picture 178439

Amongst the first RAF aircraft deployed on Operation Ale – the British intervention in reaction to the revolt in Brunei – were three Beverley C.Mk 1 transports of No. 34 Squadron. They helped fly a battalion of Gurkhas from Singapore to Brunei Town and Labuan on 8 December 1962, and then maintained a steady flow of men and supplies throughout the Confrontation. This example, seen at Changi around the time, wore the serial XM104. The insets show details of another Beverly C.Mk 1 of this unit: XS260, which had the dark blue cheat line extended along the fuselage and down the black anti-glare panel. All had their top sides painted in white, and other parts in high-speed silver finish. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)