fourfax

Warning: Undefined array key "widget_center_top" in /home/chris/fourfax.co.uk/wordpress/wp-content/themes/atahualpa/index.php on line 11

Fighter Pilots

Great little video about what it means to be a fighter pilot:

Thunder Tales

Squadron Ties?

Does anyone have a source for Squadron ties?

I had some made up in Hong Kong many years ago but I don’t know if any are still available.

BBC Website on the Harrier

As the very sad news breaks that the RAF is being ordered to axe the Harrier, the BBC website has this article about the Harrier, including quotes from FourFax member and aviation hero John Farley:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11584481

New Harrier Book

Tim McLelland writes:

I am currently in the process of writing a major new book for Ian Allan Publications (an international aerospace publisher) which explores the development and operational use of the Harrier. As part of the book’s coverage I would obviously like to include some information on No.4 Squadron’s association with the aircraft.

Could you please advise me if it would be possible to be put into contact with any former Harrier air crews so that I could forward a set of questions for them to answer on Harrier flying? This would enable me to write-up a suitable account for the book. Answers could be in the form of written or tape-recorded responses, whatever is most convenient for them. Likewise, I would be more than happy to supply a copy of the proposed text when completed, for approval. Also, if any former 4 Squadron people have any photographs which I could use in the book, that would be a great help.

If you flew the Harrier on IV(AC) Sqn then Tim may be in touch. If you’d like to contact him directly with your yarns then you can find him at “tpmclelland” at “yahoo.co.uk”

Chris Moran Memorial Service Update 2

The telephone number for Mrs Small at the RAF Ceremonial Office is 0208 833 8761.

Chris Moran Memorial Service Update

There has been an announcement in the Times and Telegraph re the memorial service for Chris.Â The details are below.

A Service of Thanksgiving for the life and work of Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Moran will be held on Friday 15th October 2010 at 12 noon at the RAF Church of St Clement Danes, Strand, London WC2R 1BH.

Dress for the occasion will be:
Serving Officers:Â Full Ceremonial Day Dress
Civilians: Lounge Suit with Medals

Application for tickets, stating connections and all names of individuals wishing to attend should be made in writing and should be accompanied by a self addressed envelope and reach:
Mrs Michele Small, SO3 RAF Cer Events, ACM Moran, RAF Ceremonial Office, RAF Northholt, Ruislip, Middlesex, HA4 6NG
Tel: 0208 833 8761

Chris Moran Memorial Service

Notice in today’s Telegraph. Memorial for Chris Moran will be on Friday 15 October at St Clement Danes.

Jever Steam Laundry

The Jever Steam Laundry has its own website. Lots of stuff there on IV(AC) Sqn at Jever and the people on the Sqn at the time.

Worth checking out…

Limo to Airport

Janet Finlayson has let me know of some special airport rates from Stamford for HMF only:

Garden House Hotel Stamford to Heathrow Airport all terminals Â£100.00 single, Â£200.00 return.
Garden House Hotel Stamford to Gatwick Airport all terminals Â£110.00 single, Â£220.00 return
Garden House Hotel Stamford to Luton or Stansted Airport Â£75.00 single, Â£150.00 return

The vehicle is a Mercedes S Class 430 and the company is Silverlight Prestige Cars. Email me for their numbers.

Farewell to a Hero

Tom Pierce

Thanks to John Wickham for noticing this story in the RAF News:

From Tiger Moths to Lightnings

A World War II hero who went on to have a 32-year career in the RAF has died aged 90.
Air Cdre Tom Pierce’s flying experience stretched from Tiger Moth biplanes to Lightning supersonic fighters.
He was born in 1919 in Liverpool to Welsh parents – his father, Robertus, had a distinguished WWI record in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
He started elementary flying training at Hatfield on Tiger Moths in April 1938 – to see if he was any good as a pilot before being accepted for the RAF.
At the start of WWII, he was deployed to France flying Westland Lysanders with No IV (AC) Sqn as part of the British Expeditionary Force; fifty per cent of his fellow pilots did not return after France fell in 1940.

Read the full story in RAF News

1940 Chronicle

Relive 1940 day by day: the RAF Benevolent Fund has launched 1940 Chronicle, a website that blogs the daily events of 1940 in real time.

Anybody with an interest in history or aviation should take a look.

Harrier Crash, Kandahar, May 2009

Anybody know which squadron this was?

Chris Moran – Funeral

Chris Moran’s funeral is going to be a private, family affair. There will be a public memorial service in London, perhaps Westminster Abbey, in July.

More details will be published here when available.

Chris Moran

I’ve just heard the shocking news that Chris “Boggy” Moran collapsed and died during a triathlon yesterday (26 May) at Brize Norton.

Chris was a Squadron pilot during the early ’80s, went on to command the Squadron 1994-96, and continued to progress through the service reaching the rank of Air Chief Marshal and the post of Commander-in-Chief Air Command.

Our thoughts today go out to Chris’s wife Lizzie and his two daughters and son. Details about the funeral will be posted as they come in.

BBC News link
Wikipedia link