ATR43,
Sqn Ldr Don Gardner (Gardiner ?) was the boss of 6 AEF during my time there. Whilst I served only as pond life, as I left on promotion to senior pond life circa 77 I did not have the pleasure of your enjoyment of one of Oxfordshires best kept secrets. I remember that one of the regular pilots was a VR gentleman, who had a habit of staying airborne beyond our published working hours, and really pushed the belief in the fuel gauges on each main plane. His late return one day was followed by our refuelling the aircraft with 20 gallons of fuel. Those who know will remember that the gauges had a "full" level of 9 gallons a side. He was pushing it. We decided to bring his late arrivals, and our annoyance, to his attention. So he became the gentleman who taxied on to the pan to be greeted by no marshaller, only a fire extinguisher with a note on it - "Hangar keys under the mat, put it to bed yourself". As I recall he managed to get some help from the duty crew. It had no effect though as I recall. He always came back late. I would admit though that he flew me over the cooling towers at Didcot power station, inverted, insisting it was the best way to see "the workings". 6 AEF was indeed, a great place to work for Groundcrew.
Smudge
