Guidance for those reaching Age 55

[benedick]

I was recently sent the following guidance for those reaching Age 55.
For those of advanced years, statements shown below should be able to help identify that you are due a last tour of duty.

When obscure form numbers like 1369, 6442 and 252 could mean career-changing moments.

When you remember bizarre uniform items such as the thunderbird jacket and the flasher mac

When you remember the glorious anonymity of JTs, SACs and LACs before they introduced rank slides for airmen

When colleagues were posted to RAF stations that nobody knew existed (eg ‘Machrihanish? Never heard of it – are you sure it’s not a wind-up?’)

When the ’back of the bike sheds’ was considered an appropriate location for career counselling.

When wearing medals was considered the particular right of the lucky few silver jubilee recipients or the handful from the South Atlantic.

When OOA tours meant 4 months limited to communication by ambiguous means such as ASMA, the bluey or a cable and wireless phone card.

When the question ‘Where the hell is Decimomannu?’ at least stood a remote chance of being answered.

When crewrooms were occupied and people partook of unintelligible games like Uckers and ‘Hunt’

When an RAF aircraft recognition poster was larger than A4 size

When you remember curious anomalies such as male only stations (eg Wattisham)

When anything Soviet was ‘bad’ and anything NATO was ‘good’

When you drove around with BFG plates

When you witnessed a survival scramble or spent some time in an HPS.

When you remember QRA that involved ‘instant sunshine’ and the ‘two-man principle’ in the ‘no-lone zone’

When your NBC suit came with a detachable hood.

When being issued with DPM kit seemed quite exciting.

When Friday lunchtime (afternoon) was spent in the pub (in uniform)

When one enjoyed the pleasures of six-pint standby

When doughnuts on day 3 or 4 of an exercise had particular significance

When ‘AOC’s’ meant an enormous parade (and if you were lucky enough to be at Lossie, repeated 3 times)

When the GD branch pretty much meant you could do anything – including OC Admin’s job.

When some lucky people had the pleasure of being recruited as FLMs and TAGs.

When you had access to a variety of personal weapons that seemed to have come out of Battle Picture Library (303, SLR, SMG etc)

[BEagle]

When you remember curious anomalies such as male only stations (eg Wattisham)

Huh? Male only? When I was at RAF Wattisham, some of the most delightful young ladies I've ever known in the RAF were stationed there.

Unfortunately, so was one who later became known as Mrs. Doubtfire.......:\

Anyway, what about:

The pre-'dial-a-mate' phone system

Blue L a n d R o v e r s (sorry about the spacing - there's some stupid PPRuNery without it)

Red fire engines

MT Zephyrs and Standard Vanguards

Shreddies

Proper batmen

'Cabbage kit' was rarely to be seen

Civvies were rarely to be seen

When RAF aircraft still flew in the UK at Abingdon, Acklington, Andover, Aston Down, Ballykelly, Bassingbourn, Bentwaters, Bicester, Biggin Hill, Binbrook, Bovingdon, Brawdy, Chivenor, Church Fenton, Coltishall, Cottesmore, Cranwell North, Driffield, Elvington, Finningley, Fulbeck, Gaydon, Gravely, Greenham Common, Hamble, Honington, Hullavington, Kemble, Kinloss, Leconfield, Leuchars, Lindholme, Little Rissington, Lyneham, Machrihanish, Manby, Newton, North Luffenham, North Weald, Oakington, Ouston, Pershore, Scampton, Spitalgate, St Athan, St Davids, St Mawgan, Stradishall, Strubby, Swinderby, Syerston, Tangmere, Ternhill, Thorney Island, Waterbeach, Wattisham, Watton, West Malling, West Raynham, White Waltham and Wittering - and a few more places I've probably forgotten.

[Tiger_mate]

3 x Get you home (where-ever home was that day) a year.
Being sick got a same day med appointment.
Ditto Dental.
Malcom Clubs.
NAAFI wagons.
Male & Female accomodation the other side of imaginary wire.
wailing minis.
MT fleets of British built vehicles.
Wearing Gas Masks for hours at a time.
An MoD civilian being a very rare breed indeed.
Blue uniforms.

[Jayand]

Baby's heads, being scared of rock apes, personal dosiemeter cards, itchy blankets, cheap beer in a busy NAFFI, decent rates, turning up to work still pished, 1.5 mile runs. Ahh the good old days!

[Rigga]

Mod Plods
Stations without fences
Doing Fire Bucket duty
The tiniest sliding windows in Guardrooms
Tin Helmets

[sangiovese.]

MT specially fitted with no radio...

[ShyTorque]

MT specially fitted with no radio...

Puma helicopters specially fitted with no ILS...

[Shack37]

Seeing plumbers running and thinking "hope it's the NAAFI wagon"

[Skeleton]

Seeing aircrew running, and KNOWING it was the NAAFI wagon!! :)

[Farfrompuken]

You guys have such rose tints to your bifocals!

Just think, the modern RAF has state of the art aircraft like VC10, TriStar and the brand new C130J. Fighters like Typhoon that singlehandedly provided simultaneous air cover for Libya, Falklands and the RAF News. Shiney new helicopters like Sea King and Puma, not to mention the brand new Merlin.

We've got rid of many costly people in handbrake house and we've got this amazing self-service system called JPA. We've got a much more efficient system in the messes: pay as you dine.

We've got rid of unnecessary basing and housing, now we've got Super Bases like Brize. We don't put you in damp quarters any more, you can live in lovely private accommodation.

We've paid you so much over the last few years, we've even had to freeze your pay and cut expenses so the rest of the world can catch up!

So come on chaps! Get down to your high street optician*. You can see its far better now!

* trademarks omitted

[Skeleton]

Nurse, Farfrompuken has been at the medicine cabinet again......

[sisemen]

When your whole world could be put into a couple of scrawny lockers and your bed looked like this during daylight hours.

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSB7MZVVvkg9PTW6wzSZPU7eOaUtyQSv6-hROgtSgpcCNfFQuu8l7lm70eeCQ

And then a nice corporal would come along and want to see what you had - all tidy like.

http://i695.photobucket.com/albums/vv316/volvosmoker/Halton%202010/DSC00454.jpg

[ShyTorque]

What's that HEATER doing there?

If the water in the fire bucket isn't frozen, the room is too hot!

[Shack37]

Sisemen

Photo 2, that bed is far too saggy in the middle (too many pies?) and the kitbag needs a good ironing.
We couldn't take photos due to the reflection off the shiny lino floor around the bedspace.

[Q-RTF-X]

Sisemen

What's the deal with fancy curtains in photo 1 ???

[Courtney Mil]

Nothing wrong with having a tidy bedroom. Mrs C makes me lay out my kit every morning. But that's another story.

[Cows getting bigger]

Petrol coupons
SDOs AND OOs.
Shirts that were tailored (probably wouldn't want that now :) )
Chinagraphs
North Luffenham AMTC combined with Ruddles beer.
MT drivers
Sgts' Mess exchange drinks which rolled directly (ie do not go to bed) into Taceval.
A sense of Fun.

[Red Line Entry]

Pickaxe handles to fight off the Commies
Comcen operators who knew everyone on the Stn
Singing in the bar
SACWs who could write backwards on glass walls
Thinking SAMA was neat 'cause it could tell you your leave balance
No bl00dy emails
Starting night shift at 4pm, finishing at 8pm.
Starting night shift at 4pm, finishing at 8am!
Having the choice between a tech charge and a 'quiet word' with the FS
Stn workshops who could make anything for a crate of beer.
The knowledge that we really were defending the country

[Scruffy Fanny]

The Blue RAF Kit bag - as a single Man your hold world had to fit in it and if you were posted and dared to own more the bizarre method of moving your personal effects via MT from Church Fenton to Valley
When the goblin teas made at Finingley made waking up sooo much nice
Tea and Toast in the Officers mess at 4pm or was it five - obviously meant for blunties as you couldn't sit in the anti room in your flying suit- of course tea and toast at 4pm was before a three course dinner with cheese and bikkies and having had a full English breakfast, three course lunch as part of your 8000 calorie day.
Or getting a goodie bag on Taceval and eating it all after the first wave and being hungry all day
Happy days

[1.3VStall]

DM11 to the £!

[dctyke]

three times the manpower.................. and half the air ranks

[1.3VStall]

Beags,

You missed Dishforth and Topcliffe in Yorkshire alone!

[SOSL]

Sgt with a pickaxe handle to guard the troops' fortnightly pay as you carried it back from SHQ in a large sack.

Air Officers who cared.

Muckers of all ranks who cared.

Kitchens that weren't locked so you could attempt chicken and chips at midnight on Friday.

WRAF MT Drivers on long journeys. (I married one)

WRAF MT Drivers on short journeys.

Warrant Officers who were generous with their experience.

Sports afternoons.

Loyalty to Squadron, Wing, Station, Group and Command.

Lots of choices for your Posting Preferences.

RAF Wyton swimming pool, especially the wives and girlfriends.

Barking mad bosses who stuck up for you when the chips were down.

What fun it was.

Rgds SOS

[aw ditor]

Pay Parades with BAFs'

[Lima Juliet]

...whistling hand bags and rubber hoods...

...wooden pencil boxes with NATO stock numbers...

...the observer holdall...

...lightweight and heavyweight No 2 trousers...

...brown leather lightweight flying boots...

...no silicone based polish for brown flying boots (that drove SWOs mad!)...

..."rangers" to far flung parts of the Empire...

...G-type flying helmets...

...Seiko aircrew watches...

...RAF Hospitals at Ely, Nocton and Wroughton - with lots of nurses...

...shoe polishing for the ones left outside your room...

...first class travel for aircrew and Sqn Ldrs and above...

...flying instructional pay...

And I'm a good ten years away from 55!

[allan907]

And when officers could actually write correct English!

The Blue RAF Kit bag - as a single Man your hold world had to fit in it and if you were posted and dared to own more the bizarre method of moving your personal effects via MT from Church Fenton to Valley
When the goblin teas made at Finingley made waking up sooo much nice
Tea and Toast in the Officers mess at 4pm or was it five - obviously meant for blunties as you couldn't sit in the anti room in your flying suit- of course tea and toast at 4pm was before a three course dinner with cheese and bikkies and having had a full English breakfast, three course lunch as part of your 8000 calorie day

There are probably others but still, they're at the sharp end, bless.

[Geehovah]

"Bawtry...... are you working" ........... CLICK

[Pontius Navigator]

This was supposed to be for those reaching 55, not 95!

That means that green flying suits were the norm in 1975 and the aircrew shirt was a green polo neck.

Finningley no longer had that delightful creature the 'local service airwoman'. Did other units have local-service WRAF?

Proper batmen had just about disappeared.

Stn workshops who could make anything for a crate of beer No, they weren't allowed to make anything but they were allowed to repair or modify. Modify as in turning a piece of wood into a coffee bar. Making things was the preserve of MPBW or DOE or PSA or whatever with a 51% markup on top of an inflated price, no wonder they used to have a well maintained suite of offices and their own garden.

Pay Parade? Remember you don't have to sign for your money provided there was a second officer to witness the handover. I once short changed a Cpl of £10. They used to remain on parade until everyone was paid. I then gave the cpl his tenner. That was in 1964. Everyone had bank accounts by the mid-70s (I think).

Yes, Leon got it right. I had a painful appointment at Ely in 1988.

[It's Not Working]

This is the Bomber Controller
Red and White ILS and CADF
Mini Cars and Mini Vans
Hitch hiking in uniform
Bacon and Egg Banjos
Jurby Head
Officers Only entrance to SHQ
42 days' leave for Blackadder, 30 for Baldrick
Government Property on every sheet

[NutLoose]

When you remember QRA that involved ‘instant sunshine’ and the ‘two-man principle’ in the ‘no-lone zone’

Surely that should be the three man principal, they believed 2 could coerce each other...

That was in 1964. Everyone had bank accounts by the mid-70s

I wasn't paid (into my bank) until the end of 76 after passing out of training, the RAF then gave you a interest free loan to change over from weekly to monthly pay... I bought my first TV with that free loan, then paid the loan back over a couple of months.




Your forgetting one main thing,

The only Government white paper worth a sh*t... Hard and shiny, each sheet lovingly printed with Government Property, as if anyone would steal the stuff.

[Willard Whyte]

Not only did stuff have 'Government Property', or some-such, written on it, it also had 'Made in England' too.

[NutLoose]

:E

Oh and the 12 odd inch long bars of carbolic? Soap

[Melchett01]

Hospitals .... nurses? Always knew I'd been born about 30 years too late

[BEagle]

When there were such things as RAF Scholarships, which included 30/35 hrs PPL training, financial assistance towards one's school fees and a guaranteed place at RAFC Cranwell....

Hairy blue no.2s

Gorgette patches

The South Brick Lines

Crowing

Bumpers

Cere bog and shower

Marching on Saturday morning to the Senior Flt Cdts garage in pale blue RAFC tracksuit and civilian hat....

The Ass Comm's daughter....;)

Rollers, Minors, Majors....and 'Strikers'..:eek:

'Privilege'...

Les Rodda and CWWO Garbett.

Beer in the Jnr Mess at 1/10d per pint.

'Slasher' and his brutal haircuts.

Cobbly-wobbly boots.

EX. KING ROCK.

Knocker, Ferris and Chimay.

When the RAF College still had its own band.

Arriving at the UAS as an Acting Pilot Officer.

As much Chippie flying as you could fill your boots with...

Not giving a stuff about 5 pints and flying the next day. Neither did the QFIs.

When the UAS world was only concerned that you didn't so much flying that your degree might suffer. It did!

When UASs could still afford to go away for Summer Camp.

8 up in a Triumph Herald chasing rabbits across White Waltham, with an air gunner taking pot shots out of the passenger window...and missing.

Giving lifts to airmen hitch-hiking in uniform - who often had 'RAF' in purloined dayglo tape on the underside of their holdalls.

Oh well....

[Pontius Navigator]

Arriving at the UAS as an Acting Pilot Officer.

Or even seeing a pilot officer out in the real world. Not that long ago I did see one in shiney DPM resplendent with brilliant white wings.

[iRaven]

Proper Flight Safety videos like this little gem...

Dr FOD And The Wayward Body - Part 1 - YouTube

...plus those great little logbook bookmarks :ok:

[Pontius Navigator]

. . . when aircrew wore uniform

. . . when grow bags were flying suits

. . . Flying Clothing and flying clothing lockers

. . . nutty

[BEagle]

...plus those great little logbook bookmarks

Such as:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Lightningfarewell.jpg

and:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/F-4.jpg

and for VC10K States Trainer chums:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/HootersAirB757.jpg

:E

[jayc530]

When only TG1 and TG2 were on the high payband!

[Pontius Navigator]

Before TG1 and 2 were invented . . .

Before engineering officers . . .

[NutLoose]

RAF push bikes with the basket on the front... Looked like this, issued at Bruggen


http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1217/1393677086_ecac97c9c6_z.jpg

[Megaton]

Before engineering officers . . .

Something wrong with engineering officers?

[scarecrow450]

When CCS was GDT and you could 3 years( or more) between doing it.
Duty airmen
Duty staff wearing black armbands with big red letters on them, O.O, O.SGT, O.CPL
A weeks fire piquet.
Having to wear ties during the winter
Buying your own short sleeve shirts from the NAAFI.
Only allowed to have your sleeves rolled up at your place of work.
Taking 8 officers from work to the bring a boss night in the NAAFI
Tin hats !
Putting claims in and getting the money the same day, in cash !

[BlackIsle]

Lounge suits on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings after 6pm.......

[NutLoose]

Lightweight Landrovers

[The B Word]

Heavyweight WRAFs...:ooh:

[Pontius Navigator]

HP,

When I joined, and the Binbrook system had not been adopted, we had Flying Wing and hand brake house, I think it was commanded by the S Ad O.

Engineering was actually Tech rather than Engineering and commanded by the STO. In both cases S stood for Senior and usually a sqn ldr. The Air Force was run by aircrew and assisted by support staffs.

If you think about it, Engineering Wings used to be populated largely by Techinicans rather than Engineers.

In fact who remembers the Binbrook System, now largely defunct.

[BEagle]

In fact who remembers the Binbrook System, now largely defunct.

Ah yes, the easy-to-understand Flying / Engineering / Admin Wing set up.

The 'Flying' became 'Ops'. Except, I was pleased to discover, at RAF Chivenor when it re-opened in 1980. The late 'Wally' Wilman refused to have any 'Ops' wing, so he became Wg Cdr (Flying) and had a deputy Sqn Ldr 'DOC FW', or 'Dog Food' to most of us. The Fg Wg Ops building was termed the 'White Elephant', for obvious reasons..... Which was rather confusing for one visiting pilot when someone said to him "Dog Food wants to see you over in the Elephant"...:\

Who allowed all those stupid biz-speak wanque-words come into vogue - such that the Education Section became 'Force Development Squadron'.....:( And people such as OC GD and the SWO had silly new titles?

Quote from a QFI, when asked who did what on the station:

"Dunno, mate. My chain of command stops at OC 'B' Flt!".

[NutLoose]

Engineering was actually Tech rather than Engineering and commanded by the STO. In both cases S stood for Senior and usually a sqn ldr. The Air Force was run by aircrew and assisted by support staffs.


And if I remember correctly O for Orifice.. :E

[Lima Juliet]

The Binbrook Model came back of sorts following Haddon-Cave. So OC Eng Wg, OC Admin Wg and OC Ops Wg are back in favour at many stations these days :ok: and that draedful Trenchard Model is being killed off :ok:

[ShyTorque]

RAF push bikes with the basket on the front... Looked like this, issued at Bruggen

We had a few station bikes at Gutersloh, much better looking than that... :E

[Union Jack]

Start counting backwards - except for pension purposes!:ok:

Jack

[BEagle]

We had a few station bikes at Gutersloh, much better looking than that...

One of the daft signatures required on the blue clearance card was from 'OC Station Bicycle Store'....

The innocent joy of telling people, who didn't know where it was on the station, to ring a number which just happened to be for the Queen Bee..... aka 'OC WRAF' for younger viewers. Grumpy old moose never did see the funny side..:hmm:

[Biggus]

The concept of OC Eng Wg and OC Admin Wg may be back in, but they are still using wanque-words to describe them in places. On my last station these roles were known as OC Forward Support Wing and OC Base Support Wing respectively.

I recently attended (not through choice) a Human Factors course at another flying base (in the UK, a 9-5 Mon-Fri station). When discussing distractions, and how to avoid them, the SNCO presenting the course took great pride in stating that OC Ops Wg on that station wasn't distracted by e-mails coming in because as part of his "battle rhythm" he only checked his e-mails at two specific times of the working day... The instructor seemed to take great pride in this shining example, personally I could only shake my head in despair....

I wonder if he only answered his phone at certain times of day so as not to disrupt his battle rhythm?

[BEagle]

'Battle rhythm' - what a wonderful example of wanque-wordsmithing!

Mind you, if you Google (other serach engines are available, though usually cr@p) for 'six sigma battle rhythm', it comes up with wonders such as:

The article explains “Yellow Belt certification provides an overall insight to the techniques of Six Sigma, its metrics, and basic improvement methodologies. The Green Belt provides participants with enhanced problem-solving skills, with an emphasis on the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) model. Black Belt provides participants with a thorough knowledge of Six Sigma philosophies and principles (including supporting systems and tools), according to sixsigmaonline.org, and Master Black Belt level focuses on advanced Six Sigma statistic methods.” All these different levels enhanced the Marines battle rhythm, planning process, and execution of the thought out plan. Applying all those strategies at the levels in which they are learned allows the Marines to “support warfighting excellence with well-managed operations that are both effective and efficient, said Gen. James F. Amos, the Commandant of the Marine Corps.” Through the use of Six Sigma implementation, the Marines are reaping the benefits of a better planning and execution process which minimizes discrepancies and improve their mission readiness whether it be in combat or in garrison.


Oorah - I can just see John Wayne saying that sort of thing.....


....NOT!

[chopper2004]

BEagle,

The first lady in the G -Suit, have seen her on back cover of 'Dogfight' colour photo book, Ian Allan pub or Motorbooks circa 1988. I see she has the same name as one of the mentioned acknowledgements who was a Sqn Ldr. Nice to see pics of RAF exchange personnel including the current Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel then strapped into his backseat mount of an F-14A at Key West with obligatory Union Jack adorned HGU-53P bone dome!

Memorable with regard to RAF Hospitals, the nice white uniform dresses of the PMRAFN :) whom one saw at Church Fenton 2 decades ago, while queuing for food at the mess.

Legacy equipment

Wessex
Phantom
Gazelle
Andover

The varied fleet of the various RAe establishments pre DERA/ Qinetiq days in lovely colours from Argosy to BAC1-11, Gazelle, Puma, Wessex, Comet, Buccaneer, Phantom, Twin Pioneer, Jaguar.

Not forgetting Sek Kong (briefly visited it in early 94 and have last ever Gau Lung station pub. The cover photo showed one of the USMC MEU Tarawa class LHD docking at HMS Tamar with 28's Wessex flying above it. IIRC, from a conversation with one of the 28 pilots, the MEU ACE pilots on deck could not help but grin or laugh as it reminded them that they retired its piston original being the C/UH-34 two decades earlier from fromt line service. Think it was a bit of nostalgia even though similar airframes but complete design on our side of the pond and under license for that matter.


Cheers

[1.3VStall]

60MU at RAF Dishforth in the mid '60s. The hangars were an aladdin's cave to a young air cadet resplendent in hairy blues.

Anson and Vampire belonging to the Station Flight and the resident Chippies of 9 AEF. All the different types in for servicing (the word maintenance hadn't been invented then): Hastings, Single and Twin Pin, Pembroke, Devon, Javelin, Hunter and Meteor to name but a few and I remember a Belvedere hovering outside doing HF radio trials.

Happy days, we had an air force then...........!

[Pontius Navigator]

60MU at RAF Dishforth in the mid '60s. The hangars were an aladdin's cave to a young air cadet resplendent in hairy blues.
........!

You bring to mind the bus ride we had through the stores hangar at Alconbury with all the B66 stores beautifully racked and a christmas tree outside robbed down to a skeleton; that's how I learnt what a real christmas tree was.

They obviously knew what havoc a load of air cadets could commit which is why they kept us in the buses.

[NutLoose]

Quote:
The article explains “Yellow Belt certification provides an overall insight to the techniques of Six Sigma, its metrics, and basic improvement methodologies. The Green Belt provides participants with enhanced problem-solving skills, with an emphasis on the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) model. Black Belt provides participants with a thorough knowledge of Six Sigma philosophies and principles (including supporting systems and tools), according to sixsigmaonline.org, and Master Black Belt level focuses on advanced Six Sigma statistic methods.” All these different levels enhanced the Marines battle rhythm, planning process, and execution of the thought out plan. Applying all those strategies at the levels in which they are learned allows the Marines to “support warfighting excellence with well-managed operations that are both effective and efficient, said Gen. James F. Amos, the Commandant of the Marine Corps.” Through the use of Six Sigma implementation, the Marines are reaping the benefits of a better planning and execution process which minimizes discrepancies and improve their mission readiness whether it be in combat or in garrison.


I believe the British Army has similar, though they use coloured Smarties.

[ACW418]

When we wore issued Viyella Aircrew Shirts all the time except in No 1 Uniform. Much better than the green polo neck things.

When Flying Suits were banned from the messes (except QRA crews at bedtime).

When you had to get changed back into uniform for lunch.

Not sure nostalgia is all that useful - I am utterly certain that the Typhoon is much much better than the Javelin/ Meteor/ Hunter and the Tornado GR4 better than the Canberra etc. Could do with a few more types though.

ACW

[1.3VStall]

When fighter squadrons only had three sqn ldrs: OC A Flt, OC B Flt and SEngO!

[Melchett01]

As a slight aside, and not wishing to drift the thread any further, save the tenuous link that I doubt any of us had to put up with Lean and 6-Sigma bollocks when we joined, the quote BEagle put up frankly just made me depressed.

6 Sigma frankly has no place in the military. It is a manufacturing process designed to reduce output defects to something like 3.5 per million widgets (or whatever) i.e. perfecting an easily replicable process. The military is and always has been about people not process, that's what has made us good at what we do, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat and allowed us - rightly so - to take the piss out of the bean counters of the world at Happy Hour. We don't do process, we do doctrine and leadership. Doctrine is informative not prescriptive and when combined with good leadership achieves results out of all proportion by knowing what to do, when to do it and how to do it, recongnising that people have good days and bad days and that the enemy has a vote. No new fangled management process will ever replicate that or take those factors into account.

The only time I ever want to see someone on Ops quoting 6 Sigma at me is through my sights just before I pull the trigger. Now lets forget about all this management speak bollocks and get back to killing people and breaking their toys. :ok:

[RAFEngO74to09]

RAFG 1978: Cashier (Fg Off) visits HAS site weekly, at a time convenient to the JEngO (who sells Petrol Coupons at the same time), to pay claims to front-line sqn in cash.

RAF High Wycome No 3 Site supporting HQ AIR 2009: all PD points frequently closed for an entire afternoon for "staff training" and limited hours civilian Cashier (for foreign currency exchanges) !

[Willard Whyte]

http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1217/1393677086_ecac97c9c6_z.jpg

Once upon a time the only rust on a squadron bike was on her sheriff's badge.

[Wander00]

Following EngO's point (a good one), as a pilot turned scribbly I ended up on the Command Accountant's Inspection Team based in mid Cambridgeshire. I persuaded the boss that as I had the budgie on my jumper I would take the flying stations. I used to ring OC Accts at the next station to be inspected (he/she usually a young first tourist) and ask him/her how many hours flying they could get me. I really just wanted to find out how "close" he/she got to the waterfront. I'd already booked the flying anyway. That was back in the late 80s and I was knocking up about 30 hours a month on everything fom Bulldogs to Hawks and helicopters. Great fun, and hopefully we encouraged the young Admin Sec people that their job was to go and sort problems where they occured, not expect everyone to beat a path to Handbrake House.

[Pontius Navigator]

. . . young Admin Sec people that their job was to go and sort problems where they occured, not expect everyone to beat a path to Handbrake House.

Or emulate Major Major.

[Old Bricks]

Remembering the scent of wet dog when wearing hairy blues in the rain (Alright- you have to be well over 55!)
Putting in a leave pass for 9 days to cover Mon-Fri off
The thrill of finding the stationery cupboard open and unattended
The first time you got a bar bill at an RAFG station
Doing your annual Clothing Card check in Stores and showing the storeman that you had not one single item of Service equipment or clothing signed out - Triumph!
Being summoned to see the Stn Cdr on a Monday and then not getting a bo******ing about what the rugby club had done at the weekend
Happy Days.....

[chopd95]

When there was a flight safety poster (directed at the F700 ) featuring a leggy lady showing seamed stockings (down Beags) with the line "IF YOU HAVE A SNAG - REPORT IT"
strangely every crewroom had replaced the "N" with an"H"
Anyone have it?

[Ron Cake]

1.3VStall

Ah!......the Station Flight Anson. Thanks for reminding us 1.3VStall. Just about every major UK station had an Anson with the station name proudly emblazoned along the fuselage. 'Owned' by OC Ops, it could sometimes be made available for junkets and other 'helpfull' tasks.

Got a posting to Kinloss or St Mawgan and want some kit shifted? Well, the Anson should be free on Sunday and there was a bunch of volunteer pilots from the squadrons who were checked out. One of them would probably turn out.

Anyone know when the Ansons were withdrawn and why?

[Wander00]

Discovering the "Transfer Voucher" - only way I ever got cleared of the Transit Block at Watton in 69 (I was JP on the STATION, not just the squadron), as stores changed cupboards into beds and bicycles into carpets - magic! (And "thank you" if you are still around)

[Wander00]

First flight ever - 13 year old CCF Cadet visiting Bassingbourn and flew in Anson TX219. Eight years later back there as a student on the Canberra OCU course.

[NutLoose]

When there was a flight safety poster (directed at the F700 ) featuring a leggy lady showing seamed stockings (down Beags) with the line "IF YOU HAVE A SNAG - REPORT IT"
strangely every crewroom had replaced the "N" with an"H"
Anyone have it?


Or the Jaguar poster that with a judicious bit of cutting it was possible by utilising two of them to change the large Jaguar fonted word at the bottom into Garbage.

:E

Nodding Donkeys..... Didn't like using Avpin for starting apparently..

[RAFEngO74to09]

Ron Cake

Anson withdrawn from RAF service 1968.

[goudie]

The Flight Safety posters, of the 50s/60s, that were dotted around the hangar were a work of art and quite 'seaside saucy'. The sauciest one I recall shows a nut with ladylike legs, being persued by a rampant bolt on manly legs and the caption bubble above 'her' head reading, 'No no, not without a washer!
Anyone remember them?

Re the 'Transfer Voucher' the story goes that the loss of a petrol electric generator was transferred into a 'weemega generator, used for testing insulation and beloved by leccies.

[Pontius Navigator]

Anyone know when the Ansons were withdrawn and why?

Before they were actually withdrawn they were pulled into regional squadrons. The two we had at Coningsby were withdrawn to Finningley when Coningsby closed in 1964 to form the Northern Comms Sqn.

You might think they were a bit far south to be really Northern but remember their raison d'etre was to transport a V-bomber crew to a dispersal if necessary and also ferry spares while the force was dispersed.

They were withdrawn and replaced by Bassett probably more due to old age than anything else. Of course the original Bassett did not feature a toilet whereas the Anson did. A toilet was essential now that the Bassett was in the Metropolitan Comms Sqn (IIRC) and transporting the weaker bladdered VSOs.

The presence of a dedicated pilot, navigator and toilet now limited the carriage of passengers to just 3 so now needing two Bassetts to transport one V-bomber crew. The additional weight also caused the props to strike the taxiway if the ground was not too smooth. The solution had been to hack a few inches off the tips with a hack saw.

Eventually, as an economy measure, the whole sqn was disbanded over a weekend.

[Pontius Navigator]

Wander, yup, Form 21 was still around in the late 90s when I was getting rid of SOMA VDUs. I had ended up with a ficticious 21 inch colour monitor whereas my SOMA green screen jobbers were on the books at a mere £4k each albeit on the way to a scrap yard.

Took some transfers but I eventually balanced the books.

[Samuel]

Avro Anson....you mean like this one, after it's last flight of the day at Nelson NZ,on the 18th July after a ten-year rebuild to as new condition.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e33/Shadblat/18072012009s.jpg

[Pontius Navigator]

Similar Sir, similar, but no gun turret. The two-blades reminds me though:

An Annie had undercarriage failure. The pilot, a Master Pilot, flew the approach and shut down one engine. He then used the started to motor the blades horizontal. Just before touch down he stopped the other engine and again moved the prop horizontal. He then eased it on to the wheels protruding out of the nacelles.

The aircraft was undamaged.

[Samuel]

Just for you!

Takeoff for vintage warplane - Campbell Live - Video - 3 News (http://www.3news.co.nz/Takeoff-for-vintage-warplane/tabid/367/articleID/261769/Default.aspx)

[NutLoose]

Similar Sir, similar, but no gun turret. The two-blades reminds me though:

An Annie had undercarriage failure. The pilot, a Master Pilot, flew the approach and shut down one engine. He then used the started to motor the blades horizontal. Just before touch down he stopped the other engine and again moved the prop horizontal. He then eased it on to the wheels protruding out of the nacelles.

The aircraft was undamaged.

Didn't someone do that giving the Officers Mess band an unofficial trip at Christmas, he was told he would be in the poo if anything would go wrong and sadly it did, once on the ground it was lifted, gear dropped and he lived again, seem to remember it in an Air Clues I learnt from that section

[Pontius Navigator]

NL, probably the same one as it was Air Clues that I recall. Just proves that "I learnt about . . . " certainly worked.

an unofficial trip

You could have an unofficial trip in an Annie? If auth'd it was surely official :)

We were only a couple of hundred yards from the Annie spots outside the tower. If there was nothing doing on the sqn I would nip across and see if I could cadge a ride. One day I was naving to Cottesmore. On rtb I looked back to see who the pax were. Gulp, my sqn cdr was looking forward :)

[Fareastdriver]

I remember flying the station Anson delivering or picking up Victor crews. Our one had Gee and the navigators used to refresh themselves on it. I would to listen to them muttering incantations to the set.
Some of the incantations were riper than others.

[cynicalint]

Gentlemen,
interesting though these posts are, the Anson was retired in 1968, a good 10 years before those approaching the age of 55 joined the Royal Air Force! Please allow those of us who are nearing 55 to reminisce without those who were old when we joined reminding us that we need to get some time in! Please now go and clean the remains of your last meal off your ties and let us youngsters indulge in memories of Taceval and ill-fitting tin hats with nylon liners and plastic spiders, attached to that awful press stud that bounced into your skull when forced to walk to the aircraft; just because MT had been closed due to a UXB or a deranged airman threatening to shoot the OC. The memory of the sight of an overweight beer-bellied florid-faced Chf Tech with blue jumper, wedgewood shirt and tie combined with baggy DPM trousers, puttees and DMS oxford pattern shoes trying to run a standby ops room is what this thread is about ;)

[Wander00]

And being dragged round the country in a Beagle Basset, the Anson's sort of replacement

[NutLoose]

You could have an unofficial trip in an Annie? If auth'd it was surely official

Official trip, just full of unauthorised Civilian passengers if my memory serves me right.

[alisoncc]

In uniform and waving a thumb would get you anywhere in the UK within 24 hours for free. Often meals thrown in as well.

[thefodfather]

Uniform, off camp! I remember how the SWO at Kinloss used to hide by the garage on the road to Forres to charge anyone with so much as their RAF shirt collar showing.

[NutLoose]

Blimey how things have changed..

So down the pub outside Brize for a few sherbets with the rest of the shift wouldn't be allowed these days, seem to remember someone getting told to do his tie up lol.

Rememberance parade through Basingpoke with the Sally Ann band out front and the St Johns behind both playing a different beat with those in the middle marching like a bunch of Morris dancers always used to end up in the Ex Servicemans for several pints...

[Pontius Navigator]

Cynicalint, I did try and remind people earlier bit that's pprune :)

Stablex?

Climbing over the crash gate :)

Guards?

Guards armed with no ammunition.

[NutLoose]

Armed guards with pick axe handles...

BFG plates and it being cheaper to fill the screen wash bottle with Vodka rather than Screen Wash.


Those real naff looking copper etched plates of aircraft the NAAF 1 used to sell... If you cannot remember them, Buster might post soe pictures of his collection :p

[AARON O'DICKYDIDO]

The memory of the sight of an overweight beer-bellied florid-faced Chf Tech with blue jumper, wedgewood shirt and tie combined with baggy DPM trousers, puttees and DMS oxford pattern shoes

Ah Yes. Them were the days. I've gone all misty eyed.


Aaron.

[Pontius Navigator]

The memory of the sight of an overweight beer-bellied florid-faced Chf Tech with blue jumper, wedgewood shirt and tie combined with baggy DPM trousers, puttees and DMS oxford pattern shoes trying to run a standby ops room is what this thread is about ;)

Ah but strong. A little before your cutoff, but a certain chief that matches your description jumped up and caught an overhead pipe on the ferry (I leave it to you to guess which one, except it was the last one that night on the short run) and defied anyone to pull him off. First one equally sized, and then another, grabbed him and eventually wrestled his feet to the deck.

He won the bet however as he was still holding the pipe.:}

[goudie]

Those real naff looking copper etched plates of aircraft the NAAFI used to
sell... If you cannot remember them, Buster might post some pictures of his
collection http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/tongue.gif

Nutloose
A neighbour of mine (civvy) in Carterton used to make them and earned himself a few bob in the process
As I type I can see my copper picture of Britannia, ATVIA, on the wall.
Never realised they were naff.:(
I shall hang on to it...blimey just realised I've had over 40 years:eek:

[NutLoose]

Ahh but knew their stuff...



Reminds me of watching a bunch of pilots and crewmen trying to bump start a dumper truck in muddy quarry... :E

I have never laughed so hard since.

[Samuel]

Climbing over the crash gate


When CO Cottesmore, Jonny Johnson regularly arrived via a crash gate [for which we had the keys] with the explanation that " I can be in my office for an hour before the busies find me".

[NutLoose]

Quote:
Those real naff looking copper etched plates of aircraft the NAAFI used to
sell... If you cannot remember them, Buster might post some pictures of his
collection
Nutloose
A neighbour of mine (civvy) in Carterton used to make them and earned himself a few bob in the process
As I type I can see my copper picture of Britannia, ATVIA, on the wall.
Never realised they were naff.
I shall hang on to it...blimey just realised I've had over 40 years
*


Oops foot mouth trying to extract..

Are we talking the ones sold in all NAAFI shops? Such as the etched red arrows in colour?... Because he must have been a busy chap.... I thought the only thing they made in Carterton was giant traffic cones, behind the chinkie by the gate, if that is still there.

[cynicalint]

Pontious,
When I got onto the Sqn it was a crownex, not a stablex - that had fallen from grace.(By the way, the stables is no longer a drinking hole and the Culbin sands has been demolished)
Other memories are:
Compo sausages cooked in foil trays - the excess fat of which was wiped over the galley floor when the stick monkey had applied excessive power during a manouver and not warning us, resulting in the contents of the oven sliding onto the floor.
Stn cdrs driving into guardroom walls.
Dinghy drills outside the harbour followed by beers in the Harbour!
Having to carry heavy crew boxes stuffed with out-of-date food to make the rations monies go further.
Having to carry heavier crew classified bags - even when the GSU had forced us to memorise their contents.
GSU's annual vists - looked forward to with lesser anticipation than a visit to the dentist
Three day GDT when we were allowed to convert live ammunition into waste brass and breathe copious quantities of CS gas.
The introduction of the Mile and a half run, where at least one sergeant who was OS for that day, turned up in No1s, walking the distance nonchelantly while smoking and several masters hiding behind the changing rooms.
Blue-light taxis back to camp by pleasant RAF policemen.
Tapestries.
Everyone having 4 - yes 4 - annual leave warrants to claim rail tickets or motor mileage for leave journeys anywhere in UK without audit.

[goudie]

Nutloose

No, these weren't NAAFI bought. He just sold them to neighbours, friends and at country/air shows etc ...it's in a very nice frame.

[alisoncc]

Thefodfather wrote:
Uniform, off camp!Just 15 to 20 years after wubble you wubble you two and we were still the good guys. That's how people got around in those days.

[Ron Cake]

Cynicalint

It's all very well to bellyache about the elderly hijacking the thread to go on about Stn Flt Ansons and the like. But we who are long retired have to do something.

I was going to recount for everyone the days when:

a. the main guardroom had an ET room

b. trainees returning from leave were lined up for an FFI inspecton (don't ask)

c. The resident RAF Regiment Sqn reduced to rubble the NAAFI every Saturday night.

d. you could distinguish a supplementary list officer from one on the general list because he wore his service raincoat instead of a dressing gown in the Mess living quarters.

I could go on, but you've quite put me off.

Anyway, I must go. They want to come in to tidy my room and there's bingo followed by a singalong down in the lounge.

[goudie]

Oh do carry on Ron ...as Beagle says, 'we had an Air Force in those happy days.'

[ShyTorque]

Anyway, I must go. They want to come in to tidy my room and there's bingo followed by a singalong down in the lounge.

Sounds just like old times at HQ 38 Group, Upavon.

Even after the Anson was retired, they forgot to retire the pilots.

[Wander00]

And then there was that corner of Brampton Park OM where every lunchtime several senior officers could be seen snoring quietly behind nthe Times or the Telegraph. Reading (or even sleeping behind) the Guardian was seen as slightly reactionary.

[Melchett01]

And then there was that corner of Brampton Park OM where every lunchtime several senior officers could be seen snoring quietly behind nthe Times or the Telegraph. Reading (or even sleeping behind) the Guardian was seen as slightly reactionary.

Talking to a chum, I think that was still going on fairly recently. Must have prompted quite a crisis when the Times stopped being a broadsheet :ok:

[Fareastdriver]

You could always tell a Supplementary List officer by his tie. It had a ladder with just two rungs at the bottom.

Somebody could have joined the RAF when I left in 1978. Were he have gone to helicopters it is quite possible that he is coming up to retirement having spent all his time flying the same dozen or so Pumas that I had already flown for seven years.

[pamac51]

As a young erk at Valley in 70/71....our Fg Off, who lived in private accommodation on outskirts of Holyhead, used to drop us off at the Bull at Valley on his way home for his lunch and pick us up on way back. The Bull was full to the brim with airmen each and every lunchtime. However, had to put Fg off in his place when he wanted to come into the pub to have a pint with the troops before he took us back...informed that if he wanted to drink at lunchtime he would have to join his commissioned colleagues at a pub (forget name) in Treaddur Bay! Joyeous days.

[ShyTorque]

Somebody could have joined the RAF when I left in 1978. Were he have gone to helicopters it is quite possible that he is coming up to retirement having spent all his time flying the same dozen or so Pumas that I had already flown for seven years.

Quite a few folks have been and gone since 1978! Including me. I only did three Puma tours though.

"Those Pumas, they'll never last more than five minutes....."

41 years since they first began saying that...