The REAL 'Mr Wessex'........
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The REAL 'Mr Wessex'........
Does anyone out there remember M Plt Taff Walker? What a character! A lovely Welsh chappie. Always with a pipe in his mouth. Deaf as a post! Always shouted! Possibly the last operational Master Pilot in the RAF. When he finally retired Air Clues had a photo of him on the front page as a tribute. The very end of an era....does anyone know how he got on in retirement? Someone out there must have some stories about 'Taff'...........
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Taff was an Wessex OCU QHI at Odiham when I went through the Puma course about thirty years ago. I remember him as a grumpy old ...... but nice enough when you got to know him a bit better. His yellow labrador seemed to be his constant companion in those days. He used to play up the deafness a little, to his advantage. I believe that it's true that he was the RAF's last NCO pilot.
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I was an engineer on the OCU then, he went as a Ground Instructor to Bristows on retirement from the RAF?
He was presented with a stunning Silver Wessex on his retirement I believe... Brought some of his logbooks in to read which were amazing from the war.... I remember at an open day walking across the apron with him and he pointed to a MK19 Spitfire and said, "last time I saw one of those it was on the Secret List Laddie"
He was presented with a stunning Silver Wessex on his retirement I believe... Brought some of his logbooks in to read which were amazing from the war.... I remember at an open day walking across the apron with him and he pointed to a MK19 Spitfire and said, "last time I saw one of those it was on the Secret List Laddie"
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Back in the late 60’s Taff taught me everything I’ve now forgotten about the Wessex.
A story attributed to him went something like this:
Young ATC cadet, “I thought the lowest rank you could be to pilot an aircraft in the RAF was Pilot Officer?”
Taff Walker, “It is Laddie.”
A story attributed to him went something like this:
Young ATC cadet, “I thought the lowest rank you could be to pilot an aircraft in the RAF was Pilot Officer?”
Taff Walker, “It is Laddie.”
I know this is true because it was in the Aldergrove SH detachment line book.
The younger aircrew are discussing their loss of virginity. Somebody turned to Taff and said.
"Do you remember the first time you had it?"
"The first time? I can't remember the last time."
Strange, isn't it? The last three active helicopter NCO pilots in the RAF, Dave Cramp, Jim Lawn and Taff all went to Bristows.
The younger aircrew are discussing their loss of virginity. Somebody turned to Taff and said.
"Do you remember the first time you had it?"
"The first time? I can't remember the last time."
Strange, isn't it? The last three active helicopter NCO pilots in the RAF, Dave Cramp, Jim Lawn and Taff all went to Bristows.
Always remember Taff's demo of a zero speed sloping ground landing to the slope at Odius (1970). Started from 60kts/300ft then just flare......bang! I can understand why the Wessex was designed with such a forgiving undercart!
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Yep Shula rings a bell.......
Gentleman Aviator
Remember doing mutual IF with Taff once in the mighty Wessex.
He was blind as well as deaf at this stage of his flying career (!), and was using a Sherlock-style magnifying glas to tune the "coffee grinder" ADF in the overhead panel.....
..... mind you, the deafness helped in a Ground Cat
Taff: What's the max single engine contingency limits boy....
Flying Officer Teeters: mumble mumble mumble
Taff: Wassat boy? Did you say 2700, 710, 26750?
Teeters: Yes Taff
Taff: Well done Boy!
He was blind as well as deaf at this stage of his flying career (!), and was using a Sherlock-style magnifying glas to tune the "coffee grinder" ADF in the overhead panel.....
..... mind you, the deafness helped in a Ground Cat
Taff: What's the max single engine contingency limits boy....
Flying Officer Teeters: mumble mumble mumble
Taff: Wassat boy? Did you say 2700, 710, 26750?
Teeters: Yes Taff
Taff: Well done Boy!
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Does anyone know if he is still with us?
I remember being down the back of an OCU Wessex on a low-level navex when I was asked to pick up Taff's magnifying glass, which he had dropped!
As has been said before he called everyone "boy", and that included the "Staish"!
I believe that he started on Mosquito's??!
lsh
As has been said before he called everyone "boy", and that included the "Staish"!
I believe that he started on Mosquito's??!
lsh
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Rigga I see you knew Alex Riddoch. Alex Riddoch taught me to fly in Brunei Borneo. At the time he was flying for the Brunei Regiment. Have you any more info on him? George Burns.
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I was at Odiham 72-76 the last 18 Months on 240 OCU where Taff was an instructor. He was quite a character and I think the young aircrew were scared stiff of him.