Trembling One Groundcrew Mutiny
LightningMate:-
Off the main topic I know, but:-
This incident (incidents, as there were two) took place at Valley during an MPC and then on exercise at Luqa, both in 1968.
The Great Groundcrew Mutiny, which title entered our annals with tongue in cheek, centred around a certain officer, who was easily the worst example of his type--not just in "human" terms, but managerially and professionally. This guy was actively hated, and it was because of him that we all refused to join in a squadron booze-up in Malta.
Wing Cmdr. Les Swart, the CO, came into the airman's club and pleaded with us to come along to the party. It was hard to refuse Swart, who was respected, but it was quietly explained to him that no one wanted to have anything to do with the culprit.
Swart understood, wished us well and we had our own party. Our spies elsewhere later let it be known that the said person was hauled over the coals. The Valley incident had been less obtrusive as I dimly remember--various "humourous" signs painted up around the crew rooms, but people got the message all the same.
Much, much, later I had the great pleasure of cutting the offending person dead when I was a civilian and he was introduced to me. Little victory perhaps, but I felt he was paid back for the petty vindictiveness he displayed to people to whom he should have set a better example.
Apart from that----two great tours on the magnificent Lightning!