My first ever flight was to Aden on Friday 13th 1966 on a Caledonian VC10. I would be very grateful if any former staff or friends could give me any information on the VC10's being used by Caledonian around this time, especially those being used to move troops to and fro from Aden.

Yours hopefully Christine

Being ex Royal Air Force I have just seen the question regarding flights to Aden in the 1960's.

Well, I was posted to RAF Masirah in the Persian Gulf August 1967 and we were flown from Gatwick on a BUA VC10 aircraft to RAF Khormaksar, Aden stopping off at Tehran, Iran presumably for refuelling. I remember it was a pretty dull flight especially flying over Saudi Arabia as there is literally nothing there except mile after mile of sand and deserts.

However, when we arrived near Aden (don't forget this was the time just before the British forces there pulled out of Aden in November 1967, hence lots of fighting in the hills with the Yemen Arabs there) we had 2 attempts to land aborted and landed at the third attempt. When the doors were finally opened it was like a furnace and we were told to get all our kit and to run to the terminal as soon as we stepped on the ground. At the bottom of the steps there were 2 Army Saracens and several Army lads facing outwards with guns protecting us. When I looked back at the aircraft, mentally thanking it for a safe journey, I noticed bullet holes in the fuselage which was probably the reason for the first 2 aborted landings.

Regards,

John Morgan
D4282062 SAC Morgan, J.

I agree with Lester. Caledonian flew Brits in that era and later B.707's. BUA had VC10's and I recall going out on one in early '66 to RAF Muharraq in Bahrain.British United and Caledonian later 'merged' and became British Caledonian Airways. They kept the B707 and the VC10 was phased out.

John, that was an interesting route you took to Misarah!!!?