I was an apprentice at Christchurch from 1955-1960 and worked on Vixens.I remember when Main Production went on strike and the apprentices had to complete the assembly of the aircraft for Farnborough( heavily supervised by Chargehands ) and when someone dropped an Avon engine right through the engine bay onto the factory floor.My last year was spent at Herne on Flight Test and I flew with Jock Elliot, Chris Capper and Peter Barlow.Memories of rocket firing over Wales with the Dive Brake out,dive brake bending and retracting severing part of the hydraulic system, and flying low over the airfield with all the workers outside telling us if the undercarriage was down OK.Many more memories of some super years.
John Dickinson
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