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RAF Chivenor, August 1974

Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2025 7:03 pm
by Kevin Brewer
A long shot, but here goes...

On 17th August 1974 I was lucky enough to get (unofficial) access to the flightline at Chivenor. There had been some sort of event a couple of days previously - I can't recall what it was about but might have been connected with the Singapore AF training pipeline that was there at the time - maybe a passing-out parade?

Amongst the various visiting aircraft I logged a 'T-33AN, 192511, Armee De L'Air', however I've been unable to find any record of such a serial.

Allowing for a mis-pole on my part, the nearest I can find is 51-9251, which apparently went to Italy as MM51-9251 and seems an unlikely candidate.
(Besides the resident RSiAF Hunter contingent, this was the only foreign aircraft logged that day).

Is there anyone out there who might have logged a T-33 at Chivenor around that time that can shed any light on this?

MTIA

Kevin

Re: RAF Chivenor, August 1974

Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2025 11:48 pm
by JAWS
Kevin Brewer wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 7:03 pm
A long shot, but here goes...

On 17th August 1974 I was lucky enough to get (unofficial) access to the flightline at Chivenor. There had been some sort of event a couple of days previously - I can't recall what it was about but might have been connected with the Singapore AF training pipeline that was there at the time - maybe a passing-out parade?

Amongst the various visiting aircraft I logged a 'T-33AN, 192511, Armee De L'Air', however I've been unable to find any record of such a serial.

Allowing for a mis-pole on my part, the nearest I can find is 51-9251, which apparently went to Italy as MM51-9251 and seems an unlikely candidate.
(Besides the resident RSiAF Hunter contingent, this was the only foreign aircraft logged that day).

Is there anyone out there who might have logged a T-33 at Chivenor around that time that can shed any light on this?

MTIA

Kevin
From BAR/BARG 09-74

On 16.8, 2290CU held a 'Fly-in' for afrcrew who have passed through the unit in earlier years, present on the ground were;
Hunter T.7's XL619/77 45 Sqdn, XL591/82, XL597/87 4FTS, T.7A XL568 Laarbruch Stn Flt, FGA.9 XF442/81 58 Sqdn, Jaguar T.2's XX145/H, XX146/J JOCU, Phantom FGR.2 XT892 2280CU/64 Sqdn, Harrier GR.1 XV752/03 (ex 'B' ) 1 Sqdn, Gnat T.1's XR980/17, XS105/35 (ex '60' ), XP538/38 4FTS, Hercules C.1 XV302 LTW, Pembroke C.l WV733 60 Sqdn, Beaver AL.1 XP827 St.Athan 'hack', Dove 8 G-AREA Hawker Siddeley.

Couldn't find mention of a FAF T-33

Nothing in SEAR either.

Re: RAF Chivenor, August 1974

Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2025 9:14 am
by Kevin Brewer
Thanks for this Jaws. I saw 3 Harriers on the 17th including a two-seater, so XV752 was almost certainly one of them. As for the T-33, my recognition has always been pretty good so I'm loathe to admit yet that I got it wrong. Time will tell - hopefully.

Re: RAF Chivenor, August 1974

Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2025 9:25 pm
by mustang5861
Kevin Brewer wrote:
Wed Jan 15, 2025 7:03 pm
Amongst the various visiting aircraft I logged a 'T-33AN, 192511, Armee De L'Air', however I've been unable to find any record of such a serial.
I checked the list of T-33 serials in Paul Jackson's 'French Military Aviation', published in 1978: there is no '192511' recorded.