Alan Pickering ex AQM 24 & 36 Squadrons RAF Colerne mid 1960's is looking for Frank Hughes from that period, if anyone knows of Frank's whereabouts please let me know
I don't know what you might consider an 'interesting story' about that old work horse but in the 4 years I worked on them they certainly clocked up some air miles doing a variety of jobs from troop transport....I was at Lyneham during the Suez crisis and saw troop movements at that time,to CaseVac jobs airlifting sick and wounded, and I did a short spell on Mobile Servicing Flight at Edinburgh Field, Adelaide, sending supplies up to Maralinga where they were testing the H bomb.
At Edinburgh Field we were resposible for keeping two Hastings aircraft fully servicable at all times to keep the supplies flowing to Maralinga.
I once spent all night , with other trades of course, doing an engine change, the old Hercules engine, so it was ready for the early morning daily trip.
We had a good relationship with the aircrew who kept us supplied with refreshments, mainly liquid if my memory serves me right and we all did a good job for 6 months in 1958.
We flew back to Lyneham in the Hastings stopping at Darwin, Changi, Negombo, Karachi, Habanniya, El Adem and home. Took me a total of 6 days to get back and God wasn't the inside of a Hastings loud and noisy. I had flown out in a Comet and it had taken 26 hours what a difference!!
Later in 1963 when I was on 43 Squadron with Hunters, the squadron did a trip to Athens to 'show the flag' as it were, and all the ground crew and kit etc went out by...yes you guessed it , the good old Hastings.
I was at Colerne same time on 24. Frank and I went thru OCU at TIs; together. Last I saw of him was on an S&R programme on the beeb about 25 years ago. Think he had his galloping hrses. Pretty sure it was a semi documentary. These Irishmen can be a handful on a night out in Limassol,bermuda,Gander or ANYWHERE. Quite a lad.
