raf worksop

[Guest anita9]

would be very grateful for any information on raf worksop during 1955 to 57 all i know is was accomadating no211 flying school equipped with meteors and was closed to military flying in 1957. there was some trainee pilots from overseas and that is where my interest starts as i was adopted and my father was one of those pilots but as you can imagine it has been very difficult to find anything out, maybe i havent had the right places to apply to but dont have anyone to help me and dont know what else to do so if anyone out there could enlighten me with any information at all i will be so gratefull, thanks in advance anita

[Starlight]

Hi Anita,

I'm not sure I can help very much but at least I can point you in the right direction. I had a quick look on the Internet just now and found the following sites:

This is a web site which gives a bit of background information, photos and the location of the airfield in Worksop, Nottinghamshire

http://www.airfieldarchaeology.fotopic.net/c1043602.html

This one provides photos in memorial to an accident with one of the meteors in 1955

http://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/1950-1960we904.htm

On another site it mentioned that No 4 FTS was reformed when No 205 Advanced Flying School (AFS) at Middleton St-George, was re-designated on 1 June 1954. The school now trained National Service pilots in jet flying, but from January 1955, it received Vampire T Mk 11s and took on the role of advanced training of pilots who had already qualified for their 'Wings' on the (piston) Provost. The school also operated the single seat Vampire FB Mk 5 in the ground attack training role. On 9th June 1956 the school moved to Worksop, taking with it Nos 108 to 112 courses, and it also absorbed No 211 FTS (CANADA), taking on their Meteors (type T7 and F8) alongside their Vampires for 18 months before reverting to an all Vampire unit. The school disbanded again on 9 June 1958.

However, leaving the best until last, I found a web site for the Comrades and Colleagues of 211 Flying Training School and it provides you with names (and links) to men who served at Worksop during the fifties. One of them would most likely be able to help you further or at least give you a contact in Canada.

http://www.comradesandcolleagues.com/ROYAL...RAF-WORKSOP.asp

If you hit a dead end with this you could also look up the site for the Canadian Air Force and track down pilot information from them.

I had a quick look and found the following on one of their web pages when I searched for 'Meteor':

"However, the RCAF was not yet finished with the Meteor. In June 1950, the Minister of National Defence confirmed the re-deployment of 421 Squadron back overseas "in order to acquire experience in the latest technique of air operations.." 421 Squadron was subsequently equipped with (RAF-owned) Meteor Mk 7 aircraft for these operations in England."

This means that it's likely that the men flying the meteors at Worksop were from this squadron.

Another site that could be useful is that of the Canadian Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans Association ANAVETS - their web site is

http://www.anavets.ca/

I hope that some of this helps you in your quest to find your father.

Regards

Steve

[John(txic)]

would be very grateful for any information on raf worksop during 1955 to 57 all i know is was accomadating no211 flying school equipped with meteors and was closed to military flying in 1957.

Anita,

Posting a question on here:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/forumdisplay....une=30&f=86

may produce someone who was there at the relevant time.

Good luck!

[Guest anita9]

[q

uote name=anita9' date='Feb 23 2007, 12:10 AM' post='629518]

thankyou so much for all the information you sent me will start to look through it all at home tonight as still at work at mo, never had so much to go on all at once really chuffed just wondered what you ment by the canadian bit as was told he was french but an arab if that makes any sense from syria , it confuses me too ha ! will let you know how i get on anita

[Frank_East]

would be very grateful for any information on raf worksop during 1955 to 57 all i know is was accomadating no211 flying school equipped with meteors and was closed to military flying in 1957. there was some trainee pilots from overseas and that is where my interest starts as i was adopted and my father was one of those pilots but as you can imagine it has been very difficult to find anything out, maybe i havent had the right places to apply to but dont have anyone to help me and dont know what else to do so if anyone out there could enlighten me with any information at all i will be so gratefull, thanks in advance anita

Anita,

I have just noticed your post and have been in touch with a friend of mine who was based at RAF Gamston among other RAF postings at a time when RAF Gamston was a satellite of nearby Worksop.(Gamston was used for 'circuit and bumps' for pupil pilots from Worksop)

My friend has already published two informative books on nearby aifields and currently is at the 'final stages' of his latest, 'A history of RAF Finningley,Bircotes and Worksop'.Whether the information will reveal any clues to the personal information you require, I do not know.

I am told that that there was a large contingent of Pakistan Air Force pupils under training at the time.

As regards tracing records, RAF Innsworth might be able to help,if you could give a date, I would think that they should be able to furnish the details of courses for Commonweath airmen at this time and the names of those on the course.They would not have a dedicated coures as I see it.If they do not have the information,they might be able to pass you on to a department which has access to the records.

It is worth a try

PMA IM1b (RAF)

Room 5

Building 248a

Personal Management Agency

RAF Innesworth

Gloucester

GL3 1EZ

Best Wishes with your quest.

Regards

Frank East