Baggers not so easy now
H "n" H
I also remember the days of the 9 cab ASW CAG. We would always have one in Min strip, leaving 8 to play with. The routine we worked was "long day, short day" or modified 10 about, I must admit the 8 about the Puff jets worked was not very attractive. we worked this routine from embarkation to disembarkation, and it always made us laugh when the ship would make pipes praising themselves for being in defence watches for "2 days now!" or similar. The baggers (Mk2s) would generally fly when the jets did and they did have an easier time than us. We used to rib them about it, but being from Culdrose, we all knew eachother so it was good natured. That all changed when the mk7 baggers came in and I found myself on an 849 unit, my initial, "this is going to be easy" thoughts were soon dispelled as the capability of the aircraft became known. Lets just say 10 days continuous flying from a pool of 3 aircraft, plus milk/mail collecting, viptax and SAR (the 771 cab was bust) off Somalia was an eye opener.