Fireproof

[William de Riecroft]

:help:Hi, Just getting back as close (as I can) after a long exile from aviation,mainly RAF. Must admit,feeling my way at the moment. Ex Manager of Aero engineering at RMIT and worked with Henry Millicer. Flew from Wycombe Air Park (Booker) UK, and Janderkot WA.

 

 

[Guest Decca]

Hi William, welcome to our forums.

 

The closer the better, I reckon. In fact, might as well get up close & personal!

 

Did you fly in the RAF?

 

Regards, Decca.

 

 

[William de Riecroft]

hello cficare

 

I flew him around in an Airtourer from Benalla and also flew as passenger in various gliders from there. Great chap.We set up the flight facility for our students together and I had a hell of a lot of respect for him.I also flew him in the Schieb Falk also at Benalla.Great memories of a great man! Regards William (fireproof, my RAF nickname always intrigued him)

 

 

[djpacro]

Welcome fireproof. I was a student at RMIT during Henry's first few years there.

 

I also did some flying with him in my Airtourer (not far from Geelong) back in the early '70s.

 

 

[William de Riecroft]

djpacro

 

I'm getting more nostalgic by the hour. It is great for an old fellow like me (81yoa)to be able to hear from folk such as yourself still directly invoved in flying,and who knew some of my old buddies. You must have known Taf Lewis and the othe chap,ex Fishermans Bend, seem to recall that his name was Denton, walked with a limp. So do I and I'm due to go into hospital on the 3rd of May to get a knee reconstruction done. That's the left one, and then I have to go back to get the right one fixed. I gave up piloting as opposed to flying, some years ago after experiencing an heart attack whilst landing on 24r at Jandakot. I got down ok but recall very little of HOW!! .Perhaps as well. An old RAF pal that I flew with in Cyprus eventually led the Marlboro Pitts Special Team.They were based at Wycombe Air Park or Booker as the locals and the RAF knew it in WW2. I also flew from there at the same time as 'Manx' Kelly

 

and his Pitts. We also had Hadrian Swires (of Cathay fame) and his Spitfire there too. OK that's it for now, Thanks for the welcome and Regards. Fireproof.

 

 

[djpacro]

I recall Geoff visiting me when we lived in the UK in the mid-70s.

 

Bob Dengate is a legend in the local aircraft industry - he has moved to the coast in NSW.

 

The Rothmans Team were sensational - after seeing them I decided I just had to get a Pitts! A couple of the lads from the team are on the internet - another online forum. I met Manx at Booker and Neil as he visited Cranfield quite a bit.

 

 

[William de Riecroft]

Yes of course,Rothmans became the Marlboro team after I had left the UK in 1974.The name Neil rings a bell, was he the fellow that flew the Yak ? By the way,I lived at Lane End and used to walk through the woods to the airfield,very convenient. I am really a Civil engineer

 

and was manager of the Civil Engineering Dept at the Polytechnic of Central London,so commuted most days. Had Eric Stokes taken over the combined Aero and Civil when you were there at RMIT ?

 

I had been offered Managership of Civil Engineering while I was still over at the PCL and when I fronted up for the interview at Swanston St, Brigadier Jackson asked if I thought that I could look after the two tasks, I asked if I could have double salaries,we compromised! When I flew from Booker I flew in a Procter that had actually been at RAF Swanton Morley when I did my Air Signallers course, it belonged to a fellow named Sewell I think, but it was not hangered there. Anyway I must go, I have to attend hospital today for some prelimlinary tests prior to the upcoming op.Regards William

 

 

[djpacro]

Neil - Williams was known for his displays in the Zlin and Pitts.

 

Recognise anyone here?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry Tempest is another from the 70s. He's talking about a reunion as this is the 40th anniversary of the RATS founding.

 

I see that Tim Mills now lives in NSW somewhere.

 

 

[icebob]

Hi William,

 

welcome to the forum.

 

I recognised your name, and I sure remember Eric Stokes, I and a number of Naval members(mostly officers) got our LAME through RMIT from 1970 to 1977.

 

Bob.

 

 

[William de Riecroft]

Thanks for the message Bob.Must admit that although I was manager of both Civil and Aero and a Civil Eng,I spent more time with Aero.That was because more effort had been put into building up Civ Eng, and as a result they did not need so much attention.The other reason was that the plan to provide a flying facility at Benalla involved much negotiation with Council and Government and I became deeply involved in that. Not that I minded,never wanted to be a Civ Eng anyway, and the opportunities to get a bit of flying time in at Benalla was a welcome bonus. I took up the position/s at RMIT after a spell at Technisearch in 1974,as you may recall they were a sort of commercial arm of RMIT involved in testing,research and investigations, at that time almost all involved in Civil Eng and building construction. That spell was necessary because RMIT's funding had been effected by the Fraser-Whitlam stoush and they could not afford to pay my salary. That was solved eventually by paying me out of the Contingency Fund.

 

I enjoyed my stay at RMIT but eventually had to take early retirement due to the worsening of spinal injuries sustained in the RAF.Regards and thanks for the message.

 

 

[William de Riecroft]

Thanks for the photo and the reminder re the Zlin and Neil Williams. I spoke to my eldest son Tony who lives in Perth and he actually was more involved at Booker than I was and as a result knew more people. Did you meet Tony Geislink at (spelling!!) Booker,he was i/c the Airways flying club and i used to get some cheap air time through him.Also the Bianci family who ran the aircraft maintenance facility well rather Doug and his daughter did, while Tony the Son spent most of his time honing his show flying skills. My Son Tony used to fly with

 

Airways usually in one of their little trainers.I used to hire the Cessna 152.

 

You have really shaken up the old memory files and I had laid them to rest as 'NO LONGER REQUIRED' thanks for that.There were so many characters at Booker,such as the Hon Patrick Lindsay and his big black, high wing MS....?

 

Finally I have been to the hospital twice this week for final checks to see if it is safe to proceed with at least the first op. knee reconstruction. The answer was yes and so we can go ahead with the first one on the 3rd of May.Will be great to be able to walk properly again. Must close as my Grand Daughter is here with me and I need to have a chat with her about the $806.00 mobile bill she has run up on my Telstra A/C. Regards William