20 Sqn Hunters and pilots-1962 Singapore

[Postfade]

Can anyone fill in the names of any of the pilots of the 20 Sqn Hunter's that flew at Changi Battle-Of-Britain in 1962.

http://www.davidtaylorsound.co.uk/share/Aircraft%20pics/20%20Sqn%20Hunters%20return%20after%20their%20display-62%20BofB%20Changi-S1181_2.jpg

Here's the 5 aircraft left to right: XJ673 'XX' (sqn commander), XE582 'J' XJ686 'B', XG265 'K' and XK142 'P' as they parked on the taxiway after their display.

Interesting set of histories...like most Hunters I suppose.
XJ673 was lost flying Kai Tak to Tengah 02/04/69, XG265 also reported written off 01/03/64 or was it 01/04/64.
XF582 went to the Swiss as J-740 24/02/82 and then on to Chile as 1685. XJ686 also went to the Swiss as J-743 on 24/02/82 and XK142 became a Singaporean FR74B and was kept at 229 OCU Chivenor to train Singapore pilots but was lost off Lundy 17/11/72, the pilot ejecting OK.

The 'big hangar' at Changi had XE610 'C' on static display.

http://www.davidtaylorsound.co.uk/share/Aircraft%20pics/20%20Sqn%20insignia%20on%20the%20nose%20of%20Hunter%20XE610% 20'C'%20-S350B.jpg

This one is reported as having an engine failure over the South China Sea, 40 miles from Kuantan 26/06/69...but on another web listing is given as surviving at Bruntingthorpe!

Any further info on the aircraft or names of those flying that nice tight formation would be appreciated.

David T.

[stevew62]

As usual, great pictures David. Many thanks for sharing them.

I'm afraid I can't help you with the information that you are after, but I enjoy your pictures.

Keep 'em coming !

[Kieron Kirk]

Splendid photographs, must have been quite a display.

Interesting to see Hunter F.(GA).9s flying "clean" with empty wing pylons.
I am not able to help with pilots names, but the a/c are a different matter.

XJ673/XX crashed into the sea off Clark Field, Philippines on 2nd April 1969 following hydraulic and engine failure. The pilot, Flt.Lt. K R Barley ejected safely.

XE582/J was delivered to the Chilean AF as J-745 in April 1982.

XJ686/B also to the Chilean AF as J-746 in April 1982.

XG265/K crashed Labuan, Borneo on 1st March 1964 following rear fuselage fire, the pilot, Flt. Lt. R A F Shields ejected but was killed.

XK142/P purchased by HSA as G-9-359, became a Singapore AF F.(GA).74.B 522 in 1972. Crashed 5 miles east of Lundy Is. in the Bristol Channel on 17th November 1972, pilot ejected safely.

XE610/C crashed on 26th June 1969 after engine failure, in the South China Sea, 40 miles south of Kuantan, Malaysia. No pilots' name.

Thanks to David Griffin and his excellent book "Hawker Hunter 1951-2008".

Ciarain.

[Vampiredave]

Hi,

Was this an aerobatic team or just a formation flypast?

Incidentally, Hunter F.74B, '522' of the Singapore Operational Training Flight, lost off Lundy Island on 17 November 1972, was being flown by Sqn Ldr Charles Boyack at the time.

[Postfade]

Vampiredave:
Thanks the additional info.

Interesting of you to ask about a 'formation flypast' or an 'aerobatic team' . I think the former to be honest but I'll look back and see if I have any photos of them doing anything 'adventurous'. 60 Sqn, also from Tengah put up a nine ship of Javelin's and they definately didn't do any 'loops'!
I think the only aerobatics that year, were from the Meteors of the Towed Target Flight.

DT

[Vampiredave]

By sheer coincidence I have been speaking to two members of the Meteor TT Flight team which took part in the 1962 Changi Battle of Britain show - Ian Whitford and Al Thomas.

I believe that it was quite a show - by Far East standards - with over 100,000 people attending and I would be interested to learn what the Hunter display actually comprised?

Dave

[Warmtoast]

Photo of the Meteor TT team in flight here from Flight Magazine's online archive:

1962 | 2251 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1962/1962%20-%202251.html?search=Changi)

[bonajet]

A bit of a tangent, but here's a picture of 745 (XE582) taken in Oct 85 over the northern coast of Chile.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v409/bonajet/HunterGrupo8FACH.jpg

[Postfade]

Bonajet: Fantastic to see XE582 in a different guise, thanks.

Vampiredave: here's a couple of the Towed Target flight Meteor display:
http://www.davidtaylorsound.co.uk/share/Aircraft%20pics/62_09-BoB407-Formation%20of%20Meteor%20F(TT)8's-WL180,WH810,VZ540%20and%20WA880-S821As.jpg

Formation approach to runway 20.

http://www.davidtaylorsound.co.uk/share/Aircraft%20pics/62_09-BoB09-Towed%20Target%20Flight%20Meteor%20display%20approach%20runw ay%2020-SSn093A.jpg

The four F(TT)8's here are: WL180,WH810,VZ540 and WA880.
I remember the thrill (hey I was only 14!) when WL180, VZ540 and WA880 turned up, still in camouflage, at Changi in April 62. That must have been when they were first delivered to the TT Flight.

http://www.davidtaylorsound.co.uk/share/Aircraft%20pics/62_04_18--Meteor%20F8%20WA880-newly%20arrived%20in%20camouflage-S713A.jpg
It's great to see that WA880 has survived and is at a museum in Australia.
Strangely I don't recall the Towed Target Flight actually being based at Changi until mid 1963 when the took over the slot up near the Maintenance Flight, maybe I just am getting forgetful!

David Taylor

[Vampiredave]

David,

What excellent photographs. I have a series of official photographs of the FEAF team over Singapore taken in August 1962, prior to the Battle of Britain show.

The show was the team's first official display and the members comprised Eric Stewart (leader) Ian Whitford, Al Thomas and Geoff Bradford. Their next display was for the Malaysia Air Show in September 1963, a three-day event held at Paya Lebar. By this time, Chris Preston had replaced Geoff Bradford.

Because of the unit's commitment to the 'Emergency', subsequent appearances were restricted to formation flypasts, having been renamed as 1574 (TT) Flight in May 1964. The unit was disbanded 30 January 1971.

I hope that this is of interest?

[Postfade]

Dave:
Yes, anything about the early 60's in Singapore is of interest to me...I have 1000 plus aircraft pictures from a 'misspent youth', taken at Changi, Paya Lebar and Seletar.
I have managed to interest some publishers so am assembling as much info as I can.
I always enjoyed capturing the working environment at those airfields, realising eventually that there was more to photographing planes than just 'a big close-up', so need to explain some of the pictures if I can.
For instance, I now know why 205 Sqn's Shackleton's were always undergoing engine changes and that Britannia's didn't have the most reliable engines either.

PPRune is great for finding out specific details...somebody always responds with something!

The Towed Target Flight had an interest collection of F8's, TT20's and one or two T7's. They changed fairly frequently...end of a Meteor's working life I guess. Sometimes I would visit 390 MU at Seletar and find another couple of TT20's being scrapped.


David Taylor.

[jmor2]

If you go to the RAFForum; The Royal Air Force Forum (http://rafforum.activeboard.com/) and access Sqdns 1 - 25, click on 20 Squadron and go to page 8, there is a squadron photograph taken in early 1963 and some of the pilots in it may well have flown in that occasion. In subsequent pages there is an ex 20 Sqdn pilot who has named the others, he may be able to give you the information you are seeking.

Bon Chance

John M.

[jmor2]

Hi David - saw you had been in touch with the RAFForum, hope you get a result. Another 'incident' on 20 Squadron was when 'F' for Foxtrot, XG293, came out of the hangar after a 9 month refit and was taken up for an air test by Flt. Lt. Pete Martin. His final pass was to fly upside down over the runway at zero feet but, unfortunately, his engine cut so he was in a bit of trouble. He righted the plane and tried to bring it back round on to the runway but was heading for the 'Gin Palace' so decided that he had to get out. He was over 20 Sqdn line, about 200 feet, when he banged out. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, his canopy came off then his seat came out as he was shot into the air. The aircraft came down just off the start of the runway and he was coming down on top of the burning wreck when he pulled one of his 'strings' and guided to the side. Myself and a colleague had got there in the Sqdn landrover as he came down. An armourer, Jeff Phipps, got there first and when Flt Lt. Martin landed he took off his 'chute then his Mae West and handed it to Jeff who said, "But Sir......!" to which Pete Martin answered, "Sorry, can't stop, this kite is U/S". Apparrently he was in the air again within the hour in the the two seater. This happened on the 21st April 1964. There was a plaque put up for him behind the line huts which read; ' Within 200 yds of this spot, Flt Lt. P. Martin, pranged an Aston Martin DB6, a Harley Davidson motorbike and a Hawker Hunter aircraft'.

How can I upload a .jpeg image as I have one of the said aircraft mentioned?

John M.

[henry crun]

John, There is a sticky at the top of the forum page which will guide you.

[Vampiredave]

By deduction, I think that four of the pilots of the squadron 'team' would have been the CO, Sqn Ldr Calvert, together with George Aylett, 'Chips' Carpenter and Stu Penny. Calvert, Aylett and Carpenter all being former members of the 92 Squadron aerobatic team - The Blue Diamonds - in 1961. I hope that this helps?

[sled dog]

jmore2 , I witnessed the Hunter incident ( seconded to 60 Sqdn at the time ) and from what i remember the last of a series of inverted climbs resulted in an engine flameout, resulting in what you described.
postfade, the correct title for the Meteor Flight at Changi was 1574 Target Facilities Flight, my time there was `66 to `67. From memory we had one T7, two F8s and three ( ? ) TT20s. A long time ago, but very happy days :ok:
FEAF, in those days, the best posting in the world. :cool:

[Jig Peter]

I quite realise that this is about 20 Sqn and other single-seaters, but I wonder if, among the photos (for which many thanks, bringing back some great memories) there are some of the Mighty 45th and their Canberras at this event ... I can hardly believe they didn't take part ...


PS. Given the thread's title, perhaps 45 could have one to itself ???

[WBaker]

I have a number of 20 Squadron photo's while at Cheing Mai back in 1961-62 if anyone is interested.
Here is a photo of the Squadron at Tengah.
Regards
Wally Baker :)

http://i45.tinypic.com/vhc2sx.jpg[/IMG]

[Postfade]

Whilst I was photographing everything that moved at Changi, my father, a W/O Signals, joined the happy band at Chiang Mai as well.
http://www.davidtaylorsound.co.uk/share/Aircraft%20pics/Chang_Mei-Hunters%20and%20Super%20Sabres-1962-001.jpg


http://www.davidtaylorsound.co.uk/share/Aircraft%20pics/Chang_Mei_1962-%2020%20Sqdn%20Hunters,%20Super%20Sabres%20and%20a%2048%20Sq dn%20Hastings-L&M-010As.jpg

The view of the pan ...from 'the tented accomodation'. The grass has changed somewhat in the second pic.

I've recently read Alan White's book 'Lightning Up' as it has a section on his time with 20 Sqdn. Mainly infact about the detachment to Chiang Mai. Six 20 sqdn Hunters going on 25th May 1962. although the political goings on meant they didn't arrrive for a further two weeks. Superb low-level flying over Thailand he says!

David.
aviation video blog and more Changi photos at:
www.focalplanes.co.uk (http://www.focalplanes.co.uk)

[WBaker]

Another gem from the past.

Wally Baker ;)
http://i49.tinypic.com/1679rhv.jpg[/IMG]

[Postfade]

Wally...but..but..but...that's a Javelin (Gloster Dragmaster) that your all leaning against!

[WBaker]

Yes true. This plane, and others, were flown from Singapore for the little Air Show at Cheing Mai.
Regards Wally :cool:
http://i47.tinypic.com/35kud7n.jpg[/IMG]

http://i48.tinypic.com/2mg1nhy.jpg[/IMG]

[y.g.mick]

Whe I joined the 1574 in November 1962 it was already called that, it was not renamed in 1964.

[lpmunroh43]

I was also at the Chieng Mai knees-up in 1962 as part of the Armament Support team. My task was small arms servicing and issues. Used to trot across to the Ops. tent in the morning with a brace or two of 0.38" Enfield revolvers for the aircrew, and also issue a dozen rounds per pilot of ammo. for the same, which was carefully sealed in a little cardboard box.

The armoury was upstairs in the main terminal building, combined storage, servicing and sleeping accomodation all in one. As the building had no power, night duty armourer was performed with light from a hurricane lamp, wrapped in a blanket. The light attracted every pesky insect from miles around or so it seemed. The blanket gave some protection.

It was a great detatchment, made even better by the few days in Bangkok on the way back to Tengah.

This took place on my first tour at Tengah. I did two further tours, both with 64(F) Sqn. during Confrontation with Indonesia. The third tour also included a four month loan to the RAAF at Darwin, where a team of us worked in a Bomb Dump down the track, servicing 1,000lb. HE bombs.

Wally, nice to see you're still around, trust all is well with you and yours.

Alan Mudge. NAAFI Bar (Hons.)

[Vampiredave]

The Royal Singapore Flying Club display at Paya Lebar, 15 -17 September 1963, seems to have included aerobatic displays by three Hunters of 20 Squadron and another by three Javelins of 60 Squadron. Does anyone recall these displays or the crews that flew them?

[NutherA2]

Javelins of 64 Squadron

I think the Javelins would probably have been from 60 Sqn, 64 didn't arrive in FEAF until 1964 or 65

[Vampiredave]

Thanks to Keith Wilson-Clark, who looked at 20 Squadron's ORB:

The first mention is the Chieng Mai Open day 18.08.62, with a five ship team led by the CO and individual aeros by Flt Lt Shields
Details

XJ673 Sqn Ldr R A Calvert
XK142 Flt Lt G A White
XF508 Flg Off J M Farquharson
XE652 Flt Lt R Carpenter
XF414 Flt Lt D G Gill

On 15.09.62 the same chaps displayed at Tengah using XJ673, XE582, XJ686, XG265 and XK142.

I think that this is the team in the original post?

[Davemish]

I have the same photo but without the names. I would appreciate a copy if this is possible

Dave Marshall 20sqdn at tengah 1961-63

[Davemish]

Tim sherwin is in actual fact Dave Marshall

[Postfade]

Wonderful how these old posts keep getting a new lease of life!
I see that I had 'lost' the links to my original pics that started this thread. So I've restored the 20 Sqdn pics and will now follow with the Meteor Flight ones.
Here's another of the 20 sqdn Hunter's at the '62 B-0f-B display at Changi:
http://www.davidtaylorsound.co.uk/share/Aircraft%20pics/62_09-BoB136-20%20Sqdn%20Hunters%20do%20a%20formation%20'bomb%20bust-1962%20BofB-'Sx009A.jpg

Thanks for all the details though...I have some from that Paya Lebar display as well to dig out.
Obviously time to get back to posting more of my 'miss-spent youth' photos from Changi and Paya Lebar over on my website www.focalplanes.co.uk (http://www.focalplanes.co.uk)

David Taylor
07973 602127

[l.garey]

I agree that it is great to resurrect some old threads. Although not directly related to 20 Sqd or Hunters, I was pleased to see Postfade's picture of the TT Meteor WA880. I used to work in Singapore (1987-1990) and one of my minor pleasures was to go to see the four preserved aircraft on Sentosa Island. WA880 was there painted overall silver with yellow undersides, but no markings. It went to the Queensland museum in 1989 along with Sea Vixen XJ490 and Hunter XF311. The C-47 was sadly broken up on the spot, although I think its props went to Queensland. As far as I have been able to trace it, it was 43-48886.

Laurence

[chipmunk52]

Re the question by Postfade, Dec 2008. As far as I can recall the pilots flying the Hunter formation at Changi BofB-day, 1962 were: Sqn Ldr Dicky Calvert(leader),plus Flt Lts Chalky White (2), Derek Gill (3), Don Richies (4) and Chips Carpenter (5).
The display comprised eight minutes of flogging around the airfield constantly changing formation. Sqn Ldr Calvert's request to work up a formation aerobatic team had earlier been refused by HQ FEAF.

[Johnflex]

<p>I apologise for the poor quality of this clip; it was taken by an 8mm Bolex clockwork camera. The clip is on my Facebook (John Flexman) timeline - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=1200711053401990">http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=1200711053401990</a></p>

[ELMMEAR]

Does anyone on here remember my dad-Bob Flegg who arrived on 20 Sqn in Singapore July 61 and returned to UK Dec 63? I can't see him in that Sqn photo?

[frenchie92]

i wonder if my grandfather is pictured here? George Aylett. the pic is too small to see

[Trumpet 62]

Hi Wally,
Thank you very much for the photographs ,and I have been able to print them off.
I have an A4 size of the Squadron line up but I cannot read the names
of personnel . Can you please confirm that D.Ritchie is standing on the chair,back row extreme right as you look at te print.The names may be clearer on the original print.
I had to reply to you via this PPruNi site because my computer would not open up a direct relpy line neither would it allow me to save your E mail Address.
All the very best,
Dave Ritchie. Ex 20 Sqd.Airframe Fitter.

[FransBetgem]

Hi Wally and others, How are you? I live and work in Chiang Mai. I am writing a story about the Hawker Hunters that were stationed at Chiang Mai airport in May 1962. Do you have any contacts or any more information? Some personal stories. I would love to hear how Chiang Mai was in 1962. Thanks and best regards