Fg Off Russell F. Graham, 226 OCU, killed in Jaguar crash in Northumberland, 1977.

[Manicday]

Hi All,

I'm trying to find out some information about my uncle, Flying Officer Russel Ferguson Graham, attached to 226 OCU out of RAF Lossiemouth. He was killed in a Jaguar T2 training crash at Whittingham, Northumberland alongside Flight Lieutenant John Stephen (Taff) Hinchcliffe on 29th July, 1977. He died before I was born so I don't really know much about him at all, other than some old photographs.

I was hoping to perhaps get in touch with friends, some of those who knew him duing training or who joined up around the same time. Basically I'm looking to find out what he was like and if there are any fond memories to pass on.

I'd also like to understand the circumstances of the crash if at all possible. I've managed to find a few posts here, as well as official listings relating to that day, but any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

All the best,
Stuart

[Wensleydale]

From Cummings "Category Five".

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x549/jaguar_272736c1ef8ad16436f58cbace073545dd90c448.jpg

[NutLoose]

More on the crash. I wish you well with your search.

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/55388

[Manicday]

Thanks for replying, Gents.

I'd found the Aviation Safety summary, but the Cummings entry is new to me and has a little more detail.

I'm not sure how much more info there is to find about the crash, so every source helps piece it together

[Cannylad]

Hi Stuart, I was at RAF Valley, RAF Brawdy and Lossiemouth with Russ. He was good fun, a talented pilot and well liked by students and staff during training. At Brawdy he was having problems with air to ground gunnery. He wasn’t getting close enough to the target before firing — not unusual as flying a Hunter at nearly 500 mph in a dive towards the ground was fraught with danger. He continued having problems and he was given one last chance to sort it out. That morning he turned up on the Squadron wearing a white bandana with a rising sun motif on the front around his forehead as per Kamikaze pilots. ‘Going to get in close today’ was his comment and he did.
He was on the course ahead of me at Lossiemouth and my wife and I were staying in the Officer’s Mess whilst we looked for accommodation. We came out of the dining room as Russ came down the stairs and we chatted for 10 minutes or so. He was killed soon after and my wife still dreams of that last conversation with him. We liked him a lot. Kind regards Chris Underhill

[NutLoose]

The like was for helping him out :)

[Manicday]

Hey Chris,

Thanks for sharing your memory of him. That's exactly what I was hoping for, so thank you for taking the time to write it out. I'm glad he left a good impression

As you were training at the same time as him, would you happen to know roughly when he got his wings? I understand it's after training at RAF Shawbury, but I'm unsure of the date as my request for his record of service is still in progress. Also, I'd like to find out what watch he wore/ was issued with so that I could try and pick one up as a memento. I'm lost in a sea of options, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for your response,
Stuart

[Cannylad]

Hi Stuart, when wings were awarded moved around over the years and Russ would have done his Basic Flying Training at RAF Linton on Ouse or possibly RAF Church Fenton. BFTS was split into basic and advanced training and wings were awarded at the end of the basic phase so that is when Russ would get his wings. We then all arrived at AFTS (advanced flying training school) at RAF Valley as qualified pilots. You had do do 6 months on an operational squadron to keep your wings but that was not widely known. I will trawl through the memory banks for other information. Regards Chris

[Manicday]

Thanks for that information Chris. Its a bit more complicated than I expected, but hopefully his service record should shed some light on it. I'm not sure if the date he got his wings will be, but I might be able to narrow it down by where he was stationed.

[sycamore]

Stuart,depending who of your family ,ie Russell`s parents,they can get his Service records from the RAF.Application details are in UK GOV.COM..

[sharpend]

I was instructing on 226 OCU at the time of the crash. I knew both pilots well and was good friends with Taff. In fact I was Taff's Effects Officer and attended his funeral at Craigallachie. Sad day; it rained as well as we carried the coffin up the hillside.

[NutLoose]

Stuart,
In the 70's I would think he was issued with one of these, it could be any one of the Fab 4 issued at the time.. They are not cheap these days and go for a bit of a premium, 6BB on the rear tells they were made for the RAF alone. see here

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305297124800?itmmeta=01HPKRGTVNXT2ZKSM456YXM5G2&hash=item4715206dc0:g:HDEAAOSwAgllazEv&itmprp=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4E%2BSfJnsDXKi1tspOPU6hVA7TswLRQSHrH9fp D7ie%2Bk%2FfT6mcfISaYM0IdjAF9jZb0usFRK9R9jav6OWw5SqWCQmOD3WK %2BETp0VLK9%2F6%2B%2BSytl0xTiBE5C%2FP0tzeGu0mc%2F%2FPa6ceuw% 2BHHOSSpZzqEnAfhrVqJ3Fuum1EN%2BTWr3Ny%2Fj3y0w86sCZ2jSrOub8Wu ckRCHprYoXM3xvhQR8CInFQKkv8PaajpgTh2m%2F2tWlYpfV%2F3zXECp25S rxKBteRb4bvuCbrYe1Gy5Qo5LS2XZu8OGhaS0W96hYY6kO4rwa4%7Ctkp%3A Bk9SR_itw_i0Yw

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325982893078?itmmeta=01HPKRQF08CW76CAN7PV03ZA7T&hash=item4be6183416:g:-mQAAOSwnWtls9DA&itmprp=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwBYu1%2BEv5s4sNNV4RR4JirHlsJUU6V2zvS3jZ 82uqnP1UEKDoJIBvcWcAyCBU9TY82cQwlNbr3ItLP%2Bc54GPMSHkbbkqiux lcAa02HgPJjFxXyLiQSbT2BC9CX7XWfuYmWl5d60fGk9zXc2OxbnbJszYoVb I7X3Wo86YE4mKG4P%2FINZlVmNipVa0sUKLKs30xL%2B2C12bdquvlT2utLJ kiOGwE%2BhKimGfRjhSRzNZIJ5FpkmzI0CQCCiMLDn8Oq2Elw%3D%3D%7Ctk p%3ABk9SR6Lw3fi0Yw

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166018891294?itmmeta=01HPKS3F98RXJNV703P2A04CHZ&hash=item26a77f3e1e:g:LZYAAOSwsp1jm5JL&itmprp=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4MIIAuN%2BkADBy4t0Wr8sUx3yhVDxDgr33pWnO pRm4StbxrbVYGbqtkA7oTUO%2Bpnhawfn1GmRs4DHrZzAu97%2BdBH829vUI wVdpBDdncv29kJopJchX9jpkCjXf5OD6eCUAoAg5UA%2BElwBMcPkPu8o8Jv 4nHhDyC5ZlXde%2Bi8j%2FfIGnScQpuuUHNIBhDyCw60U%2FISDlaRO6c9z3 9d76ZK3HkdBx46FH170T%2Bj26%2BelRw0BtBT5r%2FIlhoWYX9GEFyO70GP FMmhojCoULBAUXetAzCOduElzC5R8Va3TliEdb08E%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-j0jfm0Yw


https://wornandwound.com/time-spec-1970s-british-military-asymmetrical-chronographs/


You could of course go for a limited edition release of one of the watches with a quartz movement.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/315150665070?itmmeta=01HPKS3F98CBRWWVHPWGM2G0X1&hash=item496071856e:g:6tYAAOSw7dlltZSt&itmprp=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4FKUtDtjnROCrQP2wdXdxWSKyKjENbpaxr7ztYV Dyg%2FHDPHEzO1ApopSgUmp1KTkwoZsGAqMDHgYHtiJ1viruuDGd4ECDAjXn E83tGCuAqKP5%2Bt2EoXCf4gMuX97oN8JJJiIGuaOy0lj%2FOHItxgBuOSAs Otxng7WjaT51PcFr1KkHPcjrYKW2Mze3EZa1U1ODXTh5xwO7jn65wEIarNsn MI6MzwtKd1rvqfm2WXI18l8WDdrTeOgnZSbxDE58g1wX3XQPJFHaDVnpvyp3 umda4escSnGxC%2BaqLNJQjh0rfb6%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-j0jfm0Yw

[Cannylad]

Nutloose, none of those. A pilot’s watch never had a stop watch facility. It was issued when you joined and replaced if damaged or inaccurate. I had 6/7 in my career and the best and most accurate was the one I handed back on retirement. Surely they give you some sort of timepiece when you retire not take it off you.🤪 Hamilton is a name I remember and one of my watches had a new face stuck on it to hide the date aperture. This cost more as a date function wasn’t in the specification so had to be modified— if you looked carefully by the number 3 you could see the indentation of the hole.
Stop watches were fitted to the aircraft not the pilot.

[Cannylad]

Stuart, Russ would have flown this aircraft at RAF Valley.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1466x1026/img_0273_dc30ec16008565d346bea8e338f57946a7ac16d8.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1458x1026/img_0279_b1d1d0a5130dc1a8245484c39ebafdfda2604ea1.jpeg

[NutLoose]

Nutloose, none of those. A pilot’s watch never had a stop watch facility. It was issued when you joined and replaced if damaged or inaccurate. I had 6/7 in my career and the best and most accurate was the one I handed back on retirement. Surely they give you some sort of timepiece when you retire not take it off you.🤪 Hamilton is a name I remember and one of my watches had a new face stuck on it to hide the date aperture. This cost more as a date function wasn’t in the specification so had to be modified— if you looked carefully by the number 3 you could see the indentation of the hole.
Stop watches were fitted to the aircraft not the pilot.

The replacement Seikos issued to pilots were all stop watches and yes I know the aircraft had them too.

They are marked 6BB on the back of some denoting RAF. Did you have one of these then?.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355076850322?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110018%26algo %3DHOMESPLICE.COMPLISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20210609144404%2 6meid%3Dc301f780b8f249719a4981c21f175f4e%26pid%3D101196%26rk %3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D145608422631%26itm%3D355076850322%26p mt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D4429486%26algv%3DCompVIDesktopATF2V4 WithDefaultIMAFeature%26brand%3DHamilton&_trksid=p4429486.c101196.m2219&itmprp=cksum%3A355076850322c301f780b8f249719a4981c21f175f4e% 7Cenc%3AAQAIAAABELHyIAEaemKG0mx4REjf%252BHyi2kzcINSWjmv491TD yjbVmYwevKj0ejii%252FeyFe06fKj%252BzlduIWSkswpIqMfnlm0%252F8 anN5%252FQDvnNj%252FRGMp5UaBBusqMlytoHg5orJ9Qbuov7SxZDsFsc%2 52FaizUb1nNG8Qc7JxXKfs4ELQ%252FmnczRqE%252FXEAGmdNZFvHXJOanw pfAx5ZF8j5KFTmrh7lEWgfFZJZfKGR35uPBXNzcC1IbGUhm5TXGsTK2FB6oX M9UOEQox6U7J2I9Tjnvzu8paED3aXX7AzTTONOrfxfZlJ%252BZ6BeO%252F 7s1C7O8F8KiTRTE%252F2agDDnhMNeR%252F1%252BTVrGScuc4B1nrFWMNH kZm8tuG1usQUXLzQ%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A4429486&itmmeta=01HPRNZ4JWZDXT3QE3XPXCF3J8


Hamilton stopwatch with (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355076850322?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110018%26algo %3DHOMESPLICE.COMPLISTINGS%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20210609144404%2 6meid%3Dc301f780b8f249719a4981c21f175f4e%26pid%3D101196%26rk %3D1%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D145608422631%26itm%3D355076850322%26p mt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D4429486%26algv%3DCompVIDesktopATF2V4 WithDefaultIMAFeature%26brand%3DHamilton&_trksid=p4429486.c1 01196.m2219&itmprp=cksum%3A355076850322c301f780b8f249719a498 1c21f175f4e%7Cenc%3AAQAIAAABELHyIAEaemKG0mx4REjf%252BHyi2kzc INSWjmv491TDyjbVmYwevKj0ejii%252FeyFe06fKj%252BzlduIWSkswpIq Mfnlm0%252F8anN5%252FQDvnNj%252FRGMp5UaBBusqMlytoHg5orJ9Qbuo v7SxZDsFsc%252FaizUb1nNG8Qc7JxXKfs4ELQ%252FmnczRqE%252FXEAGm dNZFvHXJOanwpfAx5ZF8j5KFTmrh7lEWgfFZJZfKGR35uPBXNzcC1IbGUhm5 TXGsTK2FB6oXM9UOEQox6U7J2I9Tjnvzu8paED3aXX7AzTTONOrfxfZlJ%25 2BZ6BeO%252F7s1C7O8F8KiTRTE%252F2agDDnhMNeR%252F1%252BTVrGSc uc4B1nrFWMNHkZm8tuG1usQUXLzQ%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A442948 6&itmmeta=01HPRNZ4JWZDXT3QE3XPXCF3J8)6BB stamping for RAF

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266080018078?itmmeta=01HPRNYJ209SPVFQ3Y1V061HJB&hash=item3df39ade9e:g:C2sAAOSwa3pjvpNH&itmprp=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4GzjtmbIlOhcvtHXVpht60yuDCiMa59DR0ztpM1 MVcksuXcKMeV4%2F9cLfU1gUx3Aqj7LPlYkkNWRj5sCDBawk4iKZ7o2sj21q 8GqjHq0992L%2Fb9ag3UZIZfW7q8Wg0uERLJFpyGiOwKghuZ6qBb7CnMTeTe 4Lwe0PzH2xH%2Bw6hJujQj1SVAoyXpelfjXODPVUJpXv10BMYwejlcOmULdu qppfLSagRP9xZqaf7pm2cvLMLmNA2MX6klI4eCpgWTHQPQHMb2BLAStzAxxf wmvrAcP9FWXDpVYgJ6JI%2FwxgEEG%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5Kh-pW2Yw

[Cannylad]

My last watch was a Seiko but I never had a chronograph. Probably issued in late 80s. You would never be able to use the stopwatch element under flying gloves and needing both hands to fly the aircraft.

[Manicday]

Stuart,depending who of your family ,ie Russell`s parents,they can get his Service records from the RAF.Application details are in UK GOV.COM..

Hey sycamore,

Thanks for that. I applied for his records through the GOV.com portal 2 weeks ago, but they said that it could take upwards of 8 months! Since they waived the admin fee, in I think 2020, they have drastically lengthened their response time.

Is there a separate avenue for requests from family members? My Mum is the only surviving family now, other than my sister & I, but I just provided what was requested, being service number, full name, rank & D.O.B / D.O.D.

Hopefully that's all they need.

[Manicday]

I was instructing on 226 OCU at the time of the crash. I knew both pilots well and was good friends with Taff. In fact I was Taff's Effects Officer and attended his funeral at Craigallachie. Sad day; it rained as well as we carried the coffin up the hillside.

Hey sharpend,

Thanks for replying to the post.

I'm sorry for the loss of your friends. Although Russ was my uncle I feel removed from the whole situation as it all happened before I was born. It must have been horrible to go through, as well as being Taff's Effects Officer. My condolences.

I've been told that my uncles' funeral was on, or within a few days of, his wedding day. A tragic event all round.

I hope what you remember of them are the good times :)

All the best,
Stuart

[Manicday]

Stuart,
In the 70's I would think he was issued with one of these, it could be any one of the Fab 4 issued at the time...

Yeah, not cheap!

I'd half hoped / half dreaded it would be one of the Fab 4 as they're beautiful watches but just so expensive these days. If it was one then it would be a case of saving up for it though :)

Hamilton do a really nice modern interpretation of theirs, which is what I thought it might have been given the dates Russ was in the RAF, but even it's up at around £2,000.

(Unable to post links, but comes up as Hamilton Khaki Aviation Pioneer Mechanical Chronograph)

I'm more than a little relieved that he was probably issued a regular 6bb Hamilton or similar!

[Manicday]

Stuart, Russ would have flown this aircraft at RAF Valley.

That really puts things into perspective.

That cockpit looks pretty intimidating to a civvy, but I'm sure it's old hat to you Gents!

We have a picture of a Jet Provost on the wall, which must have been one of the first aircraft he trained in, but other than that and the Jaguar we don't know much else that he flew. Am I right in assuming that each RAF training base primarily specialises in one particular aircraft?

My Mum managed to find her invitation to my Uncles Wings presentation at RAF Linton-on-Ouse in March, 1975 (including his patches!), so that was a nice surprise and one question answered :)

[Cannylad]

Morning Stuart, on a rainy day in Lincolnshire I will see if I can help.
Russ would have joined straight from school or civvy street and done his Officer Training at RAF Henlow. Graduate entrants were trained at Sleaford Tech (RAF College Cranwell). Basic Flying Training at RAF Linton on Ouse then there was a delay of some months before the course at RAF Valley. We started Spring 1976 and Russ did AFT on the Folland Gnat then a short familiarisation on the Hawker Hunter. Then 4/5 months off and a quick refresher on the Hunter and off to Tactical Weapons Unit (TWU) at RAF Brawdy. We knew how to fly an aircraft but now had to use it as a weapons platform. Air to air gunnery, air to ground gunnery, bombing and firing rockets were some of the disciplines and flying battle formation became normality.(Your most vulnerable direction was directly behind you so if you flew 2 aircraft, line abreast, about a mile apart you could protect each other’s 6 o’ clock). The final few sorties were as part of a 4-ship attacking 2 simulated targets in Wales with another Hunter acting as a hostile fighter. You had to get to the target and have cine film of the attack to ensure success, maintain formation and counter all attacks from the ‘bounce’ aircraft. You started looking for the enemy fighter as you taxied out to the runway as formations had been bounced as they were getting airborne. So think ‘Topgun’ without Tom Cruise. TWU completed approx June 77. I had been ill so was behind the rest of the course and Russ went on the course ahead of me RAF Lossiemouth.
I was awarded my wings in October 75 and think Russ would have been a similar time.
If there was a delay between courses we were encouraged to find a useful alternative so RAF Shawbury might have been a secondment for Russ.
The summer of 76 is the stuff of legends and the weather was so good we did lots of flying in a short time.
Sending some photos of the literature that probably attracted Russ to join.

[Cannylad]

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/853x640/image_07aec177d8fef40585909fb87ef0cf8f4ffecb9b.png

[Cannylad]

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/image_937edd421bdfb71557ff430f3ba55ec267739df1.jpeg

[Cole Burner]

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/684x1024/jagpic_5947ff8cdc9595bf35c74903d0a7c0969500a267.jpg
1970s Jaguar

[Marly Lite]

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/684x1024/jagpic_5947ff8cdc9595bf35c74903d0a7c0969500a267.jpg
1970s Jaguar
Had that one on my wall as a kid, dreamt night and day of being a pilot. Made it, ended up flying another french cat for a few tours!

[Specaircrew]

Hi Stuart,

Russ and I were on the same course at Linton and we had some great times together. I remember squeezing into his MG Midget( neither of us were small) for excursions around the local hosteleries. One particular memory which sticks in my mind was when we were refresher flying at RAF Leeming. Having retired to bed,after the bar shut, I was awoken by a rustling noise from my window. When I turned the bedside light on I was presented with a view of a bare arse and legs protruding from the bottom of the curtains! After issuing an appropriate expletive a stark naked Russ emerged into plain sight and demanded to know what I was doing in his room! At which point he disappeared out of the door which I hastily locked behind him. Needless to say at breakfast the next morning Russ had no recollection of his naked sleepwalking antics. Moral of the story, always lock your bedroom door . 🤣We were both on 279 Officer Training Course at RAF Henlow and 37 Course at RAF Linton on Ouse which graduated in March 75, this was followed by about 12 months of ‘holding’ before RAF Valley, hence the need for refresher flying. We both then went to RAF Valley in 76 albeit on different courses.

[WB627]

Nutloose, none of those. A pilot’s watch never had a stop watch facility. It was issued when you joined and replaced if damaged or inaccurate. I had 6/7 in my career and the best and most accurate was the one I handed back on retirement. Surely they give you some sort of timepiece when you retire not take it off you.🤪 Hamilton is a name I remember and one of my watches had a new face stuck on it to hide the date aperture. This cost more as a date function wasn’t in the specification so had to be modified— if you looked carefully by the number 3 you could see the indentation of the hole.
Stop watches were fitted to the aircraft not the pilot.

My Dad had to hand back his Omega in 1981 when he was grounded for medical reasons after 40 years of flying in the RAF. Broke his heart........

Giving back the watch not the grounding. He figured 40 years of flying at HMQ's expense was a good innings :ok:








I think the watch was issued to him at Wittering in 1972. He did a summer camp there flying Chipmunks and came back with a lot of goodies from their stores, including a shiny new white flying helmet, Mk 3A I think, some cold weather flying kit and a pair of new flying boots and of course the Omega :)

He also got a low level trip around the UK in a 45 Squadron Hunter T7. An old friend was the squadron CO :E

[Wensleydale]

My Dad had to hand back his Omega in 1981 when he was grounded for medical reasons after 40 years of flying in the RAF. Broke his heart........

The RAF is the only organisation where you have to present a watch back when you retire...

[Cannylad]

The flying helmet in 1972 was a Mk 2A. I kept the shell of my Mk 2A through various upgrades and modifications until I dropped it in the mid to late 80s. By then it was a Mk 3C and was replaced by a Mk 4. 🤪

[WB627]

I thought it was a Mk 2A, but checking my memory from nearly 50 years ago :confused: with pictures on the internet, I concluded that it was not a 2A as the visor was wrong.

Flightgear On-Line, the website for the collector of military flightgear (http://www.flightgear.dk/rafhelmets.htm)

And looks more like a Mk 3 (probably a 3B) which has the central visor rail like the Mk1A .

Best picture I have of it taken in 1975. It went back with the watch and all the cold weather flying kit. However when the white one was issued they let him keep his Mk1A, which I still have along with his WW2 leather helmet and Mk8 goggles.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1242/manston02_5a63c8757e1bed772d1797b3d56e4fae2aa58997.jpg

[Cannylad]

See what you mean. Mk 3 helmets and later were green I believe. Mk 2 helmets were white and with a single tinted visor. 🤔

[NutLoose]

Shame you couldn't have misplaced the watch.

[WB627]

See what you mean. Mk 3 helmets and later were green I believe. Mk 2 helmets were white and with a single tinted visor. 🤔

Mk 3's available in Green and White

[Diff Tail Shim]

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1031/20240220_000259_2_18840708ca097724a4ee25d8543a38b6fe83dd0a.j pg
Was involved in compiling this list for the Jaguar end of service commerative brochure in 2007. Your uncle is recorded in a publication in name. I do have a electronic copy of this if you are interested. PM me if you are.

[Manicday]

Morning Stuart, on a rainy day in Lincolnshire I will see if I can help...

That's amazing Chris. I'm not sure how I would have found all that out by myself, being as unfamiliar with the RAF as I am, so the information is greatly appreciated. It sounds like a great experience training to fly on all those aircraft and "Topgun" style simulations. Making me regret not considering it myself, now!

The RAF posters and literature are a great find too. I wouldn't have considered looking into that, but it adds another aspect to everything. They sure knew how to make inspriational advertising back in the day, hey! How do you think the modern ones hold up in comparison?


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1024x576/the_force_protecting_space_insert7_1024x576_aabbd98d927d707a 8607460e2d63be131138a488.jpg

[Manicday]

Hi Stuart, Russ and I were on the same course at Linton and we had some great times together....

Hey Specaircrew,

Ha, amazing story! Happens to the best of us XD. Thanks for sharing that. Did a nickname arise from that event? Seems like prime material for one!

One of my favourite photos of Russ is him standing next to his MG with the Forth Rail Bridge in the backgroud. You could tell how proud of it he was! A very distinct car that I'd love to take for a drive. It must have been a blast during those days.

[Cannylad]

Hi Stuart, have you enough information. I have written extensively about my time in the RAF which include officer training, pilot training and related stuff. I can put some more info on here but if you wish, you could email me directly. I can send my email address as a PM I believe.

As a civilian, joining the RAF as a pilot meant a completely new wardrobe. Obviously there were the uniforms and on top of that you needed flying equipment. In Jan/Feb 1973 I was issued with all I needed to ‘slip the surly bonds of earth’. So flying suits, socks, boots, long johns, vests, polo neck tops, leather flying gloves, flying scarf( not like in the comedy sketches in white silk and starched within an inch of it’s life but a scrawny green thing) and a bone dome. The flying helmet (bone dome) was a fibre glass shell with a leather inner suspended in a cradle type arrangement. My flying helmet when issued was a 2A and it stayed with me until 1989 some 18 months before I left the RAF when I dropped it and cracked the outer shell. It went from a 2A to a 2B, then a 3A,3B and a 3C before it was damaged. Perhaps it was a little bit like Trigger’s broom but the shell was the same one throughout although the inner leather was changed many times. Leather and sweat aren’t a great combination. Because I am tall I couldn’t fit into a Chipmunk aircraft wearing a bone dome so I wore a cotton inner from a Mk 1 flying helmet which was less bulky. Attached to the helmet was the oxygen mask which fitted below your eyes, over your nose and onto your chin. We wore a mask even when it wasn’t needed for oxygen as the microphone was fitted at the same level as your mouth. Many people suffered from rashes around the mouth caused by rubber particles embedded in the pores of the skin

Then there was the haircut. Imagine a Cavalier soldier of the 17th century and I had hair just below my shoulders which formed naturally into long ringlets and sat on my shoulders. I suffered abuse from many women who would complain about how much they had to spend at the hairdressers to achieve a style that, for me, was natural. So it was quite a shock to have a military style haircut when I joined the RAF.

As you progressed through training there were additions to this basic flying kit and by the time I was flying the Jaguar I weighed, with full kit, 3 stone(20 kgs) more than my actual weight. Like all things you became accustomed to it.

There was also Aviation Medical training at RAF North Luffenham in Rutland and combat survival courses to attend at RAF Mount Batten in Plymouth, Devon. The drive from Mount Batten to Lossiemouth was 667 miles and was typical of the attitude at the time. That course has always been held at Mount Batten and we’re not going to change now. It wasn’t just a long way from Lossiemouth it was a long way from everywhere.

[Radardesigner]

Stuart,
I did not know Russell in RAF context, but was at school with him and we were friends & have school photo. I remember the crash and being shocked by the news. I have been involved in aircraft avionic design all my professional life.
Let me know if I can help your research. I don’t know if the moderator allows direct email, but please contact.
Interested to read other comments.
Bob Sinclair

[NutLoose]

Bob, You need about eight or ten posts before you can message him, I have checked and he also has email enabled, so when you have reached ten posts you can also email him through the site.

Start posting ;)

I have sent him an email through the site to let him know to check back here, Hope that helps.

[Radardesigner]

Great, thanks, appreciate your help.

[Radardesigner]

Stuart,
As I said in my reply earlier, I can give you a 'picture' of the person that Russell was when I knew him up until he joined the RAF.
Not wishing to make this a public view, so do message if you want to talk.
Thanks
Bob Sinclair