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Twin Pioneer Newsletter
The latest issue of the Twin Pioneer Newsletter #29 is up online. Go to the listing page or right Click here to download.
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KL 12 May: The pioneers of the RMAF met at the GAB, Petaling Jaya today Monday 12 May 2008 at 18:30 hrs to honour the RMAF's 50th Anniversary. We had a fairly good turnout with our big Chief AVM Dato Sulaiman, 74, heading the list. Deputy Chief Maj Gen Dato Shahrudin Ali brought his daughter, who was curious to see us old fogies whom she remembered from her childhood days. Regretfully, no other Chiefs turned up; some were outstation, but some just didn't want to be associated with sentimental old fools, I suppose. But not Tan Sri RADM Thanabalasingam, the first Malaysian Navy Chief, who wouldn't miss the opportunity to meet up with some long lost friends, on occasions such as this.
A DVD show was put on covering the period 1958-88 (3 decades) of the RMAF. Those present found it very nostalgic, and quite a few of them ordered copies - only RM 10 per copy. Those who missed ordering their copies can do so by emailing Maj Gen Dato Muslim by giving their h/p number and snail-mail address so that the DVD can be posted to them. And in today's New Straits Times, Adrian David has put up a story about the "Golden Boys". Read all about it by clicking on the link. And of course all this won't happen without the tireless effort and initiative of Brig Gen Dato Soon LC, who put together the programme, this year and last year. |
The Pioneers and their Pioneers
A New Sunday Times article by Adrian David. Download or read it online.
Gathering of Pioneers
On Thursday 25 Jan 2007, through the initiative of Brig Gen Soon Lian Cheng a sizeable group of about 50 former RMAF Twin Pioneer and Single Pioneer pilots, engineers and air despatchers, got together at the Guiness Tavern in Petaling Jaya; to reminesce about the "good old days". Three former Chiefs, AVM Dato Sulaiman Sujak, Lt Gen Tan Sri Mohamad Ngah Said and Lt Gen Dato Seri Yunus Tasi were there. A slide show of old photographs had everyone recalling the days of the Emergency and Confrontation when we all worked hard and played hard too.
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Photos of our RAF seconded officers, who were our squadron and wing commanders also brought back pleasant and not so pleasant memories. Quite a number of our friends in the photos shown are also no longer with us, having passed away while in service or in retirement.
The party started at 19:00 hrs and ended about 23:00 hrs. Everyone enjoyed themselves meeting up with long lost friends; and agreed that we should meet again next year -- probably around the RMAF's 50th anniversary date.
Twin Pioneer Newsletters
We have something new lined up for this year 2006. Not only are we making availab;e a lot of Twin Pioneer stories by kind courtesy of Mr Ron Tannock of New Zealand, we are also embarking on a documentary project to interview RMAF veterans and publish their stories so that younger generations will benefit from their experiences. As a long term project, we hope raise funds to archive into digital format tons of paper-based documents dating back to the formation of the Air Force in 1958, and even earlier.
The Musuem is striving to keep updating and re-inventing itself with new exhibits and activities. It is not an easy task when it is still existing on a "labour of love" basis. However, with the personal support given by the Deputy Chief of the Air Force, we believe funds and contributions will soon materialise.
Our latest addition to the Museum is the Westland Wasp thanks to the Royal Malaysian Navy. The helicopter arrived on a low-loader from KD Rajawali Lumut, on Friday 29 November, 2002. Five Navy technicians assembled the aircraft for static display at the Museum. For more information, click here.
R/C Interest Group (RCIG)
Following the success of several Fun-Flys and R/C competitions organised at the Museum, the RCIG was formed in early July 2001 with members drawn from undergraduates of the Aerospace Department of the Universiti Putra Malaysia, and other enthusiasts. We meet every Saturday and Sunday from 3pm onwards. The Museum has provided a club house and the Base Commander has kindly consented to let us fly at the Terminal Building area where the ATC officers on duty can keep a close watch on our flying activities. This is essential since there are other flying activities going on by the Air Force helicopter squadron, the Police Air Wing and the Selangor Flying Club. Fortunately, on the weekends only the Flying Club is very active.
Recently, on Saturday and Sunday (1-2 September 2001) we participated in the Merdeka Day "Karnival Bersamu" at Dataran Merdeka. However, we really made our mark on 14 July, 2001 when we participated in the launching ceremony for the Rakan Muda1 quest to fly their kitplanes to all nine ASEAN countries to deliver invitations to the countries concerned to attend the SEA Games XXI in Kuala Lumpur 8-16 Sept, 2001. The RCIG provided the side-show of various fixed-wing and helicopter R/C flying. However, the R/C jet flying by our friends from Thailand really wowed the crowd including the Prime Minister and the Youth and Sports Minister.
The RCIG is open to all aeromodelling enthusiasts young and old. The Chief of the Air Force, General Dato Suleiman, is our Patron.
Wreck Hunting
This small interest group has not been too active since the Lenggong find in February, 2000. However, on Saturday 25 August, 2001 wreck-hunting enthusiasts, Sager Ahmad and Shaharom went into the jungles in Serendah, some 50km north of Kuala Lumpur, to look up a recent Dakota wreck found by the aborigines.
We have also received a request from UK to look for a Valetta, that crashed in the jungles of Ulu Langat, Selangor, some 50 years ago. Here's some sketchy info from Alan Batty.
| The aircraft Valetta XV540 was on detachment from 52 Sqn RAF, a recent replacement for the DC3 Dakota. Under code Op Firedog, TOT was recorded at 0915hrs local from RAF STN KL time of crash was 0945hrs. The aircraft is assumed to have stalled and slid into the Ulu. Aircraft burst into flames on impact. The Operation log book states that one airman's body was recovered and buried in Cheras road Cemetery. |
We hope to go and look for this Valetta soon.
1. They did it, and it was really a magnificient attempt to beat the weather in a home-built plane with limited navigation facilities and endurance. See Rakan Muda stories elsewhere in this web site.