dgpics

Royal Air Force Northolt

Historical Photographs part II

The following amazing photographs and notes on Northolt visitors in the early 1960's have been kindly supplied by Dave Gardiner.
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RNZAF Hastings NZ5803
This was taken in Farnborough week 1962, hence the well occupied apron. Normally visited once or twice each year.

Dakota KN645
This was, I think, the last operational RAF Dak. It was a regular visitor for many years from its base in Norway (It belonged to a NATO headquaters, if my memory is correct). There were some other Daks (KJ994 and KP208) around a few years earlier, but they did not outlast this one.

Hastings WJ326
HQ Middle East Air Force.

A fairly regular visitor

Hastings WJ324
HQ Far East Air Force.

Another fairly regular visitor

Valetta WJ504

This aircraft was based for a few years in the early 1960's. Very well polished with dayglo nose and fin.

RCAF Dakota 828
An example of the smart VIP colour scheme used by the RCAF, the same as the based RCAF Dakota KP221 and C45 1527.

RCAF Daks and C45's were frequent visitors, along with the odd Neptune, Argus,Tracker and Bristol Freighter.

RAF Britannia XM518

There must have been a very red-faced pilot on this a/c when he tried to use the triangle of taxiways on the NE side of the 26 threshold to turn around (The centre of the triangle was concreted over soon after, to give the current configuration). I was lucky enough to be there when this happened, although the photo was not taken by me.
To add to the embarassment,I believe the aircaft was filled with ATC Cadets on their way to the USA on an annual exchange visit.
A replacement Britannia was flown in a few hours later with a very marginal wingtip clearance when it landed. All other flights that day had to use runway 31, but presumably the Brit was too large for that.

Notice the old Control Tower in the background, with a USAF C47 nearby. This area was always used by the based USAF aircraft for parking, and sometimes the VC121s when they were stopping for a few days.

Whilst mentioning ATC exchange visits, this used to happen every August with either the USAF or RAF providing the aircaft. This explained visits by MATS C121C and C118 and even two C124s on one occasion.
John Davison advises that the serial was XM518 named 'Spica' and the date was 18/8/62 and suggests that the flight may have been bound for France.

RCAF Argus 20742

These were one of the most spectacular visitors, both for size and noise level. They were to be seen several times a year, sometimes in pairs.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6