The Occupation of Iceland 1963-64

[billtate]

My first tour in the USN was at NAF Keflavik Iceland (1963-65). Some of my first remembrances were staying in a Quonset hut heated by a pot belly stove and see the movie "633 Squadron" at the base theater. I remember waking up one morning and going outside and hearing what sounded like a flight of Mosquitoes overhead. I turned to see a Shackleton fly over the UN-US flagpoles and so I grabbed my trusty old Kodak Brownie camera and headed for the flight line. From then on I made many trips to the flight line along with my friend Ray (the color pictures are his). To me it was like living on a World War II movie set.
The troops had little to do because of the Communist majority in the Althing, so we were confined to the base. To an eighteen year old from the hills of North Georgia this was quite an experience and I thought that some of the members might enjoy some pictures of the old planes (not necessarily all WW 2 vintage). Please, no critique on the photos or comments. We were only paid $13.00 every two weeks and I developed my own film in the base hobby shop. These are my recollections and may not reflect the reality of the situation. But this is how I saw it. Enjoy Bill

[Jerry O'Neill]

Great shots! Thanks for posting them.
I wonder if one of those PBY's later became part of the CAF?
Jerry

[JDK]

Great stuff Bill!

The RAF Museum has one of the Danish PBYs at Cosford.

Strictly speeking, the British and later Americans occupied Iceland between 1940 and 1944; against the Iclandic Government's wishes. After that the NATO presence was with the agreement of the Iclandic government, I understood? But as you say it might've seemed different in reality at the time.

Thanks for sharing - more please!

[The Inspector]

Over the years, I've wondered just what sort of ailments the crews (particularly pilots) who sat in the scatter patterns of those early, 'hot' radar antennas suffered with? Look @ the PBY and the P2V radar antenna locations 'yes, I'm warm too Anders, but my lunch is nice and warm and the coffee is staying hot'

[David Legg]

Great shots! Thanks for posting them.
I wonder if one of those PBY's later became part of the CAF?
Jerry

Only one of the PBY's can be identified from the very nice photos and that is PBY-6A L-863. This was ex-BuAer63998 and it did indeed end up (and met its end) with the CAF. It was destroyed in an arguably needless fatal accident in the sea near Port Isabel in the Gulf of Mexico on 13th October 1984 by which time it was registered N16KL.

James is quite right to say another ex-RDAF PBY-6A is in the RAF Museum collection at Cosford - this is 8466M, the former L-866/BuAer63993.

[baldursveins]

Bill

These are just fantastic. Photographs from this timeframe are rare, and this is as good as any place to bring that time back. I would love any shots of the aircraft from this time. Some are old friends, like P2V-5F, 131434, LB-4 from VP-7 (here is my photo from May 30, 1964)

and C-47 (R4D) 150188 which I have never seen a photo of with the Fasron 107 tailcode, FN. 150188 was with the Navy Museum at Pensacola at one time. Does anyone know if it still is?

The more, the merrier.

Thank you Bill.

[Craig59]

Fantastic photos, Bill and thank you for sharing.

Any chance you captured a shot of any of three Sikorsky HRS/HO4S helicopters based there around that time? One departed in early '63, another in mid '63 and the third in mid '64.

[paddleblade]

Great pictures. Thanks for posting them and thanks for your service!

[Mark Sampson]

What aircraft type is the RAF transport in the last photo?

[JDK]

What aircraft type is the RAF transport in the last photo?

Handley Page Hastings - pretty rare, two survive, one at IWM Duxford, one at (again!) RAF Cosford.

[jdvoss]

The last photo in the set is that of a Handley Page Hastings. It's design dates back to the late 40's and was the RAF's priniciple tranport. They were also flown by the RNZAF and I spotted one at Hickam AFB (Hawaii) in December 1963.

[Robbie Stuart]

Bill, Thanks for sharing those pics with us! I love to see original photos from that time period of Military Aviation.
Robbie

[Kdmoo]

Nice to see the Shackleton in there. Thanks for sharing.

[Steve Nelson]

Please, no critique on the photos or comments.

My only critique would be that you need to post more of them!

I remember how much fun it was playing around in the darkroom back in high school and college. Smelly, messy, and time consuming, but it was fun to create something that way. The digital age makes photography much easier (and cheaper) but sometimes I miss the old days.

SN

[billtate]

Thanks for the very kind words from all. I do have more pictures and I will try and post them as time permits. A special thanks to Baldur and his posting of the PATRON Seven “Pecker 2”. I have seen many of his pictures of our old “Willie Victors” at Kef and it was good to know he is still around. Sorry, Craig I did not shoot any helos in those early days. I was not into helicopters at that time. What is funny is that when I retired in 1992 I was a Crew Chief on the RH-53D Sea Stallion, (progress uh??). The last aircraft in the series is indeed a Handley Page Hasting C.1A with No. 202 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command. They flew support for the ‘Shacks” and meteorological recon for the Coastal Command.