Oldbeefer.........
Dead right...but not only did I also mend it away from base (I didn't do engine changes of course!) but I did the AF, BF and T/R plus minor rectifications, as I am sure you did too but I also used to navigate it, keep control of what was happening in the back, abseiling, fast roping, ordinary roping, check and supervise the rigging of USLs, brief the troops, do Decca let downs and generally remain a good egg with good banter to make it an enjoyable experience...........oh! and order the in-flight rations! I could transmit a passable radio message, fly the helicopter if the single pilot had a heart attack (!) (Wessex, Puma and the (Chinook - with Auto pilot engaged), give performance figs for all, monitor the emergency drills, pre-take-offs, pre-landing checks, refuel using kelston, zenith or zwicky (?) pumps from barrels, tankers or out the back of a Herc all on NVG if necessary, I could be winch operator or winchman to rescue people and I could kill people if I wanted with the GPMG or the Mini Gun.
So all in all the crewman world has come on apace from your day - but I'm sure you did your best but how committed to the aircrew life were you really?
Most technicians/crewmen have told me they preferred the groundcrew option and eventually reverted back to their basic trade.