Originally Posted by
Wander00
had made the phone call to test there was an SDO about,
Which chimes very nicely with a story about the stn cdr of, I think, Scampton visiting the bunker at SAC.
Their world-wide communications system was being demonstrated. It was something along the lines of the controller sending out a call request which was acknowledged by a lamp appearing against each SAC unit called. In seconds every lamp on the panel was illuminated and the SAC Controller could then issue any message eg This is a test broadcast. Receipt then acknowledged by the lamps extinguishing, or something along those lines.
The stn cdr was impressed. The SAC controller then said he could call any RAF base too.
At this point the stn cdr made a stupid error: "Get me the SDO at Scampton" with predictable and embarrassing results
PS, it was around that time that I saw Gp Capt Ops at BCO in the mess at High Wycombe with a mobile telephone. It was a standard black GPO telephone mounted on a case around half the size of a car battery. Very impressive.