Odiham Dump Whirlwind April 1985

[Sea_Harrier_FA2]

Noted on the dump was a yellow Whirlwind. Looking at wrecks and and relics of the time the following were candidates

- XD182 202 Sqn dep 28/1/86 to Caterrick
- XK969 202 Sqn to Manston before 3/86
- XN387 BDR, reported painted in camo
- XP333/G ex 2FTS seen before in red colour scheme

The only ex 202 Sqn machines, and hence yellow, were XD182 and XK969 are most likely candidates. If the dates in W&R are correct both are potentials unless someone can account for them earlier at their respective destinations or know if used elsewhere on the field?

Bob

[Ken Cloke]

This piqued my interest. I saw 4 dead Whirlwinds at Odiham on 4 December 1981 and only read XP333/G. Are these the same 4 a few years later?

[rh226]

Hi Bob

XD182 was already on the dump on 28/05/1980 when I noted it there. Presumably it stayed there until it moved to Catterick in January 1986.

BAR 1984/MY233 notes XK969 dumped behind the control tower, but BAR 1985/AP195 notes that it was moved to the dump "during early April".

Bob

[mustang5861]

The all-yellow Whirlwind HAR.10 in April 1985 was XK969 (8646M).

XD182
In the March ’82 issue of ‘BAR’ there is the following information following a visit to Odiham on 4th March: ‘… an anonymous Whirlwind HAR.10. The latter has received a rough coat of camouflage over its previous RAF Rescue scheme and should be XD182* (8612M, ex-stores at Wroughton) which was allocated to Odiham some time ago and is still assigned here.’

*There is no information in subsequent issues of ‘BAR’ to indicate that the identification of the airframe as XD182 was erroneous.

The June ’85 issue includes a report for the ‘Crete Day’ show on 17th June, and notes that XD182 (8612M) ‘is still present behind the old ASF hangar its yellow colour scheme roughly painted over in olive drab’.

The February ’86 issue includes a Road-Runner reference: ‘An unidentified Whirlwind (HAR.10?) was noted heading north along the A1 at Alconbury on 28/1. It was in SAR yellow c/s but had been overpainted in olive drab’. Two issues later, the airframe in question is confirmed as XD182 on its way to Catterick.


XK969
The May ’84 issue includes a report for 33 Sqn’s ‘Crete Day’ show on 10th May, which states that ‘Noteworthy among the relics on the field was Whirlwind HAR.10 XK969 which is now dumped behind the control tower’. Note that there is no indication that its all-yellow scheme had been overpainted.

The April ’85 issue notes that XK969 (8646M) ‘was moved to the dump during early April’. Again there is no reference to indicate that the yellow scheme had been overpainted.

The April ’86 issue makes reference to XK969 (8646M) and XP333 (8650M) having left Odiham ‘by 14.2’ for Manston; and the July ’87 report for the Manston show on 12.7 confirms that XK969 was still in yellow: ‘SAR yellow scheme – upright and minus boom’.

Case closed!
M

[Sea_Harrier_FA2]

Mustang, awesome piece of research. Very many thanks. Bob

[Sea_Harrier_FA2]

Ken, wrecks and relics 9, published in April 1984 only has three of these four and no mention of departures. W&r10 (1986)adds XK969 saying it arrived 4/85. Bob

[Mustang531]

Adding to the above, I visited Odiham in late September 1987 and all that was visible on the dump were an unidentified Scout AH.1 and the chopped up remains of former gate guard, Meteor F.8 WK968. But four weeks later, I visited Manston and was able to access the Fire School compound and wander around (there was a hole in the fence) unchallenged. There were seven Whirlwinds in various states of disrepair, including XK969 and XP333. No idea how long these lasted here, the other five were XJ430, XK968, XP357, XP394 and XP400. Also present were Argosy XN855, Devon's VP953/956/960/965, Hunter XJ695, JP3 XN602, Lightning XG327, Vampire XD527, Victor's XH590/616 and XL511 (one of these was badly burnt), Vulcans XL386 and XM657 and Viscount G-BDRC. Lightning XP741 was on the ramp waiting to be moved to the compound, it's engines having been removed.

[Grey Ghost]

In July 1972 Whirlwind XS412 "Y", ex 230 Sqn in camo was on the dump along with Sycamore XG503 and Hastings TG535.