Flights through Gan
Nugget90 - your#41
Thank you for stirring the memory cells! Two things I particularly remember about Gan: (1) those hot, still nights and an aircraft loaded with fuel & payload to the last lb of its AUW for that long drag up towards Masirah, over Iran and Turkey to destination Akrotiri – V1 seemed to take an age to come up with not over-much stopping room left, and then how at lift-off one was immediately plunged into a totally dark environment as we climbed away over the water. (2) you mention post-flight fried chicken but my recall is of bangers & chips, a match made in heaven with a cold beer or two (or more!)
Re uniform this was something the shiny element of the transport force never got right, for to the best of my knowledge it was the only flight organisation in the entire world that required its crews to buy their dress out of their own pockets (and no allowance for it) – I refer to tropical uniform, although of course for officers the no.1 blue was also a 'private' purchase – a most convenient arrangement for HM Treasury! Visiting international airports in the superb VC10 it was good to meet the 707s and suchlike on equal terms, but I always felt sadly let down by our rumpled, dowdy KD – what high-up goon thought this to be suitable wear in the late 20C for those tasked with upholding the honour and prestige of her Majesty's Royal Air Force?