Aden and the Auster

by Mike Jackson 53a

Editor: Webmaster AAS

John (Peat) Moss © 09/11/06

09/11/06 Home
 Forward by the Editor
• Mike Jackson is an ex Army Apprentice
from the Arborfield Boys School, near
Wokingham, England. Intake 53a
• He has sent me some photos of his posting to
Aden 1962/63 and his exploits as an aircraft
mechanic during that period.
• We hope you enjoy this presentation.
John C Moss

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 Mike & Friend
Morris the Mantis
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 Over the causeway

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 Past the Canada Dry Plant

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 Past the Shell Refinery

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 The Warrior at rest
(Only 511 days to Demob)
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 The runway in Aden
Where the Blacktop ends, that’s
where you find 653 Squadron AAC

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 The VIP
We had a VIP visitor. As usual the powers to be
decided that he was to be taken “Up Country” to
monitor an exercise.

All went well until it was their time to come

home.

That’s how we found ourselves in a “Beaver” on a

rescue mission.

Note:- Check out the pecking order, Corporals at

the back of the bus!
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 The Desert View
Gentlemen, if you look to your right hand side,
you will see sand......

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 The Desert View 2
And more sand......

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 Oasis ?
Very occasionally, some green but it’s not
Blighty....

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 XP 240

Finally we found XP 240...........

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 A bad day for XP 240

“Yes Staff, he probably ran out of,

Airspeed
Altitude

and Ideas, all at the same time” ...

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 Wingless!

All we could do was put the wings on the back of

an RL attach a sling, and.........

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 RAF Skyhook

Wait for the RAF......

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 Bristol Belvedere
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 “Up - Up” and Away

That was easy, the only problem being was when

the helicopter started it’s engines.

A cartridge start scared the locals guarding the

site. They thought that they may be under
attack!.....

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 Suspended

XP 240 on it’s way home.....

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 Flying High

It seems to track very well......

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 The decent at the hanger..
We arrived back just after the Auster, you can just see
the helecopter over the right hanger. The cloud of dust
on the left is where the Auster landed.

XP 240’s bad day was not over. When it reached approx.

50/60 feet above ground, the RAF dropped the Aircraft.
When the helicopter finally landed, the crew explained
that they had an open mic intercom system with throat
mic’s.

So when the Loadmaster coughed, the Pilot thought that

he had said “Cut” so he released the load. The tail
feathers of the Auster flexed down resembling an F4
Phantom......
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 Boeing 747-400
Mike's career eventually took him from Electrics
and Instruments on Beavers to Avionic
endorsement on Boeing, Airbus and Douglas
products.

Another accomplishment by an Army

Apprentice Soldier.

John C Moss
http://groups.msn.com/ArmyApprenticeSoldiers

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 B 747-400

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