Before I started private flying in what was then called Ceylon, (now Sri Lanka) and which led me to a change of career, I somehow got involved in motor racing. Maybe because I needed some other challenge for my abilities, as I was an indifferent tennis player and not much better at playing rugger (though I did play for Uva Province). I was able to obtain a Norton Dominator motorcycle, taking part in several road races and hill climbs.
From Wikipedia: "The Norton Featherbed frame was used in the legendary Manx Norton, and raced by riders including Geoff Duke, John Surtees and Derek Minter . Overnight the featherbed frame was the benchmark by which all other frames were judged. Nortons were winners again. In 1952 the Norton Dominator 88 500 cc gained a Featherbed frame.
When it became obvious that I would probably kill myself sooner rather than later, I gave up two wheels for four. I started racing with a slightly modified MG TC but heard that A.E.F. Filby of Rowlands Garages, Colombo (who were the Ceylon agents for M.G. amongst other cars) had one for sale.
This "Filby Special" was a modified MG TC with a 1250 cc engine with twin SU racing carburetters a race camshaft,
lightened chassis & transverse leaf spring front suspension (a la
Ferraris!), special wire wheels, 12 to 1 compression ratio pistons, alloy cylinder head etc.
The Ceylon Motor Sports Club had a Formula 3 Cooper with a JAP motorcycle engine. I made fastest time of the day at the Mahagastotte Hill Climb one year (I had to cut short my honeymoon to be there!).
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I learnt to fly in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), in a de Havilland Tiger Moth (DH82A).. Ours were painted silver, one registration that I remember is 4R-AAB. The instructor sat in front, the pupil behind. Communication between them was by a Gosport tube, literally a tube that ran between the two cockpits and connected at each to "earphones" in one's leather helmets. No wires or electrical power required. The CFI at the Ceylon Air Academy was Capt. C.H.S. Ameresekera who flew bombers (Wellingtons or Halifaxes) in the wartime Royal Air Force. Another instructor was Stanley Fernando. With their help it didn't take long for me to obtain my Private Pilot's License. I made many memorable flights over the jungles, mountains, paddy fields and coastline of Ceylon. I soloed in 5 1/2 hours and was allowed to fly the two Austers, a J/1 Autocrat 4R-AAM, and 4R-AAJ, an Auster 5 in addition to the Tiger Moth. These, like the Tiger Moth, were hand swung to start. They were three seaters, two side by side touching elbows in front, with a small seat behind facing sideways . Later we got two De Havilland DHC1 Chipmunks on loan to the CAA from the Ceylon RAF. These were the first aircraft that I flew that were fitted with a radio. They were started by either firing a cartridge or hand swinging the propeller. They were good for aerobatics! (Though you could loop and do stall turns in a Tiger Moth). The Tiger Moth and the Chipmunk were fitted with Gypsy Major engines.
Whilst in Ceylon another small plane I flew was a Stinson L5E (used in WW II as a liaison and as a casevac plane). It had a hinged panel on the starboard side of the fuselage which opened to allow a stretcher and patient to be inserted behind the pilot. It was a STOL aircraft with powerful flaps and ailerons that could be drooped for short field landings. It had a hefty Lycoming engine. I also flew a Czechoslovakian-made Sokol M.1D model (4R-AAG). It had a retractable undercarriage - one had to crank a handle many turns. Back in England I was able to continue my flying when my Private Pilot's License was converted to a British one. From Thruxton in Wiltshire I flew a Jackaroo which was a Tiger Moth converted to carry four persons by widening the centre section of the fuselage and modifying the undercarriage, resulting in an increase in span. As the engine and propeller were unmodified (and still needing hand swinging to start), Its performance was not very spectacular! I also flew a Cessna 150 Aerobat from Shoreham in Sussex, and at the Oxford Air Training School flew Piper PA28's (Cherokee 140's) and Piper PA-39Twin Comanches. When I went out to Bahrain to join Gulf Aviation (which later became Gulf Air) my first "proper" plane was a Douglas Dakota, also known as a DC3 or C47. I learnt a lot about flying in this wonderful aircraft. As a not-so-young but inexperienced copilot I was taught a great deal by some excellent Captains, some of whom had flown these aircraft in the Berlin Airlift After the DC3 I advanced to the Beech Queen Air (B80), the Fokker Friendship (F27) and then the British Aircraft Corporation BAC1-11. I flew these working for
Gulf Aviation in Bahrain. Later I joined two British airlines, British Caledonian, Dan-Air and British Airways, based at Gatwick Airport, flying BAC 1-11s and Boeing 727's (100 & 200 series). -oOo- My other web pages: "Lungta" my Salar 40 sloop is sold |
