ASCOT Callsign...

[Logistics Loader]

A question for the old sweats.

Where does the origin of the ASCOT callsign come from.. ??

I'm lead to believe its from Air Support Command Overseas Transport....

Can anyone confirm this.... few beers riding on it...

[retrosgone]

I believe you are close, but think it was derived from "Air Support Command Operational Transport".

[spekesoftly]

Or "Air Support Command Operational Task" ?

[Chugalug2]

Retro has it as I remember. Perhaps worth adding that it was a play on words as "Ascot" was the propriety name of a ubiquitous gas fired hot water boiler, wall mounted over the kitchen sink. Probably a case of Grannies and Eggs, but it was a long time ago! :ok:

[sparkie]

I concur, Air Support Command Operational Task..after many years spent in various Flight Watch postings (Upavon/Cyprus/Gan/Singapore) I recall seeing the ASCOT Acronym regularly, with its meaning listed.

Sad to say (donning anorak) even got to know most of the Selcal codes associated with the H/F SSB fitted aircraft. :sad:

[Logistics Loader]

Gents,

I proffer sincere thanks for your greater knowledge.....

Rgds

LL

aka Ascot 2054

[buoy15]

Air Support Command Overseas Trainer - is most probably correct, as they used it to go down route, supposedly checking out the new boys:hmm:

[bigjok]

buoy 15; I think that is a red herring. I'm for Air Support Command Operational Task number.

[brakedwell]

Air Support Command Operational Task - for certain!

[Biggus]

bigjok.....

I think buoy15 was attempting humour, no doubt tinged with jealousy (all those Kinloss-Kinloss trips)?


.... and the T in ASCOT meant "Task"!

[airsound]

I think there's another explanation. Several of the Very Highly Paid Help at the top of Air Support Command and 38 Gp were keen on the nags. So it tickled their fancy, if you'll pardon the phrase, M'lud, to have 'their' aircraft going under an international callsign that reflected the Great British Social Occasion which none of them would want to miss. I'm a bit surprised they didn't insist on 'Royal Ascot'.

I think the exact meaning of the 'OT' came later, in post-event justification.

All very British, and redolent of a different era.....

airsound

[D-IFF_ident]

So is there a more relevant callsign that might be applied today?

How about 'Vintage'?

[brakedwell]

or OBSOFLEET?

[Chugalug2]

I'm a bit surprised they didn't insist on 'Royal Ascot'

You may say that, airsound, and as regards the SRT set at BN you might well be right. I couldn't possibly comment! :) As to the MRT lot at Wootton Lynestoke, the sink heater was far more appropriate. We were the great unwashed after all, and proud of it! :ok:

[cazatou]

airsound

Go to the top of the class!!

US Civil Air Traffic Controllers used insist on putting "Royal" before "Ascot" in the late 60's. Of course I was only a young Co-Pilot then!!

[airsound]

Ah, Wootton Lynestoke, a name to conjure with. My feeble brain can't remember the name of the excellent cartoon strip where all those magical places existed. And the only staging post I can come up with at the mo is KhorMate.

Tangentially, and forgive a teensy thread-creep, ASC's predecessor was of course the fabled Transport Command, whose motto was Ferio Ferendo, which being properly translated means 'My job is carrying stuff', but which we all knew really meant '**** off, we're full up'.

Retires to await incoming, which might not get here because of an AOG or somesuch.

airsound

[brakedwell]

I remember a US trip in the late sixties when our callsign was Ascot 6555. After the first VHF contact with US ATC we were Ascot six triple nickel from then on.

[brakedwell]

Ah, Wootton Lynestoke, a name to conjure with. My feeble brain can't remember the name of the excellent cartoon strip where all those magical places existed. And the only staging post I can come up with at the mo is KhorMate.
How about Malcolm Fraser's Admin & Org?

[Vasco Sodcat]

Airsound, just Google "Rompers Green" and you'll be transported (pun intended) right back; there's also a thread about Rompers on here somewhere....

[Pontius Navigator]

And the rest of th eplebs used to use RAFAIR except for the V-Force that chose to use RAFJet. After quite some time this was squashed and we had to use RAFAIR like everyone else.

[airsound]

Vasco - thanks! I spent a happy hour (no, not one of those) wallowing in the exploits of Flt Lt Coole and Ascart 4321, with a lot of L O L -ing.

But actually, that wasn't the strip I remembered - the one I was talking about was an even older predecessor, also in the Wootton Lynestoke Globe. And the joke about the propeller falling off being just a gauge fault originated with a Britannia..... (but none the worse for that)

But, being an ex Belslow person, I loved the idea of a Belslow crew still waiting in Glander 18 months after the Queen of the Skies had gone out of service, thinking one was going to arrive any time...... That would have been my fault, cos I was the last Flt Cdr Ops on 53, when the grateful Govt disbanded us. (only to hire the old girl rapidly back at great expense for the Falklands, but that's another story)

Anyway, I particularly like your name - I was a Vasco too, and I've always claimed to be a founder member of SODCAT. (Society of Directional Consultants and Allied Trades, for the uninitiated)

I guess we probably know each other.....?

airsound

[OmegaV6]

I'm proud to say I STILL have both the "bound" copies of the "Rompers Green" articles, originals all done by Chas Finn-Kelcey .. :)

Vol 1 1977 - 1979
Vol 2 1980 - 1982 (signed by Chas for me when we worked on the OCU - or was it Hercules Training Flight then ? - together :) )

Those were the days .. bring back NACEVAL & GROPE

Always remember the fight to spot "startrek" when the Globe came out ...

Showing my age now .....

:)

[27mm]

Not sure if they had Ascot callsigns, but many thanks to the Herc mates who flew over Wood Norton in Norfolk on Friday afternoon around 3pm - great to see and hear some heavy metal!

[Chugalug2]

But actually, that wasn't the strip I remembered - the one I was talking about was an even older predecessor, also in the Wootton Lynestoke Globe.

Me too, airsound. All very long ago now, but I seem to recall the staging posts at El 'Addit and the Isle of Gin. Oh yes, and the ever repeated stricture;" No tlikit, no flyup" in the Transit Hotels! I remember that both Admin and Org were on an ever lasting quest for something or other, I just can't remember what! I bet someone does though. :ok:

[brakedwell]

The author/artist who penned Admin & Org is still going strong and always attends the Britannia Association annual reunion.

[Vage Rot]

A question for the old sweats.

Where does the origin of the ASCOT callsign come from.. ??

I'm lead to believe its from Air Support Command Overseas Transport....

I heard a diferent story - back in the days when ME aircrew were all chopped FJ/Rotary aircrew, ASCOT simply stood for:

Another Sore C:mad:t On Transport:}

[stickmonkeytamer]

When they used to type using manual typewriters, the stn ops staff could type faster than the keys could move. RRR on a F2919 callsign field came about when the R key was stuck down. When asked what happened to the field by the captain, the ops assistant explained "The Rs caught". From then on it was known as ASCOT...

Easy to see I've written a fantasy book!

I'll get my coat.

SMT

[cazatou]

Vage Rot

Back in the days when "Ascot" was introduced as the Transport callsign an Andover was making its serene way along an Airway in Italy when the Captain (one Flt Lt "Jock" Craig) said to his Nav "Where's Mount Etna ?" The Nav, after a flurry of charts, came up with the answer that it was at least 20 NM's away to Stbd. Jock then said "Oh, I just wondered - I got my first 190 over Etna".

[Vage Rot]

:)Easy fishing really!!:D

[cazatou]

Vage Rot

So how many visually aimed guns kills have you got?

On the same Sqn was a MAQM Don Hayward who, as an airgunner, had been shot down twice over enemy occupied territory and got back to Allied territory both times - although the second time he spent several months with the French Resistance fighting the Germans down here in the Midi. He was one of the first into Ouradour sur Glane after the SS had massacred all the population they could lay their hands on.

[JOE-FBS]

A fellow PPL student and I were discussing royal airspace earlier this week and this led around to the Ascot callsign. I think it is all RAF transport flights, he thinks it is royals and other VIPs only. Is anybody able to enlighten us, please?

[brakedwell]

All Air Support Command flights were prefixed with ASCOT, preceding a four figure flight number which depended on aircraft type and route (scheduled or special) I seem to remember VC 10's and Comets used Ascot 2***, Argosy - 4***, Britannia - 6*** and VIP flights used 1***.

[Logistics Loader]

Joe...

Royal Flts use the prefix Kitty..............

Ascot was and as far as i know only used for transport ops aircraft...


Brakedwell...

You are correct on the VC10... 2 series flight numbers

Tristar was 3 series
Mk1 Herc 4 series
Mk3 Herc 5 series

I think the 6 series went to tankers....

8 series was allocated to MOD charters..ie when Britannia Airways did the Gutersloh charter it was RR8950 outbound and RR8951 inbound to Luton..

Rgds

LL

[cazatou]

The Queens Flight used "Kittyhawk" - other Transport Aircraft flying Royals would use a normal Ascot callsign.

[Tourist]

What about the non RAF aircraft with Ascot callsigns, do they get a number code?

[Biggles225]

For AIRSOUND:
As my poor ole brain recalls, Wooton Lynestoke was inveted in a Lyneham Globe cartoon in the 60's. The main characters were 2 Civil Servants named Admin and Org and I think the series was drawn by a Nav. Alway good for a political dig!
Ascot was the Transport Command callsign, Im pleased to see its still in use!
Now that does show my age :}

[brakedwell]

Malcolm Fraser, a Britannia captain, penned the adventures of Admin & Org

[Biggles225]

Thanks Brakewell, you've got to forgive me, it was a :mad: long time ago!

[Rattus]

Today's useless fact:
COTAM means the same en Francais - Chiffre Operationnel de Transport Aerien Militaire

[Mr-Burns]

ASCOT

Aren't Supporting Cock-all On Task

After Six Crew On Tetleys

over to you ..............

[Pontius Navigator]

The brain works in mysterious ways. Just remembered that we used to use a five-letter international callsign rather than the trigraph+2 or the RAFJET+4.

Now Stateside the controller used to use words rather than phoenetics wherever possible. One ranger we were given a callsign whose possibilities we failed to notice - Mike Tango Uniform Romeo Delta. Not so the Yanks who quickly shortened it to 2 words :\