In this section we will post all the odd's and sod's that have not been catered for elsewhere on the site, feel free to send in anything you think might interest others.
Hello,
I
work in the MTTTL office at RAF UXbridge, for a hobby I make model
trucks (so that's the anorak bit!) Does anyone have any photos of the
VOLVO FH12 6x4 that 2MT used to pull low loaders, and curtain siders
with? I think the regs were VM35AA, VM33AA, VM32AA?
Any
info on the above would be welcome. Are they still in service?
VM
33 AA and VM
37 AA were at the 2004 Reunion. Maybe someone else can shed more
light for you.
Ian
Hello Ian
Andrew Hamilton here from East Kilbride in Scotland. My friend today purchased a Tug which I believe may have come from Market Rasen? I would be
grateful of any information or pictures of the wee tug.
We cant believe the condition of the tug it must have had a lot of work done on it in the past.
I also have a Ford Powermaster 821 which I believe was a tug tractor on Mildenhall American Airforce base.
I also have a wee Grey Ferguson which I believe was on board an air craft carrier, it has a Howard reduction Gearbox in her and was painted RAF blue of sorts when I got her.
I would really love to try and find pictures of any of the tractors with planes in the background, especially of the
Powermaster as I was told it used to pull trailers with bombs on to B52 bombers for Vietnam,
I wonder
whether anyone out there has any photos of these beasts? We
used them to refuel Jet Provosts at Syerston, in the sixties; they
were pulled by Bedford prime movers.
As an MT
Mechanic (Driver), I well remember the appalling Whittle belt drives
that were used to transfer the power from the rear mounted engine to
the pumps on the Phoenix. The belts were made of hard rubber
segments, with metal fasteners that could be undone (with great
difficulty, using something like a button hook) in order to take up
the slack caused when they stretched in use.
After fitting
a completely new belt, one knew that it would only be a matter of
ten minutes or so before the vehicle returned from the line, red
hot, and smelling strongly of scorched rubber. Then it was
underneath again, with kerosene dripping on you, to take out that
slack again.
I've noticed my old mate from Henlow, Mally Roberts (last three 568 - otherwise known as the 'Welsh Terrorist number 1'), has left his prints all over the site, so I thought I'd add my two pennies worth.
I don't know where you want to put the attached scan. It could go in the 'Mug shots' section (there's
definitely a load of 'mugs' in it at Henlow in the mid 80's) or it could go in the miscellaneous section.
I don't own the copyright to it, but I'm sure that Des Roberts (630 - otherwise known as 'The Accused') won't mind that I posted his handy work for posterity. I thought that any of the other Henlow Murders and Terrorists from that era would like to be reminded of what a fine bunch of lads and lasses we were. (if anyone wants a copy, I'll be selling them for 5p at the 2007 Reunion - only joking).
I've just spent an enjoyable hour going through the site, well done! Lots of
memories, names and faces, some now departed. Anyway I thought this photo might amuse you. It was at Salalah in the run down. The three blokes on the
RTFL are MTSS - Jim Shale , Bill Thompson and I've forgot the one on the right, the two cranes were operated by MTD's though! The tank was supposed
to be empty and the cranes lifted OK but when they slewed you can see what
happened.
Best wishes to anyone who may remember me, I spent a fair amount of drinking
time with drivers as I shared rooms with them in the early years and even married one! (It was a she!) Chris Allman, then Snaith and nowadays Stewart,
she works as a civvy at Coningsby as does her husband Jim ( ex MT WO). I have now gone over to the dark side and drive a car transporter for ECM out
of Grimsby and really enjoy it. I think the nearest crane is a Coles and the other is a Jones.
Eric Snaith, Ex MTSS-Scampton, Benson,
Wittering, Laarbruch, Coningsby, Laarbruch.
Ian
Matthews spotted this vehicle, whilst delivering oil at Kemble airfield
and wondered if someone might be able to shine a light on it.
The pictures look very similar to the Douglas Taskmaster Heavy Tractor used on V-Bomber units. This one looks as though it may have been modified at some time with a cab. The radiator looks as though it may be "lash up replacement", as the model I remember had a more sleek radiator grille, - but you still sat out in all winds and weathers!!
Hopefully some ex-V bomber tug drivers may be able to give their opinions too!
When the pictures were sent in I thought it resembled a Sentinel (A bit before my time) the radiator looks very similar to these pictures here, here & here, also towing a Victor here.
I am a volunteer with the Air Atlantique Classic Flight at Coventry airport,
www.classicflight.com
and we have got an old David Brown
Tug Master that we are hoping to restore, however I have searched the Net and have not found any information on the type
except two pictures and I was wondering if your sites remit covered ground handling equipment from the 1950's? For instance would any of your members be able to tell me what light fittings etc were on the tugs and what the actual colour was that they were painted, if there was a standard, I have had to buy a tin of Humbrol RAF blue
from a model shop, so that I can take it to some suppliers to get a colour match but if I can get a code or something then that would be better!
Added 19/12/06: Does
anyone know where I might be able to get an G.P.U (Ground Power Unit) from, or what happens to the RAF's old ones?
We are looking for one for the Classic Flight, so that we can start the jets and the DC6!
Just a small update on the David Brown tug that you might like to post on your site.
As you can see it looks a bit different from the last pictures I sent you !
I rubbed all the paint work down, fitted a new seat and steering wheel and repainted it. The plan was to have it push /tow the BBMF Lancaster out of the hangar on the occasion of its first flight, but as the clutch is a bit fierce, probably due to the fact it had sat for at least two years, it was considered prudent not to try it, just in case !
However it is being used to move aircraft around, the largest being the Flight's Douglas DC 6.
I took a couple of pictures of it with some interesting company, just to show you that it is in better condition than when I started.
When I get chance I hope to give it a mechanical once over and it should be in use for a few years yet.
Found the site via Google as I was trying to find out if the above vehicle was in service during WW2. I bought a superb 1/48 kit from
Accurate Armour but have found no WW2 photos out of thousands in my aircraft reference library which show anything other than 2 versions
without booms, one with the pumps in the offside rear quarter, and the other with pumps and hose connections at the rear.
Somebody must know but, as my field is aircraft, I don't have any contacts who can help solve this.
This
is a set depicting the recovery of a mini that had an argument with a post
and a ditch, using the Rough Terrain Forklift we had at Wattisham in 1975.
I took the pictures although they were processed by the photo section.
After thirty years, I think I have the right to publish them.
I
apologise for the fact that at this distance I do not have the names of
the lads involved but neither of them were the perpetrators! I
considered that as the accident occurred no more than ten miles from
Wattisham, this was the easiest way to recover them
I have attached a couple of pictures which might be of interest for the site. These are of my new Land Rover, it is a specially built 130'' wheelbase, but the thing is, the chassis and bulkhead come from an ex RAF Regiment Rapier Tractor. The running gear come from a later model TD5 110 which was written off and the vehicle was built to a very high spec by Foley Specialist Vehicles in Essex.
Basically it has the TD5 engine (the Rapiers were V8 petrol), which has been chipped and had a bigger intercooler fitted. It has a GKN overdrive and will cruise happily at 90mph, but still return over 38mpg! It has air conditioning and a night heater, uprated suspension, wheels and tyres and a full roll cage in case it all goes pear shaped!
I am researching the AEC 854/0854, 6x6, initially built for the Bomber Command from 1940. I have already obtained a great deal of help with the project and now looking at producing a book on the subject. I do urgently need to get hold of the Air Publication for the original vehicles which were petrol engine. A number of these were also produced as mobile nitrogen/oxygen units, I would also like to see the Air Publication for the equipment fitted to it. obviously
any photographs or personnel details of these vehicles would also be most welcome, the refueller appear to have remained in service until about 1970, whilst the version built with the Coles crane appear to have gone by the early 1960s.
This
is the original design
I did for the
Church Fenton
MT Sweatshirts
Do
you remember these? used to complete the dreaded FMT3's
I must have 'liberated' them whilst doing a stint on TT&L
Mark
Regan
sent in these along with some other pictures in the 'Mug
Shots' section.
Greenham Common,
Our lovely accommodation!
The MT, Ground radio,
RAF Police combined building.........an old sewage treatment plant !!
Off loading Tractor
units
and the MT Yard
Scampton MT Section
Falklands 1985
Herc did a low pass Med Centre
Falklands 1985
'Going Home Bird'
Falklands 1985
Falklands 1985
Myself and a 1 ton Crash Ambulance
Chris
Lacey
dug out these 'patches' from his time at
Gutersloh. "I
cannot remember how I got hold of the 431 badge. You had to go on a
number of field deployments from Gutersloh to get the Harrier Force
badge".
Have you got any
'patches' to share on the site?
I would like to wish everyone connected with the running of the MTD site, and all who visit it, a very Merry Christmas and a very healthy, happy, accident free New Year.
Can I also appeal to all those ex 431 bods around to come and join the 317 M. T. Squadron Association.
We need you urgently. 'Old Father Time' has been very active this year and we are now down to 128.
I have been contacted by a friend who is doing a painting and he needs to know when M.T. Vehicles using Airfields were first required to be painted with Yellow tops ? - Do you have any info on this ??
I completed a computer course with a Company in South Africa mainly because I wanted some sunshine and to use my course to achieve this. They now do Golf, Sub Aqua and other various courses. Any MTD wishing to use this Company are more than welcome to contact me for details on how to get the best deal from them. I have spoken to the owner in Cape Town and he is willing to make a deal for anyone recommended by myself.
So if anyone just wants a Holiday in the sun playing golf or learning Computer skills they can contact me.
RAF MT and RAF Fire vehicle photos in order to fill some gaps in my photographic collection. I am looking for pictures of the following: AEC MAMMOTH MAJOR TCHD MK1 of the former ARMAMENT SUPPORT UNIT (ASU). Blue TACR 2 RANGE ROVER and BEDFORD HELICOPTER SUPPORT VEHICLE (HSV) of the
QUEENS FLIGHT. TACR 2 in desert sand colour (Gulf War 1) and in NATO camouflage on deployed Harrier Operations (RAF WITTERING and RAF
GERMANY) Any footage of any vehicle type at WITTERING in the 70's and 80's.
Attached photo is,
I'm advised, a qualification badge for an RAF MT Driver. It was found
among the effects of an air gunner KIA in 1943. His unit prior to
air gunnery training was 992 Squadron, a mobile barrage balloon
'outfit'.
Although I served
for over 25 years I do not recall seeing this type sleeve badge being
worn by MT drivers. Any ideas on when it was withdrawn?
Best wishes
Ian M. Green
ex-Ch/Tech Gen Fitt
(1948-1973)
Richard McLoughlin
sent in this little bit of history about RAF Weeton, although not a driver
Richard was on the permanent clerical staff there from 1953 to 1956 as one of the first people that you met when you arrived and one of the last that you saw when you left. In the last year,
he was also probably the one that sent you back to get a hair cut before leaving.
Richard is interested in collecting information about RAF Weeton and would
be grateful if you could contact him should you have any.
RAF
Weeton
Royal
Air Force Weeton was opened as the home of No.8 School of Technical
Training on
21st May, 1940
and the Fabric Worker, Parachute Packer, Metal Worker, Mechanical
Transport Mechanic and Motor Cyclist Courses were transferred there.
Between 1st July and 3rd July, 1940, 31 Officers and
754 Men of the Polish Air Force arrived at RAF Weeton, after evacuation
from
France
, followed by a further 358 Polish personnel two days later. In July,
1940, the
Fire
Fighting
School
was transferred to RAF Weeton from Cranwell. This may have been a very
handy move as on
29th August, 1940
bombs were dropped in the vicinity of the Station, although no damage was
reported to have been incurred.(As
the area was mainly open countryside, it meant that the Germans must have
been well informed).
In
September, 1940, courses for Fitter Armourer and Aero Carpenter began and
the trainees at Weeton assisted in the manufacture of Hurricane and
Spitfire parts for the Ministry of Aircraft Production. In December, 1940,
the
Mechanical
Transport
School
, which had previously been located at No.3 Technical Training School,
Blackpool
, moved to RAF Weeton and in December, 1941, the M.T. Instructor Course
commenced.
Between
August, 1940 and August, 1942, a total of 41,863 personnel successfully
passed outfrom RAF Weeton,
including MT Mechanics, Blacksmiths, Motor-cyclists, Drivers, Crane
Operators and Cooks, to name only a few of the diverse trades in which
courses were available there. Between September, 1941 and March, 1942, the
average personnel strength of the Station was approximately 9,000.
In
August, 1943, the
Fire
Fighting
School
left RAF Weeton for RAF Sutton-on-Hull and September, 1943, saw the
arrival of the
R.A.F.
Police
School
, which remained there until moving to RAF Great Sampford in January,
1946. In August, 1950, No. 9 School of Recruit Training was formed as a
lodger unit at RAF Weeton and subsequently left RAF Weeton in July, 1952.
In September, 1950, the Hospital, on a separate site, which had been there
since the opening of RAF Weeton, became separately established as a lodger
unit and came under the Control of H.Q. No. 63 Group.
In
November, 1954, No. 2 Police District H.Q. moved to RAF Weeton and in
November, 1958, RAF Weeton became the parent Station to RAF Warton, taking
over the responsibility for No. 29 Recruit Centre at Preston and the Air
Traffic Control Unit,
Preston
.
In
July, 1959, No. 2 Police District H.Q. left RAF Weeton and in November the
Station Entertainment Centre was opened. On
31st December, 1959
the Hospital was closed.
Royal
Air Force Weeton ceased as an RAF unit some time after 1970. The first
photograph is taken at the Main Gate in June, 2005, with just the main
tarmac road still showing. At the far end can be seen two of the original
hangars but all other buildings have gone.About half a mile past the old Main Gate, towards Singleton, there
is now a modern Army encampment, possibly sited on part of the old
football fields
NOTETechnical Training Command was amalgamated with Flying Training
Command on
1st June, 1968
to form a revived Training Command. This Command in turn was disbanded in
1977 and its functions absorbed by RAF Support Command.
In
the ever changing times of the Royal Air Force, there are now (2005) only
two Commands in the Royal Air Force;Strike
Command, and Personnel and Training Command. It has been announced that P.
& T. Command is being absorbed by Strike Command in the near future,
so that the Command structure, that the RAF has known for eighty eight
years, will be no more.
Stationed in Palestine and Egypt 1946-48. Mancunian, now well retired in the lovely Ceiriog valley. Not MT I am afraid. MPO. staff. Our squadron was taken to and from work on a 'Queen Mary'. Have been trying for ages to get a 'photo of one. Could any of you MT types let me know where one can be obtained. Best wishes to you all. Bill Foster.
Many thanks for photograph. I have sent a copy to a friend in Israel who is creating an archive for the town of Rash H'ayin which sprang up from 120 MU Ras el Ain when the camp was evacuated in 1948. Many of the buildings are still standing and are in use by the local community. The old NAAFI canteen, with minor alterations, is now a cinema. Must have been well built.
Thanks again, Regards Bill.
Hi
Ian
Thought you might be interested in this. It is the only bit left of the pullover I purchased while a civilian driver at Abingdon (79 to 83). The picture depicts a Jaguar plane and a Queen Mary with red arrows pointing to all points of UK. The jumper has long since gone, this is all
that's left.
Just been looking through your website, which gave me great pleasure, having spent 2 years (86 -88) training firemen on the driving school at St Athan.
In your miscellaneous section I noticed someone looking for the green paint used on the vehicles, from the deep recesses of the memory bank I seem to remember we used a colour called "Deep Brunswick Green" I hope this may well help with that particular enquiry
Again well done on the web site, one or two faces and names bring back good memories, do any of your members remember the AOC's parade at St Athan when one flight was made up from the instructors on the driving school under Flt Lt Graham Pattenden (Admin type) who during one rehearsal marched past doing the John Cleese silly walk?
Dave Jones (Ex RAF Fire Service 71 -93)
Hi there
A couple of us
oldens meet in the local pub each weekend, he was at Kasfareet and I
spent some time at El Hamra in the early 50's.
We both recall Lady
Lampsons Club on El Hamra, it was like a private house in the middle of
a military camp and if I remember was run by two old ladies. You could
sit in an armchair, have a coffee and read a magazine in peace. It was
the only civilised place on camp.
I've done an
internet search and can only find info on Lady Lampson who was the wife
of the Brit Ambassador in Egypt but no mention of the club.
I contacted the Suez
Vet Assoc and just 2 blokes came up with memories one of them being a
51MT bod.
Any of your members
have any memories?.
Cheers
John Holloway
Sean Pollock sent in
this amusing picture, now residing in Toronto, he was I/C Orderly Room
1960/61 and also played in the station band.
John Coles
sent these
pics of the old MT SQN at RAF Changi taken feb 2002 some of the area has
since been demolished. (Remember you on air movs John, Bill C)
Ian & Bill,
I have just had a visit to Bruggen, Wildenrath & Laarbruch.
1. Bruggen hasn't changed much apart from the uniforms and name. (Javalin Barracks, Elmpt station).
2. Wildenrath has been totally re-built, even the roads. The only bit I could recognise was the
guardroom.
3. Laarbruch is now Dusseldorf Niederrhein Airport. All the buildings are intact, but empty and overgrown.
The only two area that are in use are the Sgts Mess & ATC. There is a superb website with loads of photo's & Info
http://www.airport-niederrhein.de/
Hi Ian
and Bill, I am not am MT Driver or Mech but had the good fortune to be sent to work in the the
M.T. Section at RAF North Luffenham in December of 1959 (Handed over to the Army in 1997), and served there in
M.T. Control as M.T. Clerk for the best part of 2 Years. I was sent straight from RAF Hereford Boy's Service, still only 17 Yrs of age and officially still with the Rank of "Boy Entrant" as I was not old enough to put up my
S.A.C. Props. The Men of the MT Section took me under their wing, and I can, without reservation, say that that was probably the Happiest time of My 15 Year RAF Career.
The M.T. Section had a complement of 64 Drivers, and as far as I recall, close on 260 vehicles. (The State Board went up to 320 and there weren't all that many gaps) We operated anything from a Staff Car to Nitrogen and Liquid Oxygen Transports, to service the Thor Missiles at North Luffenham, and
satellite units at Folkingham, Harrington, Polebrook, and Melton Mowbray. We Also parented 151 Wing which had Bloodhounds at Woolfox Lodge and another site.
I think we had pretty well everything the RAF could class as Mechanical Transport. The MTO was a Flt. Lt. Spencer, There was an assistant MTO a Pilot Officer straight out of Cadet Training, who's name escapes me at present.
The WO Was W.O. i/c was Sandell. Then Flt Sgt. Kilbride. Corporal "Hughie" Green at the
Control Desk. and a Sergeant Rodgers a Scot. There was a Chf.Tech. Bown (rept BOWN) who was, I believe an MT Fitter but seemed to spend most of his time down at M.T. Control. I could probably reel off quite a list of names as I used to do the payroll each week, but will spare you that - unless any of your readers happens to be interested in my little anecdote and would like to know names of the Staff during Dec 1959 - Oct 1961.
As you are probably well aware, promotion in those days was so slow, and LAC's aged 40 and Corporals aged 50, were "the norm" - so many of them were old enough to be my Father, and did treat me like a son.
I went all over the UK in M.T. Vehicles - as in those days, on the large vehicles you had to have a "second man" and being as I was just a Clerk (Who was efficient, and eager enough to get all his work done quickly) I was allowed to fill this role, and did very well out of it too - claiming 1771 allowance each week, and getting 7gns. (Seven Pounds 7and Shillings) - exactly the same as I got in pay!! When I wasn't out "On the Road" I did Fire Piquet for the Drivers who didn't want to do it at 2 quid a time, the MTO and SWO turned a blind eye as the MTO was always short of Drivers, and was well in with the SWO, and I did very nicely out of that too!!
Well, I won't risk boring you with any more, but, I am here - and if you want to see the M.T. Section as perhaps some of you Knights of the Road never saw it, just send me a e-mail.
Would these
pictures be of interest to viewers of your site? Bob's Bar
Belize as
you would expect was the regular venue for drinking and
barbecues.
Chris Lacey
Belize MT Domestic Block
Inside
Bob's Bar
Dear
Ian and Bill
While in WH Smith recently, having a free read of the magazines, I found
an article on RAF MT.
The article appears in 'Diecast Collector', November 2003, Issue 73, p26
and is titled 'RAF Collection'.
Attachment shows part of the article.
You may think this could be of interest to others on the Web Site,
however, be warned, price of magazine in shops is £3.30.
My name is Chris (Freddy) Trueman and spent a few years doing the fuel pumps at North Luffenham. Also spent a lot of time with the Bowser drivers at Bruggen and TTF drivers at Gutersloh (Deployment stories needed)
Made friend with shed loads of slammers and brings back a lot of good memories.
Daz Crawford is on TV a lot these days, even getting himself on Gladiators as Diesel, good to see him doing well.
Other names.
Goerdie Wild
Chris Smith
Ade Barrat
Chris Mortimer who followed me to Bruggen & Gutersloh.
Another Skinny Geordie (used to yell "Yah Caint") with a tash, went out with Jacky Durrant for a while.
Come on guys, I need names and faces, help me out.
10 out of 10 for an absolutely "dog's bollox" website! Have so far escaped the recent call up, but was having a beer in the Eagle (now the 'Ye Olde Aviator...sad or what?) in sunny Carterton this last weekend with an old comrade less fortunate and jungle telegraph says there is another phase coming; suggest we form an escape
committee!
I am quite often in Selby with work - let me know your local's name and I will stand you both a pint..... I can't help but think that this is like some 'secret society' akin to the freemasons - only without the benefits.... keep the faith Andy Fryer
Hi Bill & Ian,
I've just
got back from a course at St Athan, whilst I was there I thought I'd
have a drive over to the old driving school for a bit of reminiscing.
The whole lot has been levelled, the fuel pumps are there and that's
it, just concrete squares with the paint marks on them. Later
someone told me that it was only done last week so I went back over to
try and find the old sign for our t-bar, even that had been skipped.
It was a sad day for all those with fond memories of the place.
Even back in the
fifties the MTO thought that a large sign would encourage drivers to
carry out their daily inspections. Did you honestly meet anyone who
carried out this task? I certainly didn't - I used to kick the tyre's
occasionally and make sure the manually operated semaphore indicators
worked! Perhaps the drivers are more professional today - or are they?
Just though you
would like a couple of additions to your site. North Luffenham in
better days before the Army got their greasy mitts on it. Us Luffenham
Loonies remember the good old days, stopping at nothing to get a "rate 1".
The MT section
always busy, spooky on nights (watch out for Fred the ghost!)
The Horseshoe
club, always a laugh and a crap pint. We burnt it out in the end....by
accident.
A
WRAF driver took her staff car into MTSS and on the 656 she wrote,
'The seven hundred ten is missing from the engine'. All the mechs
looked at her and a Cpl fitter said, " What the F*** is a seven
hundred ten?" She replied, "You know, the little piece in the middle
of the engine, I have lost it and need a new one". She said she
didn't know what it was, but this piece had always been there. The
corporal fitter gave her a piece of paper and a pen and asked her to
draw what the piece looked like. She drew a circle and in the middle of
it wrote 710. He took her over to another car that had its bonnet up and
asked, "Is there a seven hundred ten on this car?" She pointed and
said, "Of course, it's
right there".
