Leuchars memories [Archive]

walbut

18th Apr 2012, 16:45

In the early 1970's I was a young and inexperienced Flight Systems Engineer with Hawker Siddeley Aviation at Brough in East Yorkshire. One of the jobs I was involved in was investigating problems in the engine fuel feed system of the Phantom, particularly the Royal Navy FG Mk1s with fast reheat Spey 203 engines.

After several short trials at Leuchars using 892 Sqdn aircraft it began to look like the engine was to blame and MoD were going to hold Rolls Royce responsible, As a result we embarked on a week long trial at Leuchars during which HSA and RR would fit their instrumentation side by side and we would compare the results. This was my first ever visit involving an overnight stay in the Officers Mess of an RAF station and I was somewhat apprehensive. On waking up in my room on the first proper working day, I found an aged gentleman leaving me a cup of tea on my bedside table. So this is how the officers live then, I thought, must be a batman.

While fitting our instrumentation we had a bit of an accident and as result I got a couple of pints of Avtur spilled down my front. Fortunately I had a spare pair of trousers but only one pair of shoes, which were brown suede Hush Puppies - all the rage at the time. I attracted a few unapproving looks in the mess that night as the powerful smell of fuel permeated the bar.

The following morning my cup of tea appeared again as if by magic but when I got dressed I could not find my shoes anywhere. Bloody hell I thought, some thieving bugger has stolen my shoes, I would never have expected that in an officers mess. Unabashed I padded out of my room in my stocking feet to investigate. At the end of the corridor was a small cubbyhole and in it was the batman who brought my tea. On the table in front of him were my shoes. I marched up to him and in a very accusing tone said 'You've got my shoes' 'Aye sir' he said, 'I've scrubbed and I've scrubbed and I've scrubbed but I canna get rid of the smell of the fuuuel'

I returned to my room somewhat chastened with my shoes looking the best they had been since new, but still smelling of Avtur.

Get me some traffic

18th Apr 2012, 22:28

Early 70s. Exercise.....? ATCOs dispersed to Rwy caravan and radar head. (CR787). I was sent to the radar head on one exercise with a very competent NCO and we continued to provide a service for some 36hrs. Endex, we retired for debriefing and as we left the building, a GRSF cpl pointed out a notice that said "do not remain in the vicinity of this building for more than 4 hrs." AFAIK neither of us suffered any harm! Happy days.

Skeleton

19th Apr 2012, 00:43

Nothing changes, in the 80's we used to "guard" the AR15 for endless hours and that had similar signs all over it.

Tinribs

2nd May 2012, 10:58

A 100Sqn Canberra pilot, TS, intended to do a bit of a beat up there one morning. To enhance the shock effect he nipped round the back of some cu at the end of the downwind leg and emerged with a tip tank missing. Knocked off on the hill. They found the tip tank later near the hill top. Nav was Al Puncher

27mm

2nd May 2012, 11:40

That would have been Terry "Tip Tank" Summers....

fetcheveryone

2nd May 2012, 12:44

My father was a FJ pilot there in the 60's [when I was a small boy] and all I can remember is the NOISE!

Finningley Boy

2nd May 2012, 13:47

Noisy
My father was a FJ pilot there in the 60's [when I was a small boy] and all I can remember is the NOISE!

Hi fetch,

Lightnings or Javelins?

FB

cliver029

2nd May 2012, 14:05

Dragonfly (I think) plus Battle of Britain display sometime early 70's?
Victor K1 parked by the end of the active with a dead NBS scanner.
My job, go check the wiring in the radome, I hated Phantoms after that::mad:

Also on the Friday watching the US 130's coming in from Germany with senior people coming over to play golf for the weekend, never seen so many golf bags

C

Tinribs

2nd May 2012, 16:50

There was an accident that went something like;

Phantom has radar blooming tries to dump air pressure gets emergency flap lever by mistake, dumps all hyd pressure into flaps, speed about 300, flaps fall off.

Going home, no utilities gear down, no flap, no hook, on landing no brakes or nose steering or rudder. Starts to drift to side of runway, go round start again, no nozles so acceleration poor, nav punches both out, Nig Randall I think.

Aircraft continues full cold, some hyd pressure now so hook comes down catches far end wire, aircraft stops on road at end of runway engines in full cold and hanging on the wire pointing at MQs.

No way of stopping engines until it ran out of fuel

Courtney Mil

2nd May 2012, 21:03

Tinribs,

No, fella. The story isn't quite like that. I was there and wrote about it in my journal. By the way, it was at Coningsby. Corrected by those involved, if you're interested, the story is here: XV436 (http://www.projectoceanvision.com/vox-05.htm#XV436)

Finningley Boy

3rd May 2012, 23:55

The Courier - Pressure on MoD for RAF Leuchars answers (http://www.thecourier.co.uk/News/Fife/article/22496/pressure-on-mod-for-raf-leuchars-answers.html)

Not so much Leuchars memories as Leuchars future?

FB

Lightning5

4th May 2012, 10:43

Jav 9 (11 Sqn ) circa 1964/65 approaching over sea. Some sort of emergency that required the ventrals to be jettisoned. Also went (by accident) were the dummy Firestreaks. One went over the Eden estuary and bedded in on one of the famous fairways at St Andrews. As it was "student" rag week, everyone thought student stunt, until Leuchars arrived to ask for the missile back !!
If my memory serves, nice picture in the St Andrew's Courier. Happy days , two of my kids born there.

Tashengurt

4th May 2012, 12:44

Many, many happy memories of Leuchars. Hoofing it slong the airfield in a cut down Landy in pursuit of a Nimrod that was playing baddy. Trying to do a rolling debus but the LMG gunner wouldn't jump. A swift boot and off he tumbled only to spend the next fifty yards chasing us trying to get his gun off too!
Exercises, detachments, easy living in a great area. What a way to spend your late teens!
Mind you, I also remember standing under an E3 in horizontal rain all night, sitting in the 'chute recovery motor on the Eastern end with the rain howling through the canvas and range guard at Barrybuddon. Two days of making sure no boats got too close to the range. Anyone care to guess how many boats go up and down the Tay daily?

30mRad

4th May 2012, 13:44

Complete thread drift since the incident happened at CGY, but excellent story Courtney Mil - really well told! :D:D

fetcheveryone

4th May 2012, 14:14

FB

Javelins, 25 squadron, then across to Gutersloh, then back again!

Fetch

howiehowie93

4th May 2012, 14:46

Courtney Mil wrote:
No, fella. The story isn't quite like that. I was there and wrote about it in my journal. By the way, it was at Coningsby. Corrected by those involved, if you're interested, the story is here: XV436 (http://www.projectoceanvision.com/vox-05.htm#XV436)good day,

Blimey was it really 5th March 1980 ???

I was on 228OCU at Coningsby, a Liney, all scuffed toe caps and holes in the knees of my Number 2 Trousers! Instead of Stn Guard Duties we OCU Lineys did Fire Picket for a week, spending our night with the Fire Crew.

I was on that night XV436 went bouncing off the end of the runway:

The damaged Mk9 fire engines wasn't caused exactly as you state in your Journal; we all scrambled to our vehicles and lined them up on the small track from outside the Fire Section to the runway in line astern. As the very unwell but still Mighty Toom passed our noses and there was the double bang of Martin Bakers finest working to their usual perfection, over the radio came the call from Crash 1 of Go Go Go followed by someone else shouting Stop Stop Stop. That came from ATC I think as the the crew were still dangling beneath the silk. Unfortunately Crash 1 and the First Mk9 stopped but the second Mk9 with young SAC Howie didn't by means of its own brakes and smacked into the rear of the first one. I ended up in the foot well somewhere hugging a large fire extinguisher which had just belted me round the back of the head.

In all a most memorable night !!

That's a very interesting site you have there and I think I'm going to enjoy reading it.

Regards
H

PS to steady the thread drift a bit, soon after I was posted to 111Sqn at Leuchars, just after the Sidewinder Incident. Anyone have the full story of that one???

Tashengurt

4th May 2012, 17:42

Ooh! Also recall just getting all the new Mk10 helmets painted grey when SOMEONE turned up from Coningsby with a white one with Sonic emblazoned on it. Suddenly everyone wanted a white helmet and a daft sticker and we all know what stickers do to helmets don't we? ;)

Courtney Mil

4th May 2012, 18:12

Wow. How did you remember that? As it happens, the helmet and the sonic painting on it still exist. I have just taken this picture of it for you...

http://www.projectoceanvision.com/temp/Sonic.jpg

I should add that it was painted for me by the 43 Sqn SQINTO, Andy White. It's in poster paint so no harm to the helmet, but bloody difficult to keep it on there all these years!

Very sorry about the inacuracy regarding the fire crews attending to XV436. Sometimes I may have, inadvertantly, filled in some blanks with a little artistic licence. I thought my version was rather good, but the truth actually makes just as good a story. I shall make an addition to the tale soonest.

Thanks all for the kind words.

Courtney

Tashengurt

4th May 2012, 20:05

Wow. How did you remember that? As it happens, the helmet and the sonic painting on it still exist.
Your journal jogged my memory. I thought it was a sticker though but it was 21 odd years ago! You did well keeping it, those helmets tended to fall apart!

PICKS135

5th May 2012, 08:03

Seeing Sonic reminded me of a certain pilot on 43 who was determined to get his 3C painted white, however. SNCOIC flying clothing was having none of it.
Week after being re-buffed by aforementioned Sgt, a BLACK, with silver stars Mk1a helmet was spotted being worn by the pilot. Upon landing, it went straight into his helmet box in flying clothing till next sortie.
This went on for a couple of days till SNCO spotted it, and we were told to get his 3C sprayed white :)

I also have memories of sitting in canvas backed landrover on the Eastern ORP waiting for that last chute.

One night a Victor arrived for Q duties but instead of dropping chute it stuck.
On F-4 or any other 2 jet this was no problem. Grab drogue and pull. Normally this released the beast.

Little lass in ATC came on storno and asked us to pull chute free from Victor.:\:\

We were polite in our refusal.

Bertie Thruster

5th May 2012, 09:10

Leuchars! Great base to operate SAR from. Especially when 'formation' flying gave us real trade! The St Andrews Cross event was my first (out of a grand total of 2) 'real' (military FJ) 'wet' recoveries, in 13 years of SAR.

“The Black Arrows Crash” (http://theflyingpm.co.uk/?p=188)

Courtney Mil

5th May 2012, 17:48

Three lessons there, Thruster. Never let an exchange pilot into your super aerobatic display team. Don't do displays unless you ARE a super aerobatic display team. If you want a job doing properly at Leuchars, give it to the Fighting Cocks to do.

Bertie Thruster

5th May 2012, 19:07

............and thanks for all those friday night 'yam sings'.

I quite enjoyed the happy hour when harry staish gave us all permission to 'dismantle the bar', prior to its refurbishment.

After about 10 minutes of mayhem someone thought it would be wise to turn off the electricity and water!

Tinribs

5th May 2012, 19:22

Courtney

Thank you for correcting me, the sad thing is I was sure it was Leuchars.

Perhaps I should retire,Oh yes now I remember, I did

NutLoose

5th May 2012, 19:38

Never made it to Leuchars during my service career, however did visit it once

:E

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Fouga/Fouga3.jpg

Courtney Mil

6th May 2012, 10:14

Tinribs, I only remeber because I wrote it down :ok:

Nice picture, Nutloose! Approach to 27.

Finningley Boy

6th May 2012, 10:52

Nutloose,

I'm guessing, but I suspect that is a Magister your arriving in!?

FB

NutLoose

6th May 2012, 11:04

Yes :)

This one, we went to one of the airshows many moons ago... It was sponsored by a brewery and there were freebies everywhere.... My liver and kidneys still remember it well

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Fouga/Fouga2.jpg

Tinribs

24th May 2012, 15:49

My memory has been shown to be defective earlier in this area so forgive me fellers but,

I think a verry distressed ex BA Captain returned to his boyhood RAF watching place to kill himself after a sad event et Heathrow

I flew to Heathrow under similar circumstances many times and had much sympathy with his situation

Is it perhaps indicative of his desire to return to happier times that he chose that place to end it all

engtechp

25th May 2012, 11:25

It was a dark, windy and wet night in the mid 70's (weren't they all) when the 'Hooter' went for an exercise.
Outside the line office on 111 Sqn were at least five, fully fuelled, fully armed Phantoms crewed in with their engines running.
I went to open the 'line door' to go out when this exteremely loud and painfull 'whoosh' attacked my eardrums accompanied by dense smoke, I went back in and closed the door expecting the world to come to an end. On collecting my thoughts I went back out to see if anyone needed help. Fortunately no one had been hurt but the FLM that had just carried out the 'Growl Checkl' on the Sidewinder that had fired was in shock, the pilot wasn't too pleased either. The missile had bounced on the airfied, just missed a Tanker and ended up in the Eden. The 'Press reports' were a little different. :uhoh:

BEagle

25th May 2012, 11:58

Tinribs, that is correct:

1991 | 1236 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1991/1991%20-%201236.html)

Pilot in near miss found dead in car - UK - News - The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/pilot-in-near-miss-found-dead-in-car-1561147.html)

From an earlier PPRuNe thread: http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/350529-true-story-2.html

Very sad indeed.

NutLoose

25th May 2012, 12:15

What an incredibly sad tale.

PICKS135

25th May 2012, 17:04

SHAR Mk1 in 1982 'bowing' to a bus crossing the western end, somehow manages to connect with barrier [Not RHAG] and is brought down rather abruptly.

Pilot had a a hat off chat with OC Ops :eek::eek:

NutherA2

25th May 2012, 17:20

Met briefing one gloomy morning in 1963 by a very long term resident forecaster:

"Good morning gentlemen, HAAR today, gone tomorrow; any questions?". Wg Cdr Flying asked for more details, but got none.

Not apocryphal, I was there.

spookcxi

10th Jun 2012, 00:04

I was on the starter crew for this incident. We had worked through the full controls and had checked the winders but couldn't get a growl on the left inner no matter what we tried, so we just carried on. The Nav had tuned the sparrows and everything else was OK apart from this one winder. The rain had been incessant and I was now soaked as was my man B but we could only afford to replace one of us so my pal Colin came out to relieve me. I shouted to him about the winder and gave him the torch and walked into the line hut about fifty feet from the arse end of the aircraft still with both engines going, and had just put tinder box to baccy when there was the loudest instantaneous noise I have ever heard and a huge cloud of white smoke completely enveloping the aircraft. After I had let go of the ceiling where I and the rest of the engineers had leapt, I saw spiraling out into the darkness what was obviously a missile but at the time we didn't put 2 and 2 together and judging by the huge amount of smoke we all shouted "Sparrow launch" and I was convinced my best mates had just been vaporised by the blast. I watched as the missile hit the edge of the runway and bounced across the concrete to vanish into the night. I ran out to the aircraft and vaulted up over the Fletcher once I had seen that my two buddies were OK. I helped a very shaky pilot out once he had shut down, but the Nav wouldn't get out, he sat in the gloom of his cockpit with hands out saying he hadn't done anything over and over. We got his seat pinned up and after assuring him that the crew chief was OK, the pilot and I got him out and onto the ground by going down over the right Fletcher. The aircraft was roped off instantly and was then taken to a small shed behind 43 squadron where it stayed for weeks while the investigation ran its natural course. I wont go into the result as its water under the bridge, but I and my two friends escaped death that night. Funny thing was that for the rest of the time on Phantoms we crew chiefs continued to to test the sidewinder by standing in front of it and shining the IR source pen torch at it!! Some things just never change but we linies just got on with it and I wonder what might have happened if I or Colin had been killed?

Spook

spookcxi

10th Jun 2012, 00:30

Many memories of my 8 years on 111(F) flight line from 1973 to 1982 some funny like the time we pressurised the 892 flight line box they used for flight docs. We were ground running one of our jets and had to use one of the wavy navy slots and because of the wind direction had to park it with the rear pointing at this box, but as it was only an idle check we were not too worried but the pale faces of the matelots staring at the fumes from the big jet didn't look like they agreed. We were almost finished when 'brooksie' the guy on throttles said he was going to give the engines a 'blip' and as I was on head set I advised him that it might not be a good idea. Anyway he nudged the rpm up to about 85% to shut the bleed valve and then the engines gave a huge roar and the nose leg compressed as the burners went to min' and I watched fascinated as the door on the box blew in and in an instant of time the windows bulged out and then exploded and half a dozen gassed seamen came staggering out as brooksie innocently said a quiet 'oops' and shut down before incurring the wrath of the engineering tiffy who quite rightly wanted brooksie stuffed and hung from the nearest yard arm. Ho hum lacker day.
The ejection was bizarre.
We had loaded the Q3 bird on the point, an area just to the right of the Q sheds and ready for the weekend once the runs were complete, so we got the crew out and started up. The left engine started as normal but the right was misbehaving and apart from clouds of oily hot fuel rich smoke, it would not fire up. We tried three times and with each try I could hear the pilot, Flt Lt RS getting quite excited which was unusual for him as normally he was one of the more pragmatic of the pilots and an old hand at this. We had to let the GTS cool down for a bit after 3 false starts and after thumping bits with a hide face hammer and tweaking electrical plugs we had another go, and this time it fired first time. Well, it did for about ten seconds when there was a huge explosion and the turbine decided to come off. Bits of red hot metal spattered the ground followed by some very pretty flames which then took hold in the engine bay so I told the pilot to shut down as we had a fire when to my horror I heard him tell his Nav to prepare to eject. 8 rockets and 23 thousand pounds of avtur and he was going to eject. I 'asked' him to please not do so as i could see the blue flashing lights of Cuthbert, dibble and grub chugging along the taxi way down by 43 squadron. By now the fire was a good'un and we were scampering about trying to find more extinguishers plus the Q crew had run out to give us a hand especially as both of us were now coughing badly having breathed in burning kapton wiring and extinguishant. Had he and his Nav ejected we would have had two very heavy canopies thudding down around our ears, the flames from two rocket packs, followed swiftly by two spent ejection seats not to mention the possibility of 8 rockets going up or more accurately out and a complete aircraft of fuel, plus two full Fletchers being prised open by the seats and going up....doesn't bear thinking about does it. Again, we just got on with it as befits the FLM's

Spook

spookcxi

17th Jun 2012, 22:16

Leuchars Mid 70's 111(F) Squadron

So there we were ground running yet again but on our own flight line so we could get the revs going if we needed to. But whats this? The 892 Commodore has parked his very expensive Yacht thingy outside the facing doors of the Navy hangar but its quite a long way off so it'll be OK. Hmmm says I not sure about this. Ah be alright on the night says B......... and after doing all the nozzle settings at X5 and X6 we got the nozzle stable and gave it some. Next thing a panicky shouting over the headset as the shiny varnished roof of said Yacht goes flying, looking like expensive matchwood, followed quickly by other sundry items as we pressurised the inside of said boat. Shut down, climb out say nowt. Many many phone calls from enraged Commodore but he didn't park his toys there again. It was a military airfield wasn't it?

Spook

mike rondot

30th Aug 2012, 14:09

Anyone know if 43 Sqn could fit the centreline gun pod on their F-4s?

Courtney Mil

30th Aug 2012, 14:24

We certainly could and did.

A A Gruntpuddock

30th Aug 2012, 14:27

Used to work with a guy who regularly phoned the Leuchars met office in the afternoon to get the forecast for North Fife.

This was usually a longish call as he was given quite a lot of info.

One day the helpful met officer, no doubt intrigued by the number of calls, asked him what he was flying.

When he admitted that he was a golfer and just wanted to see if it would be raining on the courses at St Andrews we could hear the response from the other side of the room!

Courtney Mil

30th Aug 2012, 14:30

Looks like a gun on this one...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3314218375_aa7f633925_z.jpg?zz=1

BEagle

30th Aug 2012, 14:43

It even has a chemtrail tank on the left pylon......:eek:

Fortissimo

30th Aug 2012, 15:19

PICKS135 (#36), the SHAR was being driven by Lt A**y McH**g, who was one of the first two ab-initio SHAR mates. He came to a sudden stop because the efflux in his low hover picked up the barrier on the displaced RW09 threshold.

What was REALLY funny was that the jet needed a replacement wing (apparently not a big job for the Harrier, in both senses of the word). The RN sent the only spare wing that they had at the time to LEU by road on the back of a Truck, Nautical, Quite Tall. Sadly, the driver decided to route under a Bridge, Rail, Quite Low, with entirely predictable results! ISTR that the ac was at LEU for some weeks. :D

mike rondot

30th Aug 2012, 15:24

Thanks, I have ransacked my photo archive and trawled the net looking for a photo. Wasted 4 or 5 hours and all I needed to do was ask here.

Courtney Mil

30th Aug 2012, 18:16

It's OK, Mate. I was searching mine untill it dawned on me to enquire of Mistress Google.

LesleyP

30th Aug 2012, 18:39

I spent 18 months or so wet-winching with 228 Sqn (a lot of people forget that one) and 202 Sqn 1963/4 at Leuchars, in Whirlwinds. Working in ATC helped a lot as I could be dropped off from the transport to/from the Guardroom. Had a fab time and the rum ration in my coffee after an hour or so being dunked in the Tay was most welcome!

Scruffy Fanny

30th Aug 2012, 18:53

C-Mil perhaps you can confirm this part of XV436 s demise as I was only a student on 228 at the time
On the night of Said accident the Station Cdr and Mrs Staish were having a dinner party - as I recall the OMQ was outside the base down by BBMF - as chance would have they were all outside saying their goodnights as 436 began ploughing across 26/08 as the crew ejected with a whoosh and a bang Mrs Staish said "oh how lovely a fireworks display" !!!! Station Cdr (Spiers??) said gruffly errr I don't think so dearest ...get my hat will you

Scruffy Fanny

30th Aug 2012, 18:56

mike - r - put your paintbrush down!
The only visible difference on the FG1 is the slotted stabilator - though a few FGR2s had them - and on the nose wheel door the ex navy AC had the Carrier lights- oh and 43 Squadron had the gun fitted backwards to improve their kill rate!!!:D

LesleyP

30th Aug 2012, 19:05

Wouldn't happen to be Wg Cdr M C N (Mike) Smart by any chance? Do you remember the RAE Met Canberra that went in about a quarter of a mile off 27 after the second GCA attempt in rapidly deteriorating WX? All survived but very badly injured - loathe blips disappearing off the radar.

Tankertrashnav

30th Aug 2012, 22:04

Leuchars meant Dragonfly to me - bit of a pain in the backside, but the odd run ashore in Dundee when the crew were stood down made up for it a bit!

Here is an interesting tale of how a Victor K1 hit well over 100 seagulls during a night takeoff at Leuchars, ingested a sizeable number in all four engines, and never missed a beat.

Bear Hunting - 2 - Tony Cunnane's Life and Times (http://www.tonycunnane.co.uk/bearhunting2.html)

The Avon may not have been the pokiest of the engines fitted to the Vs, but my goodness it was reliable! Silica gel bags? Pah!

Finningley Boy

30th Aug 2012, 23:49

Excuse me Mr Tankertrashnav Sir, but shouldn't that be sapphires rather than Avons?:ok:

By the way Gentlemen, just a reminder that this thread is an opportunity for me to attract all your anecdotal memories of Leuchars and I'm most pleased with the response so far. Thanks for the input so far, keep 'em coming by all means. The book is currently a work in progress but intent to publish has already been accepted, although I'm still to receive the contract. I shall of course PM all regarding any use of the material supplied here.

Once again, many thanks and I look forward to contacting you in due course.

FB:)

mike rondot

31st Aug 2012, 07:44

Scruffy Fanny,

I am still at the ink and pencil stage on this one but perhaps you or Courtney can answer my real question which is: Would a Leuchars-based F-4 (43 or 111) in a 2-bag, gun and missile fit ever find itself in the same bit of sky as a Shackleton AEW2?
I have drawn it with a gun pod on because I think the Phantom looks better when packing 20mm but it won't do if it never happened.

Mike R

Lightning Mate

31st Aug 2012, 07:57

Does anyone remember the daily very early morning calls to ATC from the Russian "trawler" moored on the centreline?

Morning Mike btw.

mike rondot

31st Aug 2012, 08:11

Tinribs

I knew my ransacking of the archive would not be a complete waste of time... While looking for Leuchars Phantom FG1 images I came across this very old B/W photo of that hill at Leuchars with a quarry at the base annotated with arrows showing the impact point and debris field from that very close call with a Canberra tip tank in cloud.

Proof, if any were needed, that you should never throw anything away.

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z409/5dilly/MtSummers-1.jpg

B Fraser

31st Aug 2012, 09:53

Re the Canberra that landed short, in the North Sea.

Civvy here, years later I worked with one of the survivors who had ejected underwater. Alan was given the last rights and his wife was flown with great haste up to Scotland while his life hung by a thread. Happily he made a good recovery although one of his legs was never properly straight. I've no idea where he is now but I recall that he was a real gent.

Tankertrashnav

31st Aug 2012, 10:06

Excuse me Mr Tankertrashnav Sir, but shouldn't that be sapphires rather than Avons?http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

Blimey, I spend 6 years of my life being kept aloft by the reliable Sapphire and I go and rename it! Put it down to early(ish) onset senile dementia and posting late at night when I should really have had my cocoa and been in bed!

Cheers for the correction anyway, and do read the story, I was up at Leuchars at the time (but not in Tony's crew), it was quite amazing how much birdflesh went through those engines with apparently no affect whatsover.

Courtney Mil

31st Aug 2012, 10:08

Ah, Lucklaw hill. Good picture.

oh and 43 Squadron had the gun fitted backwards to improve their kill rate

Can't be done. The rear snub fitting will only attach to the pod upper frame support arm one way round and it can't engage with the centre station front lug (which your plan would require) on the aircraft the wrong way round. 111 Sqn already tried it.

C-Mil perhaps you can confirm this part of XV436 s demise as I was only a student on 228 at the time

So was I, if you remember. I was just finishing the course. But I do recall that rumour. Staish would probably have been BW around that time.

Would a Leuchars-based F-4 (43 or 111) in a 2-bag, gun and missile fit ever find itself in the same bit of sky as a Shackleton AEW2

It wasn't a normal fit because when we put the tanks and missiles on, we usually put all the tanks on. QRA fit was three tanks and 8 missiles. We flew with two tanks, missiles and gun on 29 Sqn in the Falklands, but we needed the gun there.

I seem to remember seeing that fit diring generation excercises and I do remember declaring C44+8 on flying excercises and you could only declare the '+' bit if you you actually had a gun onboard.

So, my thought would be that you could see that fit next to 8 Sqn on an exercise, but I can't recall it specifically.

The F4, as you say, looks better with the gun. Beauty is truth, truth beauty.

Courtney

ORAC

31st Aug 2012, 10:29

So, my thought would be that you could see that fit next to 8 Sqn on an exercise, but I can't recall it specifically. Yes, they were many occasions when an Anyface and C44+8 were on CAP together during JMCs etc.

It was reasonably common during JMCs, for Bear D/Fs to come down for a look see and be intercepted. Whilst it was embarrassing, there were the odd occasions when the first indication of their presence was when they were intercepted by an exercise CAP........

Courtney Mil

31st Aug 2012, 10:30

Yes, that sounds right, Orac.

SOSL

31st Aug 2012, 23:38

Does anyone remember how many "final" beer calls 892 set up before they finally departed Leuchars? They seemed to go on for weeks!

Does anyone remember the final final beer call in the OM bar, at happy hour on the definitely final, final Friday. I do remember the little blond who appeared, that evening, wearing only a chiffon cloak, black nylons and high heels. She may have been wearing Channel No 5, as well, but I couldn't get close enough to tell, unlike the Staish, whose name IIRC rhymed with Staish.

Happy days!

Rgds SOS

Avtur

1st Sep 2012, 01:46

Resisted this for ages but as the post has run this long: Deployed Nimrod SAR when bad wx at ISK in 80s; call PBX and chat them up for a bit prior to having a cozy night in exchange with them. (Un) Surprisingly, the voice matched the looks!!

I know....

Tankertrashnav

1st Sep 2012, 09:14

It was reasonably common during JMCs, for Bear D/Fs to come down for a look see and be intercepted. Whilst it was embarrassing, there were the odd occasions when the first indication of their presence was when they were intercepted by an exercise CAP........

Not just Bears. I recall being on CAP during an exercise somewhere over the North Sea and Northern Radar telling us to look out for "friendly traffic" on a reciprocal heading which would pass on our starboard side. I looked out of my window in time to see two Badgers pass around 2,000' below. Some friendly banter ensued with Northern Radar as to their definition of "friendly traffic".

BOAC

1st Sep 2012, 14:10

That would have been that Russian exchange officer atNR................

keithl

1st Sep 2012, 16:21

Three memories of Leuchars. I'll give you two.

First, in the days of 11 Sqn Lightnings and Red Top missiles, the mess served a drink called a Red Eye. Totally disgusting! Gin, tomato juice and beer. You had to be drunk to drink it. I'll never forget it or its effect on me, the naive APO!

Some years later my first ever PAN, fuel leak in a Canberra over N. Sea at night. Diversion to Leuchars. Visual with floodlights, hangars, domestic site, etc, but something wrong about the runway. "Leuchars, confirm the runway lights are on?" "Affirmative". Oh well, must be me. Seems a bit difficult to get that "string-of-pearls" perspective, and the 'berra landing light was pathetic. No, this really doesn't seem right. "Leuchars, just re-check the lights", "They're on" in a slightly indignant tone.

And as I sank the last couple of feet into the black void, the wierd sensation of all the runway lights being turned up to full brilliance, with not a word said...