BIRISH COMMAND & CONTROL PLATFORM
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BRITISH COMMAND & CONTROL PLATFORM
In just over a weeks time, we will be coming up to the 50th Anniversary of the shooting down of Garry Powers U-2. As a result of this action, it was decided to abandon high altitude retaliatory strikes & plan for low level strikes, so the Victor's & Vulcan's were painted in camouflage colours on their upper surfaces.
At about this time, I was serving at RAF Marham & one day took the brave decision to temporary leave the safe, clinical, air conditioned atmosphere of the Electronics Block & wonder down to the Hangers & on to the clothing store. As I arrived at the Hangers, I spotted a Victor that was cordoned off. If my memory serves me correctly, it was still in it's "anti-flash" colours, with ground crew hosing it down. When I inquired what was happening, I was informed that this was a "Command & Control" aircraft & that it was "glowing" with high atmosphere radiation.
I know that the USAF have three E4B Command & Control Platforms based at Offutt AFB with one perminantly airborne night & day in case of a surprise attack on the US mainland. 50 years ago, did we have a similar facility ?
The E4B Super Jumbo's have full conferencing facilities & communications suites as opposed to the claustrophobic confines of the Victor cockpit, also the Senior Staff Officers would have to do crew duties.
Oh No ! I have this picture coming through with the Bomb doors being welded up & the Bomb Bay being pressurised & furnished with green leather Chesterfield arm chairs plus an old fashioned red telephone on top of the desk, but that only ever happens at Pinewood Studios on the James Bond Lot.
At about this time, I was serving at RAF Marham & one day took the brave decision to temporary leave the safe, clinical, air conditioned atmosphere of the Electronics Block & wonder down to the Hangers & on to the clothing store. As I arrived at the Hangers, I spotted a Victor that was cordoned off. If my memory serves me correctly, it was still in it's "anti-flash" colours, with ground crew hosing it down. When I inquired what was happening, I was informed that this was a "Command & Control" aircraft & that it was "glowing" with high atmosphere radiation.
I know that the USAF have three E4B Command & Control Platforms based at Offutt AFB with one perminantly airborne night & day in case of a surprise attack on the US mainland. 50 years ago, did we have a similar facility ?
The E4B Super Jumbo's have full conferencing facilities & communications suites as opposed to the claustrophobic confines of the Victor cockpit, also the Senior Staff Officers would have to do crew duties.
Oh No ! I have this picture coming through with the Bomb doors being welded up & the Bomb Bay being pressurised & furnished with green leather Chesterfield arm chairs plus an old fashioned red telephone on top of the desk, but that only ever happens at Pinewood Studios on the James Bond Lot.
Last edited by VIProds; 21st Apr 2012 at 12:14.
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Oh No ! I have this picture coming through with the Bomb doors being welded up & the Bomb Bay being pressurised & furnished with green leather Chesterfield arm chairs plus an old fashioned red telephone on top of the desk, but that only ever happens at Pinewood Studios on the James Bond Lot.
Sorry! Thread creep but I can picture the scene
(and as for welded shut, gaffer taped for the RAF, surely?)
I thought in the post V force days of yonder an the Senior Service took over the deterrant role, that the Nimrod was used for the NECAP / TACAMO role? I heard it in passing during a conversation at an airshow in the late 80s/early 90s?
Who needs a plane when you've got the AA....
...............the Ministry of Defence knew that US President Kennedy had a system, meaning he could retaliate against the Soviets if they should launch a nuclear strike, from anywhere in the country. The original idea was people to go around with radios, but this was too expensive and Macmillan did not want people following him around all the time. So they used the same system used by the Automobile Association, which involved sending a signal from the AA to the PM's car if the Soviets struck. Thus the PM could get to the nearest telephone and issue the order to counter-strike. In a series of memos it was first suggested that the drivers should carry four pennies on them at all times so as to pay for the call in the phone boxes, but then it was suggested that the drivers should instead make a reverse charges call.
