Date Posted: 8/02/04 15:04:31 Author:John Holloway Subject: Re: Sunderland Flying Boats In reply to:
John 'Gary' Cooper
's message, "Sunderland Flying Boats" on 9/02/03 20:53:38
Whilst stationed at Mauripur 1954-56 we had to handle RNZAF Sunderlands on a number of occasions touching down at Korangi Creek about 10 miles down the coast.They would arrive late evening and our lads would have to work on them all night.All the refuelling gear had long since gone and they had to be refuelled from 2 gallon cans.The pier was covered with hundreds of cans which were loaded on to the fire launch and shipped out to the aircraft anchored about a couple of hundred yards out in the creek.They were then passed up thru the aircraft by a team of coolies up to one of our lads who would break the seal and pour the fuel thru a filter into the tanks;it would take all night.In the meantime the crews were transported to Mauripur for the night and next morning we had to get them back to Korangi for first light take-off(about 3am).They would take at least two goes to get off the water whilst we powered alongside them in the fire launch;it was all very interesting.Their next stop was Trincomalee in Ceylon.
Happy days
cheers
jhy
John, there are several members on this site that can equate to filling up Sunderlands (and other aircraft) by Jerry can, especially at China Bay and Gan. I'm pleased to hear how the FB were refuelled at the Mauripur base as this operation has often been ignored.
I'm still wanting more stories of flying/working on Sunderlands especially from RAF Seletar Flying Boat Wing or anywhere in the Far East at Sangley Point, Labuan, Kai Tak, Koggala, China Bay, Mauripur and Gan.
