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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1807.PDF
21 December 1956 971 ;CROYDON TO CAPRI —and Back: a Holiday Journey by Four in a Miles Messenger Part 2 By T. G. PRYTHERCH CAPRI was now beckoning to us, and next morning we leftthe paper work at our hotel in Rome, only to begin it againat the airport. The snag was that petrol at Urbe is brought to the airport from outside, and the man responsible was, withnearly everyone else, on a two-day fiesta of some religious signifi- cance. We had some fuel in hand, but not sufficient for anydiversion, and I decided to go across to Ciampino Airport. At Urbe, hangarage, take-off and landing charges totalled two poundsfor two days. We had seen Ciampino when we first arrived, and after take-offI climbed to 2,000ft for a better view of it. I nearly mistook for it another aerodrome which lay between the Urbe and Ciampino, amilitary field also with a single runway; but ten minutes' flying brought us over our target at 2,000ft. Here the radio becameintermittent, and being near such a busy airport I decided to remain aloft until contact was restored. This we achieved withthe help of a radio expert on board, who removed the crystal cover and pressed the appropriate crystal. After seeing a Viscount, aDakota and a Constellation land we put down in the fifteen-knot beam wind after some fluttering near the hot runway. Our landingrun made me think the tailwheel had gone, but as we slowed down it turned out to be no worse than shimmy—a fortunate thing, forreplacement of a tube or tyre would have gummed up the works in no uncertain manner. As we turned off the runway at an inter-section we watched a U.S.A.F. Globemaster land, marvelling at its size, and at its short run with reverse-pitch propellers. Once again we were parked between DC-6s, Viscounts andConstellations by a follow-me van which, its task fulfilled, left us as mysteriously as it had appeared. The petrol crew refuellinga DC-6 fixed us up with 80-octane, the transaction being achieved without difficulty though they spoke no English. It took some time, and a long walk, to find out where to report.At first they wanted a pound for a landing fee, but, pleading a club aircraft, I found it promptly reduced to five shillings. Feelingwealthy, we partook of Coca Cola all round. All set to be on our way, we had to wait for some time for radiopermission to taxi. The track was narrow and flanked by lights on stalks a foot high, many of them were broken. At the run-uppoint we were pursued by three other large aircraft. We had made out a flight plan from Urbe to Ciampino and to Naples, and nowI had to make another, oral, flight plan, during which I had to transmit my name in the new phonetic alphabet—no mean feat,I assure you. We were then cleared to line up and take off immediately. The wind swung the tail sharply, and I could onlykeep on the runway by large helpings of brake. The direct course to Naples would have taken us over mountainsat 4,000ft, so I diverted first to clear a forbidden stretch (which had been pointed out to me at Urbe) by flying inland, and thendodged some of the higher mountains. It is surprising how mis- leading the heights of mountains can be when one approachesover low ground, in contrast to being right among them. What at first appears to be 3,000ft becomes 4,500ft, and I found that themetres multiplied by 3£ or 4 gave a truer picture. If we checked mountain heights once we did it more times than I care toremember. An hour and a quarter brought Naples into view; at 4,000ft wewere level with the crater of Vesuvius. According to our gen we had the frequency of Naples Capodichino but I called in vain;then I pressed on, sorting it out in two circuits. Our caution was not misplaced, for we spotted a jet in the circuit and waited tosee him land. The eternal windsock was cleverly disguised, but in the absence of any show of pyrotechnics we landed gently.After we turned off the only runway a jeep came out to guide us, for miles it seemed, to the far end of the field and the controlbuildings. We had scarcely stopped the engine when the Shell representative appeared, tall, handsome, and bronzed and speakingexcellent English. He was invaluable, and assisted us in the most THIS article concludes Mr. Prytherch's account of his journey to Naples,and back to England, with three companions in a light aircraft. This instalment is concerned with the final stage of the outward trip and thereturn; the majority of the photographs, however, like those in the first instalment, were taken on the outward trip. rapid refuelling we had experienced—by can and chamois-leathertoo—and arranged hangarage and transport to Naples to catch the last boat to Capri, all within half an hour of landing. As Ileft the hangar (in which were some Italian Air F«rce Mustangs) I was shaken as I hurried through the grass to see lizards slitheringin all directions. The coach driver made a real taxi run to town to enable usto catch the last boat to Capri. What I saw of Naples in our dash —it was a slow dash at crowded places—belied adverse opinionsone had heard about. The fare to Capri was eight shillings return, and we enjoyed the hour and a quarter the journey occupied. At Rome we were recommended to stay at Roberts' Pensione,and as we entered harbour we felt almost there on seeing a Volks- wagen Minibus with the name on it. Mr. Roberts was there in awhite suit and broad-brimmed hat, a genial host who might have stepped straight out of a Somerset Maugham novel. We climbedthe narrow steep roads at record speed, and were soon completing formalities in the hotel. The double room plus a shower, plusbreakfast and dinner came to twenty-five shillings a day—most reasonable, we thought, and proved shortly by one of the bestdinners we had had. At 11.30 p.m. we decided to turn in. Our host expressed hissurprise. "But you must visit the Piazza," he said, "where the evening is just beginning." We were there in five minutes. Imaginea village square floodlit until it resembled a film set, then pour in an orchestra, beautiful women in the most exotic clothes, andwith all shops ablaze with light and life, and you have it. Inci- dentally, I was wearing my white shorts, and the combination ofthis and my lily-white skin really shook them. Everyone except us had a tan like mahogany. Until 1.30 a.m. we roamed in andout of the shops and bars, stopping for a celebration bottle of wine, for we had now completed our outward journey. We decided tocall it a day at 1.45 a.m. and retreated to our room overlooking Grade Fields' private beach and swimming pool. Space does not permit a description of our visit to the famousBlue Grotto next day, or of the events leading up to a warm sea bathe, during which I swam out to a lovely white yacht anchoredin the bay and flying the American flag. My intention was to rest there a few moments and swim back. Instead, I was accordeda typical warm-hearted American welcome: "Say, come on board and have a drink." I found to my delight that this friendlycharacter, who had chartered the yacht for a month, was a U.S.A.F. flier based at Capodichino. Presently I expressed concern for myfriends ashore, who must have thought they had lost their pilot; so I was invited to fetch them in the yacht's dinghy. In a shorttime we were all on board and bound for a cruise around Capri in sunshine that, back home, seems impossible to believe. Hourslater we dropped anchor in Capri harbour and bade Alan and Mickey and their two children not good-bye but ou revoir, for wehoped to see them in London during Farnborough week. Another Piazza night rounded off a perfect day. Saturday, the next day, we had an early breakfast brought toour rooms, then left at 7.30 to catch the 8 a.m. boat to Naples. Formalities completed, many willing hands from the Italian AirForce moved three heavy aircraft to get the Messenger out. The usual charges came to a pound. I had watched a Dakota landearlier, but they changed the runway for us after reference to a control tower midway down the runway. This time we had lampsignals galore, for their radio frequency was an unusual one, not one of our six, and not even that good old stand-by 119.7. Myflight plan was for Pisa, with Florence as an alternative, and once
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