2. 09/11/06Home Aden and the Auster by Mike Jackson 53a Editor: Webmaster AAS John (Peat) Moss © 09/11/06

3. 09/11/06Home Forward by the Editor Mike Jackson is an ex Army Apprentice from the Arborfield Boys School, near Wokingham, England. Intake 53a He has sent me some photos of his posting to Aden 1962/63 and his exploits as an aircraft mechanic during that period. We hope you enjoy this presentation. John C Moss

4. 09/11/06Home Mike & Friend Morris the Mantis

5. 09/11/06Home Over the causeway

6. 09/11/06Home Past the Canada Dry Plant

7. 09/11/06Home Past the Shell Refinery

8. 09/11/06Home The Warrior at rest (Only 511 days to Demob)

9. 09/11/06 The runway in Aden Where the Blacktop ends, that’s where you find 653 Squadron AAC

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11. The VIP We had a VIP visitor. As usual the powers to be decided that he was to be taken “Up Country” to monitor an exercise. All went well until it was their time to come home. That’s how we found ourselves in a “Beaver” on a rescue mission. Note:- Check out the pecking order, Corporals at the back of the bus!

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13. The Desert View Gentlemen, if you look to your right hand side, you will see sand......

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15. The Desert View 2 And more sand......

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17. Oasis ? Very occasionally, some green but it’s not Blighty....

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19. XP 240 Finally we found XP 240...........

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21. A bad day for XP 240 “Yes Staff, he probably ran out of, Airspeed Altitude and Ideas, all at the same time”...

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23. Wingless! All we could do was put the wings on the back of an RL attach a sling, and.........

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25. RAF Skyhook Wait for the RAF......

26. 09/11/06 Bristol Belvedere

27. 09/11/06 “Up - Up” and Away That was easy, the only problem being was when the helicopter started it’s engines. A cartridge start scared the locals guarding the site. They thought that they may be under attack!.....

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29. Suspended XP 240 on it’s way home.....

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31. Flying High It seems to track very well......

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33. The decent at the hanger.. We arrived back just after the Auster, you can just see the helecopter over the right hanger. The cloud of dust on the left is where the Auster landed. XP 240’s bad day was not over. When it reached approx. 50/60 feet above ground, the RAF dropped the Aircraft. When the helicopter finally landed, the crew explained that they had an open mic intercom system with throat mic’s. So when the Loadmaster coughed, the Pilot thought that he had said “Cut” so he released the load. The tail feathers of the Auster flexed down resembling an F4 Phantom......

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35. Boeing 747-400 Mike's career eventually took him from Electrics and Instruments on Beavers to Avionic endorsement on Boeing, Airbus and Douglas products. Another accomplishment by an Army Apprentice Soldier. John C Moss http://groups.msn.com/ArmyApprenticeSoldiers

36. 09/11/06 B 747-400