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Hunter FGA 9 MATRA pods


SimonR

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Hi all,

 

My dad could have answered this in as instant as he was a Hunter armourer, but unless I employ a medium I'm not going to get an answer!

 

Did the RAF FGA9's ever carry the MATRA Rocket Pods at all, I can find hardy any photographic evident on tinternet?

 

I'm building a Revell 79 Squadron Hunter circa late 60's.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Cheers

Simon

Edited by SimonR
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Yes, Selwyn, I do mean MATRA - my mistake spelling - now about to correct the title lol

 

Thanks for that, just deciding whether to add some to the outer pods!!

 

Cheers

Simon

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Hi Selwyn,

 

My understanding of 229 OCU at Chivenor (before the base was mothballed in '74 and the unit moved to Brawdy) was that 229 OCU was made up of 2 Reserve Squadrons of 63 & 79. 229 at Chivenor had no separate markings as far as I'm aware!

 

My dads final squadron at Chivenor was 63 when he came out of the RAF in 1967.

 

Cheers

Simon

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, SimonR said:

My understanding of 229 OCU at Chivenor (before the base was mothballed in '74 and the unit moved to Brawdy) was that 229 OCU was made up of 2 Reserve Squadrons of 63 & 79. 229 at Chivenor had no separate markings as far as I'm aware!

Didn't 229OCU consist of four squadrons at one time? 63, 79, 145 and 234, I'm pretty sure I've seen jets marked up in these squadrons markings during the very late 1960's/early 1970's.

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9 minutes ago, Wez said:

Didn't 229OCU consist of four squadrons at one time? 63, 79, 145 and 234, I'm pretty sure I've seen jets marked up in these squadrons markings during the very late 1960's/early 1970's.

Hi Wez, yes they were originally 145 & 234, sometime in the mid/late 60's they changed to 63 & 79 - 145 was transferred to Lightning OCU.

 

I think there were only ever 2 squadrons at Chivenor in the post-war period at least (excluding 22 SAR). When the RAF returned with Hawks in 1980 they eventually became 63 & 151 as 2 TWU.

 

Cheers

Simon

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My understanding is that 229 OCU consisted of 63, 79 and 234 shadow/reserve squadrons.  

I seem to recall that the OCU Hunters would wear 234 Sqn motifs up to about circa 1970, and then 79 squadron motifs after then. 63 sqn markings seem a lot rarer, and also post late 1960s.   Can anyone else confirm or add to that?

 

So going back to Simons query in post #5, 229 OCU Hunters were regularly seen with 79 sqn markings.

 

 

Edited by 71chally
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And 234 were at Chivenor in 1969 - according to this

 

I must say I recall seeing photos of 63, 79 and 234 Sqn Hunters all wearing the 229OCU fleet numbers in the yellow disc, I've also seen pictures of them with the three colour and the two colour tactical roundelsa so I think all three squadrons were active at the same time, the one I wasn't to sure of was 145 which as you say, became the Lightning OCU shadow squadron, at least for a time until it was replaced by 65 Squadron.

 

I googled 229 OCU Hawker Hunter and there was a lovely picture of a 79 Sqn Hunter with Matra pods.

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Well thats interesting Wes, always assumed it was just 79 & 63 in the late 60's!!

 

And yes, just done the same google search and some great photos.

 

Cheers

Simon

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Hear ye the comfortable words of St Ray Sturtivant in the book of RAF Flying Training & Support Units.

 

From 229 OCU's arrival at Chivenor 23/3/51 until its departure to Brawdy as the Tactical Weapons Unit on 2/9/74:

 

4/55: 229 Shadow Squadron disbanded.

11/57: 127 Shadow Squadron formed.

10/58: 131 Shadow Squadron formed.

11/58: 127 and 131 Shadow Squadrons became 234 and 145 Shadow Squadrons respectively.

1/6/63: 145 Shadow Squadron became 63 Shadow Squadron

1/67: 79 Shadow Squadron formed.

2/9/74 229 OCU to Brawdy as Tactical Weapons Unit.

 

So from 11/58 229 OCU comprised 145 and 234 squadrons, from 1/6/63 63 and 234 Squadrons, and from 1/67 till leaving Chivenor in 9/74 63, 79 and 234 Squadrons.

 

HTH

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This is worth a squint and explains a bit,

http://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/OCUs1.htm

 

I'm still not sure how the squadron motifs were chosen to display on 229 OCU aircraft.  

Hardly academic I admit, but a brief look on Air Britain shows that their pictures of 234 sqn motif adorned Hunters go up to 1970, and 63 & 79 sqn colour Hunters appear from 1970.  I stress this is a separate observation than that of when the squadron identities came and went within the OCU.

145 sqn

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/military-unit/79 Squadron xSx 229 OCU?f=&sort=date_taken_formatted&order=asc

79 sqn

https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/military-unit/79 Squadron xSx 229 OCU?f=&sort=date_taken_formatted&order=asc

 

Finding shots of 145 Sqn Hunters is understandably difficult.

There seems to be surprisingly few of 63 sqn ones, but again seem to be post 1970.

 

 

If it were me I would model a 1960s 229 OCU Hunter with 234 Sqn Marks, and 1970s in 79 sqn marks.

 

Edited by 71chally
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Great stuff guys!

 

David Watkins book on Chivenor is a good reference point, there are some superb shots of the flight line with 145 Squadron F4s with the Knights templar emblems on the rear fuselage and slightly later on the nose of F6's. Also Alan Halls Warpaint book has profiles of all the Chivenor Hunter squadrons as well.

 

Ive already modelled a number of Chivenor Hunters, heres a few:

 

145 Squadron (Academy 1/48)

 

A-HH01.jpg

 

 

79 Squadron (Revell 1/72 - note the serial number should be black)

 

79-01.jpg

 

63 Squadron (Aeroclub 1/48)

 

HH-FINAL5.jpg

 

229 T7 (Revell 1/72 odds & ordanance conversion)

 

T7-01.jpg

 

Cheers

Simon

Edited by SimonR
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40 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Lovely builds and finishes there Simon.

Thanks Chally!

 

These were built some time ago, currently working on a big Revell 1/32 scale FGA9, hence the question about the rocket pods!

 

Cheers

Simon

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5 hours ago, 71chally said:

Lovely builds and finishes there Simon.

I couldn't agree more, I really like all of those but I have to say the LAG and dayglo scheme on the T.7 has always been a firm favourite!

Edited by Wez
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  • 1 month later...

Hi Simon , my father was at Chivenor OCU in 66/67 then out to Germany as a SAC Sparks , I am building a selection of Hunters too as he also is no longer with us , this thread has given me a few answers as well do thanks to all for the information 

 

Paul

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22 minutes ago, peezeegee said:

Hi Simon , my father was at Chivenor OCU in 66/67 then out to Germany as a SAC Sparks , I am building a selection of Hunters too as he also is no longer with us , this thread has given me a few answers as well do thanks to all for the information 

 

Paul

Hi Paul, great stuff - look forward to seeing them! 

 

Theres some really knowledgeable guys on here so just ask if you have any questions, somebody will know the answer!

 

My dad left the RAF sometime in 67 after 23 years, I guess their paths may have crossed at some point!

 

Cheers

Simon

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