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Wed, Jan 07 2004, 0:55:28 [ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2] ]

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Date Posted: 23/11/03 20:20:21
Author: John Cooper
Subject: Re: Handley Page Hastings Aircraft
In reply to: John 'Gary' Cooper 's message, "Handley Page Hastings Aircraft" on 9/02/03 20:50:27

Info wanted on the following, any takers?

16/06/1952 TG603 NO ACCIDENT RECORD CARD EXISTS. I have sinced received information that this aircraft was 'Blown Off the Runway' at RAF Luqa, Malta and that there were no survivors, understand that Elevator Bolts could have sheared off

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Replies:

[> Re: Handley Page Hastings Aircraft -- Peter Kay, 2/02/04 19:12:54

Have read your page with interest, I recount my experience as a passenger on Hastings TG502 whilst on the ground at Ottawa, Canada in the winter of 1966/7.
At the time, I was a Senior Technician in the RAF, based at Boscombe Down. We were support crew to a Vulcan (XH 606) doing cold weather trials at CEPE Cold Lake, in Northern Alberta. The general procedure was for the Vulcan to fly ahead and the ground crew to follow in a Hastings, which was either TG500 or TG502, which were both used as support aircraft at Boscombe Down at the time.
This aircraft had made the trip to Cold lake, many times without incident, and an overnight stay at Ottawa was part of their usual itinerary, were the aircraft was left outside for the night. After boarding the aircraft for take off from Ottawa, the usual crew checks were being carried, out before start up, when the captain emerged and asked for the rear door to be opened and the boarding ladder lowered. After a few minutes, he called for everyone to disembark, which we all did. It was quite cold, about minus 20, but not unusually so for the time of year. Since all passengers were either engineers or technicians we gathered around to be shown the problem. The captain explained that he had been unable to move the elevators when checking the controls from the cockpit, which was a mandatory pre-flight check, hence is sudden disembarkation to find the reason. We all observed that the normal gap between the elevator and its surrounding tailplane was none-existent, and therefore the elevator and tailplane were seized together. A Special Incident Report (SIR) was raised and the aircraft towed in to the heated hanger.
Within 10 minutes, the previously, none-existent gap had opened to over 8mm, and the elevators were free. Since several airframe men on board had experience of rectification modifications to the Elevator Horns which had caused at least one previous crash of a Hastings, they were none too happy to leave things as they were! The last rib of the tailplane was therefore moved about 10mm away from the elevator, and the now spare metal trimmed flush, leaving a gap that could easily accommodate a hand thickness. Thoughts were voiced about this happening at 7000 feet, which was our normal cruising altitude and the resulting inability to control our altitude by normal means! We carried on to Cold Lake, via Winnipeg, without incident and the same aircraft made the same trip many times later. Why it happened this one time, no one seems to know. It was concluded that freak weather conditions had caused it, but I always thought that the air at 7000 feet was always colder than at sea level, were Ottawa, on the St Lawrence Seaway is located!.
Hope you found this interesting. Has anyone heard of a similar occurence?


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[> [> Re: Handley Page Hastings Aircraft -- John Cooper, 8/02/04 8:03:43

TG577 crashed at Abingdon in 1965 with the loss of all on board, this is still the RAF's worst peactime UK accident. The elevator failed shortly after take off, although the Hastings gave valuable service one area that caused concern was the failure of the elevator bolts which resulted in several accidents, all fatal.

I recall this statement from one such Flight Engineer being put into practice before each flight and on more than two occasions I recall faults being found.

"As a new Flight Engineer at Colerne (36 Squadron) I flew to Malta with the crew of TG577. I remember very well being told by the Engineer on the crew to always put your shoulder under the elevator and check for movement. He was very insistent on doing this during the trip. I cannot think that he would not have noticed if anything was amiss before the last flight. Whatever did happen was not detectable on a pre-flight, his way of checking was to put a lot of pressure and movement directly under the brackets"

Thanks to Peter M


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[> [> [> Re: Handley Page Hastings Aircraft -- John Cooper, 2/04/04 14:21:13

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


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[> [> [> [> Re: Handley Page Hastings Aircraft -- Keith Griffiths, 25/08/04 7:14:29

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.

Keith.


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[> [> [> [> Re: Handley Page Hastings Aircraft -- Jim Tannock, 10/10/05 17:05:28

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.


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[> [> [> [> Re: Handley Page Hastings Aircraft -- BRENDAN BERKELEY, 18/08/12 23:03:41

i can still do 40 press ups! and i still shoot fox !
brendan berkeley here!
where's frank hughes???


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[> [> [> Re: Handley Page Hastings Aircraft -- Christina Taylor, 28/05/09 6:07:07

I am amazed at the arrogance in the face of dissapating funding for equipment used by fine men and women serving our countries in peacetime. I lost my father in the Abbingdon crash (please note I do not use the word "accident"). The causes were well known and predictable, but the aircraft were not grounded. Thank you RAF for allowing me to grow up never knowing the most important man in my life.

We have the same BS continuing with the Canadian helicopters - the whole world knows they are ticking time bombs, but no-one in power will ground them. Losing lives in peacetime is not only abhorrent, but life-taking. Who do we charge with murder?


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