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Old 18th Feb 2008, 09:14
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johnfairr
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
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As a totally pointless snippet of information, I trained with Ken McKenzie at RAF Finningley in 1973, when I was an ab initio Nav stude, and he and Keith Tatman were on exchange to the RAF, having already done tours as lookers in Sea Kings.

They were an absolute breath of fresh air to the staid training establishment that was Nav School. I learnt more about being an officer from Keith than I ever learned from equivalent RAF mates.

One incident stands out when the PMC (from memory, a W/C Admin, ex-pilot called M*j*r, as in Catch-22) noticed that at 7:01pm one evening, both RN chaps appeared to be out of dress order. Keith and Ken re-appeared 5 minutes later, dressed in No 5's which was apparently Red Sea Rig and told a bemused PMC that this was the correct rig for the time of day in the RN. Collapse of stout PMC and much chortling by many studes . . .

Ken went to Honnington for RAF Bucc training and Keith to Conningsby for F-4s, with me, and he eventually ended up on 31 Sqn at Bruggen, where the pilot he'd been crewed with on the OCU, managed to take off in more Naval Style than is deemed necessary, his wings folding as he rotated. The old adage "Don't Assume, Check" reared its ugly head at the BoI.

I believe Ken was also, as a secondary duty, a clearance diver.

Happy days!

jf
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