Memories of Lincolnshire

[newfieboy]

As a 20+ year experienced rotary wing pilot and expat currently working in Canada, I often wonder how I came about flying for a living. It was never a childhood dream or anything, just happened one day. I grew up in the 60;s/70;s in Louth, Lincolnshire, which all you fighter Mates will know I;m sure. I was wondering the other day whether the flying thing was subconciously etched in my mind as a kid laying in bed at night listening to all the comings and goings from the likes of Manby, Binbrook, Strubby, Conningsby etc.

So I was wondering if any of you Frightning, Provest, Canberra Vulcan etc Mates of the day have any good yarns while on a jolly around the local towns, hostelries , and of any memeories you may have good or bad about the area and how it was in the 60;s and 70;s as a front line pilot per say. Thanks for your time, I;m sure there are plenty of good tales out there.:ok:

[alisoncc]

I was wondering the other day whether the flying thing was subconciously etched in my mind as a kid laying in bed at night listening to all the comings and goings from the likes of Manby, Binbrook, Strubby, Conningsby etc.

I think you get Avgas in your blood. As a kid I had friends who knew every variation of railway steam engines there was. Later, acquaintances who knew all there was to know about cars, and even later boats, but I've had a love affair with aeroplanes since my first visit to Hucknall in the mid '50's. Was at Syerston when one of the earliest Vulcans fell apart in the air. Flew in a Chipmunk at RAF Chivenor in '57, and didn't throw up even though the pilot did everything possible to make it so.

More recently, just twelve years ago - pre-retirement after years in computer industry, doing casual work at Cairns airport FNQ Oz, installing GPS's in Royal Flying Doctor aircraft. Even now when I have a spare afternoon can often be found at Moorabbin airport Melbourne, just sitting in my car with a pair of binoculars watching. Once they are in your blood you'll never get free of them. Not that most would want to.

[ian16th]

any good yarns while on a jolly around the local towns, hostelries Ask any of the old Coningsby hands about Wednesday and Saturday nights at the Gliderdrome in Boston :ok:

But not near their wives! :uhoh:

[forget]

....... how it was in the 60;s and 70;s as a front line pilot per say. :eek:

What makes you think the others didn't leave camp?

PS. It's per se, not per say. Trust me.

[bluesilk]

I was at Manby/Strubby from 1970 to 1974. JPs and Dominies at Manby. Varsitys at Strubby.Really enjoyed my time there and the local area was good. The Prussian Queen of course was not too far away with all the stories of how the practice bomb ended up in the loo! If you lived at Mablethorpe the sight of the Varsity going over after a practice engine failure on take off would probably have concentrated your mind as much as ours! :ok:

[sled dog]

Binbrook was bl**dy cold in the winter, but some of the Wraf ladies made it seem warmer ( any one else remember " SIlver " early 60s ?

[Blacksheep]

Ah Lincolnshire! The great potato desert. The best night out in Lincolnshire was the Raven Club (aka RAF Waddo NAAFI) and people came from miles around - some from as far as Scotland. We seldom ventured beyond the camp gates except to do our dhobi, have a curry at the Bombay and down a couple of pints of "Armadillo" in the Bodega. Knicker-ripping night at Spitalgate could be fun, but we mostly spent our weekends in Nottingham, which was totty capital of the UK at the time.

[T-21]

Went to school in Louth 1965-66 when we lived at RAF Manby . Remember seeing the piston Provosts preflighting by the Louth road on the way to school and seeing them over the school on final approach to the short runway. Father was on Canberras at Strubby.
His last posting after 20 years service was to Cranwell on JP's as Unit Test pilot in 1966-68. Had many trips in gliders ,Austers ,Tiger Moth,Chipmunk on the North airfield and some great flights in the Varsity as a result of just tuning up at the gate,bet you could not do that now with all the elf and safety. They were fun days and I am so glad I had a great childhood full of RAF memories.

[relight9]

Don't write off historic Manby just yet, we have JP4 XS186, which only ever served at Manby, almost back to taxiable status, and still in Lincolnshire.

Several ex Manby pilots are coming to the ex RAF Metheringham, where XS186 is now resident, to witness and maybe even participate in a few taxi runs this spring.
Memories of 60's Manby ops will flood back i'm sure, and we will try to ensure they are recorded, to be looked back on by future generations who won't ever witness the likes of those days.

[dkh51250]

The Raven Club even has its own Facebook page nowadays.

Fortunately those walls cannot talk. Memories of seeing virtually every top band in the country there during the 60s and 70s.

Entertainment available every night except Mondays, and Sunday afternoon cabarets with Pig of the week award at the Sunday night disco.

Des Hall was even good enough to sort out a dhobi shop on camp for us, along with a few other social bits like the Two Ton Club.