A nice civilian visitor staging through the Gulf.

JATO fit to the C-82 of the Mecom Oil Co.

Owned by the Mecom Oil Co. their aircraft were fairly frequent visitors to RAF Sharjah. Fitted with JATO bottles. Was initially deliverd to the USAAF as a C82A-FA as 45-57780.

On delivery to Australia. ATC in background now part of the "Al Hatta" museum

Photo' taken from the balcony of RAF Sharjah ATC which is now part of the "Al Hatta" museum in the middle of the city. A/c was previously LN-LMT( SAS) & SU-MMC(United Arab A/L's) Scrapped Damascus circa 1974.

Unexpected visitor to RAF Sharjah. Diverted in with 'cracked' exhaust manifold on one engine (landed on three). After repairs took off the next day at 0600 hrs, en route to Tahiti. From GAM (Groupe Aérien Mixte) 82. F-RBPS was its 'call sign.'

VIP fit. Named "Meghaduta II" in English and Hindi underneath cockpit window. Arr.1140. Night stopover leaving at 1030 on the 1st. Used entire runway length to get airborne, no doubt due to all of the solid oak panelling used in the cabin! The RAF left in 1971 when the "Trucial States" became the United Arab Emirates, the airfield becoming the Emirates International Airport until the new one was opened in 1977. King Abdul Aziz Street is built on the old runway. The ATC, a hangar and the old fort used by Imperial Airways are now incorporated in the "Al Mahatta" museum.

This Skeeter is in storage as of 2020.