Actually the only choice to replace the 'sleeve valve' fleet was between the C 130 and the C160 which brings me neatly to my next tale. If anyone out there was involved I welcome corrections, as always.
Anyone still awake at the back may remember my earlier post describing a trip round Thailand which fitted my definition of a 'jolly'. Well here is another one much closer to home.
So make yoursevles comfortable(!) on a para seat mes amis and I will begin.
I was in my office on 30 Sqn catching up on the endless paperwork when one of the Flt Cdrs from 24 Sqn (This was our sister squadron at Lyneham sharing the same building.) He was Mike E. who I knew from 48 at Changi when he was a F/O and I was a F/S. 'How would you like a long weekend in France' was his greeting ? Now the epithet 'beware the Greeks bearing gifts' has much going for it, but Mike was such a nice chap and totally straight that not a flcker of suspicion entered my mind. So I took him off to the crewroom for a coffee where all was explained.
An Armee de L'Air transport squadron at Bricy (Orleans) was due to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its formation and the RAF amongst others had been invited to send an a/c. Now how the 'system' agreed to this is a bit hazy but the captain on this trip was to be from 47 Sqn and he had been on the course at the French Test Pilot's School. He never finished the course due to a lady exercising the 'priorite' from the right knocking him off his moped. The fact that she hit him from behind cut no ice with this madam. So somewhere contacts had been made and we were invited.
We were to be an all officer crew and I cannot remember who the Co or Air Eng were or even if we had a G/E, omissions I blame on the weekend itself !
We had to take our Number 1 and Mess Kit.
The French squadron (cannot remeber the number) had very recently reroled with the C130H after years of France denying they needed any and that the C160 could do it all. At the initail beer call I 'understood' that the costs of this purchase had been buried in the office furniture estimates! This 'understanding' of course has nothing to do with the hospitality on offer.
I shall have to pause there as our grandson has arrived and this tale is taking far longer than I expected. Apologies.