Moray Based Airfield To Close
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Having recently left Lossie I can confirm that just the OCU are boltholed into Kinloss at the moment while 12,14 and 617 continue to operate from lossie on the short runway. These squadrons will either go on block leave or bolthole while the runway intersection is relaid and then all four Lossie squadrons will return to flying from the main runway while the short is relaid.
I reckon Kinloss is more likely to go than Lossie - it will be a lot harder to relocate 3 strike squadrons and an OCU than it will to move a handful of Nimrods... however don't forget the SAR assets are moving from Lossie to Kinloss next year and the ARCC is at Kinloss too. Nice new 'Center Parcs' type Officers Mess at Lossie too.
This all leads to Leuchars being favourite to close IMHO - 3 squadrons of F3s still trying to justify their existence by sitting on QRA......
Lossie also has 51 sqn RAF Reg plus an Aux Regiment Sqn - lots to move really!
But all this is based on logic - do the RAF have that word in their dictionary?!
Strength and Honour,
SW
I reckon Kinloss is more likely to go than Lossie - it will be a lot harder to relocate 3 strike squadrons and an OCU than it will to move a handful of Nimrods... however don't forget the SAR assets are moving from Lossie to Kinloss next year and the ARCC is at Kinloss too. Nice new 'Center Parcs' type Officers Mess at Lossie too.
This all leads to Leuchars being favourite to close IMHO - 3 squadrons of F3s still trying to justify their existence by sitting on QRA......
Lossie also has 51 sqn RAF Reg plus an Aux Regiment Sqn - lots to move really!
But all this is based on logic - do the RAF have that word in their dictionary?!
Strength and Honour,
SW
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Ciclyc:
"The local (SNP) MP stated in this weeks local rag that he was pleased that there was no threat to the Moray airbases but was upset about the removal of a number of Scottish Regiments. If he thinks there is no threat then we need to worry....."
you reckon the politicos haven't been told yet or what?
"The local (SNP) MP stated in this weeks local rag that he was pleased that there was no threat to the Moray airbases but was upset about the removal of a number of Scottish Regiments. If he thinks there is no threat then we need to worry....."
you reckon the politicos haven't been told yet or what?
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SIKWIZZO
"it will be a lot harder to relocate 3 strike squadrons and an OCU than it will to move a handful of Nimrods"
Do you mean the 3 Maritime sqns + an OCU, the NMSU, signals unit and the ARCC
"it will be a lot harder to relocate 3 strike squadrons and an OCU than it will to move a handful of Nimrods"
Do you mean the 3 Maritime sqns + an OCU, the NMSU, signals unit and the ARCC
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No I don't suppose they have been told, especially a SNP politician in Westminster! Whether the idiots in their £450 million palace will give a stuff is another matter. I can remember the SNP Defence spokesman writing in the same quality journal about how they would get a share of the assets come independance - perhaps he would like an airfield complete with resurfaced runway for his squadron of microlights! I think now that the Scots have seen that even their own people are likely to waste millions of their money when they get a little power, independance is a long way off. Just look at the intellectual heavyweights they (we) have elected. I thought it was amusing that he would go into print and then maybe find egg on his face in a weeks's time if one base does go.
I have also heard that Leuchars is ripe for civil development, although Dundee can handle exec jets.
What would be done with the real estate in Moray? Both camps are barely above sea level, we don't need another civil airfield and although we have experienced a minor property boom, that will soon ebb away once 2500 personnel move out of the area. There are a lot of local businesses that rely on the income from the RAF and 2500 people is a lot when the nearest other industrial town is 60 miles away with a road network that would be the subject of a joke in the SE.
On a different note, it is good to see that the FJ fraternity still have a good grip on reality. Of course it would be much harder to move all those egos when compared to a "handful of dear old MR2s" - bless.
I have also heard that Leuchars is ripe for civil development, although Dundee can handle exec jets.
What would be done with the real estate in Moray? Both camps are barely above sea level, we don't need another civil airfield and although we have experienced a minor property boom, that will soon ebb away once 2500 personnel move out of the area. There are a lot of local businesses that rely on the income from the RAF and 2500 people is a lot when the nearest other industrial town is 60 miles away with a road network that would be the subject of a joke in the SE.
On a different note, it is good to see that the FJ fraternity still have a good grip on reality. Of course it would be much harder to move all those egos when compared to a "handful of dear old MR2s" - bless.
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My apologies Deliverance, no offence intended to the AD community - I was merely repeating what an AD QWIP (I know he was one - he had the patch to prove it!) said to me recently.
The F3 boys do a good job with a platform that should have been this good 15/20 years ago and I'm sure they'll give the yanks an even bigger run for their money when they get their hands on a Typhoon!
So, like you, I'm tired the SA/AD banter, so let's remember one thing - at the end of the day; we are all on the same side.
Strength and Honour.
SW
The F3 boys do a good job with a platform that should have been this good 15/20 years ago and I'm sure they'll give the yanks an even bigger run for their money when they get their hands on a Typhoon!
So, like you, I'm tired the SA/AD banter, so let's remember one thing - at the end of the day; we are all on the same side.
Strength and Honour.
SW
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Re re-opening Binbrook, I heard a rumour recently that a couple of the hangars there had been turned into giant 'fridges which now contain large numbers of carcases of diseased (BSE, F&M) cattle and sheep which haven't made it to front of the disposal queue. If this is true, it opens up a whole new range of cr*p secondary duties for the JPs/JNs when they get there! 
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Interesting rumours, but this is what is actually going to be announced:
Lossiemouth will close at end '07 with SAR relocating to ISK imminently.
One GR4 squadron will disappear (probably 14), with the rest moving south to Marham early '07.
Only reason I know is because the barman at my local told me last week, and he knows this guy who heard some woman in Tescos talking to the checkout girl who's Dad cleans the loos in the MOD.
You heard it first here......
Lossiemouth will close at end '07 with SAR relocating to ISK imminently.
One GR4 squadron will disappear (probably 14), with the rest moving south to Marham early '07.
Only reason I know is because the barman at my local told me last week, and he knows this guy who heard some woman in Tescos talking to the checkout girl who's Dad cleans the loos in the MOD.
You heard it first here......
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Fulmar.. Sorry Lossie - Give it back to the Fleet Air Arm
Funny, My old man was a Bucc Maintainer at Lossie in the 60's, he told me how one of the hangers was very prone to flooding and on a couple of occasions after a Heavy fall of rain, it wasn't unusual to see the water above an Aircraft's nose wheel. Is this still the case?
Both camps are barely above sea level...
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Cyclic & Gainsey,
Whoops - Thanks for picking me up on that cyclic. I received this :
"The councillor you refer to was not Mr Aldridge but Alistair Bisset, still one of the 'movers and shakers' at the council and still chairman of the licensing board! Thank you for reminding me about that little incident.
It might interest you to know that a year ago Councillor Bisset was visiting a patient at Dr Gray's Hospital and staff asked him to leave because he had been drinking. He remonstrated with the nurses and later claimed that he had had "only one glass of wine" with his lunch. This caused great amusement to all who know him. We sometimes refer to him in the paper's gossip column as Alistair "I only had one glass of wine" Bisset...I must revive the Nimrod story some time.
We live in interesting times here in Moray."
I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to Mr Eddie Aldridge for tarnishing his otherwise good name by associating him to the Nimrod story!!
Still reckon they are both oxygen thieves though!!
As to the closures, well I'll eat my hat!! It will compliment the humble pie!! Pass the salt please!
JR
Whoops - Thanks for picking me up on that cyclic. I received this :
"The councillor you refer to was not Mr Aldridge but Alistair Bisset, still one of the 'movers and shakers' at the council and still chairman of the licensing board! Thank you for reminding me about that little incident.
It might interest you to know that a year ago Councillor Bisset was visiting a patient at Dr Gray's Hospital and staff asked him to leave because he had been drinking. He remonstrated with the nurses and later claimed that he had had "only one glass of wine" with his lunch. This caused great amusement to all who know him. We sometimes refer to him in the paper's gossip column as Alistair "I only had one glass of wine" Bisset...I must revive the Nimrod story some time.
We live in interesting times here in Moray."
I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to Mr Eddie Aldridge for tarnishing his otherwise good name by associating him to the Nimrod story!!
Still reckon they are both oxygen thieves though!!
As to the closures, well I'll eat my hat!! It will compliment the humble pie!! Pass the salt please!
JR
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I recall a 'Yes Minister' episode in which Sir Humphrey drew an adverse inference about Lossie, claiming that it was too far from Harrods. He and others of that ilk had obviously never been there.
I spent two tours there in the 1960s during the halycon days of the Fleet Air Arm. Pity Cr@bfat is considering its closure. As I recall, the weather factor is some 300 cloud free days per year. The tactical flying around that part of the world was really something else. Not much controlled airspace either (although that might now have changed). And then there was the hunting, shooting, fishing, golf, skiing, mountain climbing and other sundry pursuits ... including the discovery of Glen Morangie!
I spent two tours there in the 1960s during the halycon days of the Fleet Air Arm. Pity Cr@bfat is considering its closure. As I recall, the weather factor is some 300 cloud free days per year. The tactical flying around that part of the world was really something else. Not much controlled airspace either (although that might now have changed). And then there was the hunting, shooting, fishing, golf, skiing, mountain climbing and other sundry pursuits ... including the discovery of Glen Morangie!
"Lossiemouth? What's that? Some sort of dog food?" - or words to that effect. Along with critical comment on why the RM were cunningly located in Plymouth in order to support Norway - and all the Army were in the Home Counties to be convenient for Harrods, as you said!
After 5 days with a Shacklebomber sqn in 1969 as a cadet, I managed to get flown home by the RN fom Lossie. I was supposed to go in a Heron, but a friend of the family on the FONFT staff flew up in a Sea Vampire from Yeovilton instead - and I got a lift back in that instead!
Can you imagine that sort of thing happening nowadays?
If one has to go, it should be ISK!
After 5 days with a Shacklebomber sqn in 1969 as a cadet, I managed to get flown home by the RN fom Lossie. I was supposed to go in a Heron, but a friend of the family on the FONFT staff flew up in a Sea Vampire from Yeovilton instead - and I got a lift back in that instead!
Can you imagine that sort of thing happening nowadays?
If one has to go, it should be ISK!
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Oh go on close ISK move to Scampton as predicted in 95, you never know Judge I might even come back.
Then again I might get sent back
Beags whats a Shack?
Charlie sends
from the land of big ass spiders
Then again I might get sent back
Beags whats a Shack?
Charlie sends
from the land of big ass spiders
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Just a word of advice if ISK did get the chop and the MK2s did move to Waddo. Follow the example of the film 'Great Escape' and secrete the odd brick or two from those shiny new squadron buildings up there. That way, if or when you arrive, at least you'll have the makings for some new accommodation. 51 has been here since '95' and we are still renting out office space. Still if I can find a window (oh yes there's one in the pilots office) I can look longingly at 5 Sqn's new palace.
Bring back the portacabins!!!!!!!!
Bring back the portacabins!!!!!!!!
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Judge,
Sorry old chap but you’ve zapped the wrong councillor! The (ex) Convenor of Moray Council may well be doing 18 months hard labour at HM’s pleasure but it was a weasel called Alistair Bissett who tried to shop the pie eaters of ISK for running booze in their Nimrods. Allegedly he was p!$$ed off about not being invited to their Spring Reception and took a tip-off from a disgruntled Erk of ISK at face value. Ironically, he got spanked for snitching to the local press by very same gentleman who is now wearing a neat suit with little arrows all over.
Back to subject: odds are that the pie eaters will be moving to Scampton in about 4-5 years time and ISK, with all those lovely new buildings, will be up for sale. Would make a nice location for a refugee camp except that none of them have any wish to live that far north!
Sorry old chap but you’ve zapped the wrong councillor! The (ex) Convenor of Moray Council may well be doing 18 months hard labour at HM’s pleasure but it was a weasel called Alistair Bissett who tried to shop the pie eaters of ISK for running booze in their Nimrods. Allegedly he was p!$$ed off about not being invited to their Spring Reception and took a tip-off from a disgruntled Erk of ISK at face value. Ironically, he got spanked for snitching to the local press by very same gentleman who is now wearing a neat suit with little arrows all over.
Back to subject: odds are that the pie eaters will be moving to Scampton in about 4-5 years time and ISK, with all those lovely new buildings, will be up for sale. Would make a nice location for a refugee camp except that none of them have any wish to live that far north!
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Daily Telegraph:
Mr Hoon plans to disguise the full scale of the cuts by announcing them in at least three separate tranches. He will make the first on Wednesday, using the award of a new contract for the futuristic £800 million Watchkeeper "network-centric capability" to portray the cuts as a "rebalancing" of the Armed Forces.....
The rest of his announcement, timed for the day before the Commons rises for the long summer recess to limit criticism, will speak only in general terms about cuts. Mr Hoon will not go much further than the Government's defence White Paper in December, which the Commons defence committee described as "disappointingly lacking in detail". Officials admit that much of the detail of the cuts will not be announced until the autumn and many of the most controversial are expected to be held over until after next year's general election.
The RAF will lose up to a fifth of its 53,000 personnel; five bases, including Odiham, Hants, Coltishall in Norfolk, and Leuchars in Scotland; most of the 62 Jaguar ground attack aircraft, and its 39 Puma helicopters.....
At the weekend, members of the Eurofighter consortium issued a veiled threat to sue the MoD for damages if workers were laid off because Britain could not afford to finalise the deal.
Mr Hoon plans to disguise the full scale of the cuts by announcing them in at least three separate tranches. He will make the first on Wednesday, using the award of a new contract for the futuristic £800 million Watchkeeper "network-centric capability" to portray the cuts as a "rebalancing" of the Armed Forces.....
The rest of his announcement, timed for the day before the Commons rises for the long summer recess to limit criticism, will speak only in general terms about cuts. Mr Hoon will not go much further than the Government's defence White Paper in December, which the Commons defence committee described as "disappointingly lacking in detail". Officials admit that much of the detail of the cuts will not be announced until the autumn and many of the most controversial are expected to be held over until after next year's general election.
The RAF will lose up to a fifth of its 53,000 personnel; five bases, including Odiham, Hants, Coltishall in Norfolk, and Leuchars in Scotland; most of the 62 Jaguar ground attack aircraft, and its 39 Puma helicopters.....
At the weekend, members of the Eurofighter consortium issued a veiled threat to sue the MoD for damages if workers were laid off because Britain could not afford to finalise the deal.
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Not wishing to divert the thread from them up north, ORAC has it been confirmed that the MOD actually owns these places and they weren't gifts to the government pre/during WW2? If so they will have to be handed back to their original owners rather than flogged off to the highest bidding Gypsies to set up their camp sites.
And I seem to remember a lot of rumours flying round that many of these places, Odiahm esp fell into this category.
All typos due to incandesant rage at those of questionable parentage and limited mental capabilities in London who have no backbone or values other than those that can be registered on a balance sheet
And I seem to remember a lot of rumours flying round that many of these places, Odiahm esp fell into this category.
All typos due to incandesant rage at those of questionable parentage and limited mental capabilities in London who have no backbone or values other than those that can be registered on a balance sheet