13 JP Course RAF Church Fenton 1966

[LOONRAT]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nXY4PyXBeEM/Tt31BklrgLI/AAAAAAAAACE/xCZfABF7oSk/s850/13%252520JP%252520Course%252520RAF%252520Church%252520Fenton .jpg

Where are you all now ?

The last 45 years have gone so quick are any of you still flying like me or are you just about to test drive a Zimmer Frame. What about the instructors Dick Brodie, Doug Found, John Robinson, Dennis Pasco, Olly Knight to name a few from my logbook what are you up to these days. I am sure there are a few stories to tell like Laurie Hayward (RIP) famous wire strike on a low level solo navex. He is said to have reported he had a bird strike but the cable was still attached to his fin when he landed. Difficult to explain that away. Forays into York to the Hole in the Wall and Star pubs and recces into the local nurses homes ! A visit to City Hospital nurses home in 1965 on a blind date with Owen H and Mick C and hey prestow I ended up getting married to the ugliest one of the 3 nurses !! (Just kidding it's what my wife tells people about how we first met - she got the ugliest student pilot).

[Gulfstreamaviator]

were they part of the No1 uniform, or whatever its called...

glf

[millerscourt]

I recognise Brian Meinke and Robin Cross in the back row.

[Yellow Sun]

I knew Mike Saunders and Dave Wheeler, but haven't got a clue where they are now.

YS

[Herod]

Dennis Pasco was on 30 sqn as a C130 captain in the mid 70s. I believe he left and joined Marshalls at Cambridge. Keith Ifould went to helicopters and was on 230 Whirlwinds in '67. Can't help further I'm afraid; as you said, it is a long time ago. I tried tracing 169 from Syerston of about the same vintage, but drew an almost complete blank.

[Wander00]

Sorry, wrong guy

W

[Fly380]

What a magnificent bunch of men. We must have been the finest JP course at Church Fenton:E LOONRAT - who are you? and Yellow Sun you are wrong. Now let me exercise my brain. Bob Thompson ran the Rothman Aerobatic Team for a while. Mike Saunders was CFI at Valley on Hawks as a Wing Commander. He retired but came back on a temporary contract as a Flt Lt as they were short of instructors. I met him at Valley when my son got his wings in 2003? Plenty of beers to catch up on and as for my son - he is now a Squadron Leader presently in The Falklands on a 1 year ground tour and is going onto The Typhoon in Feb 2012. He was on Tornado F3's and had to eject out of one in 2005 at 550mph into The North Sea. The last I heard of Cross Robin was that he was with Kuwait Airways. Tony Cowan was with B.Cal and BA and now I believe, retired in Spain. I am in contact with Diddy Wheeler who is retired. Mike Coldrey I met in Freetown flying for Sierra Leone Airways. He subsequently went to B.Cal and BA and lives in South Devon. Now the best till last. Lurker Laurie. Prince Charles's Captain when he 'deviated' from the runway somewhere in Scotland.:= So there are the clues as Lloyd Grossman used to say. Who am I? PMs' only please.;)

[Madbob]

Fly 380

Thanks for the PM. As you said, too many clues in your post! Don't worry, I won't blow your id to fellow PPRuNers:ok:.

MB

[Fly380]

Well I passed on the information I remember. What about some info on the others? I do remember Laurie Haywood's incident but that happenned before our course started I think. I remember Harold Chadbourne doing curcuits and bumps at Sherburn-In-Elmet a disused airfield with XX' at the end of the runway when he was supposed to be at Elvington. ATC answered all his calls and watched the invisible JP doing touch and goes.
As for the entertainment side we were always being invited to nurses and teachers parties. I remember one night going to a widwives training school in Leeds and their pride and joy was their skeleton. When I woke up in the mess the following morning there were bones everywhere. Someone had nicked the skeleton. The school were none too pleased and we had to return them. I blame Laurie Haywood (RIP). He was acting very suspicially that night.:} I don't think our boss, Sqn Ldr Waite was very pleased with us. York was a pleasure to go to. So many women and so few men. Stonegate was where we used to go. Ye Olde Star Inn and another I can't remember the name of. Just round the corner was Young's Hotel - birthplace of Guy Fawkes but the Fish- heads from Linton used to drink there. I saw a thread about 20 Hunter Squadron in Tengah. Well Cross Robin's father was C-in C Transport command and so when we had a weeks leave he organised a trip for me and Nigel Kirby to go to Singapore and we stayed in the mess at Tengah where we bumped into an ex ADC of his fathers. He took us flying in their T7 and made us do curcuits and bumps at Tenjah which was a bit of of a jump up from a JP! Sorry about all the drivel but it might bring back some memories. Next was Varsities at Oakington and lots of exciting stories there - but for another day.
Toodlepip:ok: And LOONRAT - who are you? Bob? ps Flt Lt Pete Martin was the guy that took us up in the T7 in Tengah.

[base23]

Hi Tony, yes I remember that trip to Singapore and the ride with Peter Martin in the T7, particularly the ride over the jungle at low level with the vapour pouring out of the screen vents. I seem to remember that Pete took you and Nigel high level to go M1. Long time ago.
Cheers, Robin Cross
my e: [email protected]

[base23]

Hi LOONRAT,
Yes, I remember seeing Laurie Hayward's aircraft out on the line when he got back. Along with the cut in the fin the canopy had score marks on it and I seem to remember that the church clock in the village close to his wire strike had stopped, indicating the exact time Laurie had passed through.
Cheers, Robin Cross

[Fly380]

Well LOONRAT although you never followed up your thread, as a result of it I am now in touch with Robin Cross and Nigel Kirby. Small world.:ok:

[teeteringhead]

Keith Ifould last spotted (with beard!) as a wheel of some sort at the RAF Museum in Hendon. Must have been only a couple of years ago - he retired as a gp capt.

[t7a]

Well done LOONRAT. In touch with Tony & Robin (work it out Sherlock!) Joe Whitfield retired as a Gp Capt - he was stn cdr at Honington. Last heard of working for FRA at Bournmouth. Malcom Lovatt (QFI) was my desk officer at Barnwood when I retired - occasionally bump into him on the golf course

[spurnhd]

Hi there LOONRAT

I was on that course and I'm in contact with Tony Cowan and Doc Denton. I last saw Graham Morton about three years ago and Mike Saunders in 1978 at RAF Valley. I last saw Mike Coldrey at Changi just before we both headed off to CFS. Overall, I think Church Fenton was a fairly good experience. Some of our instructors were good, some were OK and one or two could be quite nasty. Our course was full of decent blokes whom I will remember with pleasure. I don't think we were a popular course with the instructors, but I'm pretty sure that we didn't let that bother us. For some reason which escapes me, I remember a course night out at the City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds (home of TV's Old Time Music Hall). I remember heckling one of the comedians, but I doubt if he noticed. The smell of the Tadcaster Brewery still drifts back to me.

[Wander00]

Nigel Kirby - 22 Gnat Course?

[t7a]

That's me (but a little older now!!)

[Wander00]

T7a - me too - now what did I have for breakfast!

[t7a]

Well, at least give me a clue! And do you have a 22 course photo? - I lost mine years ago.

[bpilot52]

13 course. Cannot believe what a good looking bunch we were.
Mention of D. Pasco - He was out on 52 squadron for a while. Our Andover lost all electrics in the middle of some Cbs, returning with a medevac from Borneo. It was the only time I ever heard of flying triangles - it actually worked. BM

[reynoldsno1]

Are there ever any Acting Pilot Officers any more? "Diddy" Dave Wheeler was a JP instructor at Cranwell in the early 70's I think - ISTR he sported a large moustache then ....?

[Old-Duffer]

Keith Ifould now retired from RAF Museum and living in Oxfordshire. Jim Clarkson, also went to helicopters but not sure where he is now.

Old Duffer

[Fly380]

As mentioned before, we were not very popular with the instructors so many of us went to Oakington on Varsities and less to Valley on Gnats. Guess where most of the 2 groups ended up. Vulcans:ugh:

[bpilot52]

Yes. Thank goodness for the Varsity option. I hated the upside-down bits of the JP course and the Varsity saved me. Currently living just 5 minutes from Brooklands and went to the museum and got inside their Varsity. Smelly - but nice. (Like me)
BM

[Cheemu]

What a magnificent bunch of men. We must have been the finest JP course at Church Fenton:E LOONRAT - who are you? and Yellow Sun you are wrong. Now let me exercise my brain.

Bob Thompson ran the Rothman Aerobatic Team for a while. Mike Saunders was CFI at Valley on Hawks as a Wing Commander. He retired but came back on a temporary contract as a Flt Lt as they were short of instructors.

I met him at Valley when my son got his wings in 2003? Plenty of beers to catch up on and as for my son - he is now a Squadron Leader presently in The Falklands on a 1 year ground tour and is going onto The Typhoon in Feb 2012. He was on Tornado F3's and had to eject out of one in 2005 at 550mph into The North Sea. The last I heard of Cross Robin was that he was with Kuwait Airways. Tony Cowan was with B.Cal and BA and now I believe, retired in Spain. I am in contact with Diddy Wheeler who is retired. Mike Coldrey I met in Freetown flying for Sierra Leone Airways. He subsequently went to B.Cal and BA and lives in South Devon. Now the best till last. Lurker Laurie. Prince Charles's Captain when he 'deviated' from the runway somewhere in Scotland.:= So there are the clues as Lloyd Grossman used to say. Who am I? PMs' only please.;)

Hi there,

Sorry to intrude on a private thread but I’m searching for someone that I think you know. David Wheeler was a friend of my Mum’s when he was first in the RAF. They lost touch eventually, but he tried to reconnect through my aunt who subsequently lost his contact details. My Mum would like to contact him if at all possible and, if someone has his details, or is willing to take mine to pass on, could they please let me know. Also, if something has happened to him, she would also like to know that.

My name is Laura Hearnshaw and my Mum is Sally (nee Bingham).

Thanks in advance,

Laura

[condor17]

Denis Pasco wrote '' Tested '' Marshall Test pilots in War and Peace 1919 -1999 . Publishers Grub Street . Think ISBN is 1 -902304-35-7 .
Good read to me as I was '' Marshalls's 'Boi '' on a Special Flying Award in 1971 .

rgds condor .

[Wander00]

Is there a general history of Marshalls' aviation side. I used to visit with City of Ely ATC for the AEF 69-71, and worked on Concorde 69-70