RAF cuts back in Gib

[Navaleye]

See below:

MoD News - RAF Cutbacks On The Rock (http://www.modoracle.com/news/replace%28GetLatestNewsRSS.headline,,,,all%29_25977.html)

I'm slightly surprised that we had 50 stationed there, given that it has no aircraft1 Nice posting though. :ok:

[A2QFI]

I wonder what is the "Per Capita" cost of running an RAF Station for 5 people?

[1771 DELETE]

Not all the personnel are on the airfield, there are many other jobs in Gib.

[Courtney Mil]

So, Stn Cdr, OC Ops, OC Base Support, OC Eng and Logs and a SWO. Should work well.

[WASALOADIE]

From the news article....
I didnt know submarines had parachutes!
Sounds like a spoof team to me, like the underwater basket weaving support group.

[airborne_artist]

"Submarine Parachute Assistance Group"

SPAG was formed from former members of the Women's Auxiliary Balloon Corps if I recall correctly.

[FODPlod]

SPAG - Submarine Parachute Assistance Group (http://www.subescapetraining.org/SPAG.html)

Rumour has it that the SPAG puts a set of parachute wings in a bottle every time one of its members jumps and takes one out every time a 'proper para' jumps. It is now looking to find an inexhaustible supply of demi-johns.

[A2QFI]

"Of the fifty serving at the airfield, mostly aircraft technicians, a mere five will be staying." Reads to me as 5 on the airfield = RAF Gibraltar

[Jimlad1]

When was the last time there was any major RAF presence on the Rock in terms of aircraft movements? I've been to Gib a couple of times and its always felt a bit like a sleepy hollow.

Ultimately I'd imagine there is sufficient transit space that people can be accommodated for austere dets, but do you really need nearly 50 people hanging about for I'm guessing one or two movements per week?

[lj101]

When was the last time there was any major RAF presence on the Rock in terms of aircraft movements? I've been to Gib a couple of times and its always felt a bit like a sleepy hollow.

Er, depends what you classify as 'major'. Think there are 8 GR4's off there on det in the very near future.

[NutLoose]

Wonder who will be cooking their lunch then.

[endplay]

only done one visit with the AFBLT but had a great time. Not sure if I could have hacked a full tour though.

[TheWizard]

From the news article....
I didnt know submarines had parachutes!
Sounds like a spoof team to me, like the underwater basket weaving support group.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/292151_371733712862021_65644008_n.jpg
Taken this year

[NutLoose]

Blimey, couldn't you get them any closer... :O

Did a detachment there with Jags during the border opening, there was a bunch of Navy Hunters there too

[Pontius Navigator]

Nimrods use Gibraltar every year for exerciss and even Boltholes.










What, we don't have any Nimrods?

[NutLoose]

When we were there, one Nimrod in 84 had left a set of skid marks down the runway that would of done an incontinent OAP proud.



.

[1771 DELETE]

Pontius
i assume you are talking in the past tense.
In the 70/80`s i seemed to get stuck down there every month, almost as often as going up to Kef. At least the beer was better and the rates were good if in the Caleta Palace.

[NutLoose]

Delete reread it and the light text at the bottom ;)

[November4]

Had a great 3 years in Gib....another of my old stations effectively gone. Just Brize left now.

[Mike Gallafent]

Back in the early 60s, the navex from Thorney to Gib was the final part of the course. The Varsities, without dip clearance would take the sea route and bets would be made at the sharp end on whether landfall would be Europe or Africa. Leave UK Friday night and depart Gib Monday morning. It seems a long time ago...

[Navaleye]

Shame they could not keep the old gate guardian XM571

Gibraltar Vulcan April 1987 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/loose_grip_99/4570494178/)

She was only there a few years but got very shabby very quickly, so I wasn't surprised she got the chop.

[1771 DELETE]

Thanks Nutloose, my eyesight and hearing are going after too many hours over the ogin, didnt even see the postscript, i was guessing at sarcasm but you never know with the really old ones on here !!

[Pontius Navigator]

1771, quite. We were in the North Front mess though. Very impressive.

First thing every morning, bugle call, guard would come out, open the gate, every evening in reverese. An exercise in futility, which much of BritMil is, as the Spanish gates remained shut and just got rustier and rustier with litter gathered about.

Bar at lunchtime, white-jacketted barman would shut shop, few minutes later a soldier emerged in greens, webbing, SLR. Try that with an RAF Steward in those days and everyone would have nightmares.

[Barksdale Boy]

Sad to see 571 looking like that. She was our GV aircraft in 1980.

[Coochycool]

I'm planning on visiting Gib in the next few months.

Anyone know if there was a replacement gate guardian put in situ? One of the Nimrods might have been a pertinent type.

Any other military throebacks or memorials of note I should look out for?

That para drop is certainly a more overt statement of sovereignty than the Chipmunk that used to potter about out of Gatow!

[Belle and Sebastian]

Current plan is to put up a Jaguar - when we can find somewhere to put it! It's currently on the South dispersal getting a suntan......so it might get zapped by the visiting MRM det.

[Coochycool]

Thanks BandS.

Whats wrong with the Vulcan site?

[Belle and Sebastian]

Although it's an ideal site, the old Vulcan stand no longer belongs to 'us' as we've handed much of the land over to the Goverment - including that bit.

There are few possibilities of putting the Jag up near the tunnel when/if it gets built or on roundabout in town....or somewhere else. Sorry to be ambiguous!

[Coochycool]

Symptomatic of the downsizing I guess. At least someone else will have to dig up the weeds now!

Much appreciated. I'll keep an eye out for the Jag. :ok:

[Could be the last?]

Has the downsizing already started with the Stn Cdr.......... I heard it was a midget SH Nav........?

[jindabyne]

Six Banana detachments there in the Seventies. Now visit twice each year - staying in the Eliot; breakfasts must be in Casemates! Fun, cosy, and great restaurants (especially the Landing for Sunday lunch - expensive, but stunningly good). Aside from the new Marina Village on re-claimed land, little has changed, but what has is for the better. The Laventa, which still blows, can result in logistical nightmare diversions if you're arriving from UK by civvy air (this added 13 awful hours to a journey from Manchester five weeks ago) - an option is by car from Spain or Portugal. Town Range is still there, for those that might be interested ----

Apols for slight thread-drift.

[Coochycool]

Town Grange? Did you mean Town Range? Sorry, only reciting Google.....

And yes, I have seen the YouTube pics of Bucc Ops in the 70s. Those indeed were the days

[jindabyne]

Spot on, Cooch, thanks

[Navaleye]

Tornadoes are on their way for a month. Presumably they will be bringing their own ground crews.

Eight GR4 Tornados arrive in Gibraltar on Friday (http://www.typicallyspanish.com/news/publish/article_35072.shtml)

[A2QFI]

The report raises some interesting historical revelations! Apparently the airport was built illegally in the 19th century. I imagine the Wright Brothers were not aware of this alternative flight test location (too windy?)

[Jayand]

Navaleye, who else is going to service them?

[dagama]

I spent a day in Gib last week whilst on holiday in nearby Spain. Reacquinted with the Gib Arms and the Rock Apes. Great view of the Tornado det and departures - the Sound of Freedom. The gate guardian is a Jag south of the R/W. The sign on the Tower says Welcome to RAF Gibralter - has been there for years. BA, Monarch and Easy Jet have daily flights with a sprinkling of GA. Otherwise a sleepy hollow.

Crossing in to Gib is no fun as the Spanish govt makes it difficult even though the majority of the 'crossers' are Spanish.

[chopper2004]

TheWizard,

Looks like re-enacting the opening scene of The Living Daylights ;):ok:

John Barry - Exercise at Gibraltar (Excerpt) - YouTube

Cheers

[jindabyne]

dag

Crossing in to Gib is no fun as the Spanish govt makes it difficult even though the majority of the 'crossers' are Spanish.

That's not the case in my past 8 years' experience dag. Getting in is always very easy: either by car/foot from Spain, or by air from wherever - wave the UK passport and glide through. Getting out can be more difficult, depending on traffic/ customs-of-the-day/political situation. But mostly, absolutely no problem, and very swift and hassle-free (but when the Spaniards are feisty, it can take HOURS - very infrequent though, and not the norm).

TIP. If you're going from Spain by car, leave it in the undergound car park on the Spanish side, walk 200 yards across the border, and get a cab to wherever you wish to be (£4 at most). Vice Verca. Simple. And Customs is always a breeze when on foot.

[NutLoose]

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3514/4570494178_c69a719473_z.jpg

From the image posted above, see those blocks of flats, we passed between them in a Britannia 737 when going on detachment, the crew tried two attempts to get in with bad crosswinds and on the second attempt the wind shoved us towards the rock, the tower I believe from what the 17 Sqn guys said pressed the crash alarm believing we were goners.... as we departed to Faro in Portugal, during the short trip to Faro the bar trolley did two trips and we all got wrecked that night... :E

[salad-dodger]

see those blocks of flats, we passed between them in a Britannia 737
of course you did :eek:

S-D

[Navaleye]

I have no doubt you did. Its a difficult place to get in to and usually the civvy stuff went to Malaga 80 miles away when things got too choppy.

[NutLoose]

We did Feb 85, here we all are :) one of the spare pilots onboard with us said if he had a Bang seat he would have gone.

Jaguar 1975-85 (http://www.14sqn-association.org.uk/14_Squadron_Association/Jaguar.html#10)

[Tinribs]

Gib had a camera set to record every approach from the radar picture. On a visual circuit there years ago I went a bit wide to let my mate who was a bit short of noise juice go ahead. Strayed into Span air. Due for a bollocking but nothing heard

[dagama]

Jinda,

Thanks for the tip.

The sheer number of cars causes traffic jams when going into GIB because our Euro friends like to fill up their tanks as it is about the equi of 30 pence/lit cheaper. Last Wed and Fri, there was traffic in the loop for most of the day.

[jindabyne]

dag - which is your choice of drinking establisment?:)

[FL575]

Tinribs

This is an example of the Air Traffic Control photograph taken at Gibraltar to which I think you refer. The photograph has a clock in the top left hand corner, and has date in the bottom left. This particular photograph was taken on my departure, in July 1974. I also have the arrival photograph.

The bold, nearly horizontal, white line is the line beyond which RAF aircraft were not supposed to cross, in this case, below it.

On the enlargement, I have tried to outline part of the coast of Spain, in red. The blue line is the approximate alignment of runway 27 at Gibraltar. The dotted, curving, line is the radar return of the departing aircraft.

At that time, Gibraltar ATC routinely forwarded copies of the arriving and departure photographs to the OC of the squadron concerned. ATC were at pains to point out in the accompanying letter that the arrival and departure were ‘without infringement’.


http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff188/essjaypr9/Gibdeparture.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff188/essjaypr9/Gibdepartureenlargement.jpg