Phew! Finally worked my way to the end of this saga on Fat Albert so can now comment...fascinating.
I joined via No 1 course at Thorney, did a tour on 48 in Changi, back to the OCU to instruct (the blind leading the near blind) thence to Lyneham to work in TFS (known to some as "That's Saturday f****d"). I see there are photos in the thread of the dreaded Jatfor that I was involved with.
I had just been moved into Wing when the great chop started and I went off to Farnborough.
I think for all my time the aircraft it was still in the s**t and sawdust paint scheme and without either the extension fitted or that big nozzle thing on the roof.
Not for me the South Atlantic or all the fantastic jobs the later guys (and girls!) did. It embarasses me that most of the things I did were more in the nature of swanning round the world at no expense to the individual. I still attend service functions and am one of the few without any form of medal.
However, I still had a great time and must now dig out some slides that I took of the early days.
Lou