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Flight in Miles M-18 to Bulawayo, Rhodesia by Brian Iles and Sandy Sanderson - 20Jul to 30Aug54.
Part 2 - Outbound Flight.

1px-trans.gif, 43 bytesBrian and Sandy set off on Tuesday July the 20th, taking off from the perimeter track at Jever.   [Click to see F540 Report of their departure].   Within a day or two a telegram arrived in the Mess from 'Brandy' very briefly reporting their progress.   These telegrams arrived every few days and were eagerly anticipated and read by all Officers.   It became almost a ritual to look in the letter rack for their latest news.   Suffice it to say, their flights out and back were entirely without mishap.   They, and their aircraft, returned unscathed to Jever some six weeks later."

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The Miles M-18 at the start of the trip outside Hangar 1 at Jever.   Clear prop! - The engine was started and run up.   (Thanks to Ron Gray)


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But the day started with Sandy Sanderson loading the 'baggage bay' of Golf Kilo Yankee   (Thanks to Ron Gray)


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Final chat before climbing on board.   Eric Pigdon is in a light jacket with his back to the camera near the starboard wing tip.   (Thanks to Ron Gray)


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Last minute briefing. 'Have we forgotten anything Sandy - got your tooth brush'.   (Thanks to Ron Gray)


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Eric Pigdon assists Brian Iles to strap in.   (Thanks to Ron Gray)


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At last - strapped in and ready to go.


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Finally - On the way!   (Thanks to Ron Gray)



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          Video showing M18-1 clip from Brian Iles's film of his return flight from RAF Jever to Bulawayo, Africa in his Miles M-18 light aircraft July 1954..   This clip shows the Station Commander Group Captain Powell-Sheddon arriving at the hangar to see off Brian Iles and Sandy Sanderson.   It shows them packing the aircraft, a shot of the open cockpit and instruments, the Miles M-18 being pushed out of the hangar, Sandy on one wing tip, the Station Commander receiving a 93 Sqn crest, "pep talk" before strapping in and the prop being swung to start the engine, the taxy out, take-off and low flypast.

Miles M-18:   The Miles M-18 was intended as a successor to the Magister, it was a two-seat low wing monoplane featuring a tricycle undercarriage.   The first of two prototypes flew in 1938.   However, the type did not enter production.   (Thanks to "The Encyclopedia of Aircraft" by Robert Jackson).

(2 mins 12 secs/23 mins 32 secs/2 mins 34 secs/1 min 17 secs/39 secs)



Here are some notes made about the first part of the trip - Florence sounds interesting!


Best interpretation:
Tuesday Late depart Bremen,
       Therefore Nurnburg and Munich
       Everyone most helpful
       Long distance drivers.

Wed.   Engine shut-off - mag wire
      Munich for visa.   Just
      made Florence.   No T.C. (Time Change?)
      Decided on an early start, but
     got involved in town and
       Signorina - drosky.
     800 lira 1 beer.
       rough two ci girls.
     Subito and non possibilo
Thurs.   late start.   Rome Urbey compused?
HOT     Arrived Brindisi late.
     Engine sounded rough,
     so had plugs cleaned (Garage)
     air in oleo, and sent parts
     following.
Fri.
Dawn start   Athens,   crete.   Fuel
     could not make El Adem.
Sat    Candia/com Sat, inexp

MUNICH-FLORENCE
        360 s.m. (statute miles?)
Take off 4:15
Leave Verona 6:31

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Brian's Logbook entries for the first section of the outbound route from Jever to Crete.



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Map of the first section of the outbound route from Jever to Crete.




          Video showing M18-2 clip from Brian Iles's film of his return flight from RAF Jever to Bulawayo, Africa in his Miles M-18 light aircraft on Tuesday 20th July 1954.   This clip shows them on their 30 minute flight passing docks, presumably on the way into Bremen Airport.   After a 2 hr 50 min flight from Bremen to Nurnburg airport for a night stop, Sandy is seen preparing the maps for the next leg of the journey over the Alps on Wednesday 21Jul54.   They had to call in to Munich Airport, a 1 hour flight to top up and obtain border clearances.   The rest of the clip shows some stunning shots of the cloudy Alps and eventually shows them flying past lakes, churches and villages in Northern Italy, before landing at Florence after a 3 hr 35 min flight.   

(1 min 50 secs/20 mins 25 secs/2 mins 14 secs/1 min 7 secs/34 secs)



          Video showing M18-3 clip from Brian Iles's film of his return flight from RAF Jever to Bulawayo, Africa in his Miles M-18 light aircraft on Tuesday 20th July 1954.   This clip probably shows them on their 3 hour 40 minute flight from Brindisi to Athens on Friday 23rd July 1954.   This was one of their longest legs over water.   They had flown down to Brindisi from Rome the previous afternoon in a 2 hour 45 minute flight.   The clip begins with Sandy preparing his maps on the wing, then checking the engine followed by Brian also working on the engine.   Then they are airborne by 0700 hours and seen leaving land probably somewhere near one of the headlands South of Otranto as this would have been the shortest crossing of the Adriatic Sea/Ionian Sea in the Straits of Otranto to the Greek islands off Albania.   Next they are seen flying down the rugged coastline of the Greek Islands or the Greek mainland.   Does anyone know the area well enough to identify any of the locations?   Finally they are seen orbiting the Parthenon in Athens and then on the approach to Athens Airport landing at 1040 hours in the morning.

(55 secs/11 mins 13 secs/1 min 14 secs/37 secs/18 secs)



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Brian's Logbook entries for the second section of the outbound route from Crete to Mwanza, Tanzania.



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Map of the second section of the outbound route from Crete to Mwanza, Tanzania.




          Video showing M18-4 clip from Brian Iles's film of his return flight from RAF Jever to Bulawayo, Africa in his Miles M-18 light aircraft beginning on Tuesday 20th July 1954.   This clip I suspect is taken at Heraklion Airport at sunrise on Saturday 24th July 1954.   They took off at 0520 hours, having flown down from Athens the afternoon before.   It shows Brian swinging the prop while Sandy is already strapped in the rear cockpit.   The early part of the flight shows the vast ocean for this was the longest over water crossing from Crete to Mersah Matrah near Alexandria in Egypt.   Presumably they took the shortest route across to the African mainland and then followed down the coast to Alexandria where they landed 2 hours 55 minutes later at 0815 hours.   It is presumed that the airfield shots are taken at Mersah Matrah showing another Miles light aircraft being loaded alongside the M-18.   My research suggests that this maybe a Miles M-16 Mentor as it has a cabin but is otherwise similar to the Miles M-18.   I cannot make out the registration number but it seems rather appropriately to have a racing number of 93.   Perhaps it could be identified from that number?   The Miles M-16 Mentor low-wing cabin monoplane entered RAF service in 1938.   Forty-five examples werre used for radio training and communications duties.   (Thanks to The Encyclopedia of Aircraft.)   If anyone knows better, please let me know.   The locals, at what is presumed to be Mersah Matrah, are lined up to see tham leave at 1050 hours for Cairo.

(1 min 24 secs/14 mins 38 secs/1 min 36 secs/48 secs/24 secs)



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Brian's Logbook entries for the Third and final section of the outbound route from Mwanza, Tanzania to Bulawayo, Rhodesia.



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Map of the third and final section of the outbound route from Mwanza, Tanzania to Bulawayo, Rhodesia.




          Video showing M18-5 clip from Brian Iles's film of his return flight from RAF Jever to Bulawayo, Africa in his Miles M-18 light aircraft beginning on Tuesday 20th July 1954.   This clip seems to have been taken somewhere between Cairo and Bulawayo, Rhodesia - the final destination - from Sunday 25th July 1954 to Friday 30th July 1954.   There are various shots of perhaps the Nile and then some dramatic footage of the Victoria Falls which is on the border between what is today Zambia and Zimbabwe.   There is a clear shot of the road bridge joining the two countries.   The final scenes are probably taken over the outskirts of Bulawayo shortly before arrival.

(36 secs/7 mins 36 secs/50 secs/25 secs/12 secs)


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Air Traffic Control Chart for East Africa with Brian Iles approximate flight route marked on it.


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Final stages of the Outbound flight marked approximately on the Air Traffic Control Chart for Rhodesia.

(Click to go on to next part.)


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