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THE HANDLEY PAGE HASTINGS RAF Transport Command Hastings aircraft were operated with a crew of 5 made up of Pilot (left hand seat), Co-pilot (right
hand seat), the Navigator sat to the rear of the pilot and sat behind the navigator, the Signaller (Radio Operator) and behind
the Co-pilot sat the Air/Flight Engineer. A further crew member the Air Quarter Master (AQM) when required had a work station
which was situated between the forward cabin bulkhead and the Radio/Electronics compartment, this housed a wash basin and
a tea making area. Opposite was situated a crew toilet and wardroom. In the cabin/fuselage was a spacious cylindrical area with little or no soundproofing made of quilted fabric, in flight
the noise was quite intolerable where a normal conversation could not be heard unless one raised their voice considerably.
This area was used for a multi-purpose role. Passengers (max 50) with rearward facing seats, freight or a mix of the two,
or for paratrooping (32 in number plus gear), the latter sat in spartan seats running parallel either side of the fuselage,
the para exit doors were offset to prevent parachutists colliding, but this was not always preventable. In the CASEVAC role
32 stretchers could be slung from the top of the fuselage in tiers of three and anchored to the plywood floor whilst the ‘walking
wounded’ could hold up to 28 seated. Nursing attendants would be fully trained in the care of the wounded and these
were manned by staff from the PMRAF hospital at RAF Wroughton, Wiltshire which was conveniently placed near to RAF Lyneham.
(I do know that the nursing staff were trained to evacuate the wounded in the event of a crash landing, this included practicing
survival techniques in the public swimming baths at nearby Swindon, thankfully they were never asked to undertake this task
in real life!). There were two paratroop doors either side of the fuselage plus a large freight door fitted to the port side, the Mark
C.4 Very Important Person (VIP) version, of which four were built did not have this door. There has often been a debate whether
the Hastings would have been better off with a nosewheel, as in the sister aircraft the HP Hermes rather than a tailwheel.
It is thought that the Army preferred a tailwheel configuration for ease of loading, try telling that to the guys that had
to load them! On many an occasion I was present (and sometimes used to lend a shoulder when required) when the Air Movements bods had
to rig up trestles and ramps from the ground to the freight door, with the incline of the interior somewhere between 25-30
degrees this movement had to be undertaken with a series of rollers and hand winches to haul the freight on board, then shackled
to the plywood floor. This operation could take longer than the turnround servicing. The weight had to be distributed exactly
with a Trimsheet i.e. the heaviest of the load had to be placed over the wing floor beam girders or forward to the cabin bulkhead,
with either passengers or lighter freight to the rear of the aircraft. http://www.air-movements.ex-raf.org.uk/ for more information. From my own experiences I have seen vehicles within, bofor guns, aircraft engines etc. The Mk. C.1 Hastings originally had 101 series Bristol Hercules Engines fitted whilst the Mk. C.2 had the 106 series. The
Mk.1 differed from the Mk.2 only in that the tail plane was situated higher up the fuselage and was small in area than the
C.2. Those mark C.1’s that were subsequently modified had increased fuel capacity by means of underslung wing tip tanks
and some had the tail plane configuration changed to a Mk.C2. These were redesignated Mk.C.1A. Specifications:Type: Long-range general-purpose transport Powerplant: Four 1,675 hp Bristol Hercules 106 14-cylinder radial piston engines Performance: Maximum speed: 348 mph at 22,200 ft Cruising speed: 302 mph Service ceiling: 26,500 ft Range with normal payload: 1,690 miles Weights: Empty: 48,427 lb Maximum take-off: 80,000 lb Dimensions: Span: 113 ft 0 in Length: 82 ft 8 in Height: 22 ft 6 in Wing area: 1,408.0 sq ft ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Many thanks to these contributors and sources of information The Royal Air Force, The RAF Museum Hendon, The Imperial War Museum (Duxford), The Royal New Zealand Air Force,
The Royal Australian Air Force, The Royal Canadian Air Force, The Meteoroligical Office, 24 Squadron Association, 36 Squadron
Association, 70 Squadron Association, The Handley Page Association, ‘Hastings & Hermes’ by Victor F Bingham,
The Air Force List, ‘To Fly No More’ & ‘The Last Take Off ’ both by Colin Cummings, The Air Historical
Branch, ‘RAF Lyneham’ by Wilf Pereira, Google Web Pages, Pete Flounders, Jim Duncan, John Fenton, Denis Williams,
Dave Bloomfield, Stewart Tucker, John Castle, Ron Tucker, Andy Mutch, Leon Smith, Alex Carrie, My Association with the HP Hastings Shortly after joining No.2189 (Calne) Squadron Air Training Corps I realised that this would give me a fantastic
opportunity to get some experience of flying, I lived with my father, mother, brother and sister in a married quarter at RAF
Lyneham, Wiltshire. My father asked if I would like a trip in a Hastings, he had flown to the Canal Zone, to Kenya where there
was a Mau Mau uprising and various other places and I thought I would like some of this action, well I wasn’t able to
fly out of the country but I was able to fly on these two hour continuation trips that Lyneham operated with their aircrews. At the age of 14 all I had to do was to get my father to sign an indemnity form for the RAF, wear my cadet
uniform and report to Air Traffic Control, the rest was basically climbing on board a Hastings and off into the deep blue
yonder. On the 24th of July 1953 I took the first of these trips in TG530, this first time was a cross country trip lasting
two hours, an amazing experience for a 14 year old. None of my school chums had done this as most modes of transport for RAF
families serving overseas was still by troopship. The people who lived around us were all service families some were Master Pilots (Warrant Officer rank) some
were signallers, navigators, flight engineers or AQM’s others were technical or other trades associated with the RAF.
My father was a Fitter IIE when he arrived at RAF Lyneham from RAF Upper Heyford in 1950, he went on a man management course
for 6 months at RAF Millom and was promoted to Warrant Officer i/c ASF (Aircraft Servicing Flight). Everything centred around
the Hastings aircraft, my back bedroom window faced parallel with a runway, so if the wind direction was right I saw a plethora
of aircraft coming and going. The number of the house I lived in was 14 Hastings Drive! I lived for a Hastings and very nearly
died in one, in fact my last flight in the RAF was in a Hastings on 14th November 1968 returning from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire
to RAF Wattisham, Suffolk. I flew in them by day and night, I very nearly clocked up 100 flying hours in them, at Watchfield we dropped
two underslung jeeps by parachute, I even took control of one in the left hand seat for 20 minutes. I recall the continuation
training, you take off do a circuit or two, make a final approach, touch and go again, often you would have to have the tyres
checked at the end of the runway by a rigger, he would check for cuts, bulges and wear, plus that the tyre pressures were
correct. All the time on the move on the ground you would hear the hiss of the pneumatic brakes biting on the brake discs,
the additional power surge from two of the engines to turn the kite back on the track. A blue and yellow electronic ‘Stop follow me Jeep’ (Land Rover) would pave the way for the pilot
to take the aircraft back to the runway or dispersal. The nose up attitude of a Hastings on the ground must really have been
at an elevation of 25 - 30 degrees, I realised this angle only too well at Duxford, Cambs some three years back. In those
days you were fit and young and nothing got in your way, but a dickey heart and a few old bones 50 years later takes its toll!
Learning about the Hobson RAE Injector almost ad nauseum and I still never fully understood it, but
Mrs Shillings orifice did brighten up proceedings a tad! The magneto drops and how to clear them was a different story especially
if you were not within earshot of any technical officer, both magneto switches off at the same time and then BANG! back on
again simultaneously, the panacea for all ills! Or the After Flight inspection where you found a broken exhaust stub or worst
still if you found one on a Before Flight inspection knowing one of your colleagues had missed it. The refuelling was best left to the other trades to do (yes we all mucked in like a team), the fuel cap covers
removed with a GS screwdriver if the Dzus fastener wire wasn’t broken or the screwdriver slot that no longer had a slot
had to prised up and co-erced round! The 100 octane AVGAS was delivered from bowser to aircraft tank, with a brass nozzle
and a click over lever for convenience whilst always earthing the nozzle to the wing by crocodile clip. Mainly these were
‘all up’ loads so you just informed whoever was doing the refuelling to ‘fill her up’ if the Flight
Engineer (Gingerbeer as we knew them) wanted a specific load then it was down to the engine bod to dip the tanks with a small
epee like dipstick which would inform you quite accurately the amount of fuel in each tank. This would always be followed
up with a fuel gauge check on the Engineers console just to make doubly sure the correct fuel load was applied. Once the brass
tank castellated screw caps were replaced and tightened it was time to replace the cover assuming you could get those overworn
Dzus fasteners to work. All complete, then was the time to sign the Aircraft Log the RAF Form 700, I wonder how many times
I put my signature to this form? If the outward appearance of the engine cowlings looked clean, ie not sooty but looked the colour of a hazelnut
then all was usually well, but to hear a spluttering engine did not bode well, oil leaks would have to be investigated, oil
scavenge filters dropped and checked for ‘foreign bodies’ and replaced or out would come the engine to be replaced
by another. Propellers were by and large OK, it was the spinner back plate that caused the problems, this also had large circular
holes in to assist in the cooling of the cylinders. the slightest crack then off would come the prop to replace the aluminium
spinner back plate and then replace the prop. But perhaps the worst job was to be on the wing either refuelling or rectifying a snag in the noon day sun
in the desert. No shelter, just searing heat, I recall the shade temperature in a Ghibley (sandstorm) at El Adem where the
temperature was 115F, the heat of the aluminium through your bondu boots was quite unbearable and then to be sandblasted at
the same time is all part of lifes’ quirks of fate! This subject can be discussed here http://RAFForum.activeboard.com/ Take a seat on a Hastings…….preferably
mine! Not really a lot to tell re
my Hastings flights, other than the fact it was a bit of a culture shock after flying civilian airlines from London to Hawaii.
There were only 3 of us, service personnel, flying out on the Thursday before Good Friday in 1958. London to
New York, change planes, then to Los Angeles with a re-fuelling stop in I remember this story - I was a signaller on 36 sqn Hastings from late 1965 to mid 1967. My first operational
flights were on a detachment to RAF Nicosia where I heard the tale - the story, at the time, went along the lines of a captain
telling his co-pilot that he'd 'show him how to fly low over the water '!! If I remember rightly, the inboard props were just
9" lower than the outboards ! Don't remember any names. Hello John, I was a member of the Royal Navy, and served in the Far East during the Early
60's, But the Story I would like to tell was a Hastings stationed at Lagos, Nigeria. I was a member of a Naval Party on Ascension
Island in 1962, we were flown off the Island by a Hastings to Lagos to catch a flight back to the UK. The pilot told us that
they headed for the nearest point of land which was Ghana (Gold Coast) and then flew down the coast to Lagos. I think he just
tried to wind us up a bit, when he said in case they have to ditch, we will be near land. Kind regards Ken UK Have read your page with interest, I recount my experience as a passenger on Hastings TG502 whilst on the
ground at Ottawa, Canada in the winter of 1966/7. Peter Kay I don't know what you might consider an 'interesting story' about that old work horse but in the 4 years
I worked on them they certainly clocked up some air miles doing a variety of jobs from troop transport....I was at Lyneham
during the Suez crisis and saw troop movements at that time,to CaseVac jobs airlifting sick and wounded, and I did a short
spell on Mobile Servicing Flight at Edinburgh Field, Adelaide, sending supplies up to Maralinga where they were testing the
H bomb. Another story of that time came
to mind about one of our bods towing one of the big jacks into the no 2 hangar. The doors were just open enough for the tractor
to get through but there was a Hastings parked just inside, it's tail towards the door. The problem was that we all knew the
David Brown tractor would fit under the elevators if you ducked your head, but he forgot the jack on the back which didn't.
It ended nearly up to the leading edge of the elevators and he got taken away in 'chains'. Anon ex Lyneham Seeing that you are a Hastings
buff I thought you might like a couple of stories re' them.These are from Lyneham in 1950/51. When tyre checking at night
one of our bods when checking the tail wheel heard a noise from up inside the tail wheel bay. This Hastings was doing night
flying and circuits and bumps which happened most nights. To check on this noise he climbed up into the tail wheel bay for
a quick look. As the a/c had back tracked on the runway it was ready for take off. The problem was that the pilot didn't wait
for the torch to be waved to tell him all tyres were OK. He opened up the engines and away he went with our man up in the
tail wheel bay. You may remember that at that time the tail wheel was fixed down due to u/c problems. This was lucky as he
stood with a foot on either side of the bay and held on tight. After twenty minutes or so the a/c landed and went back to
the caravan at the end of the runway. Our man did another tyre check, waved him off and went back into the van to rest. The
controller asked where he had been and then the S*** really hit the fan. The crew was grounded and a major investigation took
place as you can imagine. Number two story, one of our bods doing night tyre checking ran out and miss judged his distances.
He ran straight into the outer prop which didn't do him much good. The first thing the crew knew was when they checked outside
with an Aldis to see what was happening and saw him all over the perry track. Those wheel checks were always a bit dicey,
especially in the dark. There wasn't much room between you and the props. Anon ex Lyneham In my time we flew through Negombo
then a RAF transit base. The last trip I did in a Hastings was back to UK in 52. We got stuck at Maripur for a week for an
engine change. This was after two attempts to leave. Each try meant 1800 gls of fuel dumped to get back in. When at Lyneham
in 50 we lost a Hastings at El Adem near Benghazi. The inner engine fell half off after a prop blade went into the cabin.
This took out a crew member. The a/c power failed right on approach and it went in. One engine took out the crew but the 24
pax walked away due to rearward facing seats. Bob Ashley I have very fond memories of the
Hastings during my National Service as an Instrument Basher on Tech Wing RAF Topcliffe servicing nearly new Aircraft for the
Berlin Airlift. At Winthorpe Air Museum near Newark is an aircraft which I actually worked on, a real journey down memory
lane! Harlan Senior I was particularly interested to
see the account of the aircraft that hit the sea off Cyprus as I had been recalling this tale in a 'war story' session only
a couple of days ago. The incident must have happened around March or April 1966. The aircraft was TG575 ( a pig of a ship
that would not fly with tip tanks fitted) and the area was, I believe, off Dhekelia. I was one of the riggers sent from Nicosia
to recover 575 from Akrotiri (We had to sort out the undercarriage and do retractions because, after losing both inboard engines,
there was no hydraulic power available [pumps on 2 & 3 engines only] and the gear was blown down using the emergency pneumatics.
As I recall, both inboard engines sheared the reduction gear (not surprising!) and the 2 outers were overboosted to get enough
height to reach Akrotiri. There was much debate back at Nicosia (at least amongst we lower orders) as to whether the Captain
should be court martialled or given a Green Endorsement. In the end the powers that were decided to CM him and he got a fine
(£34-0-6 rings a bell) for damaging Hastings Aircraft TG575, the property of Her Majesty. About 20 flying hours later, TG575
landed at El Adem and, as you report elsewhere, the undercarriage collapsed. As an apocryphal tailpiece to this story, 575
was dragged off the runway at El Adem and dumped somewhere in sight of the transit aircraft dispersal. Some months later a
lady being repatriated to UK was boarding a Hastings for the flight to Cyprus when she spotted the remains of 575. "Isn't
that one of these" she asked one of the movers. "Yes" he said. "Then I'm not going" she said and promptly disembarked. The
remains of 575 were subsequently moved to a less conspicuous position! John Luxton In October 1956 I flew as a passenger
from Lyneham to Singapore in a Hastings. The flight took 5 days but was uneventful, although my eardrums never fully recovered
from sitting a few feet from No 3 engine all that time! Bob May I recall my flight home to the
UK in a Hastings aircraft that had departed RAF Changi and was attempting to land at Katunayake, the Hastings had a reserve
crew (slipping crew), the pilot made three attempts at landing, aborted the first two and when finally landing on the third
attempt, the (reserve) crew stood up and clapped and cheered! John Joyce I don’t remember how I found this site but as ex RN I travelled in a Hastings as a passenger
from Lyneham to Maralinga in 1958 it started in February, foggy, cold, hangar doors frozen, a fuel of some sort was splashed
around and lit, it worked so we set off to El Adem, noise was not a real problem as we were mostly engineroom staff and used
to it, ear defenders came a lot later, bit of a bumpy landing but the pilot managed to get the other wheel down in the end,
not sure if we stayed the night but next stop was Cyprus, RAF were living under canvas and it was raining we were expected
to join them, but we found the spare crew quarters were unoccupied so we moved in this proved to be unpopular with the senior
officer of the camp so I received an official bollicking and off we went to get over the Turkish mountains this was unsuccessful,
we iced up and couldn’t get sufficient height to get over so we had to come back, we kept a low profile and next day
had another go successfully, had another stop but can't remember the name then it was off to Karachi and a hotel . Boxed meals
still the same though boiled egg, chicken leg, bit of lettuce it didn't change. The whole trip to Maralinga took seven days,
coming back a year later started out the same, Hastings to Changi we developed an engine problem but struck lucky a Comet
was going to UK and was able to take us, so instead of days it was hours, I still like flying in propeller driven planes,
it was a real life times achievement for a Submariner. My regards Don Lawrence I have found my log book, but not the photos, (I'll keep looking) On the 19/7/61 in TG507 we were on our way up to Kimpo
in Korea. On the leg Kai Tak, to Kadena, we were out over the sea, clear blue sky. I had gone forward from the galley, just
aft of the rest area, to get the drinks order from the crew, Frank Chapman, the engine fitter, was making some soup. I was
stood between the pilots, when all of a sudden, I just seemed to hover for a second and then was thrown forward on to the
throttle quadrant knocking the throttles forward! both pilots, Ted Anderz and 'Ash' Hugget, grabbed me and threw me bodily
off, and I ended up on the floor almost back in the galley! Poor old Frank was covered in hot soup, and the Air Quartermaster,
Ken Gorham, who was in one of the lounges knocked his head on the cabin roof. Once I recovered, I went forward again, and
the Skipper, Ted Anderz, said we had hit a massive air pocket and last 800'! I had knocked the throttles forward to full power,
and the engines were screaming! The engineer, 'Hank' Hancock, thought he was seeing things when he saw the throttles shoot
forward for no apparent reason. the rest of the trip was uneventful. Pete Flounders My trip was from Lyneham to Changi in a Hastings in 1955 and took 5 days with overnight trips at Idris, Habbaniya,
Mauripur and Negombo. I remember that at Mauripur, the first item of issue was a bicycle, since vast distances existed between
the buildings. The story (but never authenticated to my knowledge) was that local contractors were employed by the Air Ministry
for the buildings and the intended site measurements in feet were mistakenly converted to yards-making it a good half mile
to the cookhouse! Gordon Miles I was at Gan 1966/67, and had the pleasure of a trip to Singapore and back in the dreaded hasty bird. I seem to recall
we flew at about 10000 feet and we were in an out the bottom of the clouds which meant it got rather bumpy at times. The only
place we could have a smoke was up forward in the galley Phil Barnes '1066' Squadron I do seem to remember that at least two of the aircraft had "Cod War" stickers (Yes,the fish) on them from doing maritime
patrols during the dispute with Iceland . My memories of the Hastings are mainly of flying with them as supernumerary crew , which to a 17 year old was brilliant
as I got paid extra (crew pay) for the honour. I remember one of the flights was to Stornoway to pick up Salmon for the officers mess and others , think that was classed
as a training flight (nav-ex). Another was to Marham where we did six flights for Air Cadets air experience flights, I think after going round in circles
all day I was a bit greener around the gills than the air cadets ! On a more personal note I served all my 4 1/2 years at Scampton with POL, BSA and FAPS sections of stores and 2 years
with 617 squadron. So if anyone drops and recognizes me from that time please ask them to get in touch. Seasons greetings and thanks John. Chris Barrow. From Roy Bristow Dear John; When we landed and I walked into transit there was a pleasent surprise when waiting there was an officer
pilot from my Squadron who had been repatriated some months earlier. We exchanged greetings and shook hands and then he looked
me over and said "Good God Bristow you look even worse than usual!" and then added after further thought "And what on earth
is that awful smell?" I hadn't the heart to even begin to tell him. Roy Bristow Finland More stories like this can be found here http://RAFForum.activeboard.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi, I was at Habbaniya from 1949-51, with No. 2 Armoured Car Squadron of the RAF Regiment, I was there when Persia [as
Iran was then called] had a coup de tate and an emergency came up and we were given a "crash" course in re-fuelling
Hastings in case the British had to leave the oil refineries in a hurry, this Flt Sgt put us on edge by giving us a demo:
of how easy it was to start a fire, he took aviation spirit and put it in a metal dust bin lid, took us way back and we had
to throw stones at it and when one hit it the spark caused an explosion that really put the wind up us [talk about dirty pants],
anyway before we had learned the art of earthing the bowzer everything calmed down and it past off peacefully. Those people
of the oil companies did not know how lucky they were they might been better off staying there, that was my story about Hastings,
when my tour was up I left Habbaniya as I arrived in an Avro Anson for Egypt and from there a converted York bomber for home,
and what a trip that was!!! So wishing you all well Ted [taffy] Bishop. Hastings and Hermes flights I undertook. Hastings as an ATC Cadet up to 1955 24071953 TG530 2.00 27071953 WJ343 6.00 29071953 TG530 2.00 06081953 WJ334 4.50 07081953 TG607 1.30 08081953 TG607 4.00 10081953 TG528 2.00 11081953 WJ330 4.00 01031954 WD477 4.00 24031954 TG512 2.15 04041955 WJ343 2.00 06041955 TG531 1.15 14041955 TG531 1.30 14041955 TG616 2.05 06071955 TG531 0.10 11071955 TG616 2.35 18071955 TG616 2.15 21071955 TG524 2.20 28071955 TG529 3.40 22081955 TG536 1.00 25081955 TG513 2.00 26081955 TG521 2.00 29081955 TG553 2.00 30081955 WJ337 2.00 01091955 WJ337 2.05 08091955 TG616 2.00 16121958 TG531 7.45 07051959 TG520 7.50 14051959 WJ336 7.40 21051959 TG525 4.05 04061959 TG536 2.55 01031960 TG579 3.40 13111968 TG536 0.40 14111968 TG505 0.40 25011958 G-ALDC 6.00 26011958 G-ALDC 4.05 02021958 G-ALDC 4.00 02021958 G-ALDC 5.45 03021958 G-ALDC 2.55 03021958 G-ALDC 3.25 03021958 G-ALDC 4.25 04021958 G-ALDC 4.30 Cross Country Flying from Lyneham Continuation + X Country Lyneham Map Reading Lyneham Local Flying Lyneham Continuation Flying Lyneham Ship Recce Lyneham Lyneham-Hawarden-Aston Down-Lyneham Local Flying Lyneham Lyneham-Colerne-Lyneham Cloud Flying/GCA’s Lyneham Map Reading Lyneham Jeep Dropping at Watchfield Lyneham Cross Country to Devon & Coast Lyneham Night Flying to Bristol Area Lyneham Hydraulics U/S on take off Ret/To Lyneham Took controls for 20 mins LH seat Circuits & Landings Lyneham Cross Country Flying Lyneham Cross Country & Circuits Lyneham Map Reading Lyneham Cross Country & Circuits Lyneham Local Flying & Circuits Lyneham Continuation Training Lyneham Local Flying Lyneham Cross Country Flying Lyneham X-Country & Cloud Flying Lyneham Changi to Katunayake, Ceylon 48 Sqn Katunayake to Changi 48 Sqn Changi to Katunayake 48 Sqn Katunayake to Gan, Maldives 48 Sqn Gan to Katunayake 48 Sqn Kat to Gan Ditched in Sea Gan 48 Sqn Wattisham to Binbrook BCBS Coningsby to Wattisham BCBS Blackbushe to Brindisi, Italy Airwork Brindisi to Ankara, Turkey Airwork Ankara to Basra, Iraq Airwork Basra to Karachi, Pakistan Airwork Karachi to New Delhi, India Airwork New Delhi to Calcutta, India Airwork Calcutta to Bangkok, Thailand Airwork Bangkok to Paya Lebar, Singapore Airwork By Michael A.Richards (2479346, LAC Richards, Air Wireless Mechanic, on completion of a two years engagement, in
the R.A.F. in July 1952) My stay at Lyneham was to last from mid September to mid November 1950 and I quickly became
very familiar with the terms HF and VHF and neutrons, electrons, cathodes and anodes etc. I soon got to learn also how heavy were the TR 1154/1155 HF sets as well as the TR 1143 and TR 1430 VHF sets! Experiences
of course all with Handley Page Hastings aircraft. Some of us used to revel in ‘circuit and bump’ test flights of Hastings aircraft
at night. I must have had about half dozen trips of this nature. Groups of about half a dozen at a time for each flight were
allowed to participate in the flights. We would all have to report to the stores to collect and sign for a parachute before
each flight. Returning them back the stores immediately flying for the night had ceased. I remember that never once were we ever given any formal training on how to fit and operate
a parachute! If anything drastic had have happened however, we all quickly developed a very good idea of how to operate them
by applying straightforward common sense despite always making best use of the parachutes as convenient seats during the flights! During the whole of my two years service as a National Serviceman in the R.A.F I only managed
to get home three times on leave, to see my folks back in Northampton. Particularly of course my Dad. These being a 36hour
Pass when at Wilmslow, a 48hour Pass from Lyneham and a seven days embarkation leave, also from Lyneham, during late October
and early November 1950. The seven days leave being very significant as an indicator that soon things were about to change
for me drastically. This all started to happen on November 12th when about forty plus or so of us, were instructed
to thoroughly pack our kit bags and be ready for a night in transit at Clyffe Pypard, that strange little place on top of
a hill, the following day, November 13th! Each one of us was a stranger to the next one with certainly in my case, not a familiar face
to seen anywhere in the group! I am sure that went for each and everyone us too. This was understandable as we were all obviously
from different trade backgrounds. Most were National Servicemen with only a few Regulars amongst us apparently. Then the real adventure began. We were to be ‘at the ready’, with our kit bags
packed, at 5.00am the next day November 14th, and to be ready for onward transit by air! The morning was dark, cold and very
misty when we all boarded an R.A.F. bus for the short trip to Lyneham Airfield. Not one of the forty or so airmen on the bus
had any idea where or were told where we were all going! Through the misty murk we could just make out the majestic silhouettes
of the Hastings aircraft as the slight traces of a dismal dawn was breaking. The bus stopped when it had reached Hastings registration number TG530. This was to be our
transport we quickly learned, to wherever we were going! Each one of us was orderly checked in to a rear facing seat on board Hastings TG530, and then
when all other loading operations had been completed, it was time to go. At precisely 7.45am on the morning of November 14th 1950, Hastings TG530 took off from Lyneham
in the autumn mist, with fifty-two service personnel on board, including the flightcrew. We were eagle-eyed young boys really setting out on a great adventure, completely oblivious
of our final destinations, and totally reliant on the flightcrew whom we all hoped did know where they were going! The next
few days would soon unfold and reveal their secrets to us all. After levelling out at 9500ft, we soon learned that we were on our way to Malta that was to
be our first stop. We landed at Luqa Airfield Malta, early in the afternoon, after the flight of this first leg, which had
taken six and quarter hours and the first thing that happened as soon as we were off the aircraft was for our Inoculation
Certificates to be very thoroughly checked. This was to be the pattern set for every leg of the journey from thereon. Our Inoculation
Certificates, next to our 1250’s, were like secondary Passports. After getting fixed up with a meal, a bed and blankets, several of us took the opportunity
of taking a look at Valetta, the capital city of Malta. A very dusty and dry place I remember at the time. A very early start was planned for the next day and we were soon to learn of the real business
plan and procedures of the flight. After a night of very little sleep at all, we were soon up again and back in the Hastings
for a 04.45hrs take off in the dark, for the next leg of the journey to Fayid in Egypt. We climbed to 7500ft and after about
half an hour into the flight, realised that some of our numbers had not re-boarded the Hastings to go to Fayid. It then dawned
on us that this would be the plan for each stop along the route of the flight. Those that did not re-board the Hastings, had
discovered their final destinations and of course their postings! Hastings TG530 droned onwards into the dawn and into a new day, which provided us with some
spectacular horizon colours. Flying into the dawn had been described to me as a particularly beautiful natural phenomenon
to witness and that description proved to be very true on that morning. It took the best part of four hours flying until we
touched down at Fayid, in the desert and the blazing heat, in the middle of the morning! We were scheduled to take off again
at 14.00hrs in the afternoon, but that was not to be. At Fayid engine problems had been reported to the ground crews that
caused a four hours delay in the intensive heat of the desert, while the engines were checked over. When we finally got round to re-boarding the Hastings again for the next leg to Habbanya in
Iraq, we again noticed that our numbers had been further reduced. I personally felt sorry for the chaps who did not get back into the Hastings. Snug back in
my seat on the aircraft, I was secretly rejoicing that I had not been posted to Fayid, which struck me as being an unfriendly
and even hostile place in the intolerable heat, in the desert and in the middle of nowhere! The nights dropped in fast at Fayid in November and it was in the dark again when we took
off at 18.15hrs for the calculated three and three quarter hours night flight to Habbanya. We eventually touched down at Habbanya
at 21.55hrs and spent the night in tents. Habbanya was another place I soon discovered that I was very glad to get away from,
with no ambition ever to go back, I declared to myself, if I could possibly avoid it! My most vivid and long lasting memory
of the place was the appalling breakfast we were served the next day in the camp cookhouse. We were served by a local native cook I presumed who spoke only poor broken English but to
his credit, smiled a lot which displayed a very gappy set of decaying teeth every time he smiled! My Dad used to refer to some Middle Eastern delicacies as ‘camel shit and tram tickets’
and that is the best description I can come up with for what ‘Mr Gappy Teeth’ had placed on our plates! Whatever
it was it was black/grey burnt and looked, smelled and tasted disgusting! The strange thing was that we all ate whatever it
was on our plates because there was no alternative, along with the equally disgusting brew provided that was supposed to be
black coffee. You can tell I felt really sorry again for the chaps that had been posted to this place and
considered myself very lucky to be amongst those of us left who were instructed to re-board the Hastings again for the next
leg of the journey! It was now Thursday November 16th 1950 and we were all set again, in our seats with our seat
belts on, ready for a 08.45hrs take off from Habbanya for Mauripur (Karachi) in Parkistan, the next leg. This leg was relatively
uneventful and it took the best part of seven hours, cruising at a flying speed of around 215mph at steady altitude of 9500ft,
when we eventually landed at Mauripur at 18.30hrs local time. We spent the night in tents and it was here that we were told to at last, to change into our
tropical kit due to the stifling heat we were beginning to experience. We had no further bad experiences here in the cookhouse
either, that I can remember. Our numbers reduced further here and when we re-boarded the Hastings on the next day for the
next leg, there were less than twenty of us left from the original forty or so that had originally started out from Lyneham
and I was still one of them! We took off from Mauripur at 07.50hrs on the Friday morning, for a long flight to Negombo
in Ceylon, as it was then, and it was on this leg that we received a warning of what was about to happen during the next few
days. The flight was only 150 miles out from Mauripur and cruising at our seemly favoured height
of 9500ft when the outboard engine on the port side, decided to stop suddenly! The engine was ‘feathered’ then
the captain completed a 180degree turn to put us on track for a return to Mauripur. After about fifteen minutes had passed
by flying on this track, the engine sprang back to life again as suddenly as it had stopped! The flight engineer had obviously
managed to restart the engine, which caused the captain to have a re-think. He promptly made another 180degree turn to put
us back on our original track for Negombo. Exciting stuff for all of us novice observers! With all four engines running seemingly sweetly again, we continued on course at around 220mph
and 9500ft, for a tiring and sweaty long flight, on to Negombo. We touched down at Negombo at 14.25hrs in the afternoon and when the doors of the Hastings
were opened after landing I thought I would die from the extreme heat and humidity that we were all suddenly confronted with!
Our Inoculation Certificates were promptly checked as usual and then we were driven to our quarters which turned out to be
a solidly built building, built of I know not what but not a tent, with beds for about twenty airmen. Each bed had it’s
own mosquito net which we were informed should always be in place when the bed was being used! Such was our exhausted condition that after attempting freshening up in the sparsely equipped
ablutions area, all we wanted to do was to try and cool down and recover by just laying on our beds dozing and drinking water.
Contemplating the next day’s flight, which we learned, was to be to Changi, Singapore, the Headquarters of the FEAF.
There were now only about twelve of us left from the original forty or so, who were trying to cool down and we were beginning
get to know each other! At least my eventual group of six did, and firm friendships were beginning to blossom between us in
this strange setting we found ourselves plunged into. As a very hot, humid, lazy and uncomfortable afternoon turned to dusk and eventual darkness
– and somebody put the lights on – all hell broke loose! We had suddenly been invaded by dozens and dozens of huge flying ‘shit’ beetles,
teaming in through the open windows of the billet and attracted by the sudden switching on of the lights! Seeing these creatures; was really believing I can assure anybody! Of course most of us had
forgotten about the mosquito nets and we had no option but to declare war on the ‘shit’ beetles! Strange creatures
in that their navigation systems were non-existent as they frequently bumped against the lights, into us, and every other
object that happened to appear in their paths! By good old fashioned swatting methods with anything we could lay our hands
on, between us we must have demolished well over two hundred of these most objectionable intruders! The ‘battle’
lasted about an hour and a half after which things began to settle back to some sort of normality. We were then faced with
clearing up the disgusting mess that the dead, very squashed and bloody beetle’s carcasses presented us with! It was
as if many very large blackberries had been deliberately thrown around at random and then systematically squashed underfoot!
We had a very disturbed night of attempted sleep due to the heat humidity and the ‘shit’
beetle encounter – but under our mosquito nets this time! We had learned our hard lesson fast! At the crack of dawn
we up again, and after a good breakfast, (we had no cookhouse problems at Negombo), we were all ready to re-board Hastings
TG530 for the final leg of the journey to Changi. Comfortably apprehensive in our seats with our seat belts firmly in place, the twelve of us
for Changi waited at the end of the runway for our take off clearance. TG530 slowly began to roll, gradually yet strangely and sluggishly trying to build up speed
for take off. What seemed to be about half way into the take off run, the captain abruptly cut all four engines and aborted
safely, the take off of the Hastings! Whilst taxying back to the dispersal point we were informed that a fault had developed with
the communications system. To my mind this could only be the TR1154/1155 HF equipment, and would have to be fixed before we
could proceed any further. The time was a little over 06.15hrs on Saturday morning of November 18th 1950 when we arrived back
at dispersal. About an hour or so went by while the wireless fault was being fixed and we were all ready
again for another attempt at take off soon after 07.50hrs. At 08.05hrs Hastings TG530 began another take off attempt which was considerably more exciting
than the first! This time we did accelerate quite quickly and normally, as it seemed, along the runway for take off. The acceleration
of the aircraft continued and only at the very last possible moment I am sure, the captain decided to abort again! I honestly
thought we were going to crash into the palm trees that surrounded the whole of Negombo airfield, but we didn’t! We were quickly informed this time while taxying to back to the dispersal again, that the
outboard engine on the port side was not developing sufficient power on take off, which would mean a possible 24hours delay!
This was the same engine that had given us our anxious moment 150 miles from Mauripur when
we had turned back on the previous day and it made me wonder about the validity of the reason given for our first aborted
take off? A 24hrs delay it turned out to be, which gave us an unexpected opportunity to get to know
Negombo a little better and more importantly, to begin to get acclimatised to the extreme hot and humid climate that we had
arrived at. It was in reality, an unexpected holiday and we were soon to discover a totally deserted and gloriously sandy
Negombo beach, with palm trees in abundance! It was akin to some of the best Hollywood film sequences. The only thing missing
being a total absence of any bathing beauties! With the standard of the cuisine and beverages in the cookhouse quite acceptable,
we began to feel contented with our lot. We all enjoyed our newly found recreational respite from the ‘shit’ beetles also,
for much to our surprise, they did not re-appear on the next night. We made maximum use of our mosquito nets though! The next morning Sunday November 19th we were all up again at dawn for breakfast and another
attempt at getting off the ground for our flight to Changi but alas this was still not be! We made yet another aborted take off attempt at 08.15hrs and were then promptly informed that
this time it would be a delay of at least 48hrs to accommodate an engine change which we immediately interpreted as more ‘bonus’
time at Negombo beach, for the dozen of us! We were temporarily ‘made’ with all this unexpected leisure time on
our hands and in such a beautiful place, all at the government’s expense! On Tuesday November 21st we were briefed that all engine repairs on Hastings TG530 were nearing
completion and that we should prepare ourselves for another attempt at take off in the morning, for Changi, departure time
planned for 06.00hrs. After a good night’s sleep under our mosquito nets again, we were really beginning ‘to
get to know the ropes’, and still no more take over attempts by the ‘shit’ beetles, we were up yet again
at the crack of dawn for breakfast anticipating another attempt at take off! This time things were about to turn out relatively,
as they were planned. After breakfast the twelve of us remaining, of the original forty plus that started out from
Lyneham, were transported out to the waiting Hastings TG530 in the station bus. It was Wednesday November 22nd 1950, nine days from our departure from Lyneham on November
14th the previous Tuesday. We climbed aboard the Hastings once again and settled down in our seats, seat belts on and
taxied to the end of the runway ready for take off. The time was 06.12hrs. The captain released the brakes and TG530 began once more to steadily build up speed on full
throttles with all four engines roaring away angrily. This time we did at long last, achieve a good take off but I swear that
we only missed the palm trees again by inches! We climbed steadily, levelled off at 9000ft and set course at a cruising speed of around 220mph,
for Changi Singapore at last. The flight plan we were informed told us that the flight would take seven hours and ten minutes
of flying time to touch down at Changi. So we all settled down to enjoy the flight and although another long and weary flight
it turned out be, we did have another taste of unexpected excitement before we landed again! After about three hours into
the flight we ran into some very bad weather conditions, which in turn led to some very alarming turbulence! Our captain,
I never did get to know his name, being the clever man that he was and we had all come regard him very highly, made the wise
move of starting to climb to get above the severe tropical storm that we had quite suddenly run into! We were immediately
instructed to put on our oxygen masks for the first time on any of the legs, which we were very happy to do as we finally
levelled out at an altitude of 14,500ft. Looking down, it was very easy to see that we were flying over extremely black and
angry looking mountainous ranges of huge nimbus cloud build up. It took about a thirty minutes to clear the bad weather zone, which enabled us to descend
back down to 9500ft. With the oxygen masks dispensed with, we resumed our steady cruise of 225mph, all the way to a position
95miles north west of Singapore, where we began our ‘let down’ into Changi, tracking over Seletar on the way down.
We touched down at Changi at precisely 15.28hrs local time, the final destination of Hastings TG530 on that particular operation,
originally started out from Lyneham. I made a note in a log I had been keeping of the whole journey, that the landing ‘was
rather bouncy’! The whole operation had been planned to take five days to complete. It had taken nine! To cut the story short here, the last twelve of us that had gone ‘ all the way’,
found ourselves posted to the Far East Air Force, but this was not the end of the line for six of us, we were soon to discover.
National Servicemen Alder, Dixon, Holder and Richards - and Regulars Buist (a mad Scotsman when drunk (!), we were later to
discover), and Bill? something or other, found ourselves still in transit and waiting for a posting would you believe! This of course suited all of us for, with the experiences of Negombo beach still
fresh in our minds, we were handed the gift of another unexpected holiday, this time for a full two weeks of it, and again
at the government’s expense, exploring the beaches around Singapore! All this came to end when news of our postings finally came through. We discovered at long last, and much to our delight and spirit of adventure, that all of us
had been posted to R.A.F Station Kai Tak at Hong Kong, and soon to be boarding an R.A.F.Dakota aircraft that was to get us
there, just before Christmas 1950. That’s another story though that will have to wait to be told on another day –
possibly? HP Hastings Timeline 1946 TE580 Prototype Hastings first flew on May 23rd from RAF Wittering after being transported from the Handley Page Radlett,
Hertfordshire factory by road under police escort. TE583 was the second prototype which first flew on 30th December, this Hastings was fitted with two outer Sapphire jet
turbine engines for the new HP Victor engine test bed and must have been a sight to see! 1947 TE583 2nd Prototype first flew. TG499 this was the first production Hastings aircraft and made its maiden flight on 25th April. 1948 On 11th March TG503 left the UK for a proving flight to Australia and New Zealand, this tour lasted 17 weeks and as a result
the New Zealand Government placed an order for four C3 Hastings powered with Bristol 737 Hercules engines (More powerful than
the 101 or 106 series). The Berlin Airlift (26th June 1948-12th May 1949) can only be regarded as ‘one hell of a baptism’ for a new
RAF Transport/Freighter aircraft, no sooner was the Hastings introduced into service when the Soviets had blockaded Berlin
and the only way through from the West was via Air Corridors. The HP Hastings aircrews only had a few flying hours each to
their credit, the ground crews likewise regarding maintenance, yet over 1300 tons of food were flown daily into Berlin by
the RAF, to put this into perspective that is 65 X 20 foot shipping containers fitted onto flatbed lorries you may see on
the road everyday in Britain. The flights (24 Hastings were used at the height of the crisis, 7 of them in 1948) were incessant,
I know this from my own experience as I was 11 years of age at the time when my father was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford,
Oxfordshire, this airfield was flying Avro York aircraft 24/7. The Hastings task was to take coal and other fuel into Berlin some direct from Yorkshire airfields and some from forward
positions in Western Germany, I cannot imagine the dust and mess that was created to a brand new aircraft such as this. The
Berliners still remember this arduous task today and to show everyone’s appreciation of the work that the Hastings and
its crews contributed to that effort TG503 now sits in a Berlin museum in honour of that achievement. Hastings Squadrons involved in the Berlin Air Lift were 53, 99, 297 and 511 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TG519 undershot the runway on approach to RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire on 2nd October where the undercarriage was torn off,
this was the first accident to occur to a production Hastings whilst approaching the runway on a practice 3 engine landing.
On 47 Squadrons inventory. 1949 By the end of January 14 Hastings aircraft were employed in the Berlin Airlift followed by a further 10 in July. TG522 crashed on the 4th April at Tegel airport during the Berlin airlift. TG534 caught fire on engine start up on the ground at Schleswigland, the fire spread and the aircraft was burnt out on
6th April during the Berlin Airlift on forward detachment from RAF Dishforth. TG510 made a ‘wheels up’ landing on the 19th May during the Berlin Airlift but was subsequently repaired to
fly again. TG611 this was the RAF’s last crash during the Berlin Airlift and occurred on take off from Tegel Airport (French
Sector) on 16th July, it is thought there may have been incorrect tail trim on take off (or, I have heard an engine failure)
resulting in the deaths of five RAF personnel. No. 53 Squadron joined the Berlin Airlift from August 1949 and 297 Squadron from September 1949. During this winter in the Berlin Airlift, Hastings were tasked with flying in salt in canisters underslung the belly, this
was when the Short Sunderland flying boats couldn’t land on the nearby frozen lakes. TG499 had an underslung belly Paratechnicon, this became detached from the aircraft on 26th September hitting the tailplane
resulting in the aircraft crashing at Beacon Hill, Wiltshire. There were no survivors. 1950 TG583 Crashed on landing approach at RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire on 31st July belonged to 241 OCU and caught fire and destroyed. TG574 Crashed at Benina, Libya on the 20th December (See Bangs & Prangs) 53 Squadron, the propeller
flew off 5 killed/27 passengers and AQM survived. 1951 All the Mk. C.2 Hastings were complete and off the production line from January through to October. WD478 crashed at Strubby/Manby on take off on 19th March, the Hastings was seen to lift off, stall and dived into the ground,
sadly 3 died whilst 5 others survived, this aircraft had only been off the production line 6 days earlier. No accident record
exists. TG552 crashed and caught fire at RAF Negombo, Ceylon on 12th April there are photos of this accident ( the story from the
onboard Navigator and also an eye witness is shown on Bangs and Prangs. Again there is no accident report on file on this
crash and knowing the story I can understand why! TG536 made an emergency landing at RAF Luqa, Malta on 3rd December, the aircraft undercarriage and underside was repaired. The Abadan crisis of 1951 saw HP Hastings being deployed to forward units in the Middle East to protect ‘British
oil interests’, for it was at this time that Persian interests were to nationalise the oilfields of Abadan in May. I
overflew these oil fields when en route from Basra to Karachi in 1958, as far as the eye could see there were literally thousands
of these cylindrical oil/petroleum tanks, such was the independence to Britain and the West and of course to the financial
institutions. My father (then), Flight Sergeant Joe Cooper, went with this forward support unit and operated out of RAF Fayid
Canal Zone, Egypt for several months. There is a photograph of 21 of these aircraft somewhere about at RAF Fayid. 1952 TG562 crashed on take-off at RAF Topcliffe, Yorkshire on the 14th March, this was on the inventory of 242 OCU, again no
accident record exists. Hastings aircraft were used in taking supplies to Kimpo, Seoul, South Korea during the Korean War TG603 crashed at RAF Luqa 16.06.1952 Elevator??? 99 Squadron No survivors, elevator bolts sheared?? 16/06/1952 TG603 NO ACCIDENT RECORD CARD EXISTS. I have since received information that this aircraft was 'Blown Off the
Runway' at RAF Luqa, Malta and that there were no survivors (other reportssay ‘no injuries’, I understand that
Elevator Bolts could have sheared off. WD492 crashed on Greenland Ice Cap at North Ice Camp on the 16th September whilst on a supply drop, aircraft is still in
situ but now buried under a sheet of ice and snow. Aircraft belonged to 47 Squadron read about it here http://www.air-despatch.co.uk/open/frozen/frozen.htm 1953 TG602 Crashed near Shallufa, Egypt on the 12th January the elevator flew off, dived into ground, 9 killed
ex RAF Abingdon aircraft. WJ335 stalled and crashed on take-off at Abingdon on the 22nd June. 6 died. TG613 ditched in the Mediterranean Sea on 22.07.1953 TG564 on fire at http://image10.webshots.com/11/2/0/88/178720088OrAGUI_ph.jpg This aircraft crashed on landing and caught
fire at RAF Kai Tak, Hong Kong on the 27th July, 564 was on the strength of 53 Squadron at the time of the crash when it hit
a hut, sadly one person on the ground was killed in this incident. NZ5804 Took part in 1953 London-Christchurch Air Race in October 1953 flown by Wing Commander R F Watson. The RNZAF Hastings
withdrew after engine failure and emergency landing at RAF Negombo, Ceylon, a new engine was flown out to Negombo from New
Zealand, and 5804 returned to NZ on 20th October. Hastings were still involved in the supply and Casevac of servicemen to and from South Korea several of whom were UN soldiers
from Turkey and Britain. Hastings aircraft were involved in supply drops to the East Coast and the South East of England during exceptionally high
tides which resulted in many deaths. HP Hastings flew soldiers and equipment into Kenya during the Mau Mau crisis, as a 14 year old living and schooling at
Lyneham my father (then i/c Aircraft Servicing Flight) flew to Kenya in a Hastings whilst the unrest continued ensuring the
servicing was as it should be at its home base. TG559 crashed at RAF Abingdon on 9th October, visibility and poor weather to blame. 24 Squadron aircraft. Read the abduction of King Freddie of Buganda in a Hastings to the UK http://members.lycos.co.uk/jadastra/king.html 1954 Communist incursion in Malaya during operation Firedog this operation lasted until 1960 and the Hastings main base,
especially from 1957 involved HP Hastings of 48 Squadron, RAF Changi. Other secondments from the UK supplemented this operation.
1955 13/09/1955 TG584 Overshot runway at Dishforth, crashed 5 died. WD484 crashed on take-off at Boscombe Down on the 29th March. Elevator locks in, 2 died WJ341 crashed at Abingdon and groundlooped on 26th July NZ5804 Crashed on landing at RAAF Darwin on 09 September when multiple bird strikes caused power to be lost in 3 engines.
All 25 on board survived the accident but aircraft was written off. (Source RNZAF website) 1956 Archbishop Makarios was deported by a Hastings of 70 Squadron from Cyprus to Mombasa in Kenya WD483 crashed on landing at Ataq on the 9th April, Peter King has asked me to post this: Suez Crisis, many Hastings aircraft were moved forward from the UK Bases to Cyprus to deploy paratroops and equipment to
the Suez Canal area under Operation Musketeer this was a huge deployment of aircraft, personnel and equipment. Transport
aircraft used RAF Tymbou where 14 Hastings from 70, 99, & 511 Squadrons were used. These aircraft had the traditional
black and white invasion marking painted on the wings and around the fuselage area. 1957 All of the Hastings aircraft moved from RAF Lyneham to nearby RAF Colerne with 24 and 511 Squadrons. TG615 photo of crash site at http://image18.webshots.com/18/9/14/84/202691484jQXNFx_ph.jpg Crashed at Bannerdown Hill near Colerne on the 21st October Two Hastings, WD476 & WJ333 of 24 Squadron left RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire to fly the Westabout (via the USA) route to
Christmas Island in support of Operation Grapple 1958 On September 1st 511 Squadron at RAF Colerne became 36 Squadron 1959 TG522 crashed at Khartoum on 29th May where # 1 & 2 engines cut on take-off, 5 crew members from 36 Squadron died as
a result of this crash, but the Air Quarter Master and 25 passengers survived. I have an eye witness version of events which
differs from the accident report. 114 Squadron was moved to RAF Colerne and reformed on May 5th. Hastings Mk T5 were introduced to RAF Lindholme as part of Bomber Command Bombing School (BCBS) Handley Page Hastings TG580 C.1A of 48 Squadron RAF Changi crashed whilst landing at RAF Gan, Maldives on 3rd July 1959
all on board survived, the aircraft was Damaged Beyond Repair. A total of 10 Hastings aircraft were bought for scrap by R J Coley limited after the RAF had taken delivery of Bristol
Britannias. 1960 Handley Page Hastings TG579 C.1 of 48 Squadron RAF Changi landed in the sea 1.5nm east of RAF Gan on March 1st. All on
board survived, the aircraft stayed afloat for twenty minutes before sinking into deep water. On March 23rd TG517 (now at Newark Air Museum) was the first of 10 Hastings ex RAF Aldergrove these were weather aircraft
to be converted to T5 status and delivered to BCBS RAF Lindholme. Airwork Services of Hurn undertook the conversion at its
airfield at Blackbushe. In July of this year 24 and 36 Squadrons were sent from RAF Colerne to assist the UN Force in the Belgian Congo by ferrying
personnel and equipment via forward bases in Accra, Ghana, moving Nigerian and Ghanaian peacekeepers. 1961 WJ342 Crashed/engine failure on take off RAF Eastleigh 23rd January. Photo at http://image05.webshots.com/5/3/35/86/66333586lJvzha_ph.jpg WD497 crashed at RAF Seletar, Singapore on 29th May No. 2 engine cut on supply drop at Seletar, 13 died. Aircraft from
nearby 48 Squadron RAF Changi WD498 check out http://www.flightlinemalta.com/rafhastingscrash.htm Stalled on take-off
AQM and 16 others killed, 18 survived, crashed at El Adem, Libya on 10th October TG624 the Meteorological Hastings crashed and was written off (Cat.5) at RAF Aldergrove on take-off on the 27th December. Again this year HP Hastings were called forward to Kenya, this time on a mercy mission where soil degradation followed
by floods, followed by drought left many Kenyans in a famine situation. 48 Squadron at RAF Changi was also involved in the movement of personnel and supplies to Kuching, Labuan and Brunei as
Indonesia was opposed to the make up of the expansion of Malaysia. This was indeed a busy year for Transport Command and its Hastings and crews from 24 and 36 Squadrons moved at Christmas
to Lagos, Nigeria continuing the transportation of African troops to the Belgian Congo in support of UN peacekeeping duties.
Hastings were also moved to supply drop medicines and other supplies to counter the stomach bug that was killing children
on the Fanning Islands in the Pacific whilst other Hastings were transporting troops and supplies to the Caribbean Islands. 1962 TG508 There occurred a revolt in Brunei which spread to Borneo and continued through to 1966 this sucked Indonesia into the conflict.
HP Hastings from No 48 Squadron RAF Changi were used in troop & freight carrying. NZ5803 was the first RNZAF aircraft to fly around the world after delivering a replacement engine to a stranded 40 Squadron
DC6. Aircraft arrived back at Whenuapai on the 14th September after flying 25,000 miles in 120 flying hours in the previous
3 weeks and circling the globe east-west. TG566 Ex Met.1 202 Squadron crashed on take-off at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland on 19th September. 1963 17th January Air Chief Sir Walter Marton presented the Queens Colours to 48 Squadron at RAF Changi. TG610 struck The Radio Servicing Flight building on landing, taking the life of a Chief Technician at RAF Thorney Island
17th December 1964 202 Squadron Meteoroligical Hastings was disbanded on 31st July. 1965 On 6th July TG577 of 36 Squadron crashed shortly after take off from RAF Abingdon near the village of Little Balden, Oxfordshire
with the loss of all on board, 41 crew and parachutists. Elevator bolt failure was to blame for what was at that time the
RAF’s worst peacetime accident. A total of four Hastings were detached to Nassau, Bermuda to support Belize from incursions from nearby Guatemala. 1966 On 4th May TG575 crashed on landing at RAF El Adem, Libya, this aircraft from 70 Squadron RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. Photo at
http://image14.webshots.com/15/9/73/94/163897394pXdKMp_ph.jpg Alternative reading at http://www.air-despatch.co.uk/open/hastings575/575.htm 1967 WD491 crashed at West Raynham nose down where one version states that wrong weight distribution was to blame but a more
likely version of events was that one of the wheel brakes seized causing 491 to slew off the runway on 9th September https://splashdown2.tripod.com/id11.html 1968 All Hastings were withdrawn from general passenger/trooping/freight service by January 5th 1968, this was not the end of
the Hastings in service though as I flew to RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire in SCBS TG536 on 13th November and returned to RAF
Wattisham, Suffolk from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire on TG505 the following day. It has been recorded that after 05/05/1968
there were still officially 44 aircraft in service with specialist units. 1969 1970 1971 1972 1066 Squadron moved from RAF Lindholme to RAF Scampton continuing the training of Navigators for use in Strike Command.
They were also used frequently to move personnel and stores around Strike Command bases, I in fact had to undertake two journeys
in 1968 TG536/TG505 on TACEVAL exercises. 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 TG517 was flown to the Newark Air Museum at Winthorpe on 22nd June by Squadron Leader Jackson. TG511 was flown to the RAF Museum at RAF Cosford on 16th August by the Squadron Commander of ‘1066 Squadron’
Squadron Leader ‘Jacko’ Jackson AFC MBE. This Hastings is only one of four complete airframes in existence of
this breed. TG505 was flown to RAF St Athan in 1977 for its last flight 1997 TG503 ‘airborne’ underslung a MIL MI-26 in September to be taken to the Berlin Aviation Museum at Alliierton. There are likely to be a few mistakes on the dates here, they are as accurate as I can gather at this point in time, if
you know of an obvious error please let me know. Squadrons associated with HP Hastings 24 Squadron Motto In omnia parati = 'Prepared for all things' Battle honours standard presented by AM Sir Charles E N Guest on 4th March 1954. Badge is of a black cock in a fighting mode. TG528 at IWM Duxford is an example. I can’t be sure of the 24 in a diamond but I recollect black being the background colour
on the fin. The month of November 1950 saw 24 Squadron move to Lyneham in Wiltshire but with station moves
to Topcliffe (1951) and Abingdon (1953) with HP Hastings until 1967 when it was replaced with Hercules in 1968 . A Hastings Mk C4 VIP flight was also stationed at Colerne from 1958 For a list of personnel serving on 24 Squadron click below http://www.24sqnassociation.royalairforce.net/members.htm One of these was John Cheshire a pilot on 24 Squadron flying Hastings in the mid 1960’s,
now Air Chief Marshal Sir John Cheshire KBE CB Through 1958-60 I worked on these following Hastings at RAF Katunayake WD476/WD484/WD486/WD489/WD494/WD495/WD499/WJ332/WJ339/WJ342*/TG553/TG556/TG576/ TG582/TG606/TG607.These serials were not necessarily on 24 Squadrons strength all at the same
time. Often these aircraft would be carrying freight or passengers. 36 Squadron Latin meaning Rajawali raja langit (Malay) - 'Eagle King of the sky' 36 Squadron took on the role of a Hastings squadron on 1st September 1958 at RAF Colerne in Wiltshire and
continued in the Hastings role until replaced by Hercules aircraft in 1967. WJ342 was lost at RAF Eastleigh, Kenya on 23rd January 1961, one engine failed on take off, the aircraft swung
off the runway and embedded itself in the soil, the aircraft was deemed beyond economic repair and was scrapped. From Ken Robinson 8th October 2005 Returning from route flight to Aden we were to divert to Lyneham! Lyneham socked (Fogged) in, divert back
to base, Colerne, Colerne socked in again, divert to St Mawgan. Not enough fuel? Sent out Mayday! Chivenor FTC closed on Sundays
opened up, scrambled rescue chopper and led us in. On ground, engineer dipped fuel tanks? less than 10 minutes fuel in tanks!
Went to local pub and got wasted. Through 1958-60 I worked on these following Hastings of 36 Squadron at RAF Katunayake WD477/WD485/WD488/WD491/WD495/WJ328/WJ329/WJ331/WJ333/WJ334/WJ337/WJ342*/WJ343/ TG577/TG620. These serials were not necessarily on 24 Squadrons strength all at the same time.
Please note that WJ342* appears on both 24/36 Sqn listings. A lot of freight was carried by 36 Squadron and this was the specialist
airlifting squadron of ‘sensitive’ cargo to and from Woomera/Maralinga (via RAAF/RAF Edinburgh Field) and also
Christmas Island, often Westabout via San Francisco and Hickam AFB, Hawaii. 40 Squadron RNZAF Photo at http://image05.webshots.com/5/2/7/80/66420780UuQvoM_ph.jpg Four Mk C3 Were originally dispatched to 41 Squadron RNZAF then transferred to 40 Squadron RNZAF?? I have one such photo that I took as a kid of a RNZAF Hastings at Lyneham from inside another
RAF Hastings, this would probably be c1953 taken with a Brownie Box Camera. I handled two of these Hastings at RAF Katunayake
from 1958-60 NZ5801/NZ5802 41 Squadron RNZAF Four Mk C3 Were originally dispatched to 41 Squadron RNZAF then transferred to 40 ?? Squadron
RNZAF I have one such photo that I took as a kid of a RNZAF Hastings at Lyneham from inside another
RAF Hastings, this would probably be c1953 taken with a Brownie Box Camera. 47 Squadron The battle honours standard was presented by MRAF Sir John Slessor on 25th March 1955. The first HP Hastings Squadron formed in 1948. During the Berlin airlift, No 47 flew over 3,000 sorties in
the seven months it was assigned to the operation, mainly transporting coal to the beleaguered city from Schleswigland Airfield.
48 Squadron Photo of last flypast of 48 Squadron Hastings http://image05.webshots.com/5/3/37/29/65233729FaTwIy_ph.jpg Latin motto: Forte et fidele=By Strength and faithfulness Photo of badge at http://image01.webshots.com/1/8/20/87/39982087vaGYfe_ph.jpg Hastings were introduced to the squadron in 1957 at RAF Changi, Singapore and was eventually disbanded on
the 3rd March 1967 having the Hercules taking its role some of these Hastings ended up there time at FEC’s before being
flown to RAF Seletar to be dismantled by 390MU and then sold as scrap. One of these ended up at RAF Gan as a firedump Hastings
on a last minute reprieve. Two Hastings were detached to RAF Christmas Island, one was TG531 and the other was WD488 and were used as
the shuttle between Christmas Island and Hawaii for the shuttle of food and other supplies. Through 1958-1960 I worked on many a 48 Squadron Hastings aircraft turnarounds from RAF Changi.
These serials are some that I worked WJ336/WD490/WD498/TG520/TG525/TG531/TG536/TG570/TG579/TG580 53 Squadron Motto: United in effort The Squadron was reformed with Hastings on August 1st 1949 RAF Topcliffe, Yorkshire. Later 53
Squadron was reformed at RAF Abingdon until taking on the new Blackburn Beverley in 1957 . 70 Squadron Motto: Usquam = 'Everywhere'. The battle honours standard was presented by AVM Sir Hazelton Nicholl on 16th July 1955 In 1955 70 squadron moved to Cyprus with Hastings aircraft which took part in the ill fated Suez
Crisis of 1956 and were operating until December 1967, some of these were returned to the UK whilst I have been informed 2
ended up in a scrap yard in Malta whilst one remained at TASF RAF Akrotiri through until 1968 and that aircraft was WD500
a VIP variant C4. WD483 one of the Squadrons steeds was involved in a landing accident at Ataq, Aden on 9th April
1956 where the undercarriage gave way, this aircraft was deemed beyond economic repair and was written off (Cat 5) and another
(WD498) was lost at RAF El Adem on the 10th October which apparently stalled on take off (I have had reports that the pilots
seat slid back on take off) with the loss of life of Maltese soldiers???????? These are the only 70 Squadron Hastings I handled at RAF Katunayake from 1958-60 TG530/TG621/TG563
I handled many more of these at RAF El Adem SASF between 1963-65 but I do not have these serials. 99 Squadron Once sported 99 in a blue diamond on the fin Motto: Quisque Tenax = 'Each tenacious'. The Squadron was re-equipped with Hastings in August 1949. During the Suez operations, the Squadron dropped
parachute troops on Port Said from bases in Cyprus and in the summer of 1959 it received Britannias. My records show that I handled TG522 (The only serial shown for this period) at RAF Katunayake
prior to it crashing at Khartoum in 1959 114 Squadron Motto: "With speed I strike." On 13 April 1959 the Squadron was moved to RAF Colene and reformed May 5th as a transport unit
with Hastings until it was disbanded on 30 September 1961 when the ‘whistling tit’ (Armstrong Whitworth Argosy)
came into service this aircraft was generally regarded as a poor freighter over distance than the one that it was replacing!
The following Hastings were handled between 1958-60 at RAF Katunayake WJ330/WJ332/WJ337/WD486/WD493/WD495 115 Squadron Inspectorate of Radio Installations and Services (IRIS) TG530 ‘ICENI’ IRIS II & WJ338 IRIS III were used to calibrate approach systems
and navigation aids, to see these operating resulted in at least two days of continuous flying checking every approach imaginable
and operated in and around airfields where ever the RAF had a base. RAF Watton to RAF Wyton 1963, this squadron did rectification work and schedule servicing on
the 51 Squadron Hastings as required. 116 Squadron Apparently operated HP Hastings from September 1953 to April 1956 Does anyone have any details of this Squadron at this time? 202 Squadron The battle honours standard was presented by ACM Sir Douglas Evill on 6th September 1957. This squadron was known as The Met Squadron, it took on its role from Halifax aircraft in 1950
through to 1964 when it was disbanded. The Squadrons role was to fly out into the Atlantic to gather Meteoroligical reports
and 19 Hastings were equipped for this role but not all at the same time. They were exceptionally reliable due to planned
and major servicing, not one life was lost in 14 years of operations despite a couple of accidents. 202 Squadron ceased operating
Hastings aircraft and was disbanded on 31st July 1964 about a year after my last trip to Aldergrove. An interesting article appears on the 202 Squadron website at:- http://www.202-sqn-assoc.co.uk/hugh.htm Some aircraft serving with 202 Squadron TG572, TG616 (the first converted Met.C.1), TG620, TG621,
& TG624 297 Squadron First operated Hastings in 1948 at RAF Dishforth being the second squadron to equip with Hastings aircraft
Yorkshire and was thrown immediately into the Berlin Airlift emergency and were moved forward to Schleswigland, West Germany,
much coal was transported to Berlin until October 1949 and in December 1949 the Squadron was returned to the UK at RAF Topcliffe.
511 Squadron Pilots on 511 Squadron 1953 Flight Lieutenant Bennett Flight Lieutenant McAdam Flight Lieutenant Sproule Flight Lieutenant John Payne Flight Lieutenant Stuart Perrin Flight Lieutenant Adams Flight Lieutenant Ibbotson Flight Lieutenant Badley Flight Lieutenant Melville (sp?) Flight Lieutenant Munro Flying Officer Morris Flying Officer Wiles Flight Sergeant Frank Ogden Flight Engineer I was
a second pilot in 511 Squadron, RAF Lyneham from July 1952 to January 1953, when my National Service was completed. Apart
from the usual continuation training, I did three paratrooping detachments at RAF Abingdon but only two overseas trips. The
first, in September was to Aden with WJ337 skippered by F/L Burgess; the route was via Idris (Tripoli) and a overnight flight
across the Sahara to Wadi Seidna (as Khartoum was temporarily closed to four engined aircraft. We returned by the sme route. I remember once
doing night continuation training of circuits and bumps, during the long taxi-ing round the perimeter we had a BBC comedy
radio programme on and drifted off into the muddy grass where we were well and truly stuck! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I jumped out of
Hastings many times when every exit was, to me, problematic. The aircraft was
brilliant for head-bangers (sub-standard exits led to helmeted heads banging down the outside of the fuselage) and 'stroppy'
blokes (static line burns round the neck were frequent), but not recommended for any normal person The Hastings encouraged
me to move quickly to freefall where the added complications of the static line do not come into the equation. Barry Fleming Parachute Regiment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flying out of Kuching
I once helped chuck supplies out to one of our forward posts just our side of the border in a Hastings, I’m sorry to
say that 3 out of the 5 loads landed in the river. We could see the Indo AA guns on the other side, I'm glad to say they never
opened up on us, but we did stay on our side of the river Paul Alders RAF ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These Hastings were on the inventory of 511 Squadron at RAF Lyneham sometime in 1953 TG512 TG513 TG522 TG528 TG531 TG557 TG561 TG568 TG579 TG604 WD488 WD497 WJ328 WJ331 WJ336 WJ338 WJ340 WJ343 Photo at http://image05.webshots.com/5/1/49/12/66014912YVhrOh_ph.jpg Motto ‘Surely and Quickly’ The badge, a compass card and an eagle holding a chain containing five links Converted to Hastings in 1949 at Lyneham with RAF Transport Command until disbanded on 1st September 1958.
I recall the saying at Lyneham in the early 1950’s Transport Command, The best Airline in the World. 1951 to the end
of the Korean War, 511 Squadron ferried many personnel and much equipment to the war zone and in return extricating the wounded
as CASEVAC back to other bases. In 1954 another ‘emergency’ arose this time a humanitarian airlift conveying personnel
and passengers from Gibraltar after the Troopship Empire Windrush caught fire in the Mediterranean in the early hours
of the morning, the fire got out of control and of the 1700 on board all but four survived. ‘1066’ (Unofficial Hastings) Squadron BCBS/SCBS Bomber Command and Strike Command Bombing School Eight Hastings C.1 were converted to become Hastings T5s, these provided radar training for bomb-aimers
at the Bomber Command Bombing School from 1959 at RAF Lindholme & ?????. Four of these served with the Radar Flight of
No.230 Operational Conversion Unit (unofficially known as '1066 Squadron') until 30 June 1977 where the last Hastings flights
were undertaken OCU’s 241 OCU Operational Conversion Unit 242 OCU Operational Conversion Unit 242 Operational Conversion Unit was formed at RAF Dishforth, Yorkshire in 1951 later moving to
RAF Thorney Island, Hampshire David Taylor informs me that 242 OCU were operating out of Dishforth from 1953-57 he recalls
these Hastings all being on the strength of 242OCU TG508/515/528/558/576/609 At RAF Katunayake I handled TG508 during period 1958-60 Others A&AEE Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment AFEE Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment CSE Central Signals Establishment CSDSFEC’s Far East Communications Squadron Air Chief Marshal The Earl of Bandon who was affectionately known as The Abandoned Earl or simply
‘Paddy’ was the C-in-C Far East Air Force in my time, I had the privilege to meet him on several occasions and
was well liked by all. C4 VIP Hastings aircraft operated through FEC’s three of which I worked on WJ326/WD500/TG507
but often they would interchange between FEC’s and MEC’s. These aircraft were known by the groundcrew as ‘Shineys’
due to the polished aluminium skin below the decal line. The interior was luxurious by any standard and could accommodate
4 VIP’s and their entourage plus a couple of ground servicing crew. Generally these VIP quarters were out of bounds
to us erks, but there was always a means of overcoming the rules and the food was much better on board than was served up
in our mess! Access to the cockpit would be via the nose ladder and refuelling/reoiling via platforms or ladders. Whenever
the C-in-C was aboard there would always be the Station Commander to see them in or out. On occasion the AOC Ceylon, an Air
Commodore based at the British Embassy in Colombo would also be on the ’gravy train’! MEC’s Middle East Communications Squadron MET Meteorological Research Flight MinTech?? MoS Ministry of Supply PTS Parachute Training School PTU Parachute Training Unit RAFFC Royal Air Force Flying College RAE Royal Aircraft/Aeronautical ?? Establishment RRE Radar Research Establishment TCDF Transport Command Development Flight TCDU Transport Command Development Unit TCASF Transport Command Air Support Flight TRE Telecommunications Research Establishment WEE Ministry of Supply 51 Sqn Operated at least one HP Hastings from February 1963 through to March 1967 supporting Canberras
and Comets from RAF Wyton. 1312 Flight Was formed at RAF Abingdon in 1954 and disbanded in 1957 operating Hastings aircraft Anyone want to add anything please contact me on the header bar
Further reading on the Berlin Airlift 1948/49 A new forum for this web page CLICK HERE! Click here for a huge selection of photos from my RAF days
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