tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136959581834392797.post1574065762563372584..comments2024-03-18T17:22:54.147+02:00Comments on Our Rhodesian Heritage: The Viking StoryRhodesia Rememberedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06644511584084003690noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136959581834392797.post-61941686330674138292012-10-21T09:36:56.041+02:002012-10-21T09:36:56.041+02:00Miles Orbell (RhAF) sent in further information:-
...Miles Orbell (RhAF) sent in further information:-<br /><br />I don’t know the folks on these CAA photos, but my father ended up as chief pilot there, after flying all sorts of stuff in the Second World War, he even learnt Arabic in Aden I think, he flew Blenheim’s for a while. Flew mostly Viscounts for CAA, and the very old twin engine Airline small aircraft, and had his OBE and MBE, also a fellow of the Royal Aeronautic Society in London. He was flying the Queen Mother around Rhodesia when I was born, over Lake Kariba, just when it was finished in 1957, she gave me a silver spoon and egg cup and a bottle French Champagne, I opened it on my 21st birthday, but it was not drinkable then! He is no longer with us, ended up in Australia many years ago, he had an interesting history, flew C130s for Zambian Air Gargo, and a few Anglo American aircraft there, Kingairs etc. but was in senior management level there, also was Project Manager for Lanseria when it was being built, I put up lots of the ceiling boards in the original terminal building when I was still at school! Lanseria is very different now, and has a much longer runway, suitable for 737s etc, definitely could not take those in the early days.<br /><br />A few names I remember from CAA days, my dad, Rob Orbell, called Ting Orbell in those days, Arthur Downes, Eddie Morrist, and Sport Van Heerden, can’t help with the rest or the photos from Jerry. Sport was the boss of Anglo American Aircraft Section in Joburg, when I joined there after leaving the RhAF.<br />Rhodesia Rememberedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06644511584084003690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136959581834392797.post-84808202127415835702012-10-21T09:21:17.817+02:002012-10-21T09:21:17.817+02:00Miles Orbell (RhAF) Writes:-
Thanks for this Eddi...Miles Orbell (RhAF) Writes:-<br /><br />Thanks for this Eddie, it’s nice to see my Dad in print there, I don’t know if he was Chief Pilot then, probably not, and I remember these old aircraft flying to London, and I think the Viscounts, but they had to have lots of stops, even overnight.<br /><br />As a kid, I was in the UK when my Dad was at the factory watching the BAC 11s being made, and I even scratched my name on the bare instrument panel! He did the conversion in the UK, but we never got those jets, he was Chief Pilot then. Somewhere there is an old BAC 11 with my name on the panel, if the covering is removed!<br /><br />I also know, they had a bit of fun with the Hostesses, one captain came tapping up the aisle with a white blindness walking stick, got into the cockpit, and shocked the passengers! It was a tail dragger, probably a DC3!<br />Rhodesia Rememberedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06644511584084003690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136959581834392797.post-66980672712658847062012-10-21T09:13:54.539+02:002012-10-21T09:13:54.539+02:00This comment has been removed by the author.Rhodesia Rememberedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06644511584084003690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3136959581834392797.post-89585289781205318532012-10-21T09:08:35.676+02:002012-10-21T09:08:35.676+02:00Frans Meyer (RhAF) Writes:-
On arrival at Salisbu...Frans Meyer (RhAF) Writes:-<br /><br />On arrival at Salisbury Airport the de-icing fluid would be drainedfrom the Vikings.<br />The technicians will know the reason.<br />Being alcohol based the Africans working in the workshops would have a "free" drink. <br />Unbeknown to the African staff the type of de-icing fluid usedin the last aircraft to be delivered was changed and they became very ill. One or two of the workers died.Rhodesia Rememberedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06644511584084003690noreply@blogger.com