No. 1325 Flight RAF
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
| No. 1325 Flight | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1956 - 1958 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Role | Supply |
| Nickname | Christmas Airways |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Transport | Dakota C-47 |
1325 Flight comprised three Dakota C-47 aircraft. The Flight was formed in the UK at RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire in 1956 to fly to Australia to support Operation Buffalo and Operation Antler nuclear tests at Maralinga. 1325 Flight was soon relocated to Christmas Island (Kiritimati) to support the Grapple series of nuclear tests in that remote Pacific region.
While at Christmas Island, regular supply flights were made to support the weather and observation sites located at Fanning and Malden Islands for the nuclear tests. Because some islands had no landing strips, 1325 Flight devised a "bouncing palette" system (similar to Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bomb) to deliver supplies. Occasional flights were also made to Nandi in Fiji, Raratonga Island, and New Caledonia Island.
Because of limited maintenance facilities at Christmas Island, the three Dakota aircraft were rotated to the de Havilland aircraft works at Bankstown, Sydney, Australia for "Base servicing". On these flights, the 1325 Flight Dakotas were routed via Canton Island, Fiji and Brisbane. The 1325 Flight Dakotas had extra fuel tanks mounted within the fuselage to extend the range to 2,400 miles. While at Christmas Island 1325 Flight became known as "Christmas Airways" and had that legend painted on both sides of the aircraft fuselage.
When the nuclear tests were discontinued in 1958, the Flight was disbanded and the aircraft were decommissioned in Australia.
