Visit from an old friend...

[petermcleland]

A Rhodesian friend has just visited for a few days...I hadn't seen him for half a century, when we served together on 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron at Wunstorf and Fassberg in 2nd A.T.A.F. Germany in the 1950s. Naturally there was a lot of reminiscent chat and viewing of old photos...I spotted this rather nice photograph in his album and he let me scan it:-



These chaps were doing their flying training on Spitfires in the Royal Rhodesian Air Force and three of them later joined the R.A.F. and were posted to 266 in Germany...They were Roy Morris, Wally Hinrichs and "Dup" du Plessis...Dup was my visitor and he is labelled as "Self" in the photograph. I just thought it a splendid photograph and decided to share it here.

[DispatchDragon]

Beautiful shot Peter

When men were men aeroplanes came with large reciprocating motors - and you had a batman to do your laundry


Leif

[FlyTexas]

Great pic! Thanks Peter (and Dup) for sharing it.

Brian

[cstorey]

Peter : is that a Spiteful?

Chris

[petermcleland]

Peter : is that a Spiteful?

Chris

No Chris, it is a Spitfire Mk22 with Griffon engine and painted in PR Blue The Rhodesians had a large fleet of them...I saw a photo of 24 of them in a large six box formation Balbo, in Dup's album :o...When I was there in 1953 on Operation Longtrek, we were hoping to get a flight in them but I was just ready (having swotted up the Pilot's Notes), when a signal arrived from the Air Ministry saying..."The RAF Venom pilots are not, in any circumstances, to fly the Rhodesian Air Force spitfires" ...We realised that it was a sensible decision as we had only flown things like Harvards in training and for some time had only flown jet fighters with rudder pedals only used as footrests. Allowing us to fly Spits would almost certainly have resulted in damaging accidents.

[petermcleland]

Thanks Tonks...I'll have a look at it

BTW..."Dup", my visitor, spent some time flying the Sultan of Oman's VC10.

[Nigel H-J]

Just had a look at pprune and the comments regarding your web site Peter, no less than I would have expected.

Your site makes compulsory reading though have to agree on your comments..........you really should add to it!! :prayer:

Regards Nigel.

[petermcleland]

Yes,

You are right Nigel...I must just get into it again...I have all the material waiting here and it just needs a decision to start :roll:

[Nigel H-J]

Peter, just realised my previous post regarding your website:

Your site makes compulsory reading

Still, it was near enough to the word I wanted!!

Regards Nigel.

[Tomliner]

Hello Peter. I am so pleased that you were able to re-make an old acquaintance.On a less glamorous scale I also remade aquaintances with old school friends from 46 years ago and can say that it was a really moving experience.Thanks also for posting the picture.Very Best Wishes EricT.