JACIG
I recall a memorable JACIG trip to Schoenefeld Airfield in East Berlin when the only route in was via the Baltic Sea and down through Polish airspace. Slightly embarrassing when our route maps went white at the border. Saved by a tatty Jeppesen we made it to find that the entire crew were accommodated in one room. "Nein danke" we said. "But Interflug crews always stay in one room", they said. " You speak the lingo, Nav, tell them about 38Gp Regs" Turning to the Herr Flick fellow I said "Singleroomsfor seniorofficersandcaptainandofficersdonotsharewithairmenaircr ew" "Vun moment" he said and there we were with a fourteen bed dormitory each. I won't mention losing our minder in the bars of East Berlin when he got p****d and we slipped away when he went to the bog but things got a bit chilly when the Vopos found us. They also baulked at the 10 bottles of bull's blood requested at dinner but we said we were off our food. I swear that the steaks were equine.
They got their own back when we demanded to go to Cottbus and they refused. You Must comply we said. You can't land there, it's a helicopter base and the runways are pot holed. ..... Bugger
The visit to Potsdam was marred by me pointing out that the Union Flag on the conference table was upside down.
"If it was good enough for Churchill it should be good enough for you!" was the reply. "Tell him who won the war" said the Detco. "They all speak English" I said "they react to comments before I translate"
"Very clever, Englishman" said Herr Flick
At the farewell cocktail party we put on the full "Iceland spread" from the bulk rations with glasses full of cigarettes around the tables. It was good to see that the East German Airforce Officers swept all the stuff remaining into their SD caps to take home. Some things are international.
On departure after saying "Da'Svidanye" to the obvious Soviet stool pigeons amongst them we did a "Most righteous" low level departure and climb out. ATC complained until we reminded them that the international pressure settings were millibar/hectopascals and heights in feet not metres, so sorry.
Question: Where did all these anti-West Commies go when the Wall came down? Herr Flick probably runs the "Cancel the British Rebate" part of the E.U.