B36 at RAF Throckmorton
Discussion
Saw some B52s fly over my parent's house today and my Dad started reminiscing about seeing B36 fly from RAF Throckmorton when he was young.
This RAF station had a long main runway and I understand was intended as a dispersal site for Victors or Valiants (can't remember which). Is it likely that B36 flew from this airfield as guests, maybe touch-and-go or similar?
It's a distinctive aeroplane so I'm fairly sure he didn't imagine it.
This RAF station had a long main runway and I understand was intended as a dispersal site for Victors or Valiants (can't remember which). Is it likely that B36 flew from this airfield as guests, maybe touch-and-go or similar?
It's a distinctive aeroplane so I'm fairly sure he didn't imagine it.
I can't find any mention of the B-36 operating from RAF Pershore (Throckmorton), but...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3AG-JsjoyA
...six of them visited RAF Lakenheath in January 1951.
The comments under the video mention them flying four days of sorties from Lakenheath during their deployment, so it's possible that they visited other bases around the country as part of their training flights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3AG-JsjoyA
...six of them visited RAF Lakenheath in January 1951.
The comments under the video mention them flying four days of sorties from Lakenheath during their deployment, so it's possible that they visited other bases around the country as part of their training flights.
Tim-D said:
Johnnytheboy said:
My father refers to hearing them take off nearby when he was at Oxford - which airfield would that be?
Upper Heyford ..... I was too young for the B36's but B52 's were regular.... noise could be heard on a clear day 15 miles away....There was a large deployment of B-36's to RAF Upper Heyford in Sept 1954, and again in Sept/Oct 1955.
A small number deployed to RAF Brize Norton during 1956.
aeropilot said:
Tim-D said:
Johnnytheboy said:
My father refers to hearing them take off nearby when he was at Oxford - which airfield would that be?
Upper Heyford ..... I was too young for the B36's but B52 's were regular.... noise could be heard on a clear day 15 miles away....There was a large deployment of B-36's to RAF Upper Heyford in Sept 1954, and again in Sept/Oct 1955.
A small number deployed to RAF Brize Norton during 1956.
One of them ran off the runway whilst landing there after a non-stop flight from California due to problems with the jet pod and propeller which required a new propeller to be fitted. The only spare prop was also damaged due to a mix up with the crane controls as it was being fitted so the maintenance crews spent a lot of time swapping props between aircraft to allow them to fly until a new prop was delivered from Travis AFB. If you can find any pictures of the deployment you'll probably see an aircraft with only 5 propellers.
Tango13 said:
aeropilot said:
Tim-D said:
Johnnytheboy said:
My father refers to hearing them take off nearby when he was at Oxford - which airfield would that be?
Upper Heyford ..... I was too young for the B36's but B52 's were regular.... noise could be heard on a clear day 15 miles away....There was a large deployment of B-36's to RAF Upper Heyford in Sept 1954, and again in Sept/Oct 1955.
A small number deployed to RAF Brize Norton during 1956.
One of the B-36's deployed to Fairford crashed in Wiltshire after failing multiple times to find Fairford in poor conditions, and the crew bailed out leaving the B-36 to its (and anyone under it) to its fate.
aeropilot said:
Yes, but the question was about his Dad being at Oxford, so Upper Heyford and Brize were more likely than Fairford.
One of the B-36's deployed to Fairford crashed in Wiltshire after failing multiple times to find Fairford in poor conditions, and the crew bailed out leaving the B-36 to its (and anyone under it) to its fate.
Fairford is about 22 miles as the crow flies from the center of Oxford, Brize is ~14 miles and Upper Heyford was ~12 miles so not that much difference in the grand scheme of things.One of the B-36's deployed to Fairford crashed in Wiltshire after failing multiple times to find Fairford in poor conditions, and the crew bailed out leaving the B-36 to its (and anyone under it) to its fate.
I bought my copy from these people, it will look awful on a decent tv as it hasn't been remastered and June Allyson has a voice like scratching your nails down a blackboard but some of the aerial footage is superb.
https://www.vicpine.co.uk/Strategic-Air-Command.ht...
https://www.vicpine.co.uk/Strategic-Air-Command.ht...
100SRV said:
Interesting contributions, thank you all!
Must have been an impressive sight when they were flying.
Any theories about them being seen near Pershore?
The main runway is 1280m long; enough for a B36 yo land and take off or only touch-and-go?
That seems a bit on the short sideMust have been an impressive sight when they were flying.
Any theories about them being seen near Pershore?
The main runway is 1280m long; enough for a B36 yo land and take off or only touch-and-go?
Tango13 said:
I bought my copy from these people, it will look awful on a decent tv as it hasn't been remastered and June Allyson has a voice like scratching your nails down a blackboard but some of the aerial footage is superb.
https://www.vicpine.co.uk/Strategic-Air-Command.ht...
They put Stewart and Allyson together because the pairing had been so popular in "The https://www.vicpine.co.uk/Strategic-Air-Command.ht...
Glenn Miller Story".
aeropilot said:
Yes, but the question was about his Dad being at Oxford, so Upper Heyford and Brize were more likely than Fairford.
One of the B-36's deployed to Fairford crashed in Wiltshire after failing multiple times to find Fairford in poor conditions, and the crew bailed out leaving the B-36 to its (and anyone under it) to its fate.
Some detail on that crash here... https://www.baaa-acro.com/zone/wiltshire?page=1One of the B-36's deployed to Fairford crashed in Wiltshire after failing multiple times to find Fairford in poor conditions, and the crew bailed out leaving the B-36 to its (and anyone under it) to its fate.
website link said:
Date & Time: Feb 7, 1953
Type of aircraft: Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Operator: USAF
Registration: 51-5719
Flight Phase: Flight
Flight Type: Military
Survivors: Yes
Site: Plain, Valley
Schedule: Carswell – Goose Bay – Fairford
Location: Chippenham Wiltshire
Country: United Kingdom
Region: Europe
Crew on board: 14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board: 0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities: 0
Circumstances: The aircraft was on its way from Carswell AFB to RAF Fairford with an intermediate stop in Goose Bay, taking part to the 'Operation Styleshow', consisting of a transfer of 18 Convair B-36 from the US to the UK. While approaching RAF Fairford, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Despite a GCA approach, the pilot-in-command was unable to locate the airbase due to low visibility, made a go around and followed a holding pattern north of the airfield. Later, a second attempt to land was aborted and the crew continued to the north. Due to fuel starvation, the captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. The heavy bomber continued to the south for 50 km and eventually crashed in an open field located southeast of Chippenham, Wiltshire. All 14 occupants were safe, except one who broke his leg on landing.
Probable cause: It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a fuel starvation because the crew was unable to land at RAF Fairford. An inexperienced GCA personnel at RAF Fairford and an under-manned aircraft crew were considered as contributory factors.
More here... https://www.mychippenham.org.uk/the-chippenham-sto...Type of aircraft: Convair B-36 Peacemaker
Operator: USAF
Registration: 51-5719
Flight Phase: Flight
Flight Type: Military
Survivors: Yes
Site: Plain, Valley
Schedule: Carswell – Goose Bay – Fairford
Location: Chippenham Wiltshire
Country: United Kingdom
Region: Europe
Crew on board: 14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board: 0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities: 0
Circumstances: The aircraft was on its way from Carswell AFB to RAF Fairford with an intermediate stop in Goose Bay, taking part to the 'Operation Styleshow', consisting of a transfer of 18 Convair B-36 from the US to the UK. While approaching RAF Fairford, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. Despite a GCA approach, the pilot-in-command was unable to locate the airbase due to low visibility, made a go around and followed a holding pattern north of the airfield. Later, a second attempt to land was aborted and the crew continued to the north. Due to fuel starvation, the captain ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. The heavy bomber continued to the south for 50 km and eventually crashed in an open field located southeast of Chippenham, Wiltshire. All 14 occupants were safe, except one who broke his leg on landing.
Probable cause: It was determined that the accident was the consequence of a fuel starvation because the crew was unable to land at RAF Fairford. An inexperienced GCA personnel at RAF Fairford and an under-manned aircraft crew were considered as contributory factors.
Edited by yellowjack on Saturday 29th August 00:28
My late father was stationed at Throckmorton in the 1960s...... Stationed may not be the correct description as he probs worked for the Ministry of Works (I’d assume).
The base was doing some weird and wonderful secret things at the time whilst the RSRE was based there and was required to sign The Official Secrets Act so he kept most of it to himself.
He worked at several bases (though still based at Throckmorton), including Gaydon and next door at Temple Herdewyke. .... He had a special toolkit when working in Gaydon or Temple which included a rubber hammer instead of a steel one.
He passed away last year so I can’t ask him but I’m pretty sure many years ago when I was a teenager he told me that one night a large military jet (Vulcan?) landed at Throckmorton, I can’t remember if it either ran off the runway or managed to stop but the runway wasn’t long enough for it to take off again .
Anyway there was a large security presence around it until it flew off/was removed.
The base was doing some weird and wonderful secret things at the time whilst the RSRE was based there and was required to sign The Official Secrets Act so he kept most of it to himself.
He worked at several bases (though still based at Throckmorton), including Gaydon and next door at Temple Herdewyke. .... He had a special toolkit when working in Gaydon or Temple which included a rubber hammer instead of a steel one.
He passed away last year so I can’t ask him but I’m pretty sure many years ago when I was a teenager he told me that one night a large military jet (Vulcan?) landed at Throckmorton, I can’t remember if it either ran off the runway or managed to stop but the runway wasn’t long enough for it to take off again .
Anyway there was a large security presence around it until it flew off/was removed.
I was in Oxford in the 1950s too, and can confirm that the B36s operated from Upper Heyford, which was a USAF 'strategic' air base for years. Later, when the B36s were retired, they were replaced by B47s instead. As I recall, the last USAF planes to use Upper Heyford regularly (before it was completely closed down in the 1980s/1990s), were the swing-wing F111s ....
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