SAR Wing Finningley 1980's [Archive]

7of9

2nd Aug 2009, 17:47

Here is a photo taken at RAF Finningley back in the early 1980's.
My dad Ex Chief Tech Bill Marshall gave me the photo to display. There is no photographers name on the said photo so assuming that it was taken by the Photography section at Finningley.

Bill is Back row 2nd person from the left.
Anyone recognise them selves or want to add names to the faces???

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b106/kirksandall/SAR.jpg

Hope this brings happy memorise to someone, by the way for those of you who knew Bill, he's still going strong & will be 80 years old in November this year.

Cheers Trev

startermotor

3rd Aug 2009, 12:23

Hi Trev,
I was at Finningley (HQ SAR Wing) Engine Bay, from late 1984 to Jan 88.
I worked with Bill before being posted to Cyprus.
He used to amuse me with many a story about his RAF career.
I have to say, he was one of the old school C/Ts and one of the nicest guys I have had the pleasure of working for.
I am writing this at work during my lunch break and unfortunately can't view the picture, I will look at it tonight to see if I recognise any one.

Is he still playing golf?

Regards

Paul

7of9

3rd Aug 2009, 12:32

Hi Paul,
No he doesn't play golf any more, he's 80 in November & usual ailments that our seniors have are applying to him, he gave up about 5 years ago.

Trev.

startermotor

3rd Aug 2009, 12:44

I just wondered if he was still playing, as I knew it was one of his great passions.
He was always a very fit guy, and took great pleasure in telling the whole team, that during a medical he undertook at the age of 50 (I think), that he hadn't gained even one pound since he joined up.
I will look at the pic tonight and let you know if there are any familiar faces.

Paul

Biggles225

3rd Aug 2009, 19:46

If its the same Bill Marshall I remember, has he still got the stone gnome that gave us all such amusement? If it isn't this will be wasted!!

7of9

3rd Aug 2009, 23:52

Not sure what you mean by the "stone gnome" so will ask dad later & maybe shed light on it.

Trev

threeputt

4th Aug 2009, 09:00

I was a Navigator Instructor, on 6FTS, between 1980 and 84 and also a station golfer. Your dad and I, Mike Cummins and Mick Feeney represented the station on many occasions. Your dad was a great competitor who didn't like to lose. Please give him my warmest regards.I've got a photograph somewhere showing us all with a trophy, I will try and dig it out.

3P:ok: (Jerry Gegg)

c130jtechie

4th Aug 2009, 09:33

Hi 7of9

I remember your Dad, a Sooty if I am correct, a great character, I'm sure I'm 2nd row from the front fifth one in and I'm sure that's Rodger Pylon sat next to me in the light blue shirt (If the photo was betweem 1982 and 1985.

All the very best to Bill.

TorqueOfTheDevil

4th Aug 2009, 15:25

Slightly off thread, but I hope people reading this thread might be able to help...

Does anyone know names and dates of Flt Cdrs on 1564 Flt from when it started in the Falklands in 1983 until it was absorbed into 78 Sqn in 1986? This is a genuine request as I am involved in creating a Flt Cdrs board for the current unit at MPA; the Air Historical Branch and National Archive have supplied information for 1564 Flt's existence in the 1940s and 1960s, but surprisingly they have virtually nothing for the 1980s.

Any posts or PMs would be much appreciated.

Gainesy

4th Aug 2009, 16:05

Front row, second from right, (chap with Mars bar in top left pocket) looks a bit like Roland "Jacko" Jackson, ex-Witt Harrier rigger.

Arclite01

4th Aug 2009, 16:11

Is that a Whirlwind in the centre at the back ?? - when did they go out of service on the SAR flights ??

Arc

7of9

5th Aug 2009, 00:58

Yes it is a Whirlwind, & they were retired not long after the photo was taken.
Sorry i can't give you a date but sure someone else will soon.

Trev

Adam Nams

5th Aug 2009, 01:06

Does anyone know names and dates of Flt Cdrs on 1564 Flt from when it started in the Falklands in 1983

I am sure that John Prince was one of them......
or was that 1983 Flt in 1564? ;)

He used to tell me that when they operated from the first base (Navy Point?) they only ever had one file, which the adj (Eric Cox IIRC) used to carry arround with him. Not sure if it was officially 1564 Flt at that point.

I am involved in creating a Flt Cdrs board for the current unit at MPA

Is the DVD player U/S?

TorqueOfTheDevil

5th Aug 2009, 07:39

Adam,

Seeing as you were helpful, I won't bite...!

TOTD

Lingo Dan

5th Aug 2009, 07:59

I'm pretty sure that SARTU at Valley was the last unit to operate the Whirlwind. The Wessex arrived early in 1981 and we delivered the Whirlwinds to Leconfield on 4 Feb 81. My logbook shows 1.35 in XP 353.

sycamore

5th Aug 2009, 11:51

Arc and 7of9, last WW was XJ729,last flight 17 Dec 81, .o5 mins,track check, day after they`d been grounded in UK;well,you just have to get airborne,if you suddenly get `ground resonance` after a blade change...! 84 in AK still operated for a bit; `729` still flies in civil guise.G-BVGE.

teeteringhead

5th Aug 2009, 13:10

I'm pretty sure that SARTU at Valley was the last unit to operate the Whirlwind...didn't 84 have them later than SARTU? Or don't they count as SAR ..... (they certainly didn't count as SH! ;))

Lingo Dan

5th Aug 2009, 15:00

Reckon you're right about 84 Sqn being the last. I'd forgotten about them!

SinkingMallard

8th Aug 2009, 09:23

Any chance of posting a higher resolution photo so we can zoom in a bit?

Al R

8th Aug 2009, 09:30

Mallard,

Have you tried pressing your <control> key on your keyboard and scrolling your mouse wheel at the same time? That changes the size of screen images.

7of9

8th Aug 2009, 13:43

Any chance of posting a higher resolution photo so we can zoom in a bit?

Tried tweeking it a bit but don't think it's any better, see what you think???

Trev

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b106/kirksandall/SAR-1.jpg

zetec2

6th Sep 2009, 15:09

To follow on from the photo of SAR wing people. I was a "Sooty" on SAR from 1979-83 (back row second in from right), worked in the engine bay with Bill Marshall, Ginge Roper etc up to the time when we set up the deep strip facility, then ran the Wessex engine team on the hangar floor. The photo was taken in May 1981 just after IAT at Greenham Common, the Sea King ZA105 had won the concours & had just 305 hours on it, we inherited it from Boscombe Down, the Wessex is XT602, the Whirlwind XJ729, it was pensioned of early 1981 & lifted back to Finningley from Valley under a Sea King (can show photos of the lift), became a pain in the rear as we were forever shuttling it in & out to fit Wessex & SK's in the hangar, again have piccies of the pushing & shoving of the thing, we did do an engine run on it in early 83 as an exercise, Ginge Roper has a lot to answer for that although it proved that with modding to date could have been made airworthy again !. Re Gainesy's post the chap 2nd from right front row (not a Mars Bar in his pocket but sunglasses case) is Paul Wilson, Roly Jackson is not in the picture, it was taken by Ralph Brooks the Finningley Station photog & is one of a sequence.
Rgds Paul H, Bicester.

zetec2

7th Sep 2009, 13:28

Re C130Jjtechie post on page 1, 2nd row up 5 in from left is Sgt Mick Harris, rigger. From right, 5 in is SAC Mark Donovan, sooty. hope helps, as before the photo was taken in May 1981 after IAT Greenham Common.
Paul H.

sycamore

7th Sep 2009, 17:47

Zetec2,how dare you complain about my favourite WW....!I think the little grey cells need a bit of OX-38,good for hair restoring as well,Paul,see earlier post; F/S RP would be proud of her..where`s my old sparring partner now, F/S GB ?

zetec2

7th Sep 2009, 18:41

Further to earlier posts, the Whirlwind XJ729 was at Finningley in May 1981 & was not a flyer at that time !, the group photo must be early July 1981 as IAT took place over weekend June 27 1981 when the Sea King ZA105 won Concours in the Sea Search comp, also we had the Sycamore which was also a pain in the rear that being an occupier of valuable bay space, remember GB, our beloved Flt Sgt George Brown but the other initials elude me, clues please ? the OX38 long since drained from my veins replaced later by Aeroshell 100. lets have more, re the group photo I have a few blank spaces re names can anyone help send/exchange info to fill in the blanks. Also "it's a small world" theme re SAR, some of you will remember my eldest Stephen used to come along on Wessex & Sea King flights/jollies usually chauffered by Brian Skillicorn, talking today with him tells me he has Paul Bancroft (3rd row up from bottom, 4th in from left) working for him on Rolls Royce projects, can't get away from SAR people ??? (would posters on this thread pm me your names so we can build up a list of SAR people out there - reunion maybe ???) Regards Paul H, Bicester.

turkeyjay

13th Oct 2009, 11:13

I can identify myself in the photo, John Turner, back row 5 from the right with Kev Rutter next to me on my left. Both of us Corporals worked in the SARW Components Bay. Also front row, fourth from the left, is Cpl Ron Snaith (stacker!), but we still spoke to him. Ginge Roppers stories were legendary and I never heard him repeat one! Enjoyed every minute at SARW Finningley!

sycamore

13th Oct 2009, 18:10

Zetec2,Roger Pilon,or was he a W/O.....?Syc......

c130jtechie

14th Oct 2009, 06:52

turkeyjay

3 years at Wyton and it now clicks where I remembered you from. I worked with Mal on the Herc IPT. SARW was the best first posting anyone could ever have.........

zetec2

14th Oct 2009, 12:04

Good to see the bodies in the picture coming out of the woodwork, lets have some more of you, but still don't remember Roger Pylon/Pilon ????Paul H.

bas.turvey

12th Jun 2014, 20:29

As far as I am aware ZA105 was never at Boscombe . It arrive at RAF Coltishall from Westlands with 12.15 hrs. It remained at Coltishall until we were sent to the Falklands in 1982 and it came with us

zetec2

13th Jun 2014, 07:48

Hi Trev I can name all but 2 of them, I am stood last but one back row on the right, picture was taken by Ralph, the Cpl photog, ace bloke, available for weddings, funerals, Bar Mitzva's etc, etc, I worked with Dad as you may remember in the engine bay along with Ginge Roper, photo was taken after IAT 1981, aircraft are Sea King ZA105, our newest aircraft only had 305 hours on the airframe, Wessex XT602, & Whirlwind XJ729, pm me if you need full list, will stick it in post, B Rgds, Paul H, Bicester.

GIGFY

15th Jun 2014, 00:50

Unfortunately you will not find me in this photograph. Most of my service life was with SAR and my last job for Finningley was to select the choppers required for the Falklands. At first I didn't remember Bill but with all aged memories, his likeness has surfaced and I recall many laughs with him. I think the "stone gnome" is a direct pointer to the engines used by the Whirlwind. I'll let a sooty explain that one. As mentioned in previous Pprune threads, I had the pleasure of renovating the Sycamore Mk14, XJ380 prior to taking a post to Lossie followed by Leconfield and my migration to Australia.
One reason for leaving, voluntarily, was the likes of Bill were exiting the RAF at great speed; Bob Nesbit, Ginge Roper (Bill's old boss?). These were characters not see since the introduction of National Service; in fact, they were probably the remnant of that era.

GIGFY (Bob Botwood)

Saintsman

15th Jun 2014, 17:48

Does anyone know names and dates of Flt Cdrs on 1564 Flt from when it started in the Falklands in 1983

The first SAR flight in the Falklands was in 1982 (though may not have been known as 1564 Flt). I was at Coltishall when they moved the existing flight from there.

I remember doing all the packing for it, though I left on posting in the July and they went about a week afterwards.

old10ge

17th Jun 2014, 08:16

Ginge is still telling his tales, I pop in to his shop to see him occasionally and I see Bob Nisbet walking into town to keep fit, though apparently he does catch the bus home after his visit to Ginge.

bas.turvey

3rd Oct 2014, 20:40

The 1st SAR Flight in the Falklands was C Flt 202 Sqn. Known locally as SAR Det. But we were still controlled by Finningly

BigO59

7th Dec 2016, 19:37

Great to see this photo once again probably half the crew have passed to the Happy Hunting ground in the Sky. I can't find myself - Paul Oughton due to the image quality but definitely remember the photo being taken. The trip to the Falklands on the Contender Bezant with the 4 Cabs was my first real job as a shiney new Cpl along with Paul "Bonker" Bancroft, Roly Pemberton, Paul Bunney and Georgie Bayles. Navy Point took some work but we managed OK. Norrie Rough was our first Flt Cdr and a thoroughly nice bloke. Check out the HQ SARW page on Facebook to see the old gang - Happy Days!