Xercules,
Talk about fast. Thank you very much for that account, which explains most of what I requested and certainly shows that Lyneham, whilst so dear to many of us, did not begin the career of Albert in the RAF. I'm surprised though that the first squadron formed at Colerne, I arrived there in March 71, as I recall, and there was no sign of active flying. The Base 3 team I was employed on produced one air test per month, the Base two teams two. By my reckoning 10 flight tests per month, with possible "follow on" flights, what a sleepy little unit Colerne had become. In my recollection, at the time, we never saw aircraft coming from Fairford, so they must have moved by my time 71-73, but certainly serviced aircraft from Thorney Island (the OCU?) and from 70 in Cyprus. I well remember the crew turning up to relieve us of the contents of the emergency radio compartment (Mainly Cyprus Brandy and 555 cigarettes), after customs had cleared us to work on it. As you say, AA62 may be able to tie my time at Colerne to 48 Squadron. I can't remember hearing of an aircraft from there coming back for Base 2 or 3 servicing, although I distinctly remember one that did the Dacca airlift ?
SF, interesting that that is how their life started. I only knew them from my days as a GE, and was lucky enough to do a few detachments etc with some very professional operators. I wonder if S&D had similar precedent, they of course had their very own GE, who was taught how to make tea and coffee properly at the galley. One of the things that has opened my eyes on this thread is how little I really knew of the History of the C130K in RAF service, despite having minor involvement in some of it. Keep the information coming in chaps, and somebody give Chickenlover a wake up call, he must have more of those splendid photographs.
Smudge
