Originally Posted by
Mike Jenvey
There could only be one Joe L'Estrange! ***
Flew with him on
50 Sqn, Vulcan K2, XH560, 29 Feb 1984, & last flight, 01 Mar 1984, Vulcan B2, XM597. We disbanded at the end of that month, when (IIRC) he did the final display. He went on to AEF flying at some stage afterwards. Marvellous character!!
(*** = apparently not, there is another one! But not much chance of getting them mixed up...)
Joe did the
50 Sqn disbandment flight, and my ears are still ringing, as he stood the aircraft on its tail over 5 hangar, the roof rattled and all sorts of bird guano and nesting materials descended over the parade.
As a regular see off and debrief erk, had many dealings with him, and he was a real gent. Another of 50's gents was AEO Sqn Ldr John Shaw, who provided the 'go cart' for the race round E dispersal. (It was his ride on lawn mower in for a service with the Radar SNCO.....
)