Pull up a sandbag ~ "I remember when..
Join Date: May 2007
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I remember when..
The bar at Lindholme got a Kronerberg pump installed and we all scoffed at the thought of paying 30 pence for a pint of lager, no matter how nice it might be; as Skol & Harp were only 24 pence a pint. I also recall a big breasted girl who served the petrol in the Tyram Hall petrol station.
My 1250 was Blue and my son has one that looks like a credit card. His SWO was an LAC when I tought him the ropes in 1975.
My son brought home his station bike last month and it now lives in the garage.
Firing bird scaring cartridges out of the window of rover 1 at 60 mph.
Southern Radar, Northern Radar, CR787 Radar
A raincoat that would have smelled of mothballs if we'd had any mothballs,
When doing the weather check meant a trip to the SMC for a chit from the doctor to say I was fit to fly in a fast jet for another 6 months.
The Aircrew feeder at EGOV serving horse and chips 5 days a week.
Ross crashing the landrover into the MT Officers car, priceless.
Me & Geoff getting a car stuck on the beach at Treaddur Bay and leaving it there as the tide came in.
Cashing Cheques in Elmers for 2 quid with a week to go until pay day
Satco wonder aloud if he could stop the ceiling fan from turning...then everyone in local getting covered in dust and white tile fragments as the fan, firmly in big John's grasp, unscrewed itself from the roof!
Supervisor RC throwing a bolttle of beer which burst on the wall inches from the (sh1t3 spewing) head of the Dep satco at a games night
Stealing five crates of beer from the rugby club and stashing it in the boot of Ray's car and then getting a puncture on the way to the block. Whilst trying to change the tyre, the Rugby Club barman comes up behind us and shines his headlights into the boot as we try to find the jack. Is every Rugby Club barman a Snowdrop?
Swinderby when Jack Shiel was a Sgt (was a perfect gent SWO at Boulmer years later) and JC wasn't even an instructor yet.
Being really pissed, walking 2 miles to the tower to steal Rover 1 and then towing the fire practice Meteor along the Northern parallel only to be confronted by 2 snowdrops asking where we going.... as if we actually had a plan!
My 1250 was Blue and my son has one that looks like a credit card. His SWO was an LAC when I tought him the ropes in 1975.
My son brought home his station bike last month and it now lives in the garage.
Firing bird scaring cartridges out of the window of rover 1 at 60 mph.
Southern Radar, Northern Radar, CR787 Radar
A raincoat that would have smelled of mothballs if we'd had any mothballs,
When doing the weather check meant a trip to the SMC for a chit from the doctor to say I was fit to fly in a fast jet for another 6 months.
The Aircrew feeder at EGOV serving horse and chips 5 days a week.
Ross crashing the landrover into the MT Officers car, priceless.
Me & Geoff getting a car stuck on the beach at Treaddur Bay and leaving it there as the tide came in.
Cashing Cheques in Elmers for 2 quid with a week to go until pay day
Satco wonder aloud if he could stop the ceiling fan from turning...then everyone in local getting covered in dust and white tile fragments as the fan, firmly in big John's grasp, unscrewed itself from the roof!
Supervisor RC throwing a bolttle of beer which burst on the wall inches from the (sh1t3 spewing) head of the Dep satco at a games night
Stealing five crates of beer from the rugby club and stashing it in the boot of Ray's car and then getting a puncture on the way to the block. Whilst trying to change the tyre, the Rugby Club barman comes up behind us and shines his headlights into the boot as we try to find the jack. Is every Rugby Club barman a Snowdrop?
Swinderby when Jack Shiel was a Sgt (was a perfect gent SWO at Boulmer years later) and JC wasn't even an instructor yet.
Being really pissed, walking 2 miles to the tower to steal Rover 1 and then towing the fire practice Meteor along the Northern parallel only to be confronted by 2 snowdrops asking where we going.... as if we actually had a plan!
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Where Alberts are Fixed
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To quote Airpolice:
"Me & Geoff getting a car stuck on the beach at Treaddur Bay and leaving it there as the tide came in."
I recall being on an adventure training weekend whilst on EOT at Cranners. We went to Capel Curig. The PTIs manged to get a LWB Land Rover stuck in the sand at Black Rock Sands. My how we laughed as the tide came in. I believe that the official report referred to "Water in the carburettor" as the cause off the loss of a vehicle! (That wouldn't happen in this day and age!!!!!)
As an aside most of us were very ill that weekend, not due to beer, but food poisoning!
"Me & Geoff getting a car stuck on the beach at Treaddur Bay and leaving it there as the tide came in."
I recall being on an adventure training weekend whilst on EOT at Cranners. We went to Capel Curig. The PTIs manged to get a LWB Land Rover stuck in the sand at Black Rock Sands. My how we laughed as the tide came in. I believe that the official report referred to "Water in the carburettor" as the cause off the loss of a vehicle! (That wouldn't happen in this day and age!!!!!)
As an aside most of us were very ill that weekend, not due to beer, but food poisoning!
Join Date: Apr 2002
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Jerome the Dome.
Early 90s. Linton, piloty student-type chap, late night calls to Radio York. Usually pissed-up. Far funnier and wittier than incumbent DJ on the night shift. Held court on anything ranging from the situation in the Middle East to the colour of Sherpa Tensing's trousers.
I never heard the broadcasts, but know him from later. A thoroughly amusingly and nice fella.
I don't actually 'remember when', but somebody told me about it.
Early 90s. Linton, piloty student-type chap, late night calls to Radio York. Usually pissed-up. Far funnier and wittier than incumbent DJ on the night shift. Held court on anything ranging from the situation in the Middle East to the colour of Sherpa Tensing's trousers.
I never heard the broadcasts, but know him from later. A thoroughly amusingly and nice fella.
I don't actually 'remember when', but somebody told me about it.
!!Reminds me of some spotty holding officer wandering around with his Clearance Card. He kept asking who he needed to go and see to get the 'Stn Bicycle Store' entry signed off....
The Queen Bee was hugely pissed-off when we sent him over to her!
Join Date: Dec 2005
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ahhh yes linton in the 90's with radio york...
"when in Rome fill the dome" I believe his catchphrase was
what's he doing now? - hope he went into standup cos he was a very funny man.
"when in Rome fill the dome" I believe his catchphrase was
what's he doing now? - hope he went into standup cos he was a very funny man.
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Apposite to another actice thread -
I wanted to get to UK for a mate's wedding.
1. Checked that aircraft was going to UK that weekend - it was.
2. Sweet talked planner to change the ferry allocation to our sqn - job done.
3. Programmed all crews in sqn for that weekend including our own - full programme, no wriggle room.
4. Except for our crew which had a very low priority programme.
5. Tasked to fly to UK - dropped our programme, picked up slot, now top programme priority - job done.
Visit mate, wedding off, cold feet.
Pull spare wedding invite from mess notice board out of pocket and leg it to town for plan B - job done.
We also had a passenger who was flying back to UK to organise his wedding and as he was a mate we were happy to give him a lift. Turned out that he had been planning to use the same aircraft until some sod reallocated it to our sqn.
I haven't confeseed yet.
I wanted to get to UK for a mate's wedding.
1. Checked that aircraft was going to UK that weekend - it was.
2. Sweet talked planner to change the ferry allocation to our sqn - job done.
3. Programmed all crews in sqn for that weekend including our own - full programme, no wriggle room.
4. Except for our crew which had a very low priority programme.
5. Tasked to fly to UK - dropped our programme, picked up slot, now top programme priority - job done.
Visit mate, wedding off, cold feet.
Pull spare wedding invite from mess notice board out of pocket and leg it to town for plan B - job done.
We also had a passenger who was flying back to UK to organise his wedding and as he was a mate we were happy to give him a lift. Turned out that he had been planning to use the same aircraft until some sod reallocated it to our sqn
.I haven't confeseed yet.
Join Date: May 2007
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'Oh for the likes of Masters & gentlemen like Ted Rose & Fred Reeves today!'
I recall sitting at the BPRT in the early 80s as Fred screamed obsceneties and hurled a set of FRCs at a student!
Join Date: Nov 2005
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When "Photo Recce" was -
... hanging out of Sioux with the doors off holding a plastic polariod camera !
.. and you could get away with a navex that took you over the border to buy porn mags for the crew room.
.. and you could get away with a navex that took you over the border to buy porn mags for the crew room.
Instructors from the past
Yashin
It seems then that Fred never gave up on physical violence and threats as a means of instruction. On my first assessed trip at Topcliffe in the Varsity in 1963 he dropped into the seat beside mine and crashed the fire-axe on the desk and announced that mistakes in sending morse warranted a "clatter round the side of the bonedome wi' the flat of the axe". As a tremulous APO with nil experience I remembered my horse breaking uncle's advice to a 10 year old lad -"never let them see your scared, all you need is an air of confidence". I said "Mr Reeves put the fire-axe back in the rack, I don't respond well to threats and if you don't like it we can talk to the chief instructor at the end of the trip". I even remembered to make sure I said it on i/c so that the captain (Master Pilot Dale, god bless 'im) would hear it too. I was shaking in my boots, as I had no plan B if he persisted. Later, when it was my turn in the right seat to do some airways reporting, MP Dale looked across at me and gave a BIG wink. Phew!
The Ancient Mariner
It seems then that Fred never gave up on physical violence and threats as a means of instruction. On my first assessed trip at Topcliffe in the Varsity in 1963 he dropped into the seat beside mine and crashed the fire-axe on the desk and announced that mistakes in sending morse warranted a "clatter round the side of the bonedome wi' the flat of the axe". As a tremulous APO with nil experience I remembered my horse breaking uncle's advice to a 10 year old lad -"never let them see your scared, all you need is an air of confidence". I said "Mr Reeves put the fire-axe back in the rack, I don't respond well to threats and if you don't like it we can talk to the chief instructor at the end of the trip". I even remembered to make sure I said it on i/c so that the captain (Master Pilot Dale, god bless 'im) would hear it too. I was shaking in my boots, as I had no plan B if he persisted. Later, when it was my turn in the right seat to do some airways reporting, MP Dale looked across at me and gave a BIG wink. Phew!
The Ancient Mariner
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Re: Jerome the Dome
It was the late 80's (I was there - said in a Max Boyce like voice!) and 'JJ' was hilarious. Too p!**ed to remember most of it, but he had us in stitches in the bar listening on the radio whilst he called from reception.
He rode a moped through the mess dressed as a fireman, complete with bell.
Rocked up to his Sqn arrival brief in sombrero and hawaiin shirt and shorts, Flt Cdr, 'Blaster Brooks', could hardly keep a straight face.
An all round top bloke, went rotary I think, hope he is well.
He rode a moped through the mess dressed as a fireman, complete with bell.
Rocked up to his Sqn arrival brief in sombrero and hawaiin shirt and shorts, Flt Cdr, 'Blaster Brooks', could hardly keep a straight face.
An all round top bloke, went rotary I think, hope he is well.
Join Date: May 2010
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Lot 22
Dec 1986 78 Squadron MPA
The only "Function Room" available was the Aircrew crew room to which the GC's were allowed to enter on the weekly Quiz Night. There was a need for an All Ranks Facility.
The Town Hookers identified a solid looking Porta cabin in Town that was rigged for air portability, one evening they duly rigged it up and a Wocka turned up and took it away. The only problem was that this particular porta cabin was up for sale in a closed bid auction as was obvious when it arrived on the Squadron with "Lot 22" painted on the side, hence the name.
Rumour has it that a local had made a sealed bid for Lot 22 of £5 and the Sqdn had to match it.
The only "Function Room" available was the Aircrew crew room to which the GC's were allowed to enter on the weekly Quiz Night. There was a need for an All Ranks Facility.
The Town Hookers identified a solid looking Porta cabin in Town that was rigged for air portability, one evening they duly rigged it up and a Wocka turned up and took it away. The only problem was that this particular porta cabin was up for sale in a closed bid auction as was obvious when it arrived on the Squadron with "Lot 22" painted on the side, hence the name.
Rumour has it that a local had made a sealed bid for Lot 22 of £5 and the Sqdn had to match it.
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Sqn tractor
Crashing the front one of the sqn tractors into the wall when renewing my 'manoeuvring close to aircraft' chit (forgot about the towing eye!).
Still got it signed though!!
Still got it signed though!!
Cunning Artificer
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When there was a Royal Auxiliary Air Force Station just on the edge of town and the RAAF Squadron part time NCO pilots flew front line jet fighters.
And six year old boys were allowed to just turn up and sit in one...
And six year old boys were allowed to just turn up and sit in one...
...when you could sell one of your four annual Travel Warrants for a fiver - and have enough money for a full tank of petrol - and non of your namby-pamby unleaded stuff, either!
...when you could Hitch-Hike in uniform (No. 1, No. 2 or even in a green plastic jacket) across the country and loads of people would stop as soon as they saw you get out of a car at a Traffic Island/Junction.
...when Fred Mulley (whatever happened to him?) gave us all 17% in one year's pay rise - and it wasn't enough!
...when you could Hitch-Hike in uniform (No. 1, No. 2 or even in a green plastic jacket) across the country and loads of people would stop as soon as they saw you get out of a car at a Traffic Island/Junction.
...when Fred Mulley (whatever happened to him?) gave us all 17% in one year's pay rise - and it wasn't enough!
Thread Starter
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.. when I requested an ammunition resupply from a RQMS who asked me to surrender the empty cases by way of exchange. I told him they were lying around an enemy firing point in a Zone of Seperation and that if he really needed them that badly, he was welcome to go and get them himself. I had to write a statement to that effect, a copy of which I still have.
He got his own back - on New Years's Eve, he issued me with 26 sheets of toilet paper for the week.. apparantly, that was all I needed. I made every one count..
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He got his own back - on New Years's Eve, he issued me with 26 sheets of toilet paper for the week.. apparantly, that was all I needed. I made every one count..
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