| Maurice Millard, e-mail, 27.04.2013 17:53 I was an an apprentice at Blackburn's in the 1950's. As I recall the GAL-60 wasn't a Beverly prototype, it was a little smaller, with Hercules engines. The Beverly was bigger, with a large upper rear fuselage. The marketing pitch was that the rear fuselage was larger than a C-47.
The Beverly prototype had a "lash-up" wing center section. One of my assignments was on a team building a production center section with was retro-fitted to the prototype.
The field at Brough was a little tight for an aircraft this size, the prop 'auto-reverse' was very handy.
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| Ronnie Claassen, e-mail, 27.04.2013 09:50 Forgot to mention the date we South Africans did the cours at Abingdon. October 1960 to December 1960. Completed only 15 jumps due to adverse weather conditions. Jumps were made from Balloon, Beverley, Hastings as well as two jumps from a helicopter
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| Ronnie Claassen, e-mail, 27.04.2013 09:28 I am a South African Ex Paratrooper who with fourteen other South Africans did a jumping course at No 1 Parachute Training Scool at Abingdon. After two balloon jumps, our first Ac jump m was from a Beverley. Grand Aeroplane. Greetings to all.
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| Robert Garrett, e-mail, 06.04.2013 17:24 I was a RAF PJI at Abingdon during the 60's and worked despatching trainee Paras from Bevs - Hastings - ect would like to hear from anyone who was there during this time - I now live in Aus
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| Bob Garrett, e-mail, 04.04.2013 13:41 Was a PJI at Abigdon throuthout the 60s - Dispatched many Paras from the 'Old Flying Elephant' Now live in Aus - Anyone remember me ??
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| Vince (John) Nolan, e-mail, 30.03.2013 13:26 Loved this old 'Flying Elephant' did my first jumps from it at Abingdon - It was roomy and easy to exit for para - I can smell the arcid fuel now just lookig at the pic - Loved Abingdon including the food and the RAF girls - Went back later on a APJI course and made a lot of friends Army and RAF as I stayed in the Sgt Mess there - I am still in contact with one RAF PJI who now lives in Australia - Bob Garrett if anyone remembers him let me know as I am in daily contact on email - Happy Days - PS Did not like the Hasings
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| A Michie, 15.03.2013 22:22 The beverly moved the 1 st bn the Gordon highlanders from Kenya to Swaziland in the early sixties great air craft
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| A Michie, 15.03.2013 22:20 The beverly moved the 1 st bn the Gordon highlanders from Kenya to Swaziland in the early sixties great air craft
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| jack, e-mail, 12.01.2013 21:16 The Beverley boom was my first aircraft jump on para course back in the early sixties great aircraft slow but sure. Flew in the Beverley many times and my final Beverley flight was from Butterworth via KL to Singapore in 67. An RAF friend in Singapore told me they were stripping bits off aircraft just to keep 1 or two flying. Not sure when they finished in service?
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| john benton, e-mail, 18.08.2012 23:14 Imagine this aircraft with turboprops. What a piece of kit it would have been.
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| john perryman, e-mail, 17.05.2012 11:56 Para's training 10th bat 1962 Abingdon door came off so we had to land.Does anyone remember Sooty RAF sargent instructor realy thick jump boots used to be a drifter.
Up 800 ft five men jumping!
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| martin ( jock ) leslie, e-mail, 03.05.2012 16:58 I had two years on 84 sqdn, 1963 to 1965.
learnt more about my own abilities keeping these monsters servicable, from Aden to Kenya, Southern Rhodesia ( as it was then )Swaziland and all points south, great times.
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| billd766, e-mail, 26.01.2012 16:16 Actually Norman the Beverleys were usually only 4 in number and 2 came from 30 Sqdn at Eastleigh and the other 2 came from 84 at Khormaksar.
I worked on them from June 1963 to June 1964 so if you were there at the time we probably know each other.
RAF Norman, fostekew=btopenworld.com, 04.11.2011
Whilst serving in the RAF in the Middle East, there was a squadron of Beverley's based at RAF Muharraq in Bahrain in 1964. Flew in this aircraft on many occasions delivering machinery for MPBW to distant outposts, Para drops, air sea rescue (The Beverley was used in the search for survivors including that of the MEA Caravelle which crashed into the sea whilst attempting to land at nearby Dahran in April 1964. I have Such Fond memories of this incredible versatile aircraft.
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| RAF Norman, e-mail, 04.11.2011 19:56 Whilst serving in the RAF in the Middle East, there was a squadron of Beverley's based at RAF Muharraq in Bahrain in 1964. Flew in this aircraft on many occasions delivering machinery for MPBW to distant outposts, Para drops, air sea rescue (The Beverley was used in the search for survivors including that of the MEA Caravelle which crashed into the sea whilst attempting to land at nearby Dahran in April 1964. I have Such Fond memories of this incredible versatile aircraft.
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| Keith Greenwood, e-mail, 27.10.2011 08:17 Back in the late 50's I was a balloon operator at RAF Abingdon and sent up many jumpers in the gondala for there first jump. On sports afternoon some of us would try and get a flight in the Beverley air craft,great way to spend an hour or two.Love abingdon camp, food not great, but company was good.
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| Edward Wilkinson, e-mail, 06.04.2011 18:33 I rember servicing this aircraft when based at RAF Dishforth in the North Riding of Yorkshire, and then on a paratrooper training session at RAF Abingdon, when someone didn't set up the parachutes correctly and a landrover towing a trailer went down 15,000 feet on a drogue parachute. It left a big hole on Salisbury Plain!
Trying to keep a Beverly on the peri track by hand signals was a work of art, because the pilot was so high above the ground and the landing wheels so far apart.
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| joe of beverley, e-mail, 25.12.2010 00:00 I remember, as lads, helping to "wheel" shape into beverley sheet metal panels at the old flying school,Actually we sun bathed in the engine bays high above the ground whilst the men wheeled the panels . Joe
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| Keith Hesselden, e-mail, 09.12.2010 09:08 My father, Vern Hesselden, worked for Blackburn up to about 1954.l Remember walking into the wing root of the Beverly and down the spar to the inboard enginr (number 2 if memory serves). I was only 7 at the time and the Beverly to me was, of course, a massive aeroplane. As an aside, my mother Joyce also worked for Blackburn as secretary to test pilot Sailor Parker who presented me with a flying helmet and oxygen mask with mic. and a set of headphones on the occasion of my parents leaving so dad could go to work for Avro on the Vulcan program. All said, I have very fond memories of living in Brough, the airfield and Blackburn.
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| Ted Dalton M.B.E.EX PARA, e-mail, 09.11.2010 13:03 I did my basic para coursr in the early sixties we used the Beverly and Hasting aircraft The best juump on my course was the Beverly boom this was the last air craft which you jumped through the hole Fond memories of RAF Abingdon
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| Mike Scott, e-mail, 07.10.2010 22:51 I remember flying on one as a CCF cadet. I think it was from Jurby to Abingdon in about 1962.
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| J. Jeffcoat, e-mail, 29.08.2010 06:24 As a USAF Pilot, I was selected as an Exchange Pilot with the RAF, and was assigned to fly the Beverly. Attended the flight school at Thorney Island, and was assigned to the 47 Sqd at RAF Abingdon. 1965 - 1968. Was previledged to fly the last operational Beverly of the 47 Squadron around most RAF Bases, then terminated at the Bone Yard. Flew demonstration flights in three Air Shows at RAF Abingdon, and RAF Boscom Down. A Great Old Aircraft.
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| J.OAKES, e-mail, 05.06.2010 19:50 involved with this type 1st visit El Adem throught to last flight to paul . info and pics
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| mike horsfield, e-mail, 11.03.2010 22:14 what a yoy to see the two beverley shots,I flew a few times in the 1950s and earley 60s from watebeach and west raynham as steward many times with 1Sqdn and 54 Sqdn R A F can any one sell me a couple of photos for my memories of my flights in the old girl,if so I will eternaly thankyou.my contact no is 0161 292 1080
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| Les Jones, e-mail, 10.03.2010 01:50 I flew from Cyprus to Abingdon via Libya,Malta and Orange in one of these in 1960. We sat it the hold but because the doors wouldn't quite close, we piled on the blankets for the 6-8 hour legs. Longest, most uncomfortable journey of my life!
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| Gibby, e-mail, 07.02.2010 06:21 I did my NS 1960 to 1962 with 63 coy rasc Airborne and we jumped from these planes in UK Libya Cyprus Germany Channel Islands,very safe plane.
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| John, e-mail, 06.01.2010 18:28 A friend of mine jumped from this aircraft
as a paratrooper [Scotland]
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| paul scott, e-mail, 23.10.2009 19:00 Strange aeroplane, but in its own way another classic.
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