Yes, I do remember when...
We still had Marine Craft Units.
We still had 'chippies'.
We had Duty Suppliers who actually answered the phone on the second ring at oh-my-god-O'clock.
We still had NCO pilots, even into the late '70's.
We had AOC's parades, complete with station bands.
We had lots of overseas bases.
We had lots of squadrons.
We had lots of aircraft.
We had lots of manpower to get the job done right.
We had lots of spares to get the job done right.
We scrambed for real.
We had no problem getting home and back at weekends because we thumbed it in uniform.
When on trains, we never knew when asked 'you must know my son/uncle/husband, he's in the RAF as well' because the RAF was BIG.
When all our aircraft were British.
When all the equipment on our aircraft was British.
When the Senior and VSO's earned their promotion.
When the VSO's listened and you saw results.
When you got well and truly gassed on GDT.
When each station had a gun club.
When we had FLM's.
When we had WRAF's.
When we got our full entitlement of cold weather kit.
When we were so proud of what we were part of that everyone tried to sign on.
When no-one tried to PVR.
When the rockapes used to brain themselves in the Pen Club fans.
When honkers was a delicacy.
When the RAF woud bend over backwards, officially or otherwise, to help you, one of their own.
When the only time you had to run was to catch the bus to the NAAFI.
When you could bum a lift in Anybody's-Air-Force aircraft.
When low flying was exciting because it was exciting, not because someone might screw you afterwards.
When there was always room on an indulgence flight.
Yes, I remember when...it was when I was young.
camlobe