Ripping Yarns : Squadron One-upmanship Fun

[CoffmanStarter]

All ...

Many seemed to enjoy the last "Ripping Yarns" opportunity we a had a couple of weeks back ... so I thought another topic in the series might be appreciated.

In fact it was Courtney who gave me the idea given his quip about Tremblers aircraft always being a target !

Professional rivalry and general one-upmanship is a healthy thing and can be quite hilarious even if some short term bollocking's have to be endured. Many stories get embellished over time I'm sure ... but let's see what this invitation brings.

So what are we looking for ...

Example 1. The alleged nocturnal activities of a certain UAS involving a watering can, weed killer and a grass runway ... then an irate Station Commander a couple of weeks later :hmm:

Example 2. A Tremblers F4 in 1988 on APC at Akrotiri that went tech and was left behind only to be zapped by their Base Mates 43 Squadron ... I wonder if a certain F/O Courtney was involved in that little escapade in some way :}

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af162/CoffmanStarter/F4Zap_zpscd28db28.jpg

I bet the Boss of 111 was a "picture" when XT864 arrived back in Scotland :}

Best regards ...

Coff.

[SOSL]

ISTR that 43 got their come-uppance when someone kidnapped their bantam cockerel (or was it a gamecock?) from its hutch outside the hangar and replaced it with a Buxted frozen chicken. That was in the '70s I believe. Wonder if the Tremblers had anything to do with that?

Rgds SOS

[Tashengurt]

I was on that APC. I don't think Tremblers thought for a minute that they'd get that jet back unscathed!
Personally, I think they should have left that logo on when they put it on the gate.


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[Wensleydale]

I believe it was tremblers again who suffered during GW2. They were pretty cross when someone "stole" the squadron pennant from its flagpole outside their HQ building at Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia. The F3 had been relegated to a "backstop" defensive cap during the conflict and its aircraft were restricted to within Saudi airspace.

OC 111 was even unhappier when he was presented with the missing pennant a couple of days later by OC 51 Sqn who told him that even if his aircraft had not been over the border then at least his flag had been combat flown over Iraqi territory(in a Nimrod R1).

[artyhug]

Nice try Wensleydale but I don't think you've even managed to hit enough accuracy for the 10% rule to apply.

Yes a Pennant was stolen, as for the rest - Want to try again...

:rolleyes:

[sisemen]

This went out to the entire RAF:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/allan907/Tirpitzbulkhead.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/allan907/media/Tirpitzbulkhead.jpg.html)

[just another jocky]

Ahhhh, the old "StrikeList A". Was on the Sqn when that was sent out.....was also there when the one before was sent out when we recovered the bulkhead from IX at Bruggen. :ok:

[Ivor Fynn]

I was on the aforementioned unsuccessful raid. There was no damage to the bulkhead but the crewroom was a bit of a mess.

Ivor

[CoffmanStarter]

Sisemen and Co ... Brilliant :D:D:D:D

[NutLoose]

Speaking of bulkheads, here's the report into the damage sustained.

Loss of Battleship Tirpitz (http://www.kbismarck.com/tirpitz-technical-report.html)

[just another jocky]

I was on the aforementioned unsuccessful raid. There was no damage to the bulkhead but the crewroom was a bit of a mess.

Ivor

Unfortunately untrue.

There were several scratches/marks made during that nights attempt to release it from the concrete foundations.....hence the desire to cease the rivalry before it got seriously damaged.

Good on Baggers for suggesting the compromise which led to it being handed over to the RAF museum.

The crewroom was quite a mess though. :ok:

[Ivor Fynn]

The one item I wanted to take was a sengar saw(compressed air hack saw) I wasn't allowed to take it, if we had we might have got it back to Bruggen for Burns Night - that was the plan.

Ivor

[500N]

Obviously a lot of fun has been had.

Who obtained the Bulkhead from the Tirpitz and when ?

[Wensleydale]

Yes a Pennant was stolen, as for the rest - Want to try again...



I was there!!

[CoffmanStarter]

Ivor... "Going equipped" as MOD Plod might say :D

[just another jocky]

Ivor.....even with that kit, I still think you'd have been pushed to recover it in the time you had. That concrete was really hard and the ironwork on the back of the bulkhead went deeeeeep into it.

500N - IIRC it was a gift from the Norwegian Govt, though to whom, I cannot recall.

[1.3VStall]

Can't deny the junior squadron a bit of kudos on the 70th anniversary today, but let's get it on record that they did not sink the Tirpitz!

[Ivor Fynn]

Once we had taken the tiles off from around the bulkhead and broken some of the concrete up with the 3 jack hammers we had carried over the fence, we realised that the only way we were going to get it out was with angle grinders or cutting gear. The sengar saw would have cut through the iron work underneath like a hot knife through butter, but we didn't have it! There was actually quite a gap under the bulkhead between the back of it and the concrete. We actually ran out of time that night, we considered going back the next night but we couldn't be sure our handy work wouldn't have been discovered the next day. We considered long and hard getting oxyacetylene and going back but we were aircrew and none of had the expertise to use it, we would either have blown ourselves up or totally wrecked the bulkhead, so we returned empty handed. We would love to have seen OC 617's face on Monday morning when no one could get in the crewrom, as we had nailed it shut from the inside and climbed out through the skylight.

Ivor

[CoffmanStarter]

Due to the sinking of the Tirpitz having been attributed to 9 Squadron, an intense rivalry developed between 617 (aka The Junior Squadron) and 9 Squadron after the sinking of the warship. The Tirpitz Bulkhead that was presented to Bomber Command by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, in commemoration of friendship and co-operation during World War II was of particular interest with both Squadrons 'owning' the bulkhead at various times until 2002 when the bulkhead was presented to the Bomber Command Museum.


http://www.9sqn.co.uk/modules/coppermine/albums/userpics/Tirpitz/bulkhead.jpg

Best regards ...

Coff.

[Easy Street]

There is a comprehensive history of the Bulkhead wars here:

Tirpitz Bulkhead | IX(B) Squadron Association (http://ixb.org.uk/2012/history/tirpitz-bulkhead/)

including the account of the most audacious of the raids, which involved a zip down the A1 in the back of a van and an emergency landing at Wittering by a Vulcan :ok:

As to who sank the Tirpitz, well, many 'neutral' accounts credit Dougie Tweddle DFC of IX(B) Squadron with dealing the final blow. Even the Junior Squadron's own wikipedia entry says so!

No. 617 Squadron RAF - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._617_Squadron_RAF)

(how long before that gets changed? :E)

[just another jocky]

Hmmm.....curious that the technical examination (http://www.kbismarck.com/tirpitz-technical-report.html) linked by Nutloose, shortly after the war determined that it was the 2nd bomb that did all the decisive damage. Highly unlikely that the 2nd came from the sqn without the precision bomb sights, who didn't arrive over target until after the final 617 ac had departed.

Anyway, it's a long way in the past and all on that raid deserve our thanks and respect.

[FATTER GATOR]

I can vouch for the PSAB 111sqn pennant. Second hand anyway from the MR2 det. Serves them right for having a '24hr combat operations-DO NOT DISTURB' sign on their front door. I nicked that when I misappropriated their photocopier to enable some 'real' missions. We sent that sign sausage-side out of the fixed sonobuoy launcher and then supplied them with the lat/long when they asked for it back.

Closer to home CXXTS is hard to beat!

[CoffmanStarter]

Great contributions so far ...

Accepting that 51 Squadron appear to have got one over the Tremblers ... I'm sure such Fun-n-Games aren't just the preserve of the FJ community.

Best ...

Coff.

[sisemen]

Glad I kept that particular signal :}

[ASRAAM]

Now this one came to me second hand from a USN exchange officer so if anyone out there has a more accurate version or can name the Sqns involved I would love them to correct my post. Animal lovers do NOT read any further.

Apparently aboard a USN carrier one of the Sqns had a monkey as a mascot. It was relatively tame would be dressed from time to time in a minature flying kit.

One if the other Sqns aboard decided it would be a wizard prank to dress said monkey in their kit and get some photos of it flying in one of their jets. It may or may not have been doped up to achieve this.

Sadly at some point it became alert and scared in the rear seat and the WSO discovered how quick, strong and agile a small monkey can be not to mention how sharp the teeth are.

At the end of the battle the WSO was wounded, the monkey KIA and the inside of the rear canopy like a scene from a bad Hollywood horror. Another use for the dinghy knife had been discovered.

The prank had turned into a huge embarrassment and was hushed up as much as possible.

So, true or not....... Anyone know?

[BEagle]

It would take a lot to beat the October 1976 pink Harrier T-bird saga! For which the FAF EC 3/2 Alsace Mirage mates must take the credit.

Less savoury was finding baldrick graffiti scrawled on the inside of VC-10 landing gear doors etc. when one bunch had been dealing with another's aircraft. Neither witty nor amusing.....

[ricardian]

There was a story in the Middle East mid 1960s that a home-going battalion of soldiers embarked on an Eating Command aircraft. One of the home-sick soldiers used a sharp implement to scratch his number, rank and name on the plexiglass window...

[Torque Tonight]

Not quite up to the standards of the Tirpitz bulkhead, but a memory from UAS summercamp days. We detached to a rival UAS's facilities for our summer camp. When we were packing up to leave, probably around the end of July many years ago we left a few surprises for the resident UAS. Amongst other crimes, we unscrewed the mouthpieces of the crewroom telephones, packed the space with anchovies and stilton and reassembled. These would then 'mature' until the new academic year began in October after a couple of hot summer months. We would then entertain ourselves by calling their crewroom from our crewroom about twenty times per day making a sniffing sound and asking "Can you smell something?". Hilarious.

[clicker]

Back in July 86 I did see the results of an international one-upmanship at a certain Kent airfield where the OP was once based.

A Russian AN-22 had landed there to pick up some helicopters that had taken part in some event elsewhere and had been "turned round" by the men in blue.

As it taxied out it was noted that it sported a Royal Air Force sticker on the u/c bay. Not just a small one but that normally seen on the side of a fire engine!

(I did take a photo but it was was cr@ppy you could not even read the reg and that was large, it got chucked)

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

clicker
This is the AN-22 you saw in 1986.
It was at Manston to pick up the Russian Helios. which took part in the International event at Castle Ashby.

The RAF logo you can just see on the wheel housing, most is lost in shadow
I saw the RAF lads take it from an RAF truck after they had closed up the aircraft.
I often thought what might have been the reaction at the other end on arrival.

OPF


http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt200/phredd10/AN22J-pegscancopy_zpse95bcd81.jpg (http://s611.photobucket.com/user/phredd10/media/AN22J-pegscancopy_zpse95bcd81.jpg.html)

[Megaton]

Any truth in the story about the squadron (Wyton I think) who procured a ratty, old table to be chainsawed apart at a dining-in night? On seeing this highly amusing prank, the other station squadron borrowed the chain saw to have a go at dismembering another table. Except the table they chopped up belonged to the Mess.

[woptb]

Less savoury was finding baldrick graffiti scrawled on the inside of VC-10 landing gear doors etc. when one bunch had been dealing with another's aircraft. Neither witty nor amusing.....

But,chainsaws in the mess is witty and amusing ,what what.............

[Roadster280]

But,chainsaws in the mess is witty and amusing ,what what.............

I'm with BEagle on that one. Having "wanquerre" and "bolleaux" (sic) scrawled on one's aircraft is pretty embarrassing.

Chainsaws in the mess? No problem. Just pay for any damage. You're only young once.

[CoffmanStarter]

I'll leave someone else to consider the merits of starting a "Ripping Yarns" thread on Mess Fun-n-Games if they really want ... but the mindless scrawling on aircraft as described is exactly that ...

Back to more creative "one-upmanship" ...

Coff.

[26er]

Officers Mess, Nicosia, 1956. The MEAF Com Sqn had a pet monkey which they dressed up in RAF uniform complete with RAF Regiment flashes and brought the poor creature into the bar one Saturday lunchtime where it created mayhem, much to the amusement of all and sundry apart from the Rockapes.

[woptb]

I'm with BEagle on that one. Having "wanquerre" and "bolleaux" (sic) scrawled on one's aircraft is pretty embarrassing.

Chainsaws in the mess? No problem. Just pay for any damage. You're only young once.

I would find the aforementioned unacceptable, but have also always found 'Baldrick' blindness priggish.
High jinks v's criminal damage, people on both sides of the 'great divide' can be uncircumcised Richards, just found it objectionable that the one mention of below stairs, paints them as oafs.
Always found the sargeants mess to be the finer establishment.

[Al-bert]

Always found the sargeants mess to be the finer establishment.

and sometimes more imaginative?

The scene, Leuchars, sometime between '82-'85. B Flt 22 Sqn dispersal, right next door to '43 Squadron, The Fighting Cocks' as the sign above their entrance proclaimed. The CO, being a 'small not altogether popular officer' (SNAPO) with either B Flt or 43!
A Wessex arrives from 'somewhere in England' to stand in for B Flt crew overnight (Leuchars Ball). Navigator on said Wessex the last remaining Master Nav on the Sqn. Shift handover the following morning, M Nav has a certain sly smirk and black paint on fingers. As we wave our colleagues goodbye we notice the nice newly painted sign next door, in foot high letters, adorning 43's hangar 'FARTY THREE SQUADRON, THE FARHTING COOKS'.
Before a furious SNAPO appears to KILL the guilty b:mad:d a 'Very Nice OC Tremblers' walks into B Flt Ops. Quick as a flash our Nav says "Eh sir, great prank your guys played last night on 43 Sqn". "Oh? What was that Frank?" says OC111 and is taken outside to view the new sign. I think he was quite pleased that 'his chaps' would take the flak! :}

[SirToppamHat]

Sisemen

Glad I kept that particular signal

Any chance it might be framed and re-united with the bulkhead?

STH

[sisemen]

Can do. I'll be back over in Blighty in September if it can wait until then.

[teeteringhead]

One of the home-sick soldiers used a sharp implement to scratch his number, rank and name on the plexiglass window... .. now if he's been really smart, it would have been someone else's no. rank and name .... :E

[just another jocky]

Sisemen


Quote:
Glad I kept that particular signal

Any chance it might be framed and re-united with the bulkhead?

STH

I don't suppose anyone kept the original one from OC 617 when we nicked it from IX at Bruggen back the early 90's?

That certainly would be worth framing!

[charliegolf]

.. now if he's been really smart,

... he'd have joined the RAF!:ok:

CG

[glad rag]

Re post #1 Example 2

I think, the aircraft had suffered damage to the undersides of the wings from burst tyres or wheels. The effect of this was after blending the damage out there were questions over the tank structures integrity once pressurised.
The fix from memory, was for the aircraft to be flown back with a centre line tank only and either
1. The bleed air system "frigged" to allow the wing tanks to "drain feed" unpressurised with the aircraft flown at "low" level as it hopped it's way back to Fife
Or
2. The fuel valves frigged to keep the wing tanks "dry" and the aircraft returned as above.

There were ramifications at Leuchars over the paint job, but I think, on reflection, they didn't want the cab back at all!

[Courtney Mil]

Imagine being given a jet to fly home with a red line saying, "not to be flown above 250' due to pressurisation defect." It doesn't get much better than that.

[glad rag]

Sorry C, old age catching me up there. Hehe yes 250' that rings a distant
bell as well.

Funny thing the RAF, the blokes who did the blending and the "frigging" were out on their arses what, 12 to 18 months later when the Sqn transitioned onto the F3.

That tour (as a exGR 1 guy) on 43 (F) phantoms {to the bitter end} was my best one. Great guys (but not necessarily GOOD guys) and amongst us ground crew, well, a spirit of brotherhood I never came across again.

But you had to earn your place and there was only one way to do that.
Work till you dropped.

PS Ignore damn smiley typing on touchpad....

[howiehowie93]

I only heard this several hand old but I think it's worth telling:

There was an earthquake in Mexico city a few years ago, maybe even last century. There was a big internationaal aid frenzy which ended up with a whole flight line there full of Alberts from all over the world and it's Air Forces. Apparently the Argie one took off back to base with a Mahoosive Union Jack stuck on the belly........

sounds about right !

regards
H:Dwie

[xray one]

Not sure if fact or fiction: a story from the late 70s about a squadron exchange to France by a Harrier squadron, on the last night the French ground crew painted one of the puffer jets pink and it had to fly home to base in the new colour....really hope it's true!

[BEagle]

...on the last night the French ground crew painted one of the puffer jets pink and it had to fly home to base in the new colour....really hope it's true!

It is - as I mentioned in post #26....:rolleyes:

Full story here: Mirage Aircraft for Flight Simulator (http://www.mirage4fs.com/m_gerard_new.html) . Ignore the :8 title, the story is told by an ex-FAF pilot.

[alisoncc]

Suspect that One-upmanship Fun wasn't new. Had the following in my possession for approx 50 years, having acquired it in Brussels circa 1964. No idea who the gentleman whose name appears on the back was.

http://users.on.net/~alisoncc/MannPis.jpghttp://users.on.net/~alisoncc/MannPis1.jpg

[Courtney Mil]

http://www.mirage4fs.com/images/gerard/Harrier/Harrier-12.jpg

[langleybaston]

apologies if I have related this elsewhere.

Guetersloh c. 1970, French fighter squadron with us on exchange visit, during their last night zapped all over base with brilliant stencil of winged rampant penis.

Met Office window shutter was among many buildings thus adorned and, before SWO and his jankers wallahs got to it, we whipped shutter off and brought it inside.

It joined our other prize possession, a stationery cupboard c. 1940 with genuine swastika and various German words and codes on it.

And one officer's wife was reputed to have been impregnated during the very short visit ......... nothing new there, then.

[CoffmanStarter]

Love the Pink T Bird :ok:

[Back at NH]

Pink T-bird, Oh that's good. Was payback ever delivered???

[CoffmanStarter]

Looks like something one might find in the Ann Summers catalogue ... I would guess :hmm:

[CoffmanStarter]

Courtney ...

In addition to a visit to Lakeland (see other thread) ... Mrs Coff purchased one of these at some crafty type shop this weekend (don't ask ... apparently it's cute) ... I'm sure we could negotiate an appropriate bulk discount for ex 43 Squadron members ... Are you interested ?

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/af162/CoffmanStarter/2013-05-19174840_zps733ff357.jpg

Up close ... he looks well and truly "plucked" ...

Best ...

Coff.

[ex-fast-jets]

I flew that pink T-bird from Dijon to Wittering - 19 Oct 76 - with Maj Jerry Linn (USAF Exch - shortly after, sadly, deceased) in the boot.

I suggested to the Boss, (Jeremy S**e), that he should fly it back when he accepted the French graffiti, but he decided to leave the return flight as programmed. So I was stuck with it.

The weather at Wittering was cr@p for the return, and the Stn Cdr (Laurence Alfred J****) was in the tower for our return. We landed - just - from a GCA on 09 and as I left the runway for the very short taxy to the 1(F) dispersal at the Eastern end of the airfield, I used the normal "Clear" (Runway Vacated in modern speak), White/Red (1(F) colours) to indicate serviceable/unserviceable, modified to include "and Pink".

As I stopped on the chocks, the Stn Cdr's car - pennant flying - screeched to a stop in front of the aircraft - and as I descended the ladder, I got a very serious "It's all your fault, again" stare.

I pleaded innocence - but he didn't believe me!

Oh well!!

Great Job by the French, though!! And a great party the night before, as I recall!! In fact, a great Sqn Exchange.

[BUCC09]

Ah yes, Tremblers, the bad boys of 11 Group. Their parting gift at Coningsby stretched Squadron funds somewhat - but not before a Jaguar (54Sqn?) had photographed the evidence.:E

[CoffmanStarter]

You can't leave it dangling like that Bucc09 ... we need pics ? :}

[PEI_3721]

Anyone have a photo of chess pieces painted on 56 Sqn chequerboard fin markings? Early WIWOL days when there were real Sqn markings.
Better than 111 Sqn filing an air-miss on an ATC van after passing the first 56 Sqn aircraft in the new markings.

[Courtney Mil]

Definately up for the chicken, if it has a chequers cumerbund.

[CoffmanStarter]

Courtney ... Your wish is my command ... some simple DIY Self Assembly required ... I'm sure that OC Finmere Household will gladly assist :)

P/O Kenny Cockerel (http://www.justjellycat.co.uk/Jellycat/Browse-by-Animal/Chickens-&-Ducks/Kenny-Cockerel/p-393-7-114-5321/)

Material Cumerbund For The Use Of (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FQ-Black-White-Check-Squares-Fabric-Patchwork-Quilting-/230981235399)

£20 all in :ok:

Pictures will be required if assembly is to go ahead :ok:

Best ...

Coff.

[Tashengurt]

I don't know about a cummerbund but I did help make a harness for a chicken so that a F/O could fulfill his secondary duty of walking it.



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[CoffmanStarter]

Got any pics then Tash ... I assume the "exercise" was for the F/O not the Cockerel :E

[Tashengurt]

Sorry Coff, I've barely got any photos from my service. The exercise was definately for the Navs benefit.
His mate was tasked with counting every tree on the site.
Istr one of the more senior Navs pretending to be the CO (also a Nav) and inviting one of them to go flying together during a drunken arrival meeting.


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[NutLoose]

Scroll down to near the bottom for the Viz Wessex.

Forum 163130: RAF Wessex schemes (http://www.network54.com/Forum/163130/thread/1186055799/RAF+Wessex+schemes)

[CoffmanStarter]

His mate was tasked with counting every tree on the site.

Must have taken quite a time all that counting ... I assume shoes and socks were left on to increase complexity :E

[Davef68]

Pink T-bird, Oh that's good. Was payback ever delivered???

The pink Harrier WAS payback for some grafitti that adorned the French Mirages

[Wensleydale]

His mate was tasked with counting every tree on the site.


Obviously a Branch Officer!

[xray one]

After much bragging from 2 Sqn regarding their numerous armoured gate guards around their HAS site, a plan was hatched.

One Sunday afternoon, with the help of the Army..a few members of Xiii Sqn arrived on 2 Sqns site with a Recker (Army heavy lift tow truck) We then picked up the SA8 and quickly snaffled it out of the back gate.

Down the A!7 we went to Holbeach, and then deposited on target 2. 2 Sqn were fragged first thing on Monday morning for Holbeach so it would be a 'self termination' with a 3 kg terror weapon or go dry.

As it happen, OC 2 (Dick Garwood) wasn't overly amused and I was banned from the 2 Sqn site. I was leaving anyway, but still thought it was a bit offside for such a jolly jape...so i was glad to be leaving if this was the future of inter-sqn rivalry.

[Wrathmonk]

a few members of Xiii Sqn

One of whom, I believe, went on to command No II (Army Co-Operation) Squadron...

Biggest problem was the SAM-8 belonged (IIRC) to Duxford and was on loan in exchange for the Hummer liberated by II(AC) Sqn from Kuwait. A typical Norfolk foggy morning saved the day in the end!

Now the application of hair dye (or was it Grecian 2000) to the duck that had taken residence in the II(AC) Sqn EWS was far more amusing....but I think that may have been a 'self inflicted' wound by certain members of the junta (or more correctly flt cdrs that thought they were still members of the junta....). The stuff put on the duck stripped all its natural waterproofing off the feathers meaning it could barely swim and which led to the squippers making the duck its very own LSJ (this is not quite how the story was reported in the local rag....).

Edited to add - found reference to it here (http://www.deseretnews.com/article/629957/Caption-Only--Air-pals-give-Lt-Brick-a-life-vest.html?pg=all) (no picture and certainly not the local rag!)

[sisemen]

Biggest problem was the SAM-8 belonged (IIRC) to Duxford and was on loan

Ahh. That well known line between jolly japes and stupidity that should not be crossed.

Most times it worked until the juveniles got to the party.

[Wensleydale]

Ahh. That well known line between jolly japes and stupidity that should not
be crossed.

Most times it worked until the juveniles got to the party.



Reminds me of the time when I was on the committee of the Theatre Club in Lossie. We used to perform a good few musicals and had managed to raise about £2K for a decent piano that kept its tuning - the old piano was donated to the Officers' Mess for a fee of about £500. Needless to say, the piano lasted just a few weeks before the children on a Buccaneer squadron burned it one night.

Next week, I got a phone call from one of the junior pilots.

"Can we have the key for the Theatre - we need to pick up the piano - we already have the four tonner".

Apparently, the Wg Cdr of the said squadron was the PMC and he wanted a piano for the mess Burns Night (ironic). Without asking, he expected us to give up £2,000 worth of piano to replace the one his boys had just wrecked. He was most annoyed when we refused the request (if the JO was to be believed) - especially when we suggested that perhaps the Sqn should pay £500 to replace the one that they had burned if they wished the highland dancing to go ahead. They didn't get our piano though!

[oldmansquipper]

Whilst serving as TM TG 13 on the Worlds oldest fixed wing and premier recce squadron during the cold war, it was a "tradition" that visiting pilots bone domes were zapped with the world famous Hereward knot insignia to show the had been privileged enough to visit our Jaguar lair.

One day....a visiting Wing Commander from an inferior jag unit dropped in and of course was considered a prime target. Duly zapped, I proudly showed my handywork to one of our Flight Commanders (May well have been the late Phil Folding-Toothbrush) who said;

"That was no ordinary Wing Cdr" but our next Staish takes over next month..."

Doh!...Good job "Kip" turned out to be a top bloke!:ok:

[teeteringhead]

Does the badge of No 22 Sqn count?

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/85BBD6C7_C512_E38D_672CAD53A3F5FC40.jpg

When serving in Malta their aircraft took off over HQ No 7 Gp, hence the "pi" on the badge.

I wonder who at Group approved the badge .......

22 over 7 - geddit?

[Courtney Mil]

Oh yeah. Clever! :ok:

[Motleycallsign]

The number of times a Chinook has recovered either a yellow Wessex or Sea King underslung , it should now be reversed with a 7 over 22.

I know hat/coat time again...............

[KG86]

Speaking of Chinooks....

Late 1980s, there was intense rivalry at Gutersloh between 18 (Bomber) Sqn (Chinooks) and 230 (Tiger) Sqn (Pumas).

On one deployed exercise, a 230 Sqn crew snuck back to Gutersloh and stole the 18 Sqn Argentinian Jeep (liberated from the Falklands War). In retaliation, an 18 Sqn crew also snuck back to Gutersloh, and stole the very large cuddly tiger from the 230 Sqn crewroom.

The next day, at the 230 Sqn field site, all were treated to the sight of a Chinook slowly approaching their site, at about 1000 ft agl. It came to the hover, the ramp was lowered, and Timmy the Tiger was despatched from the ac, complete with a parachute.

Regrettably, the parachute failed to open properly, and Timmy the Tiger plummeted to the ground, and had, as they say, the stuffing knocked out of him!

[It's only Me]

But he did survive, and wore Para wings after that.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Leeming's first TACEVAL with the F3 involved 23 Squadron festering in goon suits in their HAZs whilst XI Squadron fulfilled its war role of...deploying to Cyprus on APC.:cool:

I recall a commiseratory (:E) postcard sent from Golf Dispersal in Akrotiri addressed to:

"Loser Squadron, RAF Much-Suffering-In-The-Marsh, Yorkshire, England

that the Post Office correctly delivered to 23 Squadron at RAF Leeming in 3 days. Their reputation was well known!