Aviation History and Nostalgia Whether working in aviation, retired, wannabee or just plain fascinated this forum welcomes all with a love of flight.

Looks foreign to me!

Old 12th May 2021, 17:37
  #1 (permalink)  
Paxing All Over The World
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hertfordshire, UK.
Age: 67
Posts: 10,126
Received 58 Likes on 48 Posts
Looks foreign to me!

Hi folks,
Going through my father's albums, I find this item and have no idea what it is. I presume that he took the picture when it was visiting their station, he was in night fighters so nothing to do with him.

For a follow up, I know the hangar is a standard design but would anybody hazard a guess as to where? There is nothing on the back to give any hint.


PAXboy is offline  
Old 12th May 2021, 18:13
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 15,788
Received 196 Likes on 90 Posts
2 FTS flew from Digby, which had C Type hangars.
DaveReidUK is online now  
Old 12th May 2021, 18:25
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 5,222
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
The hangers still have their camouflage so it is in the UK.
Fareastdriver is offline  
Old 12th May 2021, 18:55
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: East Lothian
Age: 71
Posts: 22
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
RAF
KF 702
North American NA-16 Harvard IIb (AT-16)
Low Level Pilot is offline  
Old 12th May 2021, 19:19
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Wilts
Posts: 357
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
Originally Posted by Fareastdriver
The hangers still have their camouflage so it is in the UK.
...or hangars, as we used to call them
Quemerford is offline  
Old 12th May 2021, 20:20
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Could it be Little Rissington? 702 is listed as flying for the Central Flying School 1950-54
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...page&q&f=false - Page 302
Diverskii is offline  
Old 12th May 2021, 20:50
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: North of Watford, South of Watford Gap
Age: 68
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Could it be Little Rissington? 702 is listed as flying for the Central Flying School 1950-54
The book gives the code as FDM-Q, rather than FAI-K, so not CFS. DaveReidUK has presumably tracked it down to 2 FTS. The 3-letter codes beginning with F were allocated to Flying Training Command units
Innominate is offline  
Old 12th May 2021, 22:07
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: east ESSEX
Posts: 4,624
Received 65 Likes on 40 Posts
Tail oleo needs pumping up...!

PAXboy,where was your Father stationed on `night-fighters`?
sycamore is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 01:39
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: on the ground
Posts: 443
Received 32 Likes on 11 Posts
Harvard IIB KF702 [Royal Air Force Aircraft Serial and Image Database] RAFCommands.com

While we're doing mystery aircraft, does anyone recognise this derelict fuselage, photographed at Deception Island in the South Shetlands?



nonsense is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 02:58
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Penang, Malaysia
Age: 78
Posts: 261
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The code 'FAI' was one of several (FAI - FAM), allocated to No.20 SFTS at RAF Church Lawford where that unit had been based since April 1945. No. 20 SFTS became No. 2 FTS on 27 July 1947.

On 6 April 1948, No. 2 FTS moved to RAF South Cerney.

The hangar layout in the OP's photo does not resemble Church Lawford but is similar to South Cerney.

Sources:
Ken Delve's "Source Book of the RAF'.
AirBritain's "Flying Training and Support Units Since 1912".
lauriebe is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 03:20
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Saigon SGN/VVTS
Posts: 6,625
Received 58 Likes on 42 Posts
nonsense,

It's a DHC-3 Otter. See here for details:

http://www.dhc3otter.com/vpfak294dhmuseum.htm
India Four Two is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 05:30
  #12 (permalink)  
Paxing All Over The World
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hertfordshire, UK.
Age: 67
Posts: 10,126
Received 58 Likes on 48 Posts
Thanks for prompt replies. Little Rissington is probably correct. After the war, my father's pilot stayed on and was at L.R. I know that my parents visited him there in July 1952.

sycamore Principally in Sq 141, Beaus and then Mossies. If you want more info, do PM.

Last edited by PAXboy; 13th May 2021 at 16:36.
PAXboy is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 06:11
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Gold Coast, Australia
Age: 75
Posts: 4,378
Received 24 Likes on 14 Posts
Originally Posted by Low Level Pilot
RAF
KF 702
North American NA-16 Harvard IIb (AT-16)
From the exhaust ducting that looks more like the NA-66, or T6 Texan back in its native habitat?
John Eacott is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 06:52
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 15,788
Received 196 Likes on 90 Posts
Originally Posted by Low Level Pilot
RAF
KF 702
North American NA-16 Harvard IIb (AT-16)
Noorduyn-built.
DaveReidUK is online now  
Old 13th May 2021, 07:01
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: N/A
Posts: 5,882
Received 362 Likes on 192 Posts
UK Serials confirms LLP's ident. IIb models were built by Canadian company Noorduyn in Montreal where the long exhaust pipe provided cockpit heating, something desirable in the UK and Canada one would assume. Photo of Duxford based IIb G-BTXI flying in the UK.

megan is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 07:21
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 15,788
Received 196 Likes on 90 Posts
Originally Posted by lauriebe
On 6 April 1948, No. 2 FTS moved to RAF South Cerney.

The hangar layout in the OP's photo does not resemble Church Lawford but is similar to South Cerney.
Given that we now know the approximate date, my money would also be on South Cerney - looks a bit too grassy to be Little Rissington.
DaveReidUK is online now  
Old 13th May 2021, 10:39
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: West of Suez
Posts: 335
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Middle Wallop ? They operated the Bolton Paul Defiant there as a night fighter.
AnglianAV8R is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 11:04
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Reading, UK
Posts: 15,788
Received 196 Likes on 90 Posts
Hangars are oriented wrongly for Middle Wallop, and are a different variant of Type C.
DaveReidUK is online now  
Old 13th May 2021, 13:11
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 607
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
PAXboy: Was you father a pilot? Maybe he learned to fly on the Harvard.

Laurence
l.garey is offline  
Old 13th May 2021, 16:41
  #20 (permalink)  
Paxing All Over The World
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hertfordshire, UK.
Age: 67
Posts: 10,126
Received 58 Likes on 48 Posts
I.garey No he was a Nav/Rad as they were called, known in their trade as a 'blip basher' for following the blips on the screen!

The mention of Little Rissington puts this into his history. Post war, his pilot stayed in (went up to Air Commodore) and was based at Rissington in the early 50s. We have other photographs of the two families there in July 1952. So this would have been something my father saw when visiting his old chum who was senior at the training station at the time.

Many thanks all round.
PAXboy is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.