V-Force dispersal query
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Forget, I have no recollection of tannoy messages 
Sirens, going to Ops, grabbing the callout book and a telephone. The operators were sh1t hot and very quickly knew which phones were being used for off-base callout. No sooner had I finished one call than she would ask for the next number.
There was a tendency not to call it a Mick or Mickey Finn but "an Irish gentleman has come to call".
For the groundcrew and armament teams they probably weren't standing still long enough to hear the tannoy. At Waddo the first aircraft was usually combat ready well under 2 hours and often full generation within 5 hours.
Where there were insufficient drill weapons it was usual to load live weapons (hence the later confusion about live/drill) and then off-load. Once we got WE177 we had enough drill rounds.
Sirens, going to Ops, grabbing the callout book and a telephone. The operators were sh1t hot and very quickly knew which phones were being used for off-base callout. No sooner had I finished one call than she would ask for the next number.
There was a tendency not to call it a Mick or Mickey Finn but "an Irish gentleman has come to call".
For the groundcrew and armament teams they probably weren't standing still long enough to hear the tannoy. At Waddo the first aircraft was usually combat ready well under 2 hours and often full generation within 5 hours.
Where there were insufficient drill weapons it was usual to load live weapons (hence the later confusion about live/drill) and then off-load. Once we got WE177 we had enough drill rounds.
Forget, on the tannoy in my little room there was no mention of it being an exercise, neither did we know if it was going to be a Mick or a Micky Finn. Everytime we used to report in with all our kit to find out if we were going anywhere.
As mentioned it was always referred to as an "alert " being declared. Always helped with the confusion element dontcherknow.
To this day I still have a "go bag" with enough to survive for a few days packed away inside it.
As mentioned it was always referred to as an "alert " being declared. Always helped with the confusion element dontcherknow.
To this day I still have a "go bag" with enough to survive for a few days packed away inside it.
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I'm talking about when ground equipment was still painted blue. The '60s. Mick and Mickey Finns were called by a Tannoy message as above. Also with QRA and Exercise Edoms.
I'm 100% certain of this. In fact, one late evening on the line at Coningsby in '69 (Waddington's runway was being resurfaced) I found a bull-horn in a store room and called my own Mickey Finn from behind the line control hut with the usual announcement. 'Attention Attention Attention. This is the Coningsby controller. Exercise Mickey Finn, I repeat Exercise Mickey Finn'.
....... and it worked fine. Un-convincing half a dozen frantic crew chiefs was something I hadn't planned for.
I'm 100% certain of this. In fact, one late evening on the line at Coningsby in '69 (Waddington's runway was being resurfaced) I found a bull-horn in a store room and called my own Mickey Finn from behind the line control hut with the usual announcement. 'Attention Attention Attention. This is the Coningsby controller. Exercise Mickey Finn, I repeat Exercise Mickey Finn'.
....... and it worked fine. Un-convincing half a dozen frantic crew chiefs was something I hadn't planned for.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Forget, I was there at CY the same time
As for Edoms, the Bomber Controller bit was what came over the Bomber Box. Even though I must have put out tannoy's myself I have no recollection of the words I used - just pure mantra.
Similarly when actually on QRA we rarely heard the tannoy. The Ops O used to flip the tannoy on while the Bomber Controller was talking and we were off, usually before he got as far as Exercise . . .
ATC used to give us a clue as to the readiness state by firing a coloured very at the Q cars. One day they got a hit and the lead car at Cottesmore picked up a yellow very under the chasis.
I would have imagined that the only time it would have said "Coningsby Controller" would have been for a Groupex or some such.
As for Edoms, the Bomber Controller bit was what came over the Bomber Box. Even though I must have put out tannoy's myself I have no recollection of the words I used - just pure mantra.
Similarly when actually on QRA we rarely heard the tannoy. The Ops O used to flip the tannoy on while the Bomber Controller was talking and we were off, usually before he got as far as Exercise . . .
ATC used to give us a clue as to the readiness state by firing a coloured very at the Q cars. One day they got a hit and the lead car at Cottesmore picked up a yellow very under the chasis.
I would have imagined that the only time it would have said "Coningsby Controller" would have been for a Groupex or some such.
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Waddo early 80s... "This is the Bomber Controller, for Bomblist Alfa, Readiness 15 is now in force, [authentication codes]".
Repeated on Tannoy and on ATC Local frequency, verbatim and with no embellishments.
Repeated on Tannoy and on ATC Local frequency, verbatim and with no embellishments.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
2-tone, thank you. Had I had to place a bet that is what I wouldhave opted for.
The thing is, the actual format was set out in a TS document and possibly a S too. ATC would not have had access to the TS and maybe not even the S doc. The safest way therefore was a verbatim repeat.
The thing is, the actual format was set out in a TS document and possibly a S too. ATC would not have had access to the TS and maybe not even the S doc. The safest way therefore was a verbatim repeat.
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The thing is, the actual format was set out in a TS document and possibly a S too. ATC would not have had access to the TS and maybe not even the S doc. The safest way therefore was a verbatim repeat.
Just another erk
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I can remember at Marham, in the late 60's a "mickey" being called, then 3 of us jumping in a car, and trying to get through the gates before they closed them. Didn't work though 
Last edited by ArthurR; 24th Jan 2010 at 11:05. Reason: still to many ewes, said sheepishly
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Waddo early 80s...
2-tone, thank you. Had I had to place a bet that is what I would have opted for.
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Just found this thread since it came ‘up the list’. What a wonderful waste of a Sunday reading it all.
My recollections.
Exercise Sunspot Sept 1959. I was on 214 Sqdn, we were doing the in-flight re-fuelling trials but someone at Group or Command had left us on the roster for ‘Sunspot’. Our turn came around and when it was pointed out that we had our bomb bays full of HDU and there was no room for any bombs et al. We were apparently informed that it was too late to schedule a different sqdn, so we went!
During this detachment we lost XD869, see http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ighlight=XD869
WRT to the Cuban Crises see: The day Britain was 15 minutes from triggering Armageddon | Mail Online
Incidentally The Group Capt. Beetham mentioned in the Daily mail article was Wing Co. Beetham OC 214 Sqdn at the time of the ‘Sunspot’. He went on to become MoRAF.
My part in the Cuban Crisis? I was posted to Akrotiri on 13th Oct 1962
My recollections.
Exercise Sunspot Sept 1959. I was on 214 Sqdn, we were doing the in-flight re-fuelling trials but someone at Group or Command had left us on the roster for ‘Sunspot’. Our turn came around and when it was pointed out that we had our bomb bays full of HDU and there was no room for any bombs et al. We were apparently informed that it was too late to schedule a different sqdn, so we went!
During this detachment we lost XD869, see http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ighlight=XD869
WRT to the Cuban Crises see: The day Britain was 15 minutes from triggering Armageddon | Mail Online
Incidentally The Group Capt. Beetham mentioned in the Daily mail article was Wing Co. Beetham OC 214 Sqdn at the time of the ‘Sunspot’. He went on to become MoRAF.
My part in the Cuban Crisis? I was posted to Akrotiri on 13th Oct 1962
Have to agree with Forget on this one. Place ? Wittering 1965 - 1967, Victor B2R / Blue Steel.
Micks, Mickey Finns and Edoms always tannoyed and always prefixed Exercise .......
Micks, Mickey Finns and Edoms always tannoyed and always prefixed Exercise .......
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@ forget ... a different era, and my apologies for imposing 1980's on the 1960's.
A certain OC 50 Sqn whinged at a PXR after a callout, because he was unaware of whether it was an Exercise or real. A certain "Big John" Stn Cdr observed ... "What difference should that make, Chris?".
The horn goes, you move. Perhaps the 60's were different.
A certain OC 50 Sqn whinged at a PXR after a callout, because he was unaware of whether it was an Exercise or real. A certain "Big John" Stn Cdr observed ... "What difference should that make, Chris?".
The horn goes, you move. Perhaps the 60's were different.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I quite agree with the fact that Edom was prefixed Exercise and was actually commenting on the fact that message was "This is the Bomber Controller" as opposed to Cottesmore Controller.
As for the tannoys being prefixed Exercise Mick or whatever, as aircrew we were never around long enough to hear the tannoy. Certainly we heard the Bomber Controller over the bomber box and indeed it was essential that he said who the message was for:
viz "............for QRA Force only, Exercise Edom ......"
or
"..............for Bomblist Charlie, Exercise Mick ........"
AFAIK remember QRA crews reacted to a Mick readiness change but not to a Micky Finn change.
As for the tannoys being prefixed Exercise Mick or whatever, as aircrew we were never around long enough to hear the tannoy. Certainly we heard the Bomber Controller over the bomber box and indeed it was essential that he said who the message was for:
viz "............for QRA Force only, Exercise Edom ......"
or
"..............for Bomblist Charlie, Exercise Mick ........"
AFAIK remember QRA crews reacted to a Mick readiness change but not to a Micky Finn change.
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At Leeming, ATC had a 'bomber box'. They were briefed shortly after we arrived by the Ops Pilot to repeat the Bomber Controller's message exactly [on pain of death or worse]. We even gave them example messages to help them get it right. As soon as the Bomber Controller uttered a word, they broadcasted it no matter what was going on. It didn't half p*ss of the locals in the circuit!
I did Micky Finns and Micks in the sixties, and Micks in the seventies and eighties. Ex Mick could be used by a single Sqn doing a dispersal exercise... 'Attention, attention, this is the Bomber Controller for Leeming only, readiness 05 is now in force. For Leeming only, readiness 05 is now in force. For Leeming only, readiness 05 is now in force.' And every minute - 'For Leeming only, readiness 05 is now in force' [30 secs for readiness 02]. When the whole practice was ended, the reversion to readiness 15 was accompanied by an authentication code which the crews had to match with sealed cards before reverting. And once they didn't, which caused a huge embarrassment... [but that's another story!]
ISTR that Exercise Edom was for real QRA only.
I did Micky Finns and Micks in the sixties, and Micks in the seventies and eighties. Ex Mick could be used by a single Sqn doing a dispersal exercise... 'Attention, attention, this is the Bomber Controller for Leeming only, readiness 05 is now in force. For Leeming only, readiness 05 is now in force. For Leeming only, readiness 05 is now in force.' And every minute - 'For Leeming only, readiness 05 is now in force' [30 secs for readiness 02]. When the whole practice was ended, the reversion to readiness 15 was accompanied by an authentication code which the crews had to match with sealed cards before reverting. And once they didn't, which caused a huge embarrassment... [but that's another story!]
ISTR that Exercise Edom was for real QRA only.
I thought it was EX INDEX in the late '70s and early '80s?
We of the mighty 35 always went to Finningley and worked from some remote spot - although we had a night in the mess before the fly-off at the end of the 'war'.
Certain navigators had great fun taunting their ex-instructors if they spotted them.....
We of the mighty 35 always went to Finningley and worked from some remote spot - although we had a night in the mess before the fly-off at the end of the 'war'.
Certain navigators had great fun taunting their ex-instructors if they spotted them.....
