Date Posted:19/12/04 8:59:25 Author:John Cooper Subject: '1066 Squadron'
Someone has written in my guestbook re 1066 Squadron and the lack of information. I do have some brief info on 1066 but need more.
'1066 Squadron' was unofficially 230 OCU at Scampton and previously at RAF Lindholme. The Squadron flew Hastings (hence '1066') whilst with Bomber Command Bombing School then after 1968 with Strike Command Bomber School.
These aircraft were used for aircrew training on Vulcan bombers, they were painted in 'dayglo' red colourway and had a H2S Scanner type positioned under the fuselage just forward of the main door.
S/Ldr 'Jacko' Jackson O/C 1066 flew the last of three Hastings to Aviation Museums and were the last unit to fly the Hastybird.
I am piecing together the histories of all the Squdrons/OCU's and Special Flight Units that flew Hastings so if any of you were aircrew or worked on/flew in or had any experience with them whatsoever I would like to hear from you.
I was at Lindholme circa 1972 and worked with 1066 cleaning their a/c from the outside.I am presently finalising a History of South Yorks Aviation Society which was formed in 1973 at Doncaster.One chapter is devoted to RAF Lindholme 1066.I will let you know when it is available.I now live in scotland see my website www.clydeaviation.org.uk
Kind regards
Ray Dixon.CAT Clyde Aviation Trust.Can you find me an image I can use in the illustration part of same booklet? TG 503.511 517 etc.A JPEG would be ok with a high resolution for printing.
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Re: '1066 Squadron' -- John Cooper, 23/01/06 15:39:50
Ray, I was only looking at a picture of 503 today at the Berlin Air Museum where she is now on display, this is a most unusual pic in as much as the Hastybird is in the 'flying mode' with access through the toilet area.(is this PC or not??) The image is very sharp, if I can find on my recent history where I picked this up from I will send you the link
John
Hi John
I just stuck my website name in search and found yours again.Yes great days at Lindholme.Would you like me to send you a copy of page of booklet I produced for Lindholme experience.You might like to put it on your site?
Booklet not produced in whole but sent to a colleague of mine who was a Chairman of the now defunct South Yorks Aviation Society of which I was a founder member in 1973.
Ray Dixon
Any pics of the Hastings that were at Lindholme circa 1972 would be nice.
Those I remenber are TG 505 511 517 she, that is 517 went to Newark air museum. Tg 536. Coal was found in one of these a/c it turned out to have been on the Berlin Airlift in 1948.
I moved on to RAF Bawtry just down the road from Lindholme, as a Mess Hand. In both postings I was a Civilian attached to the RAF. Incidently the Falklands war was controlled from the "underground ops room there", been in that room after the war of course.
Hope this info has helped anyone.
Again, I did meet "Jacko" Jackson and remember him having "my" spectacle from the control column of an a/c thatwas being retired!
Hi John
Sorry for delay, I have closed down the CAT website as the cost and work involved doing it all on my own was too difficult.
However. I cleaned the TG517 Hastings, i think it now resides at Newark. I never knew at the time that the a/c was used for Vulcan training.
I once cleaned an HP Victor a white/ photographic job that was having a club foot spar replaced on its port wing. The electrical wiring was an enormous job.
The a/c left Lindholme with a nice "tide mark on its fin, we hadn't the gear to reach those parts.
The cleaning fluids we used were basol and Ardrox, which you kept your eyes clear of. Very concentrated stuff.
I have the booklet finished now and can scan page with my Lindholme experiences in if you like.
I have the HP Hastings in my FS2004, its nice flying it.
Re: '1066 Squadron' -- Ray Dixon, 21/07/12 20:10:06