71chally Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 (edited) This is a superb, and rare, set of colour shots taken onboard HMS Eagle and at RNAS Hal Far of Skyraiders, Gannets, Sea Hawks, Wyverns and a Whirlwind during 1955/57 era. Published by Martin Grant on Flickr whos Uncle in law was a FAA pilot and took the pictures. Quite interesting in that some of the shots seem to straddle the pre Suez and early Suez era. I can only imagine what a deck full of running Skyraiders, Wyverns and Sea Hawks sounded like! enjoy Album link here, https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=142978726%40N08&view_all=1&text=HMS Eagle Edited August 19, 2018 by 71chally 16 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Hello 71, Thanks for sharing these memorable pictures with us. Regards, Orion / The Netherlands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Truly a golden age! Thanks for posting these! Loved the Seahawk cartridge start! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurrantBunbury Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 What a great collection. Thanks for sharing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Wonderful pics, thanks for sharing. All we need now is a 1/72 Skyraider AEW.1........ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Absolutely superb! I wish I could go back in time to the 50s. Ideally with a digital camera! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don149 Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 This takes me back !. In late `53 and54 I was with 203 signals RAF , atop the Dingli cliffs . RNAS Hal Far was a few miles down the coast on a daily basis we would be overflown at low level by their Sea Furys Guppy Skyraiders and the only helicopter on the island at that time , a Westland Dragonfly ,( Sikorski S 51 ) . The pilot usually had the doors slid back and would give a wave as he passed overhead , sometimes with a broad hand , other times with just two fingers , we replied , respectfully likewise . Sometime in early `54 a group of us were standing on the cifftop looking down on a large carrier with Sea Hawks landing-on, the only time I ever saw that , the weather was bad so he must have used the lee of the cliffs to recover the aircraft . A few times we would get a Neptune dropping live depthcharges between our camp and Filfla , a small island , used as a bombing range , obsolete stock to be disposed of . After the big waterspout had gone up , all our doors and windows rattled . As I said , those pics take me back . Happy times , thanks ! . Don . 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJP Posted August 19, 2018 Share Posted August 19, 2018 Yesterday I saw the Korean War photos posted by 72 modeller and today this fabulous collection of FAA photos - thanks for posting CJP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnT Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 On 19/08/2018 at 12:05, 72modeler said: Truly a golden age! Thanks for posting these! Loved the Seahawk cartridge start! Mike Is that what it was. I thought it was an early attempt at the FAA formation vaping team. Superb photos and thoroughly enjoyed. Whenever I see pictures like the ones of the Wyverns, Sea Hawks and AEW Skyraiders at times a thought flits through my brain - if I had these in the garage now in good flyable condition how much would they be worth today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 (edited) Thoroughly enjoyed those. I've long been an Eagle fan after tramping her decks when she visited Wellington in 1970. An Eagle air group of that era us in my future plans. Pity I made a total hash of driving my Mum's camera then, I might have had some scans to share. Steve. Edited August 21, 2018 by stevehnz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 That is a link and a half if ever I saw one, thanks for sharing it with us. Martian 👽 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rholland Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 The photo of Skyraider AEW1 WT987 is brilliant; the yellow Suez stripes only applied, with the dark blue taking the place of black and underwing serials still visible on the blue sections. I have not seen that before, though I am sure other BMers will have. Richard in NZ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingpiggy Posted September 23, 2018 Share Posted September 23, 2018 Thanks for sharing these Fantastic clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldynewby Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 I see the Skyraiders are carrying the (relatively) new AN/APS-20 Hard to think that it wasn't particularly good in the first place yet it lasted for 40 years in UK service. Where did we get this talent for taking the mediocre and wringing the nuts off it to great effect? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troffa Posted September 24, 2018 Share Posted September 24, 2018 Fantastic shots, thanks for sharing- those Wyverns look amazing! Just in case anyone hasn't seen this old thread of mine from 2011, some more colour shots of HMS Victorious and her air contingent from the 1960's. Fleet Air Arm in the 1960's 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daedalus72 Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 Top notch photos, absolutely marvelous shots of a time when we still had a fleet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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