum -Entebbe - 3.28 / Entebbe-Nairobi 1.17..........although one ex BOAC/British Eagle aircraft, a series 312, was operated and registered as XX367..........and BOAC as G-AOVM. ( says Wiki. )
Total duty period 15.42.
Happy Days.
A fun detachment that came to a dreadful catastrophic end.
Cynicism improves with age