Wattisham
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Wattisham
I am in the process of writing a history of Wattisham for AdHoc Publications. Excuse me treading on this site but I am interested in tracing some ex-Wattisham aircrew from the Phantom era that lived near the base in the same village as myself. We were pals at the time and I have lost track. They are:
Guy Slocum (pilot)- ex 56 Sqn Flight Commander (I think). Went into insurance I think after a tour on OCU at Coningsby.
Willy Felgar (Nav) - ex Flight Commander 23 Sqn and OC Ops on later tour. Was working in Immigration last heard of.
Rich Milne (Nav) - 23 Sqn.
If anyone knows of them, please contact me. Also, if anyone has any stories to tell of times at Wattisham I would love to hear from you. The publisher says that any anecdote used will qualify the owner for a free book later in the year.
Thanks for reading,
Dave Eade
Guy Slocum (pilot)- ex 56 Sqn Flight Commander (I think). Went into insurance I think after a tour on OCU at Coningsby.
Willy Felgar (Nav) - ex Flight Commander 23 Sqn and OC Ops on later tour. Was working in Immigration last heard of.
Rich Milne (Nav) - 23 Sqn.
If anyone knows of them, please contact me. Also, if anyone has any stories to tell of times at Wattisham I would love to hear from you. The publisher says that any anecdote used will qualify the owner for a free book later in the year.
Thanks for reading,
Dave Eade
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Wattisham
Try www.contact.armyaviation.co.uk , there will be some of the new owners there that could help.
Terrific part of the world! I was lucky enough to be on 56(F) from Sep 1981 until June 1983, then did a stint in Ops Wg. Lived in Needham Market and thoroughly enjoyed all the small villages and wonderful little off-the-beaten-track pubs in 'Constable Country'....
Another great station, now sadly no longer RAF.
Chasing F-104s Stowmarket during one exercise; getting airborne as 2 Tornados went past doing an airfield attack on another - and getting 2 x Fox2 as we roared over Bildeston at the speed of heat:
(With thanks to aluminium persuader)
....happy times. Well, at least some were.......
Then came the South Atlantic business. At the time, we were being nagged by a less-than-popular Sqn Ldr to arrange sponsors for the Spring Recption. The boys who'd been to the pub at lunch time came back with grins on their faces and gave him a number to ring. "Hello, this is Sqn Ldr D***d V***, RAF Wattisham. I understand that you might be able to donate something for our charity Spring Reception". There was a brief pause, followed by "This is the Argentine Embassy - we don't think we can be of help.....CLICK".
It was the day of the invasion - he hadn't heard what the pub gang had!
Another great station, now sadly no longer RAF.
Chasing F-104s Stowmarket during one exercise; getting airborne as 2 Tornados went past doing an airfield attack on another - and getting 2 x Fox2 as we roared over Bildeston at the speed of heat:
(With thanks to aluminium persuader)
....happy times. Well, at least some were.......
Then came the South Atlantic business. At the time, we were being nagged by a less-than-popular Sqn Ldr to arrange sponsors for the Spring Recption. The boys who'd been to the pub at lunch time came back with grins on their faces and gave him a number to ring. "Hello, this is Sqn Ldr D***d V***, RAF Wattisham. I understand that you might be able to donate something for our charity Spring Reception". There was a brief pause, followed by "This is the Argentine Embassy - we don't think we can be of help.....CLICK".
It was the day of the invasion - he hadn't heard what the pub gang had!
Last edited by BEagle; 3rd Feb 2007 at 22:31.
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Being one of the new generation at Wattisham I happened across a local out the back in Nedging who regaled me with some tales of times past including one of a cottage being on the recieving end of something pointy once its driver had debussed.
Can anyone put any meat on the bones of this story?
HEDP
Can anyone put any meat on the bones of this story?
HEDP
Not sure whether it's the same accident, but on 23 Sep 1981, a 237 OCU Bucc S2B (they were boltholing from Honington at the time) pranged near Battisford after stalling on the approach. Both crew punched out OK though.
Last edited by BEagle; 4th Feb 2007 at 10:40. Reason: Wrong date - sorry!
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Miss read
Faitless, sorry must be my eyes but I didn't see the part where it said only RAF, I thought I read 'the history of Wattisham' Silly me for jumping in with my big gob to early!!!!! No stick - no vote
Last edited by Gnd; 4th Feb 2007 at 11:37.
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I was at said stn circa 1987 when a hawk pilot left the ac on takeoff. Said aircraft did a solo circuit and parked itself in the thatched roof of a very nice cottage in a village, name escapes me, close to the stn.
I presume the history will include the glorious pre F3 days of C Flight 25 Sqn Bloodhound also housed at Wattisham? Great base, good times.
I presume the history will include the glorious pre F3 days of C Flight 25 Sqn Bloodhound also housed at Wattisham? Great base, good times.
It was the Hawk (detached from 4 FTS at Valley) that went into the cottage at Nedging just after take-off.
Apparently, jet took-off, canopy opened so pilot ejected. Jet circled the airfield a couple of times on its own before piling into the cottage.
No major injuries to anyone, it of a dent in the cottage though!
Also reminds me of the Chivenor Hawk returning to Wattisham off CAP during Priory or Elder Forest, early '80s I guess. Back seat (Air Traffic?) passenger had pulled the yellow & balck whilst trying to keep orientated during the CAP, so jet returned with gaping hole in rear canopy and seat rod poked up through it.
Ejectee picked up from oggin fairly quickly by 22 at Coltishal IIRC.
Apparently, jet took-off, canopy opened so pilot ejected. Jet circled the airfield a couple of times on its own before piling into the cottage.
No major injuries to anyone, it of a dent in the cottage though!
Also reminds me of the Chivenor Hawk returning to Wattisham off CAP during Priory or Elder Forest, early '80s I guess. Back seat (Air Traffic?) passenger had pulled the yellow & balck whilst trying to keep orientated during the CAP, so jet returned with gaping hole in rear canopy and seat rod poked up through it.
Ejectee picked up from oggin fairly quickly by 22 at Coltishal IIRC.
And the pilot collected a load of V-signs, other rude gestures and general lack of sympathy from those of us sitting around on the 23 ORP as he landed with a pole sticking out of the back!
Mind you, when we saw the damage the rear canopy perspex had caused to his jet, we were ever so 'umble.
Mind you, when we saw the damage the rear canopy perspex had caused to his jet, we were ever so 'umble.
Hi Beags, I was on Q the night the Bucc "landed short" ( if I remember it correctly I was dining in the Mess at the time - you'll no doubt recall the quaint arrangement of storno and landrover). If I remember events correctly the SMO ripped the sump out of his service Mini going "off road" at high speed to the crash site.
BTW, can you eject from the Hawk with the canopy open? I would have thought the (hinged ) canopy frame would have fouled the seat. I certainly remember that Hawk landing in the midst of whatever exercise it was with a pole sticking out of the rear seat space and minus one Fighter Controller.
BTW, can you eject from the Hawk with the canopy open? I would have thought the (hinged ) canopy frame would have fouled the seat. I certainly remember that Hawk landing in the midst of whatever exercise it was with a pole sticking out of the rear seat space and minus one Fighter Controller.
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From memory the Hawk stude noticed that the canopy was partially open after take-off and decided that the rocket assisted arm chair was the solution to seeing daylight under the canopy rail.
I am pretty sure that the tale that the emergency services discovering the gibbering lady owner of the property into which the Hawk had removed a large section of bathroom wall, whilst said lass was astride the crapper, is just an urban myth
Looked pretty whizzin around the circuit as I taxyed back though
Oh and lets just say it one more time - the FC did not pull the handle OK
The seat just sorta went off, all by its self
I am pretty sure that the tale that the emergency services discovering the gibbering lady owner of the property into which the Hawk had removed a large section of bathroom wall, whilst said lass was astride the crapper, is just an urban myth
Looked pretty whizzin around the circuit as I taxyed back thoughOh and lets just say it one more time - the FC did not pull the handle OK
The seat just sorta went off, all by its self
Hi Wiggy - yes, I was very possibly having dinner with you when the crash alarm went off! Some chap at the end of the table kicked his chair over and rushed straight to the phone, then vanished into the night.
Someone (was it the SMO) certainly Cat5'd a service car on the way to the crash site - I'd heard he decided to aim at the fire and go in a straight line, without worrying about ditches etc....
That quaint old Storno and Rover thing I do indeed recall! Enter the OM by the fire door, leave Storno by the phone with the Rover key ring over the antenna. If phone goes, check on Storno whilst mate gets Land Rover started.... Phone rang once when I was on Q - some lad at Valley had got the wrong 'dial-a-mate' number for his oppo!
And we always tried to thrash the Rover up to 'Sqn mph' on the back road to the Q-shed. 56, of course!!
What ba$tard useless things Stonos were. Who but the RAF could accept a 2-handed 'walkie talkie'? But with a bit of anaprop, when the MUF was right
you could pick up all sorts of strange conversations due to the miracles of Megahertz!
Re. the Hawk with backseat pole incident - of course there is only the one canopy on a Hawk, so I should have said ....when we saw the damage the rear seater's ejection had caused due to the canopy perspex...
Didn't pull the handle? Since when did anyone listen to a Fighter Confuser's story.....
I once took off from Chiv in a Hawk and noticed a louder than normal noise, plus no canopy seal inflation. My fault - I'd been held waiting for the whooshy new bomber (Tornado GR1) on the approach, so opened the lid to cool down. But it didn't shut properly - and took a 2-handed heave to close when airborne. I never told anyone - due to the certain knowledge that the squirearchy would have hung me out to dry if I'd done a quick circuit to land at heavy weight in order to shut it properly!
Someone (was it the SMO) certainly Cat5'd a service car on the way to the crash site - I'd heard he decided to aim at the fire and go in a straight line, without worrying about ditches etc....
That quaint old Storno and Rover thing I do indeed recall! Enter the OM by the fire door, leave Storno by the phone with the Rover key ring over the antenna. If phone goes, check on Storno whilst mate gets Land Rover started.... Phone rang once when I was on Q - some lad at Valley had got the wrong 'dial-a-mate' number for his oppo!
And we always tried to thrash the Rover up to 'Sqn mph' on the back road to the Q-shed. 56, of course!!
What ba$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!Re. the Hawk with backseat pole incident - of course there is only the one canopy on a Hawk, so I should have said ....when we saw the damage the rear seater's ejection had caused due to the canopy perspex...
Didn't pull the handle? Since when did anyone listen to a Fighter Confuser's story.....
I once took off from Chiv in a Hawk and noticed a louder than normal noise, plus no canopy seal inflation. My fault - I'd been held waiting for the whooshy new bomber (Tornado GR1) on the approach, so opened the lid to cool down. But it didn't shut properly - and took a 2-handed heave to close when airborne. I never told anyone - due to the certain knowledge that the squirearchy would have hung me out to dry if I'd done a quick circuit to land at heavy weight in order to shut it properly!
Last edited by BEagle; 4th Feb 2007 at 15:03.
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BEagle quote:
Since when did anyone listen to a Fighter Confuser's story.....
"A Few Good controllers"
You want the truth, pilot? You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a
world that has bogeys, and those bogeys have to be identified by controllers
with TPS-75s. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Major Stick Monkey? We
have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for
a colo(u)r display and a decent box lunch, and you curse the controllers. You
have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what we know—that
a receiver turn-on, while tragic, probably saves time; and my
existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, dominates the
electromagnetic spectrum. You don't want the truth because deep down in
places you don't talk about at parties, you want me in that radar—you
need me in that radar. We use words like "working," "unable," “merged”
and "Green, west." We use these words as the backbone of a life spent
frustrating the enemy. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the
time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who flies and fights
under the blanket of recommended vectors that I provide and then
questions the manner in which I provide them! I would rather that you just
said "thank you" and fly the heading. Otherwise, I suggest you take
the next Predator assignment that comes down. Either way, I don't give
a damn what you think you’re entitled to fly.
Yes, it's been done before..........
Since when did anyone listen to a Fighter Confuser's story.....
"A Few Good controllers"
You want the truth, pilot? You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a
world that has bogeys, and those bogeys have to be identified by controllers
with TPS-75s. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Major Stick Monkey? We
have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for
a colo(u)r display and a decent box lunch, and you curse the controllers. You
have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what we know—that
a receiver turn-on, while tragic, probably saves time; and my
existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, dominates the
electromagnetic spectrum. You don't want the truth because deep down in
places you don't talk about at parties, you want me in that radar—you
need me in that radar. We use words like "working," "unable," “merged”
and "Green, west." We use these words as the backbone of a life spent
frustrating the enemy. You use them as a punch line. I have neither the
time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who flies and fights
under the blanket of recommended vectors that I provide and then
questions the manner in which I provide them! I would rather that you just
said "thank you" and fly the heading. Otherwise, I suggest you take
the next Predator assignment that comes down. Either way, I don't give
a damn what you think you’re entitled to fly.
Yes, it's been done before..........