51 Squadron Hastings

JohnC · Administrator

51 Squadron Hastings

Iceni · Member

I served on 51 Sqdn for around 2 years - from memory.

I was an Instrument Fitter (Nav).

Places that I remember travelling to are - Malta, Cyprus, Bodo in Norway, Sharjah, Cornwall, Istre in France and Changi.

Iceni · Member

Hastings TG530 is the a/c that was attached to 51 Sqdn during the years that I was on the Sqdn. It was used solely for the transport of ground crew to various places that our a/c were detached to, including Malta, Cyprus and Sharjah.

Hastings TG530 Iceni.jpg

Photo courtesy of Joe Gertler, Florida.

-- Edited by Iceni on Friday 6th of June 2014 12:57:23 AM

JohnC · Administrator

From my diaries

January 2nd 1964 El Adem Hastings TG530 51 Squadron 'Iceni' arrived

JohnC · Administrator

Continued....[and connected to above, anyone there on the Hastings/Comet/Canberras at the time?]

January 5th 1964 El Adem: I doubt whether you will find an account of this in the PRO at Kew!!!! "Comet C2 from 51 Squadron Wyton (Hastings in 2 days previous) arrived late at night unannounced, A whole load of 'snowdrops' (police) surrounded the aircraft. A/C was supposed to have hit an air pocket but rumour had it that it was Radar Jamming over Nassers Corner, Egypt when 2 Mig fighters 'bounced' the Comet, they had to 'open up the taps' and pull a tight 'G' to rapidly get out of the area. Comet had a suspected cracked main spar and all engines were dropped for further investigation. (It was later reported this a/c returned to the UK with undercarriage down!)