 Jim" Bradley, who died on 21st May 2010, was a pilot on 93 Squadron from 11th October 1956 until 1958.
Peter L F Bradley, known on 93 Squadron as "Jim", joined the RAF and trained as an apprentice at Halton from 1949 to 1952.
He flew Provosts and Vampires and completed the Central Flying School course in 1955 to become a QFI.
This picture of the pilots on 93 Sqn was taken on 22nd August 1958. Jim is second from the left in the rear row.
From 11th October 1956 to 1958 he served at RAF Jever in Germany where he flew Hunters F.6s on No 93 Squadron.
From 1963 to 1965 he was on 205 Squadron flying Shackletons in Singapore. This was at the time of the Borneo conflict where one of the early problems was that the British Forces had no reliable maps of the area. One of Jim's roles was to help with the mapping of Borneo and this led to the enemy having the audacity to fire at him!. In 2008 he was awarded the Pingat Jasa Malasia Medal - a thank you from the people of Malaysia for the servicemen who helped in the conflict.
From 1965 to 1966 he served on 210 Squadron at Ballykelly. He built up experience on the Shackleton and so from 1966 to 1968 he served on the staff of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Development Unit, still based at Ballykelly.
It was here that he met Barbara and her family who were farmers in Northern Ireland. They got married on 5th March 1966. Their first son, Mark, was born 21st February 1967.
From 1968 to 1971 Jim and his family were posted to RAF Pitreavie Castle in Scotland. There Mandy was born on 27th November 1969.
In1971 Jim retired from RAF and started his firm "Spot On Tuning" which went from strength to strength, especially after he started specialising in BMWs. Georgina came along on 25th May 1976.
Jim never retired and was intending to go to work on the 2nd January 2009 - the day he was hit by a massive stroke. His son Mark has taken over the business.
His flying times are as follows:
Tiger Moth 12.05 hours
D H Vampire 177.05 hours
Hawker Hunters 1, 4 and 6 395.00 hours (including the Hunter on display at Flixton)
Piston Provost 989.40 hours
Jet Provost 242.00 hours
And finally the:
Avro Shackleton 2,654.00 hours
Single engined aircraft 1,739.50 hours
Multi engined aircraft 2,654.05 hours
Totalling 4,393.53 hours
|
