Valiant crash-landing RAF Manston 23 May 1964 - picture of the day #11

 

Vickers Valiant B(PR)K1 WZ396 was written off following a wheels-up landing at RAF Manston in Kent on May 23, 1964. Right on the Kent coast just outside Ramsgate, (RAF) Manston, currently not operational, (still) has one of the longest runways in the UK. The aircraft landed on a "foam carpet" (fire suppression foam applied to the runway) after its main undercarriage failed to deploy properly. It was operated by 543 Squadron, a specialized unit that performed long-range mapping, photographic survey, and maritime reconnaissance. Following the incident on 23 May 1964, the aircraft was deemed a write-off and later broken up on-site. The aircraft had been delivered to the Royal Air Force on 18 September 1956.

Hawker Siddeley Nimrod XV 229 - the last RAF Nimrod MR.2 to fly.

 

Nimrod XV 229 was the last RAF Nimrod MR.2 to fly. The airframe was retired to Manston, Kent during late May 2010 and used for smoke evacuation training at RAF Manston Defence Fire Training and Development Centre which closed last year (2020). The local RAF Manston history Museum managed to save the front 37 feet otherwise it would have been another rare aircraft lost to the scrap yard. The cockpit section was open to the public at the 'Open Cockpit' Day held yesterday, 19/09/21. Famously developed from the DH comet airliner the Nimrod was powered by four RR Speys. The control yokes of XV 229 were/are notable for the large red 'N' button on both sticks - 'N' for 'nuclear' apparently - this aircraft type could launch/drop nuclear depth charges. 

'Meet the Blenheim Day' at the Kent Battle of Britain museum Hawkinge - F/O Reg Peacock of 235 Sqd

 The second 'Meet the Bristol Blenheim Project Day' at the Kent Battle of Britain Museum Trust at Hawkinge was held on Saturday 17th February 2018 between 10 am and 3 pm with all proceeds going to the museum 'Bristol Blenheim rebuild fund'.

The weather was crisp and clear and the Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV was laid out in the car park for visitors to see the progress being made on her rebuild to date and since the museum acquired the project in December 2017.

I took the opportunity to speak to some of the volunteers involved with her rebuild, took a few photographs of the progress and was able to get up close and personal with her.

Please note that the Museum does not re-open until Good Friday 30th March for the 2018 Season. It is hoped to rebuild the Blenheim over a five-year period with a cockpit arriving some time during 2018 from Canada.

 The restoration will be repainted in the colours of 1940 Blenheim 'ace' F/O Reg Peacock of 235 Sqd who shot down a Ju 88 over Thorney Island on 18 August 1940 at the height of the Battle of Britain in Blenheim IV L9446. 235 Sqd were based in Kent at RAF Manston.

Victor K.2 XL190 55 Squadron Original MOD photograph 1993 -ebay photo find # 59

Victor K.2 XL190 55 Squadron Original MOD photograph 1993. An original Ministry of Defence photograph taken by Sgt. Rick Brewell of Victor K.2 XL190 of 55 Squadron in September 1993. Last flown in October 1993 to RAF St. Mawgan, it was broken up in February 1999 the nose section going to the Manston Museum.

Victor B.1 Maintenance Original Photograph. An original period (probably MOD) photograph of a Victor B.1 undergoing maintenance possibly at RAF Gaydon.

MOD) photograph of a Victor B.1 formation. Aircraft are XH588, XH589, XH591 and XH592. The cockpit section of XH592 is at the Midland Air Museum.

images on offer here

More RAF Manston and RAF Manston History Museum on this blog;

Granby Buccaneer 

Airframes at the RAF Manston fire dump

first Gloster Meteor sortie  July 1944 RAF Manston

Manston's Lightning F.6

XR 770 Lightning F6 5 Squadron, RAF Binbrook, Waddington, Manston

Lightning F.6 XR770 arrived last year at my local aviation history museum located on the former RAF Manston airfield and must surely be one of the more famous Lightnings if only because of that paint scheme. First flown in 1966, she appeared at that year's Farnborough SBAC display in Saudi markings with a wide array of weaponry prior to entering service with 74 Squadron in September 1966 and finishing her career with 5 Squadron at RAF Binbrook. Lee Scargill photo

 In March 2015 XR 770 moved from her then location at Waddington to the Manston History Museum outside Ramsgate in East Kent and by July they had completed her re-assembly. At least she is now available for public viewing - something that would no longer have been possible at Waddington with the ceasing of the annual airshow.

 See more at Damien Burke's 'Thunder and Lightnings' site here

27 July 1944 - first Gloster Meteor sortie, Flying Officer Bill McKenzie RCAF of 616 Squadron

On this day in 1944 an RAF Gloster Meteor Mk 1 jet flew the first operational sortie of the type - in the 616 Sq log the entry read ‘History is made!’ An anti-diver patrol (so called after the way the V-1s flamed out then dropped from the sky) was flown by Flying Officer Bill McKenzie RCAF of 616 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based at Manston on the north-east Kent coast. He later shot down a V-1 on 16 Aug 1944 as the following report confirmed;

 Consolidated Diver Report 616 Squadron, Manston F/O W. McKenzie, R.C.A.F. 16 August 1944

 After an uneventful scramble, F/O McKenzie was about to land at Manston when Control (Kingsley 11) passed information that Divers were coming in. F/O McKenzie was sent back to orbit approximately 5 miles S.E. Ashford at 3000 ft. One Diver was seen flying on a course of 320 degrees at 1000 ft, at speed of approximately 360 mph. F/O McKenzie positioned to 700 yards behind and 500 ft below Diver at approximately 0938 hrs. A Mustang was seen to attack from line astern and fire from 250 yards. No strikes were observed and the Diver continued on a straight and level course. The Mustang then pulled upwards and broke away. Immediately F/O McKenzie attacked from astern at range of 400 yards and fired a 4 second burst. Strikes were seen all over Diver and starboard wing fell off. Diver then rolled over on its back and went down to explode on ground approximately 6 miles southeast of Maidstone at approximately 0940 hours. This position and time has now been confirmed by Royal Observer Corps at Maidstone.

CLAIM: 1 Diver destroyed by F/O W. McKenzie (R.C.A.F.) SQUADRON: 616 Squadron AIRCRAFT: Meteor Mk I CALL SIGN: Hugo 19 WEATHER: Hazy, visibility 5 miles TIME UP: 0910 TIME DOWN: 0950

source; RAF FB page

Granby HS Buccaneer S.Mk 2 B XV352 -RAF Manston History Museum

Cockpit section of Buccaneer XV352 preserved under cover in the Manston Airfield History museum. This machine flew ten sorties during Operation Granby ('Desert Storm'). The aircraft was scrapped in 1998 at St. Athan. John Hume of the Manston museum now has all the cockpit electrics working including the seat! Very impressive too, if a little cramped for me (below). According to John, all 12 Granby Buccs had the 'Sky Pirates' flag on the nose, each with a slightly different design. XV352 was one of the few not to feature any other nose artwork. The first Buccaneers to operate over Kuwait arrived at Muharraq (Bahrain) from RAF Lossiemouth on 26 January 1991. Eventually 12 aircraft were used to provide laser-designation for Muharraq and Dahran based Tornados. The first mission was flown on 2 February. A total of 216 sorties were eventually flown. The aircraft returned home in early March 1991. Rather poor quality period shots of XV 352 from a Fairford RIAT during the early 1990s.