A marvellous thread.
Would there be any interest in the ramblings of a Metman spanning 41 years of almost continuous service with [ie on airfields] the RAF? An outsider's privileged close-up?
If so, would start a new thread.
You name it, I closed it: Nicosia, Topcliffe, Leeming [failed], Guetersloh, Finningley, JHQ as senior forecaster, Bawtry, JHQ as CMetO, Brize [failed] and a million dets.