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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 1490.PDF
648 FLIGHT "Flight" photographs Journey's End : The leading section of the final delivery of Vampire 5s from Singapore arrives over Abingdon airfield and peels off to port. FAR-EASTERN DELIVERY Transport Command Ferry Unit Completes Movement of Jets to F.E.A.F. THE most ambitious jet-aircraft ferrying task yet under taken by the R.A.F. was completed on Thursday of last week, when a final batch of eight D.H. Vampire 5s completed their 8,680-mile journey from Singapore to Abingdon, Oxfordshire. This ferrying operation, which started on December 31st, 1951, had as its object the replacement of 41 Mark 5 fighter/ bomber Vampires by 44 of the Mark 9 variant. The Vampire had been in service in Malaya for just over a year when it was decided to replace the earlier models by the Mark 9, which is similar in all respects with the exception of a refriger ation unit provided to alleviate cockpit-overheating while operating under tropical conditions. No. 1 Overseas Ferry Unit of Transport Command, under the command of W/C. E, C. Badcoe, D.F.C., was given the flying to do. All the aircraft except one—which was damaged in an accident—arrived to schedule, and the Chief of the Air Staff sent a signal of congratulation when the final batch of Nines reached Singapore. The route from Abingdon to Singapore was flown in 18 stages : Dijon—Istres (Marseilles)—Tunis—Castel Benito (Tripoli) — El Adem — Fayid — Habbaniya — Shaibah — Sharjah—Mauripur (Karachi)—Jodhpur—Palam (Delhi)— Cawnpore — Barrackpore (Calcutta) — Mingaladon — Don Muang (Bangkok)—Butterworth—Seletar (Singapore). As far as Karachi the Vampires flew in pairs or in fours, but from then onwards, having left the main route, they assembled into convoys of six. The first two convoys were joined at Calcutta by a Mosquito, which acted as a navigational escort, though subsequently this was found to be unnecessary. Spares and servicing personnel, from Karachi onwards, were carried in Valettas and Dakotas. Generally speaking, the stages were all comfortably within the fuel range of the Vampires, but difficulties did occasionally arise. One such incident occurred when F/S. McCormack was bringing a Mk 5 from Palam (Delhi) to Mauripur (Karachi). The Indian meteorological section had forecast a head-wind of 40 kt— 60 kt less than its actual strength. By careful nursing McCormack stretched his fuel to last 2 hr 45 min, some 30 min longer than the safe limit. This, of course, was an exceptional case. The pilots were all enthusiastic over the services rendered to them along the route, the French, Indians and Pakistanis being particularly good. As would be expected there was more trouble on the homeward route, because the Mk 5 Vampires had already done over twelve months' operational flying against the bandits in Malaya. These last eight aircraft had been nearly a month on the journey. All the hold-ups occurred while the convoy was off the main route and, therefore, it was thought wise for the remainder to wait until repairs were completed. The splitting of fuel tanks was the most serious trouble. Curiously enough, every case occurred while the aircraft was on the ground; one Vampire had no fewer than four tanks fitted. Although this Malayan Vampire replacement has been perhaps the most spectacular Against a background of Vampires ferried from the Far East are (left to right) FjS. A. Pugh, F/S. W. Stokes, FjS. S. Warren, Ffi. L J. Wilcox (behind), S/L T. Stevenson, A.F.C. (O.C. Operational Flight), FjS. W. J. McCormack, F/L. H. M. Deffee, F/0. J. F. Walters and FIO. W. F. E. St. Clair (Convoy Leader). "Flight" photograph
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