I was doing an apprenticeship with Fairey Aviation in Hayes from 47 to 52 and joined 604 Sqn County of Middlesex as an airframe fitter at Hendon. We had Spitfire 16s then and used to commute from Hayes to Hendon every weekend on my BSA 350.
The Spits were replaced by Vampire F3s from Germany and we had to move with 601 Sqn to North Weald. I still have a scar on my thumb where a glass L-tube broke when I was fitting a drop tank to a Vamp 3. Joined full time as an airframe driver in Jan 52, but I still attend the 604 annual lunches at the RAF club.