Vulcan Operations Wing at Waddington

[nickc1964]

Hi All,

I'm not military myself but my father was Master Pilot Eric Culpin who worked in Vulcan Operations Wing (the section not flying) from 1972 to around 1975 and he died in 1988. We lived on the base at Waddington, my dad often mentioned "TACEVAL" and when the sirens sounded off he went for several days.

My dad reported to Bob Hall who according to this message board sadly died in 2007 but they kept in touch after my Dad retired until we went to Australia for 6 years.

In the 1975 Queens New Years Honours List my dad was awarded the MBE which I believe was proposed by Bob Hall for the work done whilst in Vulcan Operations.

I wasn't old enough at the time to appreciate where my dad was working but I'd like to know now what he did. And what must he have done to deserve the MBE? If you do a good job you get a pat on the back and a "well done" but to get the MBE? Of course Bob Hall is not now here to ask

I was looking at getting his service record which I believe I can do as it's 25+ years since his death but it's going to cost me, and my mum will need to find his death certificate but I don't know whether that will tell me what tell me what his role was. And will that give any details of what he did that was "above and beyond"?

So any help, suggestions or ideas will be gratefully received.

Thanks

[Pontius Navigator]

Nick, you don't need a death certificate. You just need the authority of his next of kin. My wife, although her mother is alive, we NOK of her paternal GF.

I had left Waddo by that time. I can think of three jobs he might have had. He could have been an Ops Officer, a flight sim instructor, or deputy flight safety if such existed.

Earlier, in the QRA era, we had commissioned officers who would be in Ops during flying ops, SNCO who would also cover night and nonflying times. As Master Aircrew your father may well have undertaken Ops Officer duties. What did they do? Mainly acted as top cover/can carrier for the staff who did the work.

I will ask a friend but knowing his memory . . .

[nickc1964]

Thanks for the info. My mum is still going and she'll give me authority.

After he got his MBE he moved onto the flight simulator. Again I don't know what he did there - as a pilot grounded on medical grounds and no experience of flying the Vulcan for real could he still work as a Vulcan instructor? I know he knew how to fly it - on a Sunday afternoon we'd jump in the car, drive up to the simulator block, park in his parking space outside and he and I would spend the afternoon flying the Vulcan simulator.
I was only 12 so it was an experience for me.

[Barksdale Boy]

Nick, I had the great pleasure of working with your father for about four months in 1973. I had nothing to do between a tour on 50 Sqn and beginning my Interpreter's Chinese course. There was a hiatus in Air Plans (they were awaiting Sqn Ldr Malcolm Laidley's arrival), so the CO, Des Hall, put me in there about a week before TACEVAL - a baptism of fire, only survivable because of your father's wisdom and unflappability. Over the next few months he saved me from making a fool of myself on a couple of occasions. In a nutshell, Eng Plans would tell us what resources were available to carry out the station's flying responsibilities and we would then task the three squadrons. I seem to remember that he did some sort of voluntary work but I can't remember exactly what that was - it may well be that this is what his award was for.

I am sorry to hear that he has died - I remember him fondly.

[nickc1964]

Thanks for the replies - already I'm getting a better idea of what he did. It sounds therefore that he was Ops Officer. So, was there more than one Ops Officer? I'm assuming so or else how did they cover leave.

My regret now is not asking him more questions when he was alive but as a twenty-something I was more concerned with getting a job, my car and my girlfriend.

So I wonder what the "voluntary work" was? I'm wondering if it's anything to do with Giant Voice? I've been reading about the Vulcans success in '74 which was during the time he was there and just before he got his MBE.

Amongst his log books and pilot notes (that I still have) there is a brochure with a cover which I think (I can't look because I'm at work) is Giant Voice 1972 or '73, which I believe was an RAF competition. I'd been told that he'd picked that up off a coffee table when it was left behind and he'd taken it home or something like that but I could be wrong.

[Pontius Navigator]

BB, thanks for the reminder, I had forgotten the Air Plans role. I also remember how Eng Plans worked. We had a sqn ldr and a WO on the desk. We used to get the most pessimistic assessments of ready times from the sqn ldr (not a Vulcan man) that the WO would support 100%.

We soon learnt not to ask the WO for the estimate but wait until the sqn ldr was out of the room and ask the WO what he 'thought'. We would base our generation on his 'thought's not on the official times.

I can't remember any Eng Plans names but Air Plans in late 60s was Ivor Gallway ex-35 I think. Need to check my log book, but that is another story.

For Langley Bastion we used the same technique with the Met Man. He would brief the Command Met O's consensus, then we would ask what he actually thought :)

[middlesbrough]

Nick, I was a young Pilot Officer going through navigation training at RAF Hullavington(Chippenham) in 1964/5. Your father was one of several Master Pilots who flew the Varsities and Valettas. I obviously didn't know him personally, they were like Gods to us junior students, but he was the pilot on several Varsity sorties I flew on. One night astro in December 1964 and a trip to Gibraltar out on the 5th Feb and back on the 8th 1965, and several navigation sorties after I had graduated and was waiting to go to RAF St Mawgan to convert to the Shackleton.
Your father and his fellow pilots were an essential and valuable part of the training of us ab initio navs.
So glad he went on to have a successful time at Waddington and that his service was recognised by the award of the MBE.
Best wishes
Mike Walker

[teeteringhead]

I seem to remember that he did some sort of voluntary work but I can't remember exactly what that was Nick

this factor could well be part of the award - although not all of it. As you rightly say, many do a thoroughly good job without any award, and that bit extra in their own time can often swing the award. Much respect to him in any event.

Service records are available to NOK - your Mum in this case - at no cost. There's a unit at Cranwell that deals with them all and a simple (ish!) form to fill in. I'll try and dig out the details - I recently got my own (extensive!) medical records which (bizarrely) my GP couldn't get to through the NHS.

Edited to add:

Gosh Nick I'm more efficient than usual today!

Here is (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545118/mod_dpa_sar_form_apr_15.pdf) the link to the form you need. You can fill it in on the computer but ISTR you have to make hard copy to sign (or Mum to sign) and send off. The Cranwell address is also on the form.

[nickc1964]

Nick, I was a young Pilot Officer going through navigation training at RAF Hullavington(Chippenham) in 1964/5. Your father was one of several Master Pilots who flew the Varsities and Valettas. I obviously didn't know him personally, they were like Gods to us junior students, but he was the pilot on several Varsity sorties I flew on. One night astro in December 1964 and a trip to Gibraltar out on the 5th Feb and back on the 8th 1965, and several navigation sorties after I had graduated and was waiting to go to RAF St Mawgan to convert to the Shackleton.
Your father and his fellow pilots were an essential and valuable part of the training of us ab initio navs.
So glad he went on to have a successful time at Waddington and that his service was recognised by the award of the MBE.
Best wishes
Mike Walker

Thanks Mike - Yup that was him, we lived in one of the houses that overlooks the airfield, or so I have been told. I was too young to know. I have all his log books so I'll have a look at dates around that time tonight to see if you're listed

Apologies if my replies are a bit scattered, but I'm at work and as I've only recently registered my replies have to be sanity checked by a moderator

[Barksdale Boy]

PN

Once you had to work with Eng Plans you realised that we were all on the same side. At the time we are talking of I can visualise a crusty old sqn ldr and a mid-30s flt lt both of whom were great value. Ken Lewis was an excellent sqn ldr Air Plans but, I think, slightly earlier.

[Yellow Sun]

Ken Lewis was an excellent sqn ldr Air Plans but, I think, slightly earlier.

IIRC Ken was posted as OC Goose Bay circa 1972

YS

[nickc1964]

Nick, I was a young Pilot Officer going through navigation training at RAF Hullavington(Chippenham) in 1964/5. Your father was one of several Master Pilots who flew the Varsities and Valettas. I obviously didn't know him personally, they were like Gods to us junior students, but he was the pilot on several Varsity sorties I flew on. One night astro in December 1964 and a trip to Gibraltar out on the 5th Feb and back on the 8th 1965, and several navigation sorties after I had graduated and was waiting to go to RAF St Mawgan to convert to the Shackleton.
Your father and his fellow pilots were an essential and valuable part of the training of us ab initio navs.
So glad he went on to have a successful time at Waddington and that his service was recognised by the award of the MBE.
Best wishes
Mike Walker

I've checked the log books for that time and my Dad has recorded the flights but starts off listing +2 u/t Nav (i.e. no individuals) but later just records +2 or +3

The flight to Gib was +6 on the way out and +5 on the way back

[nickc1964]

Nick

this factor could well be part of the award - although not all of it. As you rightly say, many do a thoroughly good job without any award, and that bit extra in their own time can often swing the award. Much respect to him in any event.

Service records are available to NOK - your Mum in this case - at no cost. There's a unit at Cranwell that deals with them all and a simple (ish!) form to fill in. I'll try and dig out the details - I recently got my own (extensive!) medical records which (bizarrely) my GP couldn't get to through the NHS.

Edited to add:

Gosh Nick I'm more efficient than usual today!

Here is the link to the form you need. You can fill it in on the computer but ISTR you have to make hard copy to sign (or Mum to sign) and send off. The Cranwell address is also on the form.

Thanks for that - I'll print off the form and take it to my mums at the weekend

[Barksdale Boy]

Nick, I'm pretty sure your father had nothing to do with Giant Voice.

[nickc1964]

Thanks for all the information - you've all filled in a gap in my knowledge that has existed for 40 years :)

So it sounds like my Dad was Ops Officer and then for the final year or 18 months became a Simulator instructor. So my next step is to print off the form and take it to my mum as NOK to get his service record

[Barksdale Boy]

Nick, I think it would be more accurate to say that he was working in the Air Plans section of Ops Wing.

[nickc1964]

Nick, I think it would be more accurate to say that he was working in the Air Plans section of Ops Wing.

Thanks BB. I haven't heard the term Air Plans for over 40 years and despite being a youngster at the time it does ring a bell with me.

I'm really grateful that you guys took the time to help me fill in this gap in my knowledge which has been a regret of mine for many years. I'll print off the NOK form and go and see my mum at the weekend and read her some of these posts. See if they bring back any memories for her

[Pontius Navigator]

Air Plans was manned by two people, typically a sqn ldr and senior non-com. They would normally work earlies and lates with, I think, both working during part of the day. Their job was to create a flying programme that met all the varied requirements:

The station was given a number slots during the week, typically 9 per day spread between 0800 and 2300. Waddington's first slot was 0800 whereas Cottesmore was 0830. Another slot I recall was 0915 and so on.

They would offer the slots to the three squadrons whose training officers would bid. They would try to ensure that slots were spread evenly across the squadrons.

They would work with Eng Plans to ensure that there were aircraft to meet the slots.

There was also a programme of ranger slots around the world. These would be offered to sqns too.

Then they had to work with eng plans to get aircraft for the slots. I remember the flt lt air planner at Cottesmore was Ken White. Then at Waddo I remember Ivor Gallway in air plans.

The aircraft themselves were a nightmare. They were all suffering extra fatigue from the switch to low level flying. In order to preserve the force level required they were allocated certain amount of time at low level. Then the aircraft also had other requirements. One might be an ECM monitor run at 112 SU at Stornoway. Another might to calibrate the visual bombsight.

It was the planners that had to tie all this together.

[nickc1964]

Before Waddington my Dad was at AIDU at Northolt for a couple of years and my mum has said that he hated it, so it sounds like his final posting before he retired was something meaningful and then to top it off he was awarded the MBE. :)