BLACKBURN BEVERLEY

[jargon]

[lordevanelpuss]

I have fond memories of seeing XB259 in the skies around Farnborough in the early 1970s when it was in RAE service. It wasn't in the camo scheme seen in the video in those days. I think it went north to it's current resting place in 1973. What a shame you couldn't hear the sound of it's engines in the flying shots. It had a sound all of it's own.

[graham]

M'lud, Plane Base says that XB259 is preserved at Fort Paull Museum in Yorkshire where it has been since 23/5/04

[davebasing]

Thanks to Jargon for another memory jerking video. Only managed to see 28 of the 47 Beverleys built. Graphed XB259 when it was at the Museum of Army Transport in Beverley, Yorks in 1988 before it was painted in camouflage (albeit without the black underside which genuine camo examples wore) as this was considered better to weatherproof the aircraft than the standard silver/white scheme it originally wore. It was moved to its present location when the Museum of Army Transport closed in 2003. It also had Beaver XP772 which now flies as G-DHCZ. XB259 was of course bought by Court Line with the idea (which never happened) of being used to transport spare engines for its TriStars. It ferried to Luton on 13 March 1973, having carried out a farewell para drop at Aldershot the day before. Graphed Boscombe Down’s XB261 at the Southend Museum back in 1974 before it was broken up and the cockpit section moved to Duxford and then to Newark. Other than those written off and those scrapped at Seletar, most Bevs were broken up at Shawbury (where my visit in December 1968 produced around a dozen of the 18 that died there) and at Bicester where I graphed XH123 ‘N’ engineless and awaiting the axe in November 1967, where 7 were scrapped. Despite XH124 being at the 1968 Royal Review at Abingdon and then spending far too many years uncared for outside at the RAF Museum at Hendon the only shot I ever took of her was her rear end framing a Hastings at the Abingdon review. Sacrilege that the RAF Museum allowed her to decay to an extent that scrapping was the only option. Finningley Museum also scrapped their Beverley XL149 seemingly to make more room for the upcoming Royal Review but which, despite seeing her many times at BoB shows there, I apparently never did graph. At least the cockpit survives at Doncaster.
There were clearly those in sandy places with a sense of humour. Of the Bevs that returned from such places for scrapping in the UK, I noted that one wore the inscription “A thing of beauty is a joy forever” while another coded U had been altered to read U/K and or bust.

88-by by dave tompkins, on Flickr
bev1 by dave tompkins, on Flickr
IMG_5228 by dave tompkins, on Flickr
IMG_5231 by dave tompkins, on Flickr

[denwil189]

I have fond memories of Beverleys flying from Thorney Island having grown up in the small village of Chidham, parents House was right by the approach to T.I. One of my sadist memories was watching a Beverley in the circuit one evening with the engine on fire, the magnesium engine mounting dis-integrated, the engine fell out in the next village, the crew were fighting to keep the aircraft in the air, but unfortunately lost their battle just short of the runway, crashing into Chichester Harbour, unfortunately several members of the crew died, a very good friend of mine managed to rescue other members of the Crew with from his boat, for which his rewarded by the OCU unit.

[davebasing]

Hi Denwil. That was on 17 May 1962 and was XL132 'Z' of 242OCU which had moved base from Dishforth to Thorney the previous December. The Hercules OCU was of course there later. If you told the guard on the gate that you were going to the village church you were allowed in across the airfield. Took this of Thorney on a flight a couple of years ago from Sandown to Popham.

IMG_7996 by dave tompkins, on Flickr

[denwil189]

Hi Dave
Crossed the airfield several times by going to the Church on our Bikes, when we could see interesting aircraft that we needed to log, stopped by the runway lights were you could log most things that had parked behind the control tower until being chased off. Canadian Sabres, C121 Warning Star, Portuguese Harpoon, German French Noratlas German Harvard, FW 149, French Flamant and many more. Also many approaches by Valiant, Vulcan and Victors.

Good Memories also included Marathon's, Varsity, Valetta, Hasting and Argosy as well as Meteor and Vampire.

Den

[rh226]

I visited Thorney Island on my last school CCF (RAF Section) camp during Easter 1967. The Beverleys had gone a couple of weeks (or so) before and 242OCU had 3 Argosies there (XN821/850/854).

The SAR Whirlwind XP349 was in residence and, as I didn't get an AEF ride in the (piston) Provost, I was lucky enough to get a flight in that - sitting in the hatch with my legs dangling outside.  Needless to say, I was securely attached by wire from the rear buckles of my uniform belt to the central rail.

We did not get a single visitor during my stay.

Bob

[davebasing]

Feb 6, 2019 18:12:19 GMT rh226 said:

I visited Thorney Island on my last school CCF (RAF Section) camp during Easter 1967. The Beverleys had gone a couple of weeks (or so) before and 242OCU had 3 Argosies there (XN821/850/854).

The SAR Whirlwind XP349 was in residence and, as I didn't get an AEF ride in the (piston) Provost, I was lucky enough to get a flight in that - sitting in the hatch with my legs dangling outside.  Needless to say, I was securely attached by wire from the rear buckles of my uniform belt to the central rail.

We did not get a single visitor during my stay.

Bob

Only just missed them then, the Bev' OCU disbanded in February 1967 and, as you say, they were replaced by the whistling wheelbarrows (Argosies for our younger readers).

[denwil189]

Start logging at Thorney Island in 1950 so very interesting types entered the log book. My parents house was in the top right-hand corner of your picture, school was right under the approach (always getting told off for looking out the window). Also cycled to Tangmere, occasional trips to Ford, in school holidays some of the my best memories of spotting.

[billsamuels]

Great photo Dave, and great memories...

Its a bit surprising that the airfield hasn’t been built on or at least still used as a GA field...

Never visited the place, but feel it might be a great place to visit - albeit a non-spotting trip!!

Bill

[rh226]

Don't how far you will get. It's an Army place now (Baker Barracks), home to two Regiments of the Royal Artillery.

[graham]

More great, nostalgic shots there Dave, thank you