Borneo Escort - 60 Squadron Javelin FAW.9R

[Antti_K]

Here is my Javelin FAW.9R XH766 of No. 60 Squadron. I hope You enjoy reading the short aircraft history and watching the photos.

"Echo" was originally built by Gloster and upgraded to a FAW.9 in November 1959. From August 1960 XH766 served with No. 64 Squadron as "Echo" until a further modification to FAW.9R standard started in September 1962. She returned to RAF Duxford during November the same year and continued serving with No. 64 Squadron still carrying the letter "E".

XH766 was then "shipped" (dates and method are not known) to the Far East and transferred to No. 60 Squadron. The exact dates are maybe lost forever; according to the "Movement Card" she was transferred to 60 Squadron in October 1964 as "Tango". However she was photographed at RAF Kuching (Borneo) during May 1964 already in the colours of 60 Squadron. As "Tango" She saw some action near Lundu when on 16 May 1964 crewed by Plt Off B. Todd and Flt Lt G.T. Hall an Indonesian launch was made to obey the Halt command given by a Royal Navy vessel. Records mention "An impressive low level beat-up".

When No. 64 Squadron took over the responsibility of the Kuching and Labuan detachments 60 Squadron gave all their FAW.9Rs to the new "owner". "Tango" was transferred to 64 Squadron 28 May 1965 becoming "Echo" once more. No. 64 Squadron finally disbanded at RAF Tengah and on 16 June 1967 "Echo" was transferred to 60 Squadron for the last time. Before this on 10 June 1967 a massive 16 Javelin formation (both 60 and 64 Squadron) flew around Singapore Island for HM Queen Elisabeth's birth day. XH766 was the lead aircraft crewed by the both Commanding Officers (M.H. Miller and B.E de Iongh).

The "new" FAW.9Rs of 60 Squadron were put in alert almost immediately; HQ FEAF instructed the squadron to deploy four Javelins to RAF Kai Tak. On 22 June 1967 M.H. Miller led four aircraft to Hong Kong. Did "Echo" participate in these detachments (called "Gas Iron")? I don't know. Finally in the morning of 1 May 1968 XH766 took the short transit to RAF Seletar and was SOC the same day and eventually scrapped.

"Mind your head I'm bringing the hood backward..."

Here are the drop tanks I have been talking about. They look...striking won't you say

Some photos together with the real thing.

Finally few photos that were essential to this build

There are three(!) more photos in 60 Squadrons archive that show the decorated drop tanks. The photos seem to be extremely rare. And then there is this; pay close attention at 0:42

Best Regards,

Antti

[Antti_K]

Work In Progress details can be seen here:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235005998-borneo-escort-60-squadron-javelin-faw9r/

Best Regards,

Antti

[freemodeller]

Congratulations for your excellent build model. There is one Javelin FAW 9 park at the north end open at west camp Seletar air base when I did my AA training there 1972, that Javelin was use for fire fighting training. Not sure this is the same aircraft but I remember it was in 60sqn making. I build the 1:72 Frog Javelin back than but can't get one of this Airfix kit here.

[Mr B]

Lovely

A subject close to home and very much interesting to read about....

Cracking supplements with the model pictures

rgds

[stevehnz]

Beautifully done. The Javelin is not an aircraft I can get excited about normally but with your history & the finishing of this its a great read & very interesting,

I still rate the Javelin only one step above the Swift but I'd buy a nice new tool in 1/72 though, 11 squadron had them

Steve.

Edited August 12, 2016 by stevehnz

[71chally]

Absolutely superb, really great flat finish and just so subtle weathering achieved there. Great little details such as the removed panel on the steps.

Lovely stuff and thank you for the details in the WIP.

[Ascoteer]

Lovely 'Flying Flat-Iron'!

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Everything a build should be, in my opinion: fully researched, based on what a real aircraft looked like, and executed with skill and finesse. Not an aircraft I knew much about - though I have heard good things about the Airfix kit - but you gave done a superb job. Thanks!

[At Sea]

Great story, livening up an interesting subject.

My highlight is the brilliant colour washing of the roundels. Looks very very realistic.

[Antti_K]

Thank You All for Your kind words

I'm glad you like my "Flat Iron". This has been a very nice project. Kits about "Forgotten" aircraft are usually pretty bad (starting with basic shape and dimensions) but here almost everything was spot on. Well done Airfix

On the lighter side: Modelling can be an ..."interesting" hobby at times. Ever since I named these topics "Borneo Escort" my browser has found me all the advertisements of the real life "Borneo Escorts" (Looking for company me suki suki looong time) And I just wanted to know if the restaurant couple of blocks away is still open... So be careful out there Google is watching you...

BR,

Antti

[upnorth]

I have a soft spot for the "Dragmaster" and you've certainly done the subject justice with this build.

[Tiger331]

Great story backed up with a great rendition of the Airfix kit….I really like the attention to detail with, in particular, the faded roundels on the upper wings. It also brought back memories of a great Saturday afternoon treat at RAF Seletar and the fact that I may well have clambered all over this very aircraft !. The father of my best friend at the time was the Engineering Manager for Airwork Ltd, who had secured a contract to train aircraft engineers for the fledgling Singapore Air Defence Command as it was known, before later becoming the Republic of Singapore Air Force. For this purpose, the RAF had donated a quantity of Surplus Gloster Javelins which had previously been flown into RAF Seletar from nearby RAF Tengah as you mentioned and were now 'operated' by Airwork from the recently vacated RAF station as the SADC built up their engineering capabilities in preparation for the receipt of their first combat aircraft, the Hawker Hunter FGA.74 and the BAC Strikemaster. I say Airwork 'operated' them - The aircraft did not fly but were principally used as ground instructional airframes that may have been towed around the base from time to time.

Mike and I were basically given free reign to clamber all over around half a dozen jets, including sitting in the cockpits etc for most of the afternoon. A great treat for a couple of aeroplane mad 10 year olds !.

More recently a work colleague asked me to procure one of the new Airfix kits for him since he had plans to build one for his father who had served as a pilot with both 60 and 64 Sqn during their time in Singapore. Iain had some great photos from the period which we had hoped to share with like minded enthusiasts but we had both sadly moved by the time we got around to doing something about it.

Anyway, great model…..congratulations

[tonyot]

What a beautiful Javelin and brilliantly researched too,.......I love the drop tanks and also the weathered roundels,......pure class!!

Cheers

Tony

[Rabbit Leader]

Just echoing many of the other comments as well.

As soon as I saw the first photograph I let out a silent swear word in awe!

Truly a wonderfully executed 'replica' (the words model kit just doesn't seem to do this masterpiece justice).

Thanks for shearing and supplying the inspiration.

Cheers.. Dave

[rob85]

Beautiful work mate, and great to hear the back story

Rob

[Miggers]

My late buddy that used to live in NorCal would've pestered me silly to build him this kit.

His father was a design engineer at Gloster's and therefore Leif(my mate)knew most of their

test pilots when he was a boy in the 50's including the Jav.test pilots,"Dizzy" Aldecott and Dick Martin.

Very nice job Antti,she looks excellent.

[David H]

What a brilliant build. i learned a lot about the Javelin from following this thread.

You included photos of a previous Javelin for comparison purposes. If you still have it, it would make nice background material for a diorama, or for just more interesting photographs.

Like someone else said, the Javelin was never on my "Top 10" list of jets i gotta build before i die, but neither was the F-89 Scorpion. And i built one of those.

I look forward to your next thrilling polystyrene adventure!!

david

[Blogs On]

Hi Antti,

I'm in full agreement with the previous posters. Absolutely Stunning.

My Father served at Tengah in the early sixties and spent many a "happy" hour in the old Drag Master trying to turn the recalcitrant collection of valves that didn't like high humidity into a working Air Intercept Radar!

He always seemed to have a grudging affection for the old beast.

I look forward to your next build.

Also many thanks for your generosity in passing on the lovely artwork for the seat harnesses to us.

Regards.

[Natter]

Like stevehnz, the Javelin doesn't do it for me; but your model does. Cracking.

[Antti_K]

Thank You all, very kind of You

... It also brought back memories of a great Saturday afternoon treat at RAF Seletar and the fact that I may well have clambered all over this very aircraft !... A great treat for a couple of aeroplane mad 10 year olds !.

... Iain had some great photos from the period which we had hoped to share with like minded enthusiasts but we had both sadly moved by the time we got around to doing something about it...

If my magnifying glass doesn't fail me "Echo" laid on Her belly next to the 60 Squadron's T.3 at RAF Seletar; what a sorry sight... As a person who has never even seen a real Javelin I envy You. I spent two years at RAF Tengah in the 1990s but never visited Seletar. Tengah looked very different than in old photos: everything was painted dark green (even the former Mc Gregor Club at the end of Spitfire Road) and you saw a lot of unfriendly faces around.

... My Father served at Tengah in the early sixties and spent many a "happy" hour in the old Drag Master trying to turn the recalcitrant collection of valves that didn't like high humidity into a working Air Intercept Radar!
He always seemed to have a grudging affection for the old beast...

... Also many thanks for your generosity in passing on the lovely artwork for the seat harnesses to us...

Yes I read about those problems with radar sets. It almost seems that the most common marking in "Form 700" was "AI unserviceable". Also the fuel content measuring equipment was very allergic to water and these were frequently removed from Javelins and "serviced" (dried) in a cooking oven!

You are very welcome I hope that every modeller building this great kit can use my harness drawings with good results.

... You included photos of a previous Javelin for comparison purposes. If you still have it, it would make nice background material for a diorama, or for just more interesting photographs.

... I look forward to your next thrilling polystyrene adventure!!

I still have three Javelins in my collection: an Airfix 1/72 scale FAW.9 (XH839, 20+ years old), an Airfix 1/48 scale FAW.9R (XH961) and this one. My oldest Javelin a "true" scratch build made out of balsa and styrene sheet and various surplus parts became "CAT 5, Beyond economical repair" during a move .

I can add a few photos of the "airworthy" ones. I have also planned to build some of the Tengah's dispersal and/or flight line buildings from cardboard as they would be a very useful for a diorama; so many RAF and RN aircraft visited Tengah over the years (Vampire, Venom, Phantom, Buccaneer, Scimitar, Meteor, various Spitfire marks, Canberra, Mosquito, Thunderbolt...) that you can always represent them at RAF Tengah. 60 Squadron had their Javelins at the main dispersal and later at the "OldJapaneseStrip" in front of the NCO mess.

Best Regards,

Antti

[Antti_K]

... he had plans to build one for his father who had served as a pilot with both 60 and 64 Sqn during their time in Singapore. Iain had some great photos from the period which we had hoped to share with like minded enthusiasts but we had both sadly moved by the time we got around to doing something about it...

Oh it would be great to see these photos! Let's hope that You can find a way to share them.

BR,

Antti

[barak1]

Simply brilliant

[Antti_K]

Thank You Barak1

BR,

Antti

[Antti_K]

Freemodeller wrote:

"... There is one Javelin FAW 9 park at the north end open at west camp Seletar air base when I did my AA training there 1972, that Javelin was use for fire fighting training. Not sure this is the same aircraft but I remember it was in 60sqn making. I build the 1:72 Frog Javelin back than but can't get one of this Airfix kit here"...

My references show that FAW.9R XH908 "S" ended up as a fire practice air frame. The other donated to Singaporean Air Force to be used as instructional air frames were:

XH872 "MHM" became SAF-TECH7

XH839 "W" became SAF-TECH10

XH893 "V" became SAF-TECH6

XH793 "J" became SAF-TECH8

XH895 "G" became SAF-TECH5

XH777 "R" became SAF-TECH9

The old Frog kit had decals (at one time) for XH766 although in 64 Squadron markings. I hope you find a way to get one of these Airfix kits for yourself

Best Regards,

Antti

[David H]

If the 72nd scale Airfix one is still serviceable, you could put it in the background for some "Forced Perspective" photo work.

-d-