St Athan memories

[tornadohotas]

I am trying to find old photographs of RAF St Athan (was DARA St Athan, now MoD St Athan,thanks to certain top-brass deciding that Tornado/harrier, just about every other platform be overhauled at MoBs!)Anyway back to the point! If any PPruners have old photos of st athan that would be most useful as I am researching the history of this unsung and unappreciated gem of a Royal Airforce Station!!! (no dodgy comments about it from uninformed people please!!

[johno617tonka]

i have been a 'MR' for a few years now but have fond memories of 'saints'... be interested to see what you trawl up about the place!
is the camp completely vacant now then??
i heard that some sort of ' not quite the SAS ' were billeted there???:suspect:
seems a waste for such a huge airfield to go to grass as it were....:{
regards
J6T

[Mead Pusher]

I have this image from when I was at St Athan. Wg Cdr Duguid (left) was handing over No 4 S of TT on his retirement from the RAF. I think it was 2000, but it could have been 2001.

Sad that I still have it really, but I thought it might come in useful.

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~crossby/4stthandover.jpg

[b16a2]

i heard that some sort of ' not quite the SAS ' were billeted there???

From what I've heard they have Para's, Marines, and I think there are some regiment guys there too.

[STANDTO]

goodness knows where they are, but I have a few pics. I lived in the wing commanders house at the end of the runway.

- but only because it was a mess overflow. Still nice though!

I remember someone getting a battering for filming a UAS Bulldog aerobatic routine, so decided not to take any more.:}

[Flt Lt Spry]

If any PPruners have old photos of st athan that would be most useful as I am researching the history of this unsung and unappreciated gem of a Royal Airforce Station!!!
I think it's actually "Royal Air Force" which is why it's known as the RAF. If it was "Royal Airforce" then it would just be the RA?!
You can try http://www.uwas.co.uk. There may be some bits of St Athan in the background?

[tablet_eraser]

My memories of St Athan extend no further than Op FRESCO training, I'm afraid. Still, it's a shame to see another base's history coming to an end.

[Vim_Fuego]

My memories of St Athan extend no further than Op FRESCO training, I'm afraid. Still, it's a shame to see another base's history coming to an end.

I didn't realise they had announced the results of the location of the new joint training base yet! It was either Cosford or Saints...

Eons ago I worked in 8 sqn (EROS) on inspection. My lasting memory was of attending a beercall for a chap called 'Don the Dip'...He had worked in the cleaning plant for decades...This is a place full of vats of acid that could melt a mountain bike in 10 minutes although normally they would dip bits of RB199 into them to get rid of the teflon inner lining...To my horror his face appeared to be melting i.e. drooping excessively...Think it was down to years of exposure to acid vapour :eek:

[Phileas Fogg]

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5679574

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=501772

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=457723

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=173291

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=138311

[Truck2005]

VF

When I was there the cleaning plant was normally full of car wheels getting cleaned:) When we shut the place down we were expecting to find tons of unclaimed sports alloys!!!!!!!!!!!

Even though it is doom and gloom for the most part here at least there is still going to be aircraft here. The VC 10s are staying for at least a couple of years. As to what they will do with the Supper Hangar is anyones guess.

[frodo_monkey]

VF
As to what they will do with the Supper Hangar is anyones guess.

Throw a delightful dinner party? :}



Sorry, couldn't resist. I'll get me coat :p

[modtinbasher]

Frodo Monkey

Would that be your coat, or somebody else's?

I too have many happy memories.........:} :p :mad:

[PPRuNe Radar]

Teeteringhead could be a useful source of info for all things 'St Athan' boyo ;)

[modtinbasher]

Anybody here you know? Picture is OC 5 Sqn receiving the Sqn's commendation in recognition of meritous service during Operation Granby. Must be about 1990 as far as my memory serves.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k237/modtinbasher/Saints2000.jpg

[Truck2005]

The guy on the left, in civvies, is Pete Oldenshaw, I believe. In my previous incarnation in the 80's I worked with him on Management Services, (time and Motion for the unintiated).

[modtinbasher]

A blast from the past...... Truck, please check your e-mail... Ta :)

[John Blakeley]

St Athan, along with Aberporth and LLanbedr are now essentially "owned" (in terms of their futures) by the Welsh Assembly Govt (WAG) - I have the name of their Project Manager if anyone wants it to look at moving work there - please PM me. ParcAberporth is now being seen as a centre of excellence for UAV development and flight testing, based on the privately owned runway for West Wales Airport next door.

The remaining DARA VC10 work is being competed (sorry market tested - but without DARA being allowed to bid!) so depending on who wins and whether they keep the work at St Athan there could be very little of the original DARA work left and I assume that DARA will soon be no more as the other depots such as Sealand and Fleetlands' work is competed. St Athan may have a significantly increased military future depending on who wins the Defence Ground Training competition, but in the meantime WAG together with their colleagues in Aerospace Wales Forum are doing a good job, with some success, to get aviation activities into St Athan. I understand that the decision has been made to retain an operational airfield no matter what - but I guess that even this would have to be subject to review if the economics don't work.

JB

[teeteringhead]

Teeteringhead could be a useful source of info for all things 'St Athan' boyo ... well there's my cover blown.... or just possibly not:E

JB above has it about right. VC10 servicing will stay (on present plans) to VC10 endex which is (on present plans) 2011 or 12, until it gets extended. Uncertain who'll be Fettling the Funbus but (etc) it will be at Saints.

Other DARA fast and pointed stuff (Jag, GR4 and Hawk) continues for a bit more - about the end of the year say?

19 Sqn still use it as an FOB when attacking Pembreyistan, and UWAS haven't anywhere else to go (in Wales that is).

On the ground there's the aforementioned not-to-be-mentioned lot, that includes pongoes royals and rocks (must be fun in the Bovvy Castle on payday). 4 School is still there as part of some joint training outfit (DCAE??) with the OC 4 S (an RAF wg cdr) playing staish in terms of laying wreaths on Nov 11th, while the ex-Staish (er ... still an RAF wg cdr) is running the site for Defence Estates .......

....... I hope you lot are following this - it's giving me a headache :(

The big DTR (Cosford vs Saints) decision is about the end of the year (October if you believe politicians, February if you're normal) which could bring Saints back to 1960s size.

And the WAG are trying to bring in lots of stuff - there have been a number of 737s and (at least) one 767 ..........

[tornadohotas]

Thanks for that teeteringhead. The info provided is most useful. I have to say that it is quite strange seeing a photograph of a jet2.com 737 outside 'twin peaks'. It brings home the changes that have happened at Saints over the last few years. I have to say that it brings a tear to my eye thinking that the days of tornado, jags, harriers, hawks....& need I say Phantoms(phwoar I miss them!)..not to mention victors, vulcans are coming to an end. Hopefully the defence training academy will come off and St Athan can, as you say, return to the glory days of the 60's. And as you point out, the local pubs will be very pleased. I can just imagine the square in Llantwit on payday!If you can point me towards any photographs that will help me reminisce that would be great!!

[modtinbasher]

teeteringhead and tornadohotas

[quote] On the ground there's the aforementioned not-to-be-mentioned lot, that includes pongoes royals and rocks (must be fun in the Bovvy Castle on payday) [quote]


Not to mention the Old Brewery and The Shackleton! I remember the CO2 beer gas bottles being thrown through the windows in the shak...ah the good old days, and Radders throwing the boyos who did the throwing in the first place, through the same holes! Radders eventually went to the Isle of Wight I believe.

Another funny moment I remember, one night or early one morning about 0300 hrs when the duty SNCO behind the mess bar questioned his continued right to a pint. With one swift movement, with one hand, Radders reached over the bar and picked the luckless lad three feet into the air, and gently whispered (and he did whisper, really, Radders was a whisperer) "who the **** says I don't get another pint then?" "Yes Chief, no problem, same again?" The pint was pulled before he hit the floor!
But my God, despite him being a biiiiig boy, could Radders run with a rugby ball, you didn't want to be in the way of 20 stone of mustle travelling at mach 1!!!

Another amusing one was when the staish (Killer Kyle as in the picture some posts back) went on a guided tour of 5 Sqn with the then OC who shall be called Isaac (I'm sure you'll recognise the one with the pigs head). At the time the Sqn was working a split shift overnight in support of Op Granby and there was a white board set up in the hangar with all the guys names on and the jobs they were doing, so that a good handover of jobs could easily be made. So, the staish walks around with Isaak who is babbling incomprehensively at his side (you know, how he did, or even still does I guess) Staish says "So I recognise your valuable contribution Mr Isaak, but can you tell me who's working tonight?" Isaak trots off ahead of the staish to the white board leaving the staish behind, rooted to the spot. Isaak then realises that he is standing on his own, sees the staish standing ten feet away and says.... "If you'll just come over here, this board tells us........." "Mr Isaak, don't walk away from me when I'm talking to...." Isaak then interupts (as he was well known for) and says ".....sorry, but as I said, if you'll just come over here....." "Mr Isaak, perhaps you'd like to come back here!!!

Well, you guessed it, grade 1 bo**ocking coming up, all the troops standing there with their mouths open, and what did Isaak say then, "If you'll just come here......"

Oh my Jesus Christ, you couldn't make it up could you?

Happy days.. hey, I just thought of another one. Sqn visit, Isaak standing outside waiting for the staff car with his exec by his side. Car pulls up, driver leaps out to open the back door for the staish to get out, sqn exec salute smartly...... and so does Isaak! Oh my God, a born leader!

But the really funny one was the "Christmas card"....but, I'm afraid you'll have to wait for the next episode for that.


I really miss Saints, had some fun there.....shame it's nearly gone...sob!

[Blodwyn Pig]

i see marshall aerospace in cambridge have declared an intrest in running the large new hangar.

[blue up]

Tesco and IKEA are also bidders (so I'm told). I've been trying to rent a small hangar there for the best part of a year. Bugger-all interest in leasing it out. Must have bigger plans afoot to be able to turn down cash.

Oh, the VC10s start getting chopped on Monday. Ought to take 2 weeks for the 3 of them.

[Truck2005]

Don't panic , everyone. BU is talking about the 3 hulks:{

[tornadohotas]

I remember a time long ago when a certain Unit Test Pilot, upon completion of Phantom air test, would return to the airfield in dramatic style. He would not quite fly over the hangars, more so, fly BETWEEN them! Quite dramatic if you were there at the time! :ok:

[Sonic Bam]

ATC Lasham, a civvie MRO (maintenance repair organisation), have opened a hangar at St Athan for 757/767 checks. Never served there, only played sports a couple of times, so don't know how it fits into the infrastructure.

http://www.atclasham.co.uk/locations.html

[Truck2005]

SB
Lashams took over Twin peaks, (VC10 shed), some time ago. They have rented the hangars until March when they are rumoured to extend the lease or build a new shed at the end of the Super hangar. They initially carried out the winglet mods on 737s but that seems to have dried up recently, with most of the guys going back to the main base, temporarily.

Tornadohotas

I seem to remember that his name was Guy Pearce. He used to fly the Buccs as well but used to go a bit lower!! I would have thought the nav got a few sixpence/halfacrowns when they would fly a tomb, jump out and take a Bucc up. We used to stand between the two hangars and get blown over by the R/H as he blasted through them.

[modtinbasher]

SB
Lashams took over Twin peaks, (VC10 shed), some time ago. They have rented the hangars until March when they are rumoured to extend the lease or build a new shed at the end of the Super hangar. They initially carried out the winglet mods on 737s but that seems to have dried up recently, with most of the guys going back to the main base, temporarily.

Tornadohotas

I seem to remember that his name was Guy Pearce. He used to fly the Buccs as well but used to go a bit lower!! I would have thought the nav got a few sixpence/halfacrowns when they would fly a tomb, jump out and take a Bucc up. We used to stand between the two hangars and get blown over by the R/H as he blasted through them.


Yes, I knew Guy. I once sat across the table from him at a DIN. His wife was called Pandy and they had no telly but 5 kids! I really looked forward to his Dining Out speech when he left, but was sadly dissapointed. Instead of a few good old war stories, he just moaned on and on about how the Royal Air Force had disrupted his family life and sent him to awful places! I should co-co. I would have thought that going between 2 hangars at a great rate of knots and inspecting the underside of the eaves at the same time was pretty exhilarating and worth being away from his family for a bit! I'd have given BOTH left and right arms to fly an F4 and a Bucc like that.

[dolphinops]

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=124675&page=3

Piccy about halfway down the page.

[modtinbasher]

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=124675&page=3

Piccy about halfway down the page.

Oooooh thanks, I've just gone all wet ---- hanky please matron! Fantastic, a Guy special! Thanks again. Tin

[Truck2005]

Ahhhhh Memories:)

After Guy finished the squadron crews took over the Bucc FT. When we moved the Buccs to Abingdon the crew said they would give us a good send off! We all lined up on the lazy looking west as he turned over Bridgend somewhere. We all were looking through our camera lenses so when he finally decided that boundary hedge height was low enough we all ended up like the penguins at both ends of MPAs runway, (very horizontal), with excellent photos of the sky!

We don't do things like that anymore.

[teeteringhead]

Lashams due to resume operations later next month (Sep). The down days in the summer were planned .... I guess all the 73s were full of sunburnt vomitting Chavs.....

[Inspector Dreyfuss]

As a an ex-UWAS scrote, I can confirm that Guy's air test returns were well worth watching. He gave us a talk one evening in the UWAS mess one night and his war stories were excellent. Especially one that involved being slightly astray in a Canberra (if memory serves me right) over East Germany.

[Sonic Bam]

ATC are to pull out of St Athan and consolidate their 757/767 work at Lasham.