Finningley and Filton Block

[Roland Pulfrew]

Just been having a whiz round Google Earth looking at past scenes of crime to note on the latest version that Filton Block, the Os' Mess Annex at Finningley has been bulldozed.:eek: Then noticed the very neat looking rugby pitches in the front garden of the Mess.

Then noticed that the Mess is now a school (apparently Jeremy Clarkson's old school moved to a new location). At least the Mess is being put to good use again rather than rotting away like so many other old messes (Binbrook, Syerston, Newton etc:{); strangely appropriate.

[light_my_spey]

Dry yer eyes princess :E

[Easy Street]

Then noticed that the Mess is now a school; strangely appropriate.

In that the young women of Doncaster are once again receiving an "education" in the Officers' Mess!?

[teeteringhead]

Surely it was the baby Navs who were educated at the "hands" of the "ladies" of Donny ..........:E

[zedder]

As Churchill the dog would say "Oh Yes";)

[Diablo Rouge]

I wonder if the corridors still echo to the sound of hampsters in balls playing ricochet whilst their 'masters' are in school. .....or if anyone has yet sucesfully parachuted said hampster, because IIRC all the trials failed!

[Maxibon]

D'ye know, that hamster survived for a further 6 months after leaving Filton Block; despite having been fed curry and beer and almost going in a Dom; his peeing in my flying suit led me to put him back in said ball. Three injections to finally put him out of his misery. Shame, good hamster that....

[tlightb]

I was on site at Finningley last week and the OM looks in excellent order. I haven't been in but I spoke recently to someone who bought one of the OMQs close by and he has had a tour and says it has been well done.

School link if interested

Hill House School Doncaster Yorkshire Independent School - Lower School, Middle School and Senior School (http://www.hillhouse.doncaster.sch.uk/index.html)

The airport name is officially Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield or some similar arrangement of names, but when you are sat at Schipol the departure board says Doncaster and anyone within a fifty mile radius flies from "Finningley" and all others from Donny.

[BEagle]

Doncaster and navigators....somehow they deserved each other.

If the childish half-wing half-brains really 'enjoyed' some animal cruelty with their abuse of a defenceless hamster, then that merely confirms the sound view of the superior two-wing master race:

No stick, no vote.

Give me Garmin any day............

[PARALLEL TRACK]

If you have seat, you have a vote. Lots of pilots tried to kill me over the years but I did not try to kill any of them. Discuss!

[SFCC]

I think that passed as an attempt at humour for BEagle.

It failed:O

[Impiger]

How can you say such harsh things ... when did a Garmin last buy you a beer? Or stop you killing yourself (and him)!!

I suggest the honourable thing to do would be to retract your statement.

As for Filton and the former home of the Directional Consultancy Branch .. well I for one have many happy memories of experience gained. I also recall the Orderly Officer being called to the Guadroom to deal with a Donny lady of trade who was complaining that the overseas student who had entered into a contract for her company had failed to pay up!!

[Easy Street]

If you have seat, you have a vote. Lots of pilots tried to kill me over the years but I did not try to kill any of them. Discuss!

From that I conclude that the designers of whichever aircraft you flew gave all the safety-critical controls and switches to the pilot!

[BEagle]

Impigers, mon brave, my harsh words were directed at those who find amusment from animal cruelty.

Back when thee and I flew the twin-Spey roaring monster, a 2-person team was essential. But that was about 30 years ago - since which times sensor fusion and other advancements have largely rendered fighergators redundant.

Garmin wouldn't have said "No idea mate" when asked WTF we were during Bold Gauntlet 1983....;) But yes, I agree, would have been far less fun in the pub afterwards...:ok:

[Wrathmonk]

the designers of whichever aircraft you flew gave all the safety-critical controls and switches to the pilot

Sopwith Camel didn't have many safety critical controls and switches. In fact hadn't BEags retired from the RFC before satellites were in orbit!;)

[taxydual]

Banter! Don't you just love it! :D

[Geehovah]

Oh Beags, some of us know the truth

Many years baby sitting...........................

[PARALLEL TRACK]

Take Beags or my Garmin to the pub? Discuss.

[Maxibon]

More chance of getting a drink off your Garmin?!

[BEagle]

More chance of getting a drink off your Garmin?!

In your case, undoubtedly!

[speedbird320]

at least garmin can find the pub..!

[Yeller_Gait]

Doncaster and navigators....somehow they deserved each other.

Actually I liked the banter on this thread, and have to agree with Beags on this one.

Being neither two wing or "N", but having spent the best part of 23 years flying in the RAF, it is not difficult to conclude that I could not have done it without the pilots, but the crews I were on would have been just as successful without the "N".

Still, things could be worse, just wait till the RAF go the way of the RAAF and start giving the FC brigade a brevet and flying pay.

Y_G

[The B Word]

but the crews I were on would have been just as successful without the "N".

That's rich coming from someone who, through trg at FY, all they got to say during the sortie briefs was "Good morning Sirs, I am the crews' AEOp and I will be sending position reports on HF and collecting the in flight rations"!

Also, if you believe your time on E-3D and MR2 could have been done without a Nav then you are massively mistaken (IMHO :)). Maybe you should've gone and seen what they were up to instead of staring at the Y-G "ring of death" for hours on end and loafing in the galley.

Furthermore, I'm surprised no-one has started the "AEOp/AEOs should have been allowed to fly Tornado" debate again :ugh:.

The B Word

[BEagle]

Actually, I believe that a trial was conducted using a Buccaneer - but pretty soon the AEO announced that neither he nor his brethren would want to fly such aircraft.

So that was that.

Reminds me of watching some F-15 or similar at an air show doing its high-G thing. An aged Air Engineer ('Lightning' L*o) announced "It's a good job those things don't have Air Engineers!". To which I replied "I'm sure the pilot would agree, L*o!".

[RETDPI]

I attended a multi-disciplinary RPV workshop near Bristol in the late 70's.
The industry engineers announced that the state of the software art was indicating that there would soon be no further need for the then Pilot/Nav combination in a strike/ attack aircraft. The cockpit workload could in future be reduced sufficiently for it be handled by one crew member.
The pilots smirked.
The engineers' spokesman then continued by pointing out that the fundamental question now to be addressed was as to which individual was to be removed.
The navigators smirked briefly; then, as the implications gradually sunk in, started looking somewhat uneasy ..................

[Chris Kebab]

.....it's only a question of time before we're all removed RETDPI:hmm:

Even tho' some of our brethren remain in denial!

[Airbrake]

Filton Block should have been made a listed building. To hear it has been knocked down is bad news. I vaguely remember all those p1ss ups after streamings, postings and of course graduations. Not to mention Friday night happy hours in the days they were worth going to.
Then again, the Rose tinted specs could be on and the memory has faded!

[The B Word]

Here's a link to a pic of the Filton Block rubble (I wonder if they found any dead Donny birds under the patio!!!):

Domestic Site. Officers Mess Building 69 & 70) (Drg No 570/37 & 941-2/37) - 27th May 2008 :: OMess.jpg (http://www.airfields.fotopic.net/p51195641.html)

Very sad indeed - at least I managed to say goodbye to my old room about 4 years ago (the combination on the door was still 2-4-3 !!!). Also, Donny was still a cracking night out with my old course :ok:.

The B Word

[Lima Juliet]

Gentlemen (and ladies!), there is only one (very hazy) memory to be had of Finningley and that is CAMELOTS (or came lots!)...

Here is the shrine empty...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2588/3930172078_c69cae6fde.jpg

Here it is full up...

http://www.dontstayin.com/uk/doncaster/camelots/2007/sep/22/photo-7737038

and the "delights of Donny" in full...

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs092.snc3/15945_1268770762556_1328437244_757490_5734534_n.jpg

[circle kay]

Wasn’t the bar in the middle, or was I just too ‘socially confused’ by the time I got in there?

[BEagle]

Leon - is one of those young ladies wearing RAF-pattern DMS shoes?

Souvenirs from some earlier 'acquaintance', perhaps?

[SkidMX]

Leon - oh bugger didn't I marry one of those...?

Oops it's ok, memory is not what it used to be - I only told her I would marry her!

Aah, Filton Block - the sound of RAFPs banging on the dorrs of colonial students who had re-imbursed their Donny lassies!

Skid ;)

[alisoncc]

Just had a squiz at Finningley on Google Earth. Are they the original hangars? They seem to be in the right place. Mind you I am going back to '63-'65, so they may have moved when I wasn't looking. :hmm:

[Shack37]

Filton Block, wasn't that OR accommodation at St. Mawgan? :E

[jumpseater]

'Are they the original hangars?'

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c351/refshots/_B6O9971.jpg

Both taken Aug08. Most of the MOD buildings behind the hangers have recently been taken down.
Hanger 1 is the cargo shed
Hanger 2 now has a brand new paint shop and is home to a few biz jets, and likely to be a few more in the near future.
Hanger 3 is Directions Finningley with BAe apprentices going through it working on a couple of Hawks.
The other Hangers aren't used for aviation type business at the moment. The old ops building is the airports admin offices.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c351/refshots/_B6O9989.jpg

20 Approach with CATIII lighting. On the eastern side of the field the old fire station is now engineering, ATC in the original tower, and a new fire station 300m to the south. 'T' pit on't tha horizon, is mothballed, and currently undergoing review for viability, not looking good for restarting in the near future.

[Strobin Purple]

Aah Filton Block and FY in the mid 80s!

The 2 Alisons staking out the Sally Inn every 6(?) weeks looking for fresh meat (and getting it, to the tune of 30% of Filton's occupants it was estimated through a straw poll at the time -not guilty!).

Donny lasses who could tell your progress through 6 FTS by your watch.

DRI student nurses with the simplex code to the gate behind the Mess meant every night was potluck in the bar with many a week night an unexpected result!

Free entry to 7th Heaven on presentation of your 1250,straight to the front of the queue ahead of the ex-miners (and this a mere year after the end of the Miners' Strike- what were we thinking?!)

Quiz night in the Stirrup outside Rossington pit gates (closed) and winning easily, barely getting out with our lives - Thank you C*l P**t!

Camelots and Bacchus' Wine Bar - the epitome of Doncaster sophistication.

Beat the proverbial out of Holyhead, Haverforwest and Barnstaple - apart maybe from the Thatch at Croyde Bay and the surf chicks? Discuss....apart from the obvious civvy job opportunities.

[Wrathmonk]

Quiz night in the Stirrup

Would that have been the night where the prize money went behind the bar (not that there would have been any option!) and when the 'locals' were then invited to a game of darts following the pub quiz the response "bit hard to play 'kin darts with broken fingers" was taken as the hint to leave!

[Lima Juliet]

Bacchus Wine Bar now long gone. It is now this joint "The Purple Door" MySpace - The Purple Door - 21 - Female - UK - myspace.com/thepurpledoor (http://www.myspace.com/thepurpledoor)

Not sure it's that much different as I remember it :ok:

[taxydual]

Rossington Colliery Working Mens Club. Sunday lunchtime strippers. Circa 1975. The arbitary Gestapo Girl vs Poor French Peasant Girl scenario. Mit whips.......

The whip 'errantly' lashing the thigh of the Gestapo Girl who collapsed on stage in agony amidst the gales of laughter from the 3 of us.

It's amazing how the glares of 100+ miners accelerates the sobering up process.

[Strobin Purple]

Wrathmonk, that's the night! Although the conversation went:

CP: "Well that was a good night, we ought to do it again"

The Butcher of Rossington (a so-called 6'5" local hero because he'd been on ITN News during the strike chasing coppers with a meat cleaver):

"aye we play darts on a Tuesday"

CP: " Well we'll put a team up for Tuesday then"

BoR: " Aye you do that, but you'll find it difficult playing darts with no f***ing fingers!"

Me: " oo, er is that our taxi just pulling up outside? Time we were leaving, early start and all."

Quality nights out in The People's (Nuclear Free) Republic of South Yorkshire.

[Tigger_Too]

And then of course there was the Goblin Teasmade ........... :oh:

[alisoncc]

"Goblin Teasmade" ?? Bunch of nancy boys. :mad:

A couple of standard issue knives carefully positioned in a pint mug of water - preferable non-metallic, wrap wires around knife handles and plug into mains. Hot water for a brew in a matter of minutes.

[taxydual]

Trust me, Tigger's version was a lot more fun!!

[Chris Kebab]

.....you might just need to get out a bit more alisoncc:ok:

[stiknruda]

Goblin! Jeez that takes me back!!

My batty, wife of a WO, told me it about a week after the offending oaf had been "disciplined". We were on the second floor 82-83! She'd been the unwelcome recipient. She was lovely, sweet and like a mum to me - Oedipus, anyone?

[BEagle]

after the offending oaf had been "disciplined".

Did he have to go and see the headmaster? :E

OK, I'll get my coat....

[Lima Juliet]

Each to their own BEagle - I'd rather see the Headmistress. :ok::ok:

[taxydual]

I did!! 1975. Frankly, it was scary!

[NutLoose]

Good to see the officers mess is business as usual..:p


http://www.hillhouse.doncaster.sch.uk/images/Infants%20-%20white%20-%20compressed.JPG

[Strobin Purple]

Nutloose - you need to keep up with the programme chum. The Goblin Teasmaid and Filton block antics were definitely Adults only (well apart from R**h P***y and the watercress carpet!):ok:

[BSweeper]

Impiger

I assume you are a triplex type - could be wrong.

I remember the incident well as I was on one of the courses at the time. I recall that he was shipped home and subsequently shot for failing the course (the rumour goes). Just shows what happens to those with non RAF OQs but, I have to say, awfully harsh. All we got was a lack of promotion and a gentle "could do better".

[Smudger]

Jumpseater - hangAR not hangER for christ's sake....

[forget]

Smudger, You're a complete amateur. A real pedant would've been in for the kill within minutes, even seconds - not six weeks later.

Anyway, shouldn't your c word be capitalised?