The Memoir For Ex RAAF/RAF/RMAF Personnels Back Home

The United Traction Company, Butterworth.

The UTC Head office, Butterworth.

In the memory lane of an unforgettable bus company, The United Traction Company, Butterworth. Informing all the ex RAAF/RAF/RMAF personnels who had served Malaya/Malaysia back home would unlikely to hear this melancholic news. The entire fleet of UTC buses had ceased operations after servicing Butterworth to Alor Star route for more than six decades covering Northern and Central Perai, and Sungai Petani wind-up on November 05, 2011 due to the rising cost and intense competition over the last four years. 

Used to commuting passengers, school childrens including RAAF,RAFand RMAF personnel travelling to work from Penang Island to the mainland. 'The bus company, one that we enjoyed riding once upon a time.'

My Earliest Cameras 1972-1973

During my tour of duty at RMAF Labuan, Sabah from 1970-1973, my lust for cameras had grown tremendously and I did skipped from one camera to another just for the sake of photography.

Canon QL 1972 - My first dream camera.

Canon FT 1972 - My second camera.

Minolta SRT Super 1973 - My 3rd camera.

Refer this blog:
http://xgunship.blogspot.com/2011/06/rmaf-labuan-tour-of-duty-from-1970-1973.html

HAND-HELD AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

The books from Kodak publications

Aerial photographic books purchased in 1970's.

The manual of photogrammetry.

My earliest involvement in photography dated back in 1971 whilst in RMAF Labuan, Sabah. In 1977, I began gearing up for aerial photography through self study lesson from books where courses via the internet and video were totally unheard. Followed with the help of Kodak aerial photographic guide books that were available only on order which really keep me busy on the subject before  pursuing for USA to study photogrammetry in 1983. I later became a qualified RMAF photogrammetrist commonly known as imagery or photo interpreter stationed for six years at No.11 Sqn. Base Butterworth and also an instructor on aerial photography for pilots and the Instrument Section personnel. A former active member of the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, USA.

Though the Ground Photographic Sections were in existence in most of the air force bases, but hand-held aerial photography was not seen to be in their subject list. Equipped with Nikons(SLR) cameras with 35mm film format and light helicopters utilized for all hand-held aerial photography whenever necessary that make things much easier for the flying wing to execute own aerial photographic mission, and with the support of squadron pilots, I personally moved to promote the hand-held aerial photography through ground lectures at the No.3 Sqn. Butterworth and later later extended to No. 11 Sqn. Butterworth and finally at the No.7 Sqn. Kuching.

The ceased ASPRS Active Member Certification.

It was a great moment for us at the No.7 Sqn. after seeding a high effort planning in aerial photography and finally came the fruits bearing the authorization to fly with a renowned professional photographer named Guido Alberto Rossi on his most successful aerial photography over Kuching in 1991, just a year before my retirement. Well! I supposed there's plenty of aerial photographers born by the air force by now.

Blog references:

http://xgunship.blogspot.com/2011/06/rmaf-labuan-tour-of-duty-from-1970-1973.html

http://xgunship.blogspot.com/2010/11/imagery-interpreters-of-rmaf-1983-1989.html

http://xgunship.blogspot.com/2010/07/aerial-photography.html

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY NOT AN EASY JOB

The Alouette III helicopter

On July 6, 1978 with a clear morning sunshine, saw the first RMAF aerial photographic attempt trying to get a hand-held vertical photo of the Base Butterworth as directed by the Base Commander. An Alouette III helicopter FM1314 were prepared and flown as scheduled on a high altitude training mission. Having flown for 1hr 45min, the Alouette III finally landed in despair and the aerial photographic mission categorized as mission unaccomplished.

Factors contributing to the unaccomplished mission are as follows:

1. Substandard aerial photographic mission planning.
2. Aircrew incompetency to aerial photography.
3. Unsuitable photographic equipment.
4. The photographer was found medically unfit.

Suggestion proposed:

1. Introduce necessary training in aerial photography.
2. The aerial photographer be from the aircrew trade.

Courses available:

1. In country.
2. Foreign.

The resultant:

1. The emergence of the RMAF maritime squadron based at Kuala Lumpur.
2. The emergence of the RMAF reconnaissance squadron based at Butterworth 1983.

Once Was My Favorite Cameras

From left to right, the Nikon FM2 c/w motor drive, F2, and FM2 c/w motor drive.

Once these Nikon cameras was known of its legend and today surpassed by the digital captive technology. It was heavily used in aerial and general photography in 1983 till 1991.

The Shop Still Around - The Wrist Watch Stopped Ticking.

My first Tissot wrist watch a  Silver Royal Group, bought at Kuala Lumpur in 1970 for RM165.00.
(Condition - Unserviceable)

My second wrist watch Tudor Oysterdate Chronograph bought at Penang in 1986 for RM900.00.
This was my official flight navigation watch from 1984 - 1991 prior to my retirement.
(Condition  - Unserviceable)

When I came back from the United States in 1983, I changed my Tissot Chronograph(1970) wrist watch to Tudor Chronograph(1984) by Rolex. It was a faithful watch and really compatible for my aircrew navigation purposes. But it stopped working in 1994 two years after retiring from the Air Force and the Rolex service center estimated the cost of repair be about RM3,000.00. Well! I decided to keep it aside and today its classic value is probably known to reach over RM7,000.00 by now. Oftenly asked for sale by friends but naturally I turned their mind away from the subject.

Tudor that came with informations, a certificate and a box.

My Tudor purchase receipt dated 1984 from Kai Ming Store Sdn. Bhd.

My Tudor have been overhauled in 1995
at The Rolex Centre, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur.

The Shop's Closed - The Wall Clock Still Ticking

The center shop was one time selling  wrist watches and wall clocks.

Thats the oriental shop I first bought my 'Seiko' wall clock for my house at RM110.00 that was in 1978. After browsing the internet recently I found the price for that similar clock is around RM500.00 now. A good investment but sad to say that the shop is closed and my wall clock is still ticking. The owner of the shop was a Chinese lady and I don't remember her name and initially did not have enough money for the wall clock but she except my deposits of RM20.00 promising her to return and settle the balance at the end of the month which I did. Considering a lucky purchase, because in that same shop theres a stout RAAF Airman I guessed, who was also admiring at the only same displayed wall clock available and I thinks that he too had an intention of buying it but did not utter a single word. So I hastily suggest for the deposit and the shopkeeper cordially accepted my term and I heard the Aussie sigh...who turned and smiled at me.

Several old shops around here were already shutting their businesses, probably on relocation process or pending for city development and above all the economic pitfall on the withdrawal of Penang as a free port.    Location situated in the heart of Butterworth town closed to the four junctions posted with traffic lights. This was the most popular shopping area a several decades ago where visitors from Kedah and Perak use to shop over here especially on coming festive seasons like Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Depavali, and Christmas. The continuance of Penang as a free port decades ago make things relatively cheap here. My late parents used to bring me for shopping here when I was around ten years old but my younger brothers and sisters insisted that we all go to Penang. Most children like us loves see Penang island, the ferry ride, the sea, the esplanades, Penang Hills, the boats, the ships, the local foods and many more.

Seiko wall clock purchased in 1978.