RAF Stations (past and Present) - Biggest, Best and Bonnieist??
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For me "No contest":
Biggest: Brize Norton 1978-1979 (Still the biggest and I see it getting bigger everyday)
Busiest: Toss-up between Valley 1980 & Gutersloh 1975-1978 (probably RAFG with two squadrons of Lightnings, then 3 Squadrons of Harriers + NATO planes of many nations just a stones throw from the East german border! Anyone remember the Harrier Force detachments?)
Bonniest: absolutely no contest - RAF Sopley (Southern Radar) 1971-1973. No airplanes BUT about 16 living-in airmen and 60+ living-in WRAF, for a 19 year old from the sticks on his first posting after training this was bliss, and I still cant believe my luck
Biggest: Brize Norton 1978-1979 (Still the biggest and I see it getting bigger everyday)
Busiest: Toss-up between Valley 1980 & Gutersloh 1975-1978 (probably RAFG with two squadrons of Lightnings, then 3 Squadrons of Harriers + NATO planes of many nations just a stones throw from the East german border! Anyone remember the Harrier Force detachments?)
Bonniest: absolutely no contest - RAF Sopley (Southern Radar) 1971-1973. No airplanes BUT about 16 living-in airmen and 60+ living-in WRAF, for a 19 year old from the sticks on his first posting after training this was bliss, and I still cant believe my luck
Join Date: Jan 2011
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LLanelly RAF Station
Hello
I am interested in Robert NEILL who went to LLanelly in 1947, after serving 5 years in RAF. His number was 1680431 Rank A.C.I. Fitter IIA
He lived at 53 Llandafen Pemberton Llanelly.
By some wild chance did you meet or know of this man ? He was said to have been born in Belfast and had an Irish accent. In 1954 he moved to New Zealand.
Any information would be gratefully accepted
Sincerely
Jan Bonnett
I am interested in Robert NEILL who went to LLanelly in 1947, after serving 5 years in RAF. His number was 1680431 Rank A.C.I. Fitter IIA
He lived at 53 Llandafen Pemberton Llanelly.
By some wild chance did you meet or know of this man ? He was said to have been born in Belfast and had an Irish accent. In 1954 he moved to New Zealand.
Any information would be gratefully accepted
Sincerely
Jan Bonnett
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Penny59Ref Thornhill,go on the Old Rhodesian Air Force Sods website,should be a lot about it then.I trained there from 1961 to 1963 with the RRAF.Ysed to be a great place with Gwelo as the town.
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F 86s at Labuan
During "Confrontation" Labuan and East Malasia was considered an operational area. Consequently any Australian serving there for "x" nights would be entitled to various goodies on return to Oz. I was told it meant go to the top of the waiting list for council houses etc but don't quote this as gospel. Anyhow the Sabres from Butterworth made occcasional deployments there for short stays i.e. long enough to qualify. I believe they also went to Kuching and possibly Tawau.
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RAF Idris. Went there on detachment a couple of times, in the '60's. Seemed a peaceful backwater at the time, compared to the intense activity at Akrotri.
Nearby Tripoli was very pleasant too.
Nearby Tripoli was very pleasant too.
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In fact RAF Mount Hampden became Charles Prince,
I have a problem, my late father negotiated the purchase of the land on behalf of the RAF, Converted it to an air field and assembly plant for Tiger Moths, RAF personel actually cut the grass with grass knives. Due to sub attacks on convoys carrying parts from Australia, many parts were made locally including piston rings - it is thus that history was made in that aircraft engines were effectively manufactured during ithe war.
They had a simple quality control system the engineer flew on the test flight with the pilot. One nose dived into the air field and my late father buried the crew on a hill at the ege of the airfield.
Aces such as Douglas Bader visited RAF Mount Hampden.
These graves deserve and need attention. Unfortunately the flying club will not accept that it was a RAF Air Base and require proof.
I need help, can any one assist with some proof. As second generation RAF i should like to take care of this.
I have a problem, my late father negotiated the purchase of the land on behalf of the RAF, Converted it to an air field and assembly plant for Tiger Moths, RAF personel actually cut the grass with grass knives. Due to sub attacks on convoys carrying parts from Australia, many parts were made locally including piston rings - it is thus that history was made in that aircraft engines were effectively manufactured during ithe war.
They had a simple quality control system the engineer flew on the test flight with the pilot. One nose dived into the air field and my late father buried the crew on a hill at the ege of the airfield.
Aces such as Douglas Bader visited RAF Mount Hampden.
These graves deserve and need attention. Unfortunately the flying club will not accept that it was a RAF Air Base and require proof.
I need help, can any one assist with some proof. As second generation RAF i should like to take care of this.
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Smallest and oddest RAF Theddlethorpe. A unit supporting the bombing ranges. It had a combined mess with a huge nightclub/disco which attracted girls from as far as Nottingham.
Best Officers Mess, Waddo in the mid 70's. 101 thought they were wonderful, 50 thought they were better. 9 had a Tirpitz bulkehead that some outfit up the road thought was theirs. 44 had a couple of interesting bosses. I was a neutral, on Eng Wing.
Best Officers Mess, Waddo in the mid 70's. 101 thought they were wonderful, 50 thought they were better. 9 had a Tirpitz bulkehead that some outfit up the road thought was theirs. 44 had a couple of interesting bosses. I was a neutral, on Eng Wing.
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Here, there and everywhere
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Biggest KAF if you count allies, Kinloss if not.
Best Gibraltar. Great food, Spain & Portugal on doorstep, sunshine, beer, wine etc etc...... Top people and, despite recent press, always busy.
Bonniest Ascension. 4-bed beach villa with 3 patios, 2 beer fridges and a turtle in a big pit! Green Mountain was pretty impressive too and temp was always 30 degrees.
Best Gibraltar. Great food, Spain & Portugal on doorstep, sunshine, beer, wine etc etc...... Top people and, despite recent press, always busy.
Bonniest Ascension. 4-bed beach villa with 3 patios, 2 beer fridges and a turtle in a big pit! Green Mountain was pretty impressive too and temp was always 30 degrees.
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9 had a Tirpitz bulkehead that some outfit up the road thought was theirs
Always been argy-bargy about that bit of steel. Here's a signal from a few years ago
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Best Station
OK Fellows I nominate RAF Sharjah 1966. Great Station Commander,left alone to get on with the job and great recreational facilities at "The Golden Flip Flop!!" What more could you ask??
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Biggest - Bruggen, though Akrotiri ran it close
Hardest to find - Spadeadam. Keep going till you are convinced you're lost (and a bit scared, agrophobically speaking) then carry on for a few more miles (check fuel & phone coverage...er?) then a bit more and da da.
Best - Got to be Bawdsey in the early 70's. Scopie training school (95% Girls) and as a 17 year old JT I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Kind of spoiled the next 30 odd years though.
Hardest to find - Spadeadam. Keep going till you are convinced you're lost (and a bit scared, agrophobically speaking) then carry on for a few more miles (check fuel & phone coverage...er?) then a bit more and da da.
Best - Got to be Bawdsey in the early 70's. Scopie training school (95% Girls) and as a 17 year old JT I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Kind of spoiled the next 30 odd years though.
navstar
"What more could you ask? "
The opposite sex?
"What more could you ask? "
The opposite sex?
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RAF Sharjah
Saturday nights,Carlton Hotel disco in Dubai. No road between Sharjah and Dubai so a Land Rover across the desert. Joy
Last edited by navstar1; 4th Jul 2012 at 18:23.
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Ran half this place in '66 at Sharjah. Definitely there at the same time Navstar1.
Muckrack Dec '65 and there again Jan '67. In between the holiday camp in the desert. Fabulous place.
Muckrack Dec '65 and there again Jan '67. In between the holiday camp in the desert. Fabulous place.
Last edited by alisoncc; 5th Jul 2012 at 07:25.
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Best : Tengah (two tours, Meteors, Jav's Lightnings)
Coldest and second best : Binbrook in the 70's.
Bonniest : Martlesham Heath (1959 11 Grp Comm Flt. (first posting as a mech !)
Coldest and second best : Binbrook in the 70's.
Bonniest : Martlesham Heath (1959 11 Grp Comm Flt. (first posting as a mech !)
Biggest: Akrotiri
Best: Gibraltar. Entertaining flying, a mess with its own beach and delightful schoolies who had great accomodation to spend the night in. All this and the opportunity to cause international traffic jams and annoy the Spanish - perfect!
Bonniest: Probably Brawdy; also had fantastic flying. The scenery around Stornoway was great too, and Coltishall was pretty.
Best: Gibraltar. Entertaining flying, a mess with its own beach and delightful schoolies who had great accomodation to spend the night in. All this and the opportunity to cause international traffic jams and annoy the Spanish - perfect!
Bonniest: Probably Brawdy; also had fantastic flying. The scenery around Stornoway was great too, and Coltishall was pretty.