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232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Got a hole in an old log? Empty lines in your notebook? Request that missing serial here, hopefully someone can help. Requests over 6 months old only please.
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Everett1285
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Location: Gonerby-Hill-Foot, Grantham, Lincs

232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by Everett1285 » Mon Apr 10, 2017 3:23 pm

Hi,
Can anyone please help identify the Victor B.1s & Valiant B.1s in use by 232 Operation Conversion Unit based at RAF Gaydon during the period 1960-1963.
I have so far only identified the following:-

Valiant B.1
WP207 noted at the B of B airshow in 1961 & 1962
WP220 noted at the B of B airshow in 1961
WZ368 noted at the B of B airshow in 1960 & 1961
WZ374 noted at the B of B airshow in 1960
WZ381 noted at the B of B airshow in 1961
XD821 noted at the B of B airshow in 1962 & 1963
XD826 noted at the B of B airshow in 1962
XD867 noted at the B of B airshow in 1960
Victor B.1
XA923 noted at the B of B airshow in 1962
XA925 noted at the B of B airshow in 1961
XA926 noted at the B of B airshow in 1960
XA931 noted at the B of B airshow in 1960 & 1961
XA933 noted at the B of B airshow in 1960 & 1962 & 1963
XA934 which unfortunately was written off 02.10.1962
XA935.coded 'A' noted at the B of B airshow in 1961 & 1962

Any help in filling the gaps would be very much appreciated
Regards
Everett1285

mustang5861
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by mustang5861 » Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:30 pm

The 'Scramble' report for the Waddington show in 1961 has Valiant B.1 WZ371 down as 232 OCU.

Everett1285
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Location: Gonerby-Hill-Foot, Grantham, Lincs

Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by Everett1285 » Tue Apr 11, 2017 10:30 am

Cheers M as always very much appreciated.

Regards
Colin

mustang5861
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by mustang5861 » Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:27 am

Some more, this time from a review of RAF OCUs in the May 1962 issue of Air Pictorial; the 'Representative Aircraft' for 232 OCU are listed as Valiant B.1 WZ364, Vulcan B.1 XA936 and Canberra T.4 XH583.

Northolt Nobbler
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by Northolt Nobbler » Tue Apr 11, 2017 12:19 pm

Depending on your spare time and location, have you thought about visiting the National Archives to view 232OCU's Operational Record Books (the RAF Form 540s).

The Bomber Command unit are usually quite good at listing their aircraft by serial in these books.

If you can't make it down, you can request copies of the files.

The references you'd be interested in are:

"AIR 29/2668" which covers 1956-63
"AIR 29/2669" 1956-60
"AIR 29/3660" 1961-62

I'm not sure why the first one covers the same period as the other two, It might just be various appendices and non-operational paperwork.

A link to the TNA search results is here: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.u ... =%22232%22

ODM
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Location: The Deepings

Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by ODM » Tue Apr 11, 2017 6:10 pm

I was serving as ground crew on 'A ' Sqdn , 232 OCU Victors 1960 - 1962 and the missing serial numbers from your list are :
XA 924
XA 932
XA 936
XA 941
XH 615

Mustang 5861 wrongly listed XA 936 as a Vulcan . This was the Victor OCU B o B display a/c .
Regards
ODM

mustang5861
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by mustang5861 » Tue Apr 11, 2017 7:21 pm

Northolt Nobbler wrote:Mustang 5861 wrongly listed XA 936 as a Vulcan . This was the Victor OCU B o B display a/c .
Thanks ODM; too many V-bombers in my head at the time of writing!

M

Everett1285
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by Everett1285 » Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:18 am

Hi Northolt Nobbler,
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction very much appreciated.

Regards
Colin

Everett1285
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by Everett1285 » Wed Apr 12, 2017 7:24 am

Hi ODM,
Thanks for your update it's very much appreciated. As a matter of interest did you know my father Graham 'Stan' Everett he was also an airframe fitter on 'A' Flight 232 OCU during the period 1957-1963 prior to going to 139 Squadron at Wittering as a Crew Chief.

Regards
Colin

ODM
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Location: The Deepings

Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by ODM » Fri Apr 14, 2017 3:30 pm

Hi Everett 1285 , I do remember a SNCO Airframe fitter by the name of Stan Everett while I was on 232 OCU . It's a long time ago though . I was a J/T Engine fitter on my first posting from Halton . Regards , Al Monk

Judesgrampy
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by Judesgrampy » Sat Mar 04, 2023 11:11 pm

I have only just come across this site. I would just like to add that my late father was Chief Technician Pete Stickels and was an engine fitter on A flight 232 OCU. A flight was the Victor half of the OCU and B flight was the Valiant. We lived on the camp from 1958 until dad was demobbed in 1965. So I don't know if anybody out there remembers him.

chrisk
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by chrisk » Thu Mar 09, 2023 9:44 am

Hi Everett 1285. The following additional Valiants and Victors were noted by me at Gaydon between 1960/63. Valiants WP211,WP217,WZ364,WZ366,WZ369,WZ371, WZ377. Victors XA917,XA926. Cheers Chrisk

Everett1285
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by Everett1285 » Thu Mar 23, 2023 11:56 pm

Hi Chrisk,
Apologies for the delay in replying to your post and many thanks for the additional information it's very much appreciated.

Regards
Colin

chrisk
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Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2018 2:58 pm

Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by chrisk » Mon Mar 27, 2023 5:50 pm

No prob glad I could help chris

redeye11
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Re: 232 OCU VICTORS-VALIANTS RAF GAYDON 1960-1963

Post by redeye11 » Wed Mar 29, 2023 11:28 pm

Hi - appreciate I've come to this a bit late ! but I was posted to RAF Gaydon in Oct 1964 just a few weeks after all the Valiants had been grounded due to wing spar failure. 232 OCU continued at Gaydon until 30 June 1965 when it transferred to RAF Marham with as I recall just 3 Victor B1's remaining on strength. Really appreciate if anyone can provide serials for these last kites.

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