Originally Posted by
Blacksheep
On either a Mick or Micky Finn we would prep all the Line aircraft, do "Combats" and then disarm again. In one "Mick" we certainly declared all aircraft (except the hangar queen that had lost a wingtip in a towing accident) ready before lunch and half an hour later we had to send the whole lot off.
Waddo could generally complete its main force generation, including the 4 at Finningley, comfortably under 5 hours. Given an 0400 start they would be ready for the go before 1000. Alcon 1 was often called 0930-1000. I recall one disperse when we 'lost' and aircraft.
It had not been declared combat available and was supposedly waiting for weapons load. Once all the noise had died down we were waiting on its state declaration but only got silence.
I went out and found it had gone to Manston (Frank Bonfield) and no one had a record of its ready times. The crew had just completed the checks and weapon load commenced when the disperal order was given. The Nav Rad was in the bombbay doing the acceptance checks when the engines spooled up. He sh^t and shot out of the bombbay, into the aircraft, doors closed and off they went.