DC T,
I can relate to your experience, with a wee experience of my own. I was allocated as GE to a Red Arrows support trip to the Jersey Air Show. I believe that the "stars" had arrived the day before, their back seaters doing the A/Fs etc. off we went from sunny Lyneham to be hit with a talk down to the airfield sue to "poor viz", ISTR fog. Our Captain, one M*x B****n did a splendid job as always in some serious meteorological conditions to ensure that "The Reds" had their spares, back up crew and gizzits ! I believe we were the only aircraft to manage to land on that Friday, I'm sure our skipper had some input to that, and, our delight to be invited to the beer call in the hangar on landing was music to our ears. Now, the toe curling bit. A chap with Sqn Ldr rank badges on his shoulders in a bright red flying suit took my Captain to task, he berated him on his own attendance in the hangar. It was for "the performers" not the hangars on, he also took exception to our skipper bringing along non commissioned ranks. From his attitude, it seemed there was a bad smell coming from just below his nostrils. So, surprise that at 0700 hrs the next morning ASCOT 4*** departed for repairs to Lyneham. For some reason FATCOCK were unable to recover the Reds Support crew until the following Wednesday. Might I just say that having spent 30 years in the RAF from apprentice to Chief Tech, I never once came across a more obnoxious and self important piece of crap, wrapped up in a red growbag. I wonder why I don't go out of my way to watch Red Arrows displays these days?
Doug,
Combats ? Is the fleet on a constant war footing these days, or is the garb hand me downs from Army purchases ? I must say, I spent some time with SF GW1, and a growbag was never contemplated, DP trousers and a T shirt worked nicely, a black T shirt helped to hide the sweat from some of 4Ds low level work. A memory, GE wise, of the days of changing in to blues to go to the hotel in Gander. I did a couple of trips with a fellow GE who had to have his fun. The crew changed and went off to the Albert Ross as we completed the After Flight and refuel. After changing in to our own blues, he enjoyed spraying a good misting of water over the growbags, lined up along the para seat support rails. End result, with an average January overnight temperature of minus umpty ump, some serious laughs as the front end attempted to don their kit the next morning ! Akin to trying to doff a Jacobs cream cracker. Why my fellow GE felt the need to spray the water I still can't work out, we struggled to get changed ourselves, and we didn't spray ours. Now, did you do Pizza Delight, meet Vera and experience the stretchy soup ? I'm sure, like jungle jogs in the night it was just another tick in your log book.
Best
Smudge
