RNAS Culdrose Golden Jubilee Fly and Air Day

25 / 26th July 1997

This event was attended by over 1000 Fleet Air Arm veterans. Our host was Commodore Simon Thornewill DSC RN, and a splendid and wide ranging programme of presentations and a tour of the airfield, the magnificent living quarters and recreational areas was laid on. The sheer size of the modern naval air station is very impressive as are the security arrangements - all rather different from the wooden huts of our day ! The cocktail party gave an opportunity to meet old friends and the Royal Marine band was as usual impeccable in Beat Retreat. The following members braved the poor weather forecast and flew in:- Phil Moore (from Leuchars) John Beattie, Martin Holloway, Stanley Amis, and Clive Smith. Nigel and Alison de Candole set off in their Jodel D120A from Bridport. The bad news is that the engine fired a cylinder head out through the cowling near Totnes. The good news is that Nigel put the Jodel down successfully, but the bad news is that the crop was high and the Jodel flipped over.The good news is that Nigel and Alison escaped serious injury, but it was bad news enough to have whiplash and a broken collar bone respectively. The good news is that they are both fully recovered, the bad news was filling in the AAIB Accident report (eight pages) and the cost and inconvenience of repairs, but the final good news is that the re-built Jodel is now up and raring to go to future Squadron events. Trevor Jones also intended to fly in to Culdrose in his modified Streak Shadow but unfortunately had a nose wheel collapse at Yeovilton and had to complete the journey by car. Of the rest of the Squadron members Tony Brewster, Denis Stanley, and Ron and Jan Dobree-Carey came by car, and Bernard Maslin by rail. On Saturday the truly dreadful Cornish weather put the lid on the planned flying display and there was only a low level very limited flying display late in the afternoon when the fog mist and rain eventually lifted to a few hundred feet. Once again the unpredictable British weather had taken its toll following the pattern of the earlier Squadron Fly Ins to Yeovilton and Caernarfon.

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