Stu666
24th Jun 2011, 21:59
Nearly 20 years ago this September, I was invited on a base tour by one Dave Harris, a Hawk test pilot at RAF Valley.
As a lad (and even now I must admit) all I ever wanted from life was to be up there roaring around between the clouds, but alas, due to a severe hearing impairment it was never to be.
I was fortunate enough to have a relation who worked at the base who mentioned her 'plane-mad young nephew to Dave who was generous enough to invite me and my Mother on a visit to the base.
Well you can imagine the excitement this caused to my then ten-year-old brain and quick as a flash I accepted his invitation before you could say "Hawk!".
I still have strong memories of the day; the gun-toting guards on the gate; the tasty lunch in the officer's mess; the guided up-close tour of a real RAF Hawk; a flight in the Hawk simulator; getting up close to the flightline as they refuelled and marshalled Hawks out; a grandstand view of the wonderfully noisy Harrier incoming from Germany landing right before my very eyes and getting kitted up like a real-life pilot. Needless to say I practically begged my Mum for the next few weeks for us to move to RAF Valley (Har har! I hear some of you stifle).
I would just like to thank Dave Harris and those at RAF Valley at the time for these treasured memories. It was a wonderful act of kindness which I still often think about and shall never forget. I have often wondered what Dave is up to these days, still flying the Hawk no doubt?
I do have a few photographs of the visit (taken on a cheap 35mm camera, so not fantastic I'm afraid) which I would like to share, however I would just like to check it is OK first as there are a couple of faces visible? One of them I remember is a moustached character (Monty Q?).
Here is a safe one, anyone recognise the room?
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af130/northcomp/RAF%20Valley/Biggles2.jpg
As a lad (and even now I must admit) all I ever wanted from life was to be up there roaring around between the clouds, but alas, due to a severe hearing impairment it was never to be.
I was fortunate enough to have a relation who worked at the base who mentioned her 'plane-mad young nephew to Dave who was generous enough to invite me and my Mother on a visit to the base.
Well you can imagine the excitement this caused to my then ten-year-old brain and quick as a flash I accepted his invitation before you could say "Hawk!".
I still have strong memories of the day; the gun-toting guards on the gate; the tasty lunch in the officer's mess; the guided up-close tour of a real RAF Hawk; a flight in the Hawk simulator; getting up close to the flightline as they refuelled and marshalled Hawks out; a grandstand view of the wonderfully noisy Harrier incoming from Germany landing right before my very eyes and getting kitted up like a real-life pilot. Needless to say I practically begged my Mum for the next few weeks for us to move to RAF Valley (Har har! I hear some of you stifle).
I would just like to thank Dave Harris and those at RAF Valley at the time for these treasured memories. It was a wonderful act of kindness which I still often think about and shall never forget. I have often wondered what Dave is up to these days, still flying the Hawk no doubt?
I do have a few photographs of the visit (taken on a cheap 35mm camera, so not fantastic I'm afraid) which I would like to share, however I would just like to check it is OK first as there are a couple of faces visible? One of them I remember is a moustached character (Monty Q?).
Here is a safe one, anyone recognise the room?
http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af130/northcomp/RAF%20Valley/Biggles2.jpg