RAF Lindholme - that's Something I Didn't Know
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,573
Received 415 Likes
on
218 Posts
I did the clap joke several posts back to a total lack of acclaim.
The photo was taken at RAF Scampton on 22 Jul 1943 and shows the 617 Sqn crew of Lancaster ED285/`AJ-T' sitting on the grass, posed under stormy clouds.
Left to right: Sergeant G Johnson; Pilot Officer D A MacLean, navigator; Flight Lieutenant J C McCarthy, pilot; Sergeant L Eaton, gunner. In the rear are Sergeant R Batson, gunner; and Sergeant W G Ratcliffe, engineer.
Left to right: Sergeant G Johnson; Pilot Officer D A MacLean, navigator; Flight Lieutenant J C McCarthy, pilot; Sergeant L Eaton, gunner. In the rear are Sergeant R Batson, gunner; and Sergeant W G Ratcliffe, engineer.
OLD RED DAMASK
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Lancashire born. In Cebu now
Age: 70
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did an ATC camp there back in '67, bit too young to get the clap. Varsities and Hastings. Did a trip down to Thorney Island with some VIP on board in a Varsity. Highlight of the week was going up to Finningley to see the Vulcans.
Little did I know then that I would be based at Lindholme during most of '73 doing my (civil ATCO) Area Radar practical training at what was then called Northern Radar, a Joint Air Traffic Control Radar Unit (JATCRU). On my previous visit in 1965 it had been called 'Humber Radar' and prior to being ATC it was an air defence unit designed to spot attacking bombers and direct the Bloodhound SAMs at places like North Coates to hit them before they could hit our Thor ICBM sites eg Hemswell.
In '65 the Hastings had all been grounded due to some airframe problem (I think it was just after an accident at Colerne with a transport version dropping paras) so we only flew in the Varsities however by the time the airfield closed in '72 (the station didn't close until the radar unit did) it was also used for some maintenance on Victors, and one or two were still in one of the hangars in '73. The only unit still based on the airfield then was the bomb score unit, with the bombing school on the main camp.
chevvron,
A Victor? At Lindholme? You sure? I would have thought the runway too small for a Victor.
A Victor? At Lindholme? You sure? I would have thought the runway too small for a Victor.
I think it was a 'standard' 6,000ft bomber runway so just about doable on min fuel I would guess; don't think Radlett was much longer.
Any Victor drivers elucidate? It was definitely in the hangar in '73 and of course they frequently visited Finningley that year too, Lindholme being on final for Finningley.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: 75' from the runway edge and 150' from the threshold
Age: 74
Posts: 247
Received 30 Likes
on
12 Posts
Victors at Lindholme
There were two Victors in the hangars at Lindholme in'72. I went into one hangar and chatted with a civvie contractor who told me that the aircraft were recovering to UK after a flag waving visit somewhere west of the Andes and hit CAT so severe it cracked the main spar joints on both aircraft. IIRC it was either scrap them or convert them to tankers. The aircraft were in the hangers for about two years and I watched the first of them depart Lindolme with about 2 egg cups full of fuel for the literal "hop" over the road to Finningley. There can't have been much fuel as FY only sent one MK IV fire wagon to cover the departure.
I was at Northern Dairies Early 71 to late 73. Having arrived at Lindholme from Wattisham as a singly I departed for Kai Tak after having married the present Mrs 342 in Hatfield Woodhouse.
I was at Northern Dairies Early 71 to late 73. Having arrived at Lindholme from Wattisham as a singly I departed for Kai Tak after having married the present Mrs 342 in Hatfield Woodhouse.
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lincoln UK
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Correct. 543 Sqn Victor XL 193 was flown into Lindholme for a main spar change. The club foot end of the spar was cracked. I and quite a few others spent some considerable time there getting the aircraft ready for the CWP and also recovering it on completion of the spar change.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: South Africa
Age: 87
Posts: 1,329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: avro country
Age: 72
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There were brothels in Donny???
Finningley, sometime around 1980. Saturday night in Donny pub and a local young "lady" approached me and asked if I was RAF. Yes I said. "Good, hold me pint while I go for a slash". As she returned I asked why she asked if I was RAF. Local lads would 'ave supped it she quipped. Then, "Come on, yer've pulled".
She made a decent breakfast as well.
Finningley, sometime around 1980. Saturday night in Donny pub and a local young "lady" approached me and asked if I was RAF. Yes I said. "Good, hold me pint while I go for a slash". As she returned I asked why she asked if I was RAF. Local lads would 'ave supped it she quipped. Then, "Come on, yer've pulled".
She made a decent breakfast as well.
Brilliant! made my day!
I lived in a suberb of Donny for several years, and the tale is very believable. Lovely people, pity about the place.
I lived in a suberb of Donny for several years, and the tale is very believable. Lovely people, pity about the place.
