Date Posted: 3/12/06 22:19:27 Author:Frank Clark Subject: V.I.P. Hastings at R.A.F. Changi
I was interested to stumble across your website and find a mention of Far East Comm Squadron (very rare) and Hastings WJ 326. I flew around 800 hours mainly on this aircraft in 1957-59 as the engine fitter who doubled as Asst A.Q.M. During this time we had 2 big chiefs, Sir Francis Fresange and The Earl of Bandon. If memory serves me right TG507 was a modified "standard" Hastings which replaced the York probably in early 1957. 326 was one of the Mk. 4 aircraft made as a V.I.P. aircraft which carried 16 passengers in luxury. 12 hour flights were quite common and all meals were prepared from the raw - no frozen/prepacked food in those days. Years ago when I went to live in Italy I gave my log book to the air museum at Newark. Of current interest is that we took part in the Malayan Independence day when we flew in to collect the last Governor?/Commissioner General and took him back to Singapore.
