Church Fenton to close this year

[dctyke]

North Yorkshire RAF base to close by end of year (From York Press) (http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/10312306.North_Yorkshire_RAF_base_to_close_by_end_of_year/)

[Lima Juliet]

Sad :{ but inevitable...

We can't afford to keep single airfields for UAS/VGS/AEF. Next? Woodvale, Kenley, Kirknewton, Wyton, Syerston...

LJ

[chopper2004]

I spent my first CCF RAF section camp there in April 91 and remembered it fondly. Unfortunately we got kicked out for the day all us CCf (from schools in Edmonton and Shiplake college) due to funeral of a GR1 pilot who was locally raised up and got shot down during GW1. There was a four ship flyby as for the day we did an orientation exercise around the local area.

Another great time there was in the tower when an F3 crew did a few approaches and take off without actually landing and on the 5th or 6th go they went into full afterburner to impress us!

I did work experience in the Met Office and ended up having coffee with the crew of an Andover from Wildenrath or Gatow (?) that flew in and they were a great bunch of guys.
Also did my AEF flight with the Chippie while the luckiest cadet in our camp got selected for a Tucano flight!

At that time there was a mixture of the JP and the then newer Tucano based there :)

Also the ACLO who was SATCO there who was a Sqn Ldr formerly aircrew who was building his own kit built a/c in one of the sheds. Top bloke great sense of humour and he told us a heart rendering story that he was one of two or the only survivor of a VIp transport that flipped on its back at an Italian air base many years before.

Cheers

[NutLoose]

There is a rather interesting idea being postulated over the likes of Scampton where the council would take over parts of the airfield no longer in use and turn it into a museum come tourist attraction allowing the RAF to continue to utilise the rest of the station with lower running costs, allowing it to stay open. See


VIDEO: Multi-million pound tourist attraction could be created at RAF Scampton | This is Lincolnshire (http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/VIDEO-Multi-million-pound-tourist-attraction/story-18478294-detail/story.html#axzz2O6ELpiRt)


..

[Wensleydale]

I flew on my first CCF AEF from Church Fenton in 1969. My first Bulldog solo was from there in 1975 (YUAS) and also my first JP solo in 1977 when CF was a satellite of Linton-on-Ouse. Needless to say, it carries fond memories.

(Also, my mother was born in one of the farms under the downwind leg in the main runway circuit - it used to have a distinctive yellow roof but that has now gone. It was always amusing to tell any unsuspecting QFI during a PFLWOP after take-off that my Grandfather used to own the field that we were heading for and I would charge landing fees. My great grandfather was landlord of the Blacksmiths' Arms in Biggin at the end of the nineteeth century).

[Lima Juliet]

It seems that Wyton and Kirton in Lyndsey are also to shut their airfields - but on the plus side Wittering is to go back to full MOD flying :ok:

[Roland Pulfrew]

Fenton has to be one of, if not the, friendliest stations I have had the privilege to serve on. The atmosphere on station when it was a full flying training unit with 7FTS in the 80s was great. Great mess (long since demolished), great rivalry between 1 and 2 sqns, solo parties, with nurs....... maybe better to stop there.

Such a shame to hear its finally closing. Sadly it probably means an even sadder gradual decay as the remaining infrastructure is left to rot and the few remaining buildings in good condition - the old SHQ, 1 and 3 hangars, the old RFS building, the tower and the old WRAF block :E - spiral into decline. :sad:

[N707ZS]

Is Topcliffe staying open? might be saved by the army base behind it.

[Lima Juliet]

4 Regt Royal Arty use Topcliffe so the VGS and 2x Yorkshire Air Ambulances should keep the airfield open. :ok:

[langleybaston]

The Met Office at CF was more like a Scout Hut than any Scout Hut! Wooden walls, thin partitions, if you banged the door shut the barograph on the wall received an extra time-mark.
A lot of good people worked there: Ann Wiggins was one of the bosses, another boss was a John ? who was a top-grade football referee, Long John Smith, Bob Ward, Alan Dorward .............
I did a det there during the 1966 World Cup, and they tried to shaft me with all the England match duties.
Tried.

[WPW]

My first posting after trade training, 1972. Worked in Aero Med (nothing to do with Cas-evac flights!) in 2 hanger, between the Gym and flight briefing room.
Arrived as an LAC as my promotion had not come through, the ‘real’ RAF in my block could not understand how one week later I was sewing on Jnr Tech badges - “you cannot be a J/T medic!”
A bit of a shock going from an RAF Hospital with females and a 4 bed room to an all male station and back to 10+ in a barrack room. My only posting in 22 years that had aircraft – chipmunks. Enjoyed my time there.

[ShyTorque]

So sad to hear (yet another bites the dust).

Did my first solo jet from CF in 1977 and was posted in for a short time in 1988 to do my Jet Refresher Course. Lived in the OM, a cracking place to live, especially in the summer.

[Fatjoff]

Fenton has to be one of, if not the, friendliest stations I have had the
privilege to serve on. The atmosphere on station when it was a full flying
training unit with 7FTS in the 80s was great. Great mess (long since
demolished), great rivalry between 1 and 2 sqns, solo parties, with nurs.......
maybe better to stop there.

Such a shame to hear its finally closing.
Sadly it probably means an even sadder gradual decay as the remaining
infrastructure is left to rot and the few remaining buildings in good condition
- the old SHQ, 1 and 3 hangars, the old RFS building, the tower and the old WRAF
block http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/evil.gif
- spiral into decline. http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/puppy_dog_eyes.gif


Completely concur. I have been to CFN a couple of times over the last year and am devestated by the state it is in. I was in the tower 86 - 89 and loved it there. it was one of those rare stns where you knew everybody and everybody knew you. That had its drawbacks. Anyone remember the solo party scandal of 87 in which I was wrongly implicated?

Also the ACLO who was SATCO there who was a Sqn Ldr formerly aircrew who was
building his own kit built a/c in one of the sheds. Top bloke great sense of
humour and he told us a heart rendering story that he was one of two or the only
survivor of a VIp transport that flipped on its back at an Italian air base many
years before.

Chopper

Who was that, do you remember? I thought the last SATCO was female. She'd just taken over before I left in 89. It is possible someone else became SATCO for the last year, but I don't remember. Or was the ACLO a retired officer who had previoulsy been SATCO years before?

[Maxibon]

Langley - I think the metman in charge was John Selby - nice chap but limited sense of humour when we were in groundschool.

The SATCO was a woman when I was there in 89 and 91 Kate Sh******; I knew her nephew from way back.

It was a great base in so many ways; breaking into LB's room to get booze and the ensuing police interrogations and formal warning from the staish. Hanger parties; Pimms parties; inflatable castles; PBX operators making up ficticious signals to get one into the signals room for a (ahem!) coffee; mad Welsh air traffic controllers; throwing stones at the street light outside the SECO huts; 300 lb steaks in the Ryther Arms....

[Fatjoff]

The SATCO was a woman when I was there in 89 and 91 Kate Sh******; I knew her
nephew from way back.



Airborne every morning before the weather ship!

Part of the all WRAF team that supervised the Hawk wheels up landing!



mad Welsh air traffic controllers


Currently Defence Attache at the British Embassy Brasilia.

[Maxibon]

And I was the gopher for the BoI for the Hawk; quite how the Hawk Instr then got given a Jag tour was beyond me... Still, wtf did I know, I went to Finningbobs only to return to CF in 91 to organise the airshow, working alongside the very chap that chopped me.

[langleybaston]

Maxibon, thank you, John Selby does not quite ring the bell .......... bearded? Went to Bracknell on promotion I think, and Ann took over?

Either way, it was a well-run office ....... I did the inspections from Bawtry [the Met hierarchy was geographical rather than 1 Gp, Training, etc etc, so I had all the military from Leeming to Marham except Coningsby, which always puzzled me]. Spent a lot of time on the road. The curry at Wyton was excellent; a moving experience as it were. Trout farm near Marham, the lovely journey to Binbrook, the absurd polished floor at Linton all strike chords. Wyton had about the last of the old Met Offices within a hangar ..... medieval arrangement.

[chopper2004]

Fatjoff,

Ah maybe he wasn't the SATCO, as I had thought back then....but I can't remember his name but I'd describe him as an English spitting image of the Hollywood actor Robert Culp - tall and grey hair!

As I said he was building a kit built single seat aircraft in one of the sheds and telling us he regretted not having a two seater in the design as his son had an urge to fly.

Also another memory of that Easter camp was doing search and apprehending skills at night with the RAFP and things got slightly out of hand and the RAFP corporal threatened to bang us all up!!

Cheers

[1.3VStall]

Aargh, when I were a lad the Vale of York was bigger than the RAF is today in terms of runways and aircraft based there!

Leeming, Topcliffe, Dishforth, Rufforth, Elvington, Linton, Church Fenton and Middleton St George just to the north and Finningley just to the south. I had many a happy trip out of Dishforth with 9 AEF as an ATC cadet, when 71 MU was based there as well.

[Courtney Mil]

My dog was the Station Nav Officer at Fenton once. Really, she was. No, really.

[CoffmanStarter]

What type of dog Courtney old chap ... Labrador perchance ?

[SOSL]

Absolutely loved the place. Best posting ever. Hurt my head though!

Rgds SOS

[langleybaston]

That Yorkshire list stirred the memories: I did tours* or detachments+ to:

Acklington+ Leeming* Topcliffe* Dishforth+ Linton+ ChurchFenton+ and Finningley*

Quite liked Yorkshire!

[just another jocky]

Such a shame, a great base to work from and an even better location to socialise from.

Solo party had 2 coach-loads of nurses & teachers. :E

And to this day, 29 years later, the daffodils still grow outside the front of the southern hangar, spelling out our course number. :)

[1.3VStall]

Courtney, does your "dog" have your password by chance? If so, standby for incoming!

[Fg Off Bloggs]

Aircrew Officer Training School, RAF Church Fenton, 1969!

A relaxed atmosphere, aircrew teaching would be aircrew - OK we still had vicious drill sergeants - and a happier place to do IOT I cannot imagine.

The Red Course Dining In Night challenge (just before graduation) was to see who could climb the anteroom wall in No 2 Mess (the IOT Mess); it was made of unplastered brick and every foot or so one random brick was set proud that allowed the adventurous to give it a go. Plenty of Sam Smiths coursing through the veins helped!

Not many cadets took up the challenge but I did and within inches of touching the ceiling fell backwards off the wall, crashed onto a new G-Plan coffee table and stood up with aforementioned plank of wood stuck firmly around my right ankle! Hell, I thought that was it - no graduation for me, despite reassurances from my IOT Sqn Cdr who had been a party to coaxing cadets to climb! Round the corner strode the AOTS equivalent of Wg Cdr Cdts! 'Who did that?, he asked. 'Me' said I sheepishly. 'Bloody good show!' said he. Following quickly with, 'Squadron Fund will pay for that, that's just what we expect from aircrew! Well done, Bloggs!'

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Shame it's got to close but last time I was there in the 80s it looked pretty sad so God knows what it looks like now!

Time moves on!

Bloggs:{

[Geehovah]

My first trips in a Chipmunk were on 6AEF at Church Fenton. A sad day but inevitable I guess.

[A and C]

I am pleased to see that you are a deserning beer drinker who appreciates the product from the correct end of Tadcaster.

[CoffmanStarter]

Come on Courtney ... Let's be hav'in your shaggy dog story then :ok:

[Courtney Mil]

What type of dog Courtney old chap ... Labrador perchance ?

She was an Irish Setter called Jessica.

Courtney, does your "dog" have your password by chance? If so, standby for incoming!

I don't know what you mean.

Come on Courtney ... Let's be hav'in your shaggy dog story then

Simple. I was sent there to be SNavO whilst holding after Valley. They gave me an office on the far side of the airfield and several million maps, NOTAMS, files, secondary duties, etc. I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to do, but worked out that the NOTAMS were quite important so I used to send my dog over to Ops with the NOTAMS for the Nav Planning Room each morning while I tried to make sense of of all the other rubbish that came my way. When people wanted maps they came over to get them and she was the oly one they ever saw in the office; I think I was usually trying to sort out the Station Gliding Club for one of the Instructors or various other 'stuff'.

Anyway, no one ever saw much of me and it became the assumed truth that Jessica was the SNavO. Suited me.

She used to steal peoples cigarettes too.

Funny old time.

[langleybaston]

Then there was Weather Dog Katy.

Katherine was a lab/collie cross bitch with a touch of whippett. A Rescue dog from RSPCA Bawtry, c. 1982, who chose us. She turned out extremely intelligent and biddable. Loved children and people. At RAF Finningley and St Mawgan [and I think Great Yorkshire] Days/Shows she was an integral member of the Met stand team.

She was advertised thus:

I do the observing. They send me out at 10 minutes to the hour. If I come back dry and unruffled it's OK. Wet its raining. Wet and ruffled it's raining and a gale. Come back stiff and cold it's frosty. White, and it's snowing. Fail to return and it's foggy. Where's the chocolate drop then?

[CoffmanStarter]

Thanks Courtney :D

My Black Lab is an expert Nav ... He mastered GPeeS at a very early age :ok:

Coff.

[Courtney Mil]

He should transfer to pilot and get some P1 time!

[CoffmanStarter]

As long as I don't have to P2 ... Groan ...

Hat, coat ... headed for the door ...

[Roland Pulfrew]

JAJ

the daffodils

And even visible (just) on Google Earth!! :ok:

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x133/RolandPulfrew/DA7D15D2-9648-49DE-8A59-468D14A37BDC-291-0000000F0878837B_zps0a9efdb6.jpg

[dmussen]

What a place.
Chippies.
Sam Smith's fine ale.
Parachutes -Did anyone ever look cool carrying one across the apron.
Charming ladies from Ripon teachers college.
Saturday lunch in the Shambles in York.
Daffodils around the city walls of York.
Racing yachts out of Whitby, Scarborough and Bridlington.
The big copper beech in Pickering - you could see it from miles away.

Oh! Nearly forgot. The flying was great in 1972.
Looking back I think I was a very lucky chap.
Anyone remember Flt. Lt. Chas Spooner, a superb instructor.

Happy days.

D.

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

Said SATCO was also PMC in the early 90s. She hated - absolutely hated - aircrew misuse of the Tannoy in the 'scruff's bar'. I recall her bursting into the bar to bollock the studies for singing on the Tannoy, only to find the CI -Pete Stannard - holding the mike singing 'It's not unusual'! Embarrassing silence ensued.

Duncs:ok: