RAF KHORMAKSAR
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Flying Officers
These were the days of Promex B to advance to Flt. Lt. Apart from the Exam there was a time to be served in each rank. We had a Fg. Off. Freddie Bond who experienced a bombing raid during his B exam in the 40s and had to take cover. He refused to retake it so was a very senior Fg. Off.
As for the beer above. It was Tennents Lager shipped out in the bilges. The tins were always rusty.
As for the beer above. It was Tennents Lager shipped out in the bilges. The tins were always rusty.
Gentleman Aviator
Was it Tennants that had the pinups on the cans?
(Not [quite] old enough for BFPO 69, but did manage 64 and 66!)
(Not [quite] old enough for BFPO 69, but did manage 64 and 66!)
Tennants? As I recall, it certainly was. And I also seem to recall a period during which supplies were held up and the cans were fairly rusty old stock ... but it didn't make much difference. And Cpl Mulholland often behind the bar?
Gentleman Aviator
One has found a link here to the original "Lager Lovelies" of 1969-71.
Not exactly Page 3 but ISTR they were a very welcome diversion!
Not exactly Page 3 but ISTR they were a very welcome diversion!
Join Date: Apr 2015
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Looking at the pics of the current Khormaksar airfield I cannot believe that the locals continued to use it as an "international" airport. Wonder what the pax thought as the aircraft taxied in?
'Twas a place I was glad to be rid of in May 67. Sharjah was much better
'Twas a place I was glad to be rid of in May 67. Sharjah was much better
The advantages of Sharjah over K'sar were a) AIR CONDITIONED ACCOMODATION!! and b) Mc Connochie's (??) tinned Ready Meal as an alternative to the Mess food!
P.S. The two on the left in 101(as viewed) look VERY familiar but no names can be dredged up.
P.S. The two on the left in 101(as viewed) look VERY familiar but no names can be dredged up.
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I seem to remember Allsopps (Slops).
My (shared) room was just above the Jungle bar so it made sense to down a few before retiring. We were up very early (0500) to get the Beverley back from up-country
before it got too turbulent and dusty.
There are a few claims for ***hole of the world, but nowhere comes close to Aden.
My (shared) room was just above the Jungle bar so it made sense to down a few before retiring. We were up very early (0500) to get the Beverley back from up-country
before it got too turbulent and dusty.
There are a few claims for ***hole of the world, but nowhere comes close to Aden.
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Re air conditioning at Khormaksar: the following is from the 8 Sqn web site.
In July 1959, an article entitled “Up go the Venoms to shoot a camel” appeared in the London Evening Standard. Apart from being a blatant line-shoot, one paragraph did, for the Squadron, have a very profitable sequel. The paragraph was:
“…….another hardship is lack of sleep. Without air-conditioning, restful sleep is impossible and none of the pilots had an air-conditioned bedroom, although it could be so equipped for an outlay of £1,000.”
A few days after publication of this article the Station Commander received a letter from a lady who wished to remain anonymous. The letter asked if he would accept £1,000 to be spent on air-conditioning units for the pilots of No 8 Squadron. A letter accepting the offer was despatched by return of post and within weeks the installation of the units was complete! It must be added that the grateful Air Force not only refused to pay for the electricity consumed by the air-conditioners, but it also refused to maintain them. The Squadron could not afford to do so, and consequently they went unserviceable one by one before being removed and scrapped (by the Air Force).
In July 1959, an article entitled “Up go the Venoms to shoot a camel” appeared in the London Evening Standard. Apart from being a blatant line-shoot, one paragraph did, for the Squadron, have a very profitable sequel. The paragraph was:
“…….another hardship is lack of sleep. Without air-conditioning, restful sleep is impossible and none of the pilots had an air-conditioned bedroom, although it could be so equipped for an outlay of £1,000.”
A few days after publication of this article the Station Commander received a letter from a lady who wished to remain anonymous. The letter asked if he would accept £1,000 to be spent on air-conditioning units for the pilots of No 8 Squadron. A letter accepting the offer was despatched by return of post and within weeks the installation of the units was complete! It must be added that the grateful Air Force not only refused to pay for the electricity consumed by the air-conditioners, but it also refused to maintain them. The Squadron could not afford to do so, and consequently they went unserviceable one by one before being removed and scrapped (by the Air Force).
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There are a few claims for ***hole of the world, but nowhere comes close to Aden.
Spent a couple of nights in the mess in Sharjah around 1972. As we'd just spent 2 weeks in Masirah with its salt water showers it seemed like luxury. Sharjah's runway wasnt long enough for a Victor K1, so we used the airport at a nearby town called Dubai, where some of the buildings were at least 5 stories tall!
That view of the runway at #113 was, as I recall, very similar to that at Dubai just along the coast, with a real risk of misidentification! Little did we think back then how things might change in that area.