Wattisham
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dave,
Willie & Rich (and their other halves) very much alive and well (saw Willie in November). Don't have their contact details to hand but will endeavour to contact them and point them your way.
I'd forgotten all about going to the Mess in Land Rover for dinner, but not about scrambling to be point defence for the base (once landed short of fuel, having never got as far as the coast), nor about the PMC's inflated price of the Officers Mess Bar window. Oh the flag flies high ........
Willie & Rich (and their other halves) very much alive and well (saw Willie in November). Don't have their contact details to hand but will endeavour to contact them and point them your way.
I'd forgotten all about going to the Mess in Land Rover for dinner, but not about scrambling to be point defence for the base (once landed short of fuel, having never got as far as the coast), nor about the PMC's inflated price of the Officers Mess Bar window. Oh the flag flies high ........
Meadowbank,
Are you refering to the time when Glen threw an apple at someone who ducked - therby exposing the bar side window to damage?
And there was the time when we had snowball fights in the bar and every light bulb in the place was broken.
The there was the Lowenbrau night when we all ended up with huge mess bills because we were dancing on the newly polished mess tables. Good times.
Max
Are you refering to the time when Glen threw an apple at someone who ducked - therby exposing the bar side window to damage?
And there was the time when we had snowball fights in the bar and every light bulb in the place was broken.
The there was the Lowenbrau night when we all ended up with huge mess bills because we were dancing on the newly polished mess tables. Good times.
Max
There were a few more bar incidents:
1. Baking hot day at Happy Hour. Er*c H*** dreams up a plan. Announces it is too damn hot and the end 'obscure glazed' window must come out. PMC (OC Eng) decrees that Shall Not Happen. Menawhile, the curtains are pulled, a couple of mates leg it out through the bog window and very carefully unpick the putty and remove the glass. Then reappear and give Er*c the nod. Er*c announces to the whole of Suffolk that he has had enough of the heat and is going to throw a barstool through the window to let some air in. Which he proceeds to do - as the stool emerges through the curtains, a couple of bottles are smashed on cue outside making a satsfying breaking glass sound.... OC Eng goes into low earth orbit - being non-aircrew he doesn't understand the grins on the assembled faces - not even when the spoof is revealed.
Unfortunately it cost a few quid when they broke a corner off the glass putting it back again!
2. Oberkraut and Unterkraut have discovered the fun of fireworks. One of which burns a bit of a hole in the tatty carpet. PMC announces that they will pay for it. They planned to put the burnt piece in a frame, with a note saying "Luftwaffe attack 1983. 40 years too late" or words to that effect, but I don't know whether they ever got round to it.
3. It was a bit cruel when the aforementioned PMC was later given a framed 56(F) print one Happy Hour 'signed by all his friends from 56' - it was totally unsigned. Neither did he understand why 56 volunteered for all the Mess Committee posts they could manage, until various aircrew-friendly changes were 'approved' by the Mess Committee!
The Luftwaffe exchange officers were thoroughly good chaps. To the extent of hosting a 'Losers Party' after the BoB Cockers P! And who remembers getting 'Schnettlered' with the Mad Major's freezing cold schnapps in the bar at lunchtime in the days before Political Correctness was thrust upon 11 Gp!
1. Baking hot day at Happy Hour. Er*c H*** dreams up a plan. Announces it is too damn hot and the end 'obscure glazed' window must come out. PMC (OC Eng) decrees that Shall Not Happen. Menawhile, the curtains are pulled, a couple of mates leg it out through the bog window and very carefully unpick the putty and remove the glass. Then reappear and give Er*c the nod. Er*c announces to the whole of Suffolk that he has had enough of the heat and is going to throw a barstool through the window to let some air in. Which he proceeds to do - as the stool emerges through the curtains, a couple of bottles are smashed on cue outside making a satsfying breaking glass sound.... OC Eng goes into low earth orbit - being non-aircrew he doesn't understand the grins on the assembled faces - not even when the spoof is revealed.
Unfortunately it cost a few quid when they broke a corner off the glass putting it back again!
2. Oberkraut and Unterkraut have discovered the fun of fireworks. One of which burns a bit of a hole in the tatty carpet. PMC announces that they will pay for it. They planned to put the burnt piece in a frame, with a note saying "Luftwaffe attack 1983. 40 years too late" or words to that effect, but I don't know whether they ever got round to it.
3. It was a bit cruel when the aforementioned PMC was later given a framed 56(F) print one Happy Hour 'signed by all his friends from 56' - it was totally unsigned. Neither did he understand why 56 volunteered for all the Mess Committee posts they could manage, until various aircrew-friendly changes were 'approved' by the Mess Committee!
The Luftwaffe exchange officers were thoroughly good chaps. To the extent of hosting a 'Losers Party' after the BoB Cockers P! And who remembers getting 'Schnettlered' with the Mad Major's freezing cold schnapps in the bar at lunchtime in the days before Political Correctness was thrust upon 11 Gp!
Join Date: May 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Willie Felger
I remember him well.
OC Ops Wg when I was VERY young.
http://www.goldenappleoperations.org/people.htm
It’s easy to find Louis McQ and Cliff Spink online, but… while I’m at it, a few names from Wattisham in the late ‘80s, some of whom I have met since, and some of who have disappeared:
Iain Cameron (SLOps)
Pete Smith (SOpsO N)
Martin Loveridge (SOpsO N)
Ted Wright (WEWO N)
Sepp Pauli (German Exchange P)
Dave Webb (56 Nav Ldr)
Pete McNamara aka M2
Any pointers would be much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Oik.
OC Ops Wg when I was VERY young.
http://www.goldenappleoperations.org/people.htm
It’s easy to find Louis McQ and Cliff Spink online, but… while I’m at it, a few names from Wattisham in the late ‘80s, some of whom I have met since, and some of who have disappeared:
Iain Cameron (SLOps)
Pete Smith (SOpsO N)
Martin Loveridge (SOpsO N)
Ted Wright (WEWO N)
Sepp Pauli (German Exchange P)
Dave Webb (56 Nav Ldr)
Pete McNamara aka M2
Any pointers would be much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Oik.
Last edited by oik; 5th Feb 2007 at 19:09. Reason: Failing memory!
Sepp Pauli went on to become OC Flying at Llanbedr and was the UK's last military Sea Vixen pilot! Fortunately his old bird is still flying in private hands.
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: USA
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rhajaramjet
Dave, I flew at WTM '64 to '67 ; are you interested in covering anything of the sixties ? Did you know that there is a nice little museum on the base, open on Sundays ? Has lots of interesting material.
Gamekeeper
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: South East
Age: 61
Posts: 215
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wasn't there an incident where a phantom crew ejected on approach after the random swung open? There's a spectacular series of photo's somewhere 
Maybe contributors on here no more.
Always wondered if the snapper thought any on his photographic location after that
Maybe contributors on here no more.
Always wondered if the snapper thought any on his photographic location after that
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't forget the boss's Mini in the foyer at one squadron Dining In. and of course the Fire Engine saga as the pianos burned merrily during the Richthofen Exchange. Wouldn't get away with it nowadays
Guest
Posts: n/a
F4 Luftwaffe Exchange Crew
The previous posts reminded me about the day the 56 Sqn Luftwaffe exchange pilot and nav were crewed together. Sortie flown, they landed on RW05 and taxied in past the tower. Both canopies open (nothing unusual about that), crew unstrap (novel), crew stand up (very novel) and 'salute' the tower as they taxi past - absolutely priceless! Most people saw the funny side of it, but I think OC Ops Wg (not Willie F), who resided in the tower, saw the whole thing. Funnily enough, they never seemed to get crewed together after that. I wonder why....?
WJMcP
WJMcP
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Bedfordshire
Posts: 243
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
maxburner
Beagle's incident is the one burned in my memory, as it was the culmination of the saga. EH entered negotiations with PMC, eventually deciding that 6x the cost of the window was easily affordable by the sqn fund! Low Earth orbit is a great description for OC Eng's reaction - what a t*sser!
We shouldn't close this discussion about the window without a reminder that there was an occasionally-held race (normally following dining-in), which involved legging it out of the bar, turn right down the corridor, then double-90 into the Gents, out of the window next to the urinals into the little courtyard outside then back into the bar via the little opening part of the bar window, at the top.
The boys had been in trouble a couple of times for breaking the window and, if I remember correctly, it was Happy Hour on the Staish's 50th Birthday (name rhymes with Pony Dark). After much drinking and a few good times set by the boys, the Staish said he wanted to have a go. All went fairly well until he got onto the window-sill. Being short(ish) and round(ish) (sorry Sir!), he was finding it difficult to get through the small opening. Eventually, he gave up and simply kicked the big window in, leaving the PMC in the very difficult position of having to fine the Stn Cdr. My recollectioin is that the Staish paid up, though! A good man, he was on the sqn on the day of my last trip. Having asked me what I intended to do at the end of the flight, he then authorised the sortie himself - a good egg.
Beagle
I believe Sepp is flying a Canberra in the States these days.
Oik
Ian Cameron has retired to the Wattisham area and can usually be met at the Phantom Reunion, which will be on 9 Nov this year.
Beagle's incident is the one burned in my memory, as it was the culmination of the saga. EH entered negotiations with PMC, eventually deciding that 6x the cost of the window was easily affordable by the sqn fund! Low Earth orbit is a great description for OC Eng's reaction - what a t*sser!
We shouldn't close this discussion about the window without a reminder that there was an occasionally-held race (normally following dining-in), which involved legging it out of the bar, turn right down the corridor, then double-90 into the Gents, out of the window next to the urinals into the little courtyard outside then back into the bar via the little opening part of the bar window, at the top.
The boys had been in trouble a couple of times for breaking the window and, if I remember correctly, it was Happy Hour on the Staish's 50th Birthday (name rhymes with Pony Dark). After much drinking and a few good times set by the boys, the Staish said he wanted to have a go. All went fairly well until he got onto the window-sill. Being short(ish) and round(ish) (sorry Sir!), he was finding it difficult to get through the small opening. Eventually, he gave up and simply kicked the big window in, leaving the PMC in the very difficult position of having to fine the Stn Cdr. My recollectioin is that the Staish paid up, though! A good man, he was on the sqn on the day of my last trip. Having asked me what I intended to do at the end of the flight, he then authorised the sortie himself - a good egg.
Beagle
I believe Sepp is flying a Canberra in the States these days.
Oik
Ian Cameron has retired to the Wattisham area and can usually be met at the Phantom Reunion, which will be on 9 Nov this year.
Join Date: May 2007
Location: West Oxfordshire
Age: 57
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: post #8 - I know exactly what that was. It was the day we arrived back from Gioia Del Colle from a Sqn exchange with some Starfighter sqn, probably 1985 I think. Earlier in the day the crew of a Hawk had ejected from their aircraft which then proceeded to do an unmanned circuit of the airfield before clipping the upper edge of a thatched cottage just outside the airfield.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Sverdlovsk
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For Oik.... tracing ex What a Shame crews....
oik...., Martin Loveridge (SOpsO N) lives not far from me..., having very recently retired from his last post in Valencia. I have passed this link to him..., so he should be in touch...
Spent a short tour at What a Shame.., involved in Tiger Trails with the F4Js...., OM still very active in 83/84.
Had my chimney swept early one Saturday morning by OC 74 standing on his tail above OMQs as he departed for a week-end at Ramstein ..., mind you..., he did pay for the carpets to be cleaned on his return ...!!!
Regards
Gengis
Spent a short tour at What a Shame.., involved in Tiger Trails with the F4Js...., OM still very active in 83/84.
Had my chimney swept early one Saturday morning by OC 74 standing on his tail above OMQs as he departed for a week-end at Ramstein ..., mind you..., he did pay for the carpets to be cleaned on his return ...!!!
Regards
Gengis
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: West of Akrotiri & the B Sours
Age: 73
Posts: 95
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Meadowbank
I remember that incident so well as I was in the bar at the time. The Staish (TeePee) was a great bloke. I flew to Akkers with him once when 56 were going to stuff one up the Israelis (I think they said) and after the usual Kebab and Kokkinelli back to the bar for polite coversations. I distinctly remember him about midnight with OC Ops on his shoulders taking on the 56 QWIP and QWIN and smashing through the glass patio door - another PMC 6 times apology.
Re the Hawk incident, I was Sen Ops O at the time. It was lunchtime and I was in the Mess and one of my chaps rang to say there was a Hawk doing circuits. "Yeah Yeah so what, I said - Well Sir says he, theres no pilot in it. Do want to come back to the office?". Well I did!!
Re the Hawk incident, I was Sen Ops O at the time. It was lunchtime and I was in the Mess and one of my chaps rang to say there was a Hawk doing circuits. "Yeah Yeah so what, I said - Well Sir says he, theres no pilot in it. Do want to come back to the office?". Well I did!!
Storno S&M gear
"What ba$tard useless things Stonos were. Who but the RAF could accept a 2-handed 'walkie talkie'? But with a bit of anaprop, when the MUF was right 
you could pick up all sorts of strange conversations due to the miracles of Megahertz!"
you could pick up all sorts of strange conversations due to the miracles of Megahertz!"
Dressing up in this outfit would have had you blackmailed by a foriegn secret service in no time and needless to say I never actually saw anyone wearing it.
My gripe with them (PGRI version) were the users bringing them back with storno and long black cable in one hand; handset in the other.
Have you been swinging this around mate? - The answer was always no, despite evidence to the contrary and led to the next two hours cursing swearing and burning you fingers putting it back together.
On a technical note...did you know they did a 'LOW POWER' intrinsically safe version. 500mw if I remember correctly.
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Bournemouth
Age: 77
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Home Drome
9arrow,
Probably not much use to you but just down the road near Nedging Tye was an undertakers business. They were called "Death & Sons".
This is not a spoof.
I was there on 29F from '68 to '71 flying Frightenings.
Did you know that around that time the Singing Postman released an LP and one of the tracks was about Wattisham, the noise, and the fact that he was going to "do that Wing Commander"?. Somewhere in my loft I still have a vinyl original. It would be great if it were to be digitised.
JP
Probably not much use to you but just down the road near Nedging Tye was an undertakers business. They were called "Death & Sons".
This is not a spoof.
I was there on 29F from '68 to '71 flying Frightenings.
Did you know that around that time the Singing Postman released an LP and one of the tracks was about Wattisham, the noise, and the fact that he was going to "do that Wing Commander"?. Somewhere in my loft I still have a vinyl original. It would be great if it were to be digitised.
JP