Gutersloh, Mid 70s
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: 23, Railway Cuttings, East Cheam
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eventually got caught driving the gliding club's beetles
Was at Gut late 70's on 3. Lived at Avenwedde Bahnoff in a private hiring (no quarters for newly marrieds like me) and used to bike it the 7 miles to base every day. Passed my driving test and bought an ancient Beetle, so old it had a 6 volt battery. Served me faithfully and when I left RAFG I tried to sell it. No chance. I went to the German scrappy, he didn't want it, finished up giving it to the gliding club.
Thoroughly enjoyed my time at Gut, made even more so by the wonderful German family we rented our hiring off. They took us all over Germany and we were made to feel one of their family.
Gliding Club Cars
Pegasus Gliding Club had a constant stream of cars, almost all Beetles, passing through on the way to the scrap yard. While struggling to pass the TUV test, they still did sterling service towing gliders or pulling out cables from the winch.
One such Beetle was stretching a new cable, with the big American V8 on the winch maintaining the tension. When the V8 began to win, the Beetle driver failed to hack the high speed rearward tow, and the ensuing roll ended that car's use.
Arriving on the airfield after the set-up for glider flying had begun one day, I was a little surprised to see my 13-year old son parking one of the Beetles in line. He had been taught to drive by other gliding club members without my ever noticing.
I went one of many farewell beer calls, and at this one the departing person became quite emotional about his experience. He sadly described how, during his tour, his work had not gone as planned, his father had died, and his wife had left him. He had felt that the final straw had come when his beloved old car, a 2CV, had failed its roadworthiness test. However, he pointed to me and said that the single redeeming event in this catalogue of disasters was when I had offered to take the car for the gliding club, where he was sure it would serve a long and honourable retirement from road use. I managed to keep a straight face, and I think that he was unaware until his departure that we had already managed to wreck the gearbox and sent the car for scrap the day before the beer call. If he reads this here, surely time will deaden the blow.
One such Beetle was stretching a new cable, with the big American V8 on the winch maintaining the tension. When the V8 began to win, the Beetle driver failed to hack the high speed rearward tow, and the ensuing roll ended that car's use.
Arriving on the airfield after the set-up for glider flying had begun one day, I was a little surprised to see my 13-year old son parking one of the Beetles in line. He had been taught to drive by other gliding club members without my ever noticing.
I went one of many farewell beer calls, and at this one the departing person became quite emotional about his experience. He sadly described how, during his tour, his work had not gone as planned, his father had died, and his wife had left him. He had felt that the final straw had come when his beloved old car, a 2CV, had failed its roadworthiness test. However, he pointed to me and said that the single redeeming event in this catalogue of disasters was when I had offered to take the car for the gliding club, where he was sure it would serve a long and honourable retirement from road use. I managed to keep a straight face, and I think that he was unaware until his departure that we had already managed to wreck the gearbox and sent the car for scrap the day before the beer call. If he reads this here, surely time will deaden the blow.
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Like many, I could wax-lyrical about my years at RAF Gutersloh. However, using as few words as possible, Gutersloh represented everything that was good about the RAF - we were all so proud of our identity.
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Gutersloh
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Raf Remain :)
Just to let you all know that there are still a few blue suits still at Gutersloh despite the Army running the show now. I am an air traffic controller there now, in the tower there are so many photos of the good old days when it looked like it was a real RAF base, however these days it is sadly a very quiet place. There are 2 squadrons of Lynx that fly from there and nothing else. Fixed wing flying is now forbidden and the army seemed to have sucked all the fun from the place. If any of you are interested, there's a page on Facebook called RAF Gutersloh, on it there are numerous photos and old stories put up there from ex-Gutersloans. Nice to read the memories.
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Don't know but was that the year when RAFG decided the Arrows min height was too low - took Ray Hanna less than 24hrs to get that overruled.
The solo Lightning was flown, I think, by Bill Wratten. The Hunter pilots used to turn out to watch every practice on the basis that witnesses could not be members of the accident board. His display was one of the best.
A great week end with record keller bar sales.
The solo Lightning was flown, I think, by Bill Wratten. The Hunter pilots used to turn out to watch every practice on the basis that witnesses could not be members of the accident board. His display was one of the best.
A great week end with record keller bar sales.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: The sunny side at Tuncurry/Forster, NSW, Australia - 32°10'14.88"S 152°29'5.22"E
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431MU - 1974'77
Had jobs to do at Gutersloh many times.
Best times? - watching QRA take-offs by the Lightnings -Awesome
Myths? - it was said Goering had visited many times during the war and his officers had rigged a beam in the mess to bend in preparation for his famous saying,"If I lie, may the beams bend." Which it did
Hangars - did anyone notice that every hangar upper beams were cut in preparation for invasion? Explosives were to be attached to the cut areas.
Downside? - it was a long walk to the nearest pub
Best times? - watching QRA take-offs by the Lightnings -Awesome
Myths? - it was said Goering had visited many times during the war and his officers had rigged a beam in the mess to bend in preparation for his famous saying,"If I lie, may the beams bend." Which it did
Hangars - did anyone notice that every hangar upper beams were cut in preparation for invasion? Explosives were to be attached to the cut areas.
Downside? - it was a long walk to the nearest pub
Join Date: Aug 2015
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Lightnings at Gut
Took this video back in 76/77, 19 Sqn doing a 12 ship flypast. The quality not so great, I found it hidden in my old videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMKz2_ktQK8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMKz2_ktQK8
Last edited by mike24652; 21st Aug 2015 at 15:43.
Join Date: Aug 2015
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735 MRBSSU
Yep, your absolutely right - it was the best posing of my career too.
I, and others, were really proud to be part of the 735 family. We were the ones who originally brought it out from Dunkeswell in Devon in March 1972 and had it sited on top of that tower. Actually it was two sections of a 'Bailley Bridge", put on end with a platform for the radar cabin on top.
Great nights at the 'Mally' (Malcolm Club for the uninitiated)
I, and others, were really proud to be part of the 735 family. We were the ones who originally brought it out from Dunkeswell in Devon in March 1972 and had it sited on top of that tower. Actually it was two sections of a 'Bailley Bridge", put on end with a platform for the radar cabin on top.
Great nights at the 'Mally' (Malcolm Club for the uninitiated)
Join Date: Nov 2004
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lightning down
Yeah I can recall this event only too well as I too was stuck out in the feild on crash site duty. I remember the one engine lodged in a tree. Bit of a mess but thankfull for the fact that both banged out and were shaken but safe.
Gut was good for me too, saw plenty of woods in Germany with 18 Squadron during our camping trips.
Gut was good for me too, saw plenty of woods in Germany with 18 Squadron during our camping trips.
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I was part of the 735 RBSU unit from when we brought it out, by road, from RAF Dunkerswell in devon, in March 1972. Initially the RTS2 radar was positioned on one of the revetments. Unfortunately the surrounding walls were at the height of the radar dish, hence the 'Bailly-bridge' sections, on end, with a platform on top. It was quite a show getting the radar unit up on top and an even bigger hassle for us to climb the tower to man the radar for the practice bombing runs. During exercises it was spectacular from the tower seeing the F104's 'attacking' the airfield and being below the horizon, so as to speak. Left Gutersloh in October 1974 - abolutely fantastic time there.
As a brat - 32 Parseval Strasse from 1960 to 1963.
Brilliant time. In no particular order - Malcolm Club, Riding Club, Swimming pool, Small bore Club, Go-Kart Club, Cinema, Downtown socialising ,Social events on the Station. Trips all over Europe. I could go on.
Life was brilliant.
Brilliant time. In no particular order - Malcolm Club, Riding Club, Swimming pool, Small bore Club, Go-Kart Club, Cinema, Downtown socialising ,Social events on the Station. Trips all over Europe. I could go on.
Life was brilliant.
