DH 108's in Africa

[unlikeKansas]

In June 1948 it was decided to send 3 de Havilland DH108 aircraft to Nairobi for testing in "hot and high" conditions.

If the aircraft were successful in these tests then full production would start and there would be attempts to sell export versions of the aircraft to countries such as Australia and India.

The DH108's spent 3 months in Africa and unfortunately the trial was not deemed a success.

Whilst the aircraft performed well, regularly exceeding Mach 1 they had great difficulty in carrying a useable warload in the "hot and high" conditions.

Sadly by the end of August 1948 it was time to pack up and return to the UK with the recommendation that the aircraft was not quite good enough.

Britain at this time was still suffering from food shortages and rationing from World War II. So the trials team decided to bring back some exotic foods from their African soiree hoping to improve the morale of the folks back 'ome.

It was decided that coconuts would be purchased in the local Nairobi markets and loaded into a spare drop tank for carriage back to Britain.

Once the tank was full of cocunuts the 108's load carrying ability was found to be not up to the task.

Luckily the detachments C.O. Squdron leader Raymond Luxury-Yacht (pronounced 'Throatwobbler Mangrove') remembered the thrilling RAAF flying displays of the 1930's where aircraft flew formation aerobatic displays whilst tied together with ribbons. He came up with the idea of tying the drop tank full of coconuts between 2 108's, the wires fixed to the port underwing stores point of 1 108 and the starboard underwing stores point of the other 108. The combined power of 2 108's being sufficient to lift the full tank.

And that my friends is how the African Swallows brought coconuts to Britain.

[philp]

That's exactly how I remember also, hic.

[The Rat]

Ahv got a rrrrabbit that wants ta see yooh...

[GTX]

And that my friends is how the African Swallows brought coconuts to Britain.

Regards,

Greg