TWIN PIN STORY.

By Andy Pascoe.Engines.



In September 1965 Twin Pioneer XM958 suffered an engine failure just North of Mukalla, a coastal town about 100 miles North of RAF Khormaksar, Aden. I had just been promoted to Sergeant and was tasked to recover XM 958 from a desert strip called Ahwar where it had landed.

I send you this brief version of the diary that I kept during the adventure and which was printed in the British Forces newspaper in Aden called 'The Dhow'.

With me as far as I recall was Cpl Clive Mellin, Cpl Frank Davies, SAC Ken Baggot, and a crane driver.

DAY ONE: Flew by Beverley to Ahwar arriving at 16.20 together with an 'Iron Fairy' crane which immediately sank in the sand when unloaded.

The Federal Nation Guard turned up to look after us but unfortunately had no serviceable radio so, without any comms, spent a sleepless night wondering what to do.

DAY TWO: Started to dig out crane and get broken engine ready to remove, by lunch time engine ready to take out but no progress with crane, it was obvious now that help was needed. Out of the blue help came with a visit by the Sultan of Ahwar's brother who lived in UK and was visiting his brother, he promised help for the next morning.

DAY THREE: 05.00, we could hear a heavy vehicle coming across the desert and eventually an enormous Caterpillar tractor turned up, within a few minutes we were back in business, we positioned aircraft and crane on solid ground and soon it was off with the old and on with new.

DAY FOUR: By 1030 we were ready for engine runs with only one problem, no cylinder head temperature reading, cured by Frank Davies and a matchstick in the bulkhead plug, later visited by Wg Cdr Fry, OC SRT Wing, who seemed pleased with progress but was not informed that the crane was stuck by the Beverley crew, they did all see the problem before they left us.

DAY FIVE: As arranged by Wg Cdr Fry a Hunter flew over at 08.30 to get a green very light if we were ready for home, the very was fired after which we were treated to a low level beat up which blew our washing line across the desert (I later found out that pilot became a Red Arrow).

12.45 and the welcome sound of a Beverly on approach with Wg Cdr Fry who was to take XM 958 back to Aden.

We packed up after he left and apart from being a little alarmed at the Bev's pilot insisting on pacing the strip returned to Aden where we were delighted to find 958 had landed fully Serviceable and was being loaded for early next morning; matchstick and all which stayed in the plug until the next Primary.

For this adventure I received a C in C's Commendation.

I stayed in the RAF until 1978 spending my last six years at Marham as a Victor Tanker Crew Chief; my victor XH 648 is now at Duxford. I certainly have no regrets at joining the 81st entry in 1955, apart from my Aden tour. I did a tour at Changi and some time in Bahrain.

After I left the RAF I joined a Danish Farming and Forestry company as a workshop and machinery manager, including looking after the company aircraft. After a while they sponsored my training as a pilot which I completed at Norwich airport. I then assisted in the flying of the company aircraft and also joined the McAully flying group, at Little Snoring, flying many different light aircraft up until last year. I also built an Alpi pioneer 300 G-CDVL which I have now sold.