RAF Stations (past and Present) - Biggest, Best and Bonnieist??
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Location: On the Bay, Vic, Oz
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I was a nav on 152 Twin pins all of 66. Happy days. Tom Sheppard was the Station CO
Was a member of Tom Sheppards bondu/bundo bashing group. Had 100's of 35mm slides from then, but they turned mouldy in the garage and were disposed of a couple of years ago. Pity.
Biggest - Death Star (Mount Pleasant) - project officer for the take over from the contractors
Bonniest - Neatishead when Aunt y Joan was Boss
Best - has to be Wyton for my last tour as OC Penguins
Bonniest - Neatishead when Aunt y Joan was Boss
Best - has to be Wyton for my last tour as OC Penguins
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RAF Sharjah
I managed it!! Shame about the pics. Tom Sheppart was also a Flight Commander on my intial training course at South Cerney (192 course) How is life in Oz? 
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Nostalgic-Binbrook-Mum & Dad met there in 1943. Dad painted bombs on Lancs, Mum a NAAFI girl; too young for the Aussies. Many died -mostly kids : I controlled Lightnings & Canberras from there in 1965
Bawdsey , Bawdsey-Remember the Rowan & Martin Show in glorious colour TV- room packed & filled with laughter ...great place , great company.
Troodos +two years nearly heaven..long hair and soft touch govenors.
El Adem, our Libya..best blokes to be with on a camping holiday..When did your Boss volunteer to drive the poo tractor last?
Muscat & Oman...the locals were very happy we were there .
Luqa, Malta, treated as if we were family...
Worst: Marham; arriving at 0400 in KD, bloody cold, no hot water but an extra egg on the plate for Breakfast and the WO man(was he a White cap) muttering about us being scruffs. Sat with the Mrs watching Tornados doing bumps for an hour in the sunshine last year...2013 and smiled , wondered if any of the 'lads' would wipe a small tear (quietly) from their eye as they remembered being 45 years younger, still filled with pride at being a Brit.
Bawdsey , Bawdsey-Remember the Rowan & Martin Show in glorious colour TV- room packed & filled with laughter ...great place , great company.
Troodos +two years nearly heaven..long hair and soft touch govenors.
El Adem, our Libya..best blokes to be with on a camping holiday..When did your Boss volunteer to drive the poo tractor last?
Muscat & Oman...the locals were very happy we were there .
Luqa, Malta, treated as if we were family...
Worst: Marham; arriving at 0400 in KD, bloody cold, no hot water but an extra egg on the plate for Breakfast and the WO man(was he a White cap) muttering about us being scruffs. Sat with the Mrs watching Tornados doing bumps for an hour in the sunshine last year...2013 and smiled , wondered if any of the 'lads' would wipe a small tear (quietly) from their eye as they remembered being 45 years younger, still filled with pride at being a Brit.
One of my best postings.
QUOTE: ............ 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?).
At one stage 1967 onwards G. had 2 x Lightnings [19, 92], 2 x Hunters [2, 4] and either a squadron of Whirlwinds [?] or at least a detachment thereof. Visiting aircraft, visiting squadrons, TACEVALS, the invasion of Czecho .......
Happiest and busiest days of my life for this Metman, top professional customers, a good number of whom rose to air rank, top Mess life, marvellous young wife and family, cheap cars, petrol, drink ............
We used cheapest NAAFI gin as screen wash in winter, cheaper than the kosher stuff.
Nostalgia is certainly not what it used to be.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.
At one stage 1967 onwards G. had 2 x Lightnings [19, 92], 2 x Hunters [2, 4] and either a squadron of Whirlwinds [?] or at least a detachment thereof. Visiting aircraft, visiting squadrons, TACEVALS, the invasion of Czecho .......
Happiest and busiest days of my life for this Metman, top professional customers, a good number of whom rose to air rank, top Mess life, marvellous young wife and family, cheap cars, petrol, drink ............
We used cheapest NAAFI gin as screen wash in winter, cheaper than the kosher stuff.
Nostalgia is certainly not what it used to be.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.
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I take your point LB, although, as an ex-Bruggenite 1974 - 1977 and 1980 - 1982, I might disagree 
, but I'm thinking of what's around now
, but I'm thinking of what's around now
Last edited by Cubanate; 21st Mar 2021 at 17:16. Reason: punctuation
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
If we're talking about now, I would have to nominate Odiham. Not the biggest, best or bonniest, but the only one in my service history that is still open. South Cerney, Syerston, Tern Hill, Khormaksar, Sharjah, Thorney Island, Oakington and Lyneham. All closed. That's life, I guess.
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I can’t vote on Now, obviously! In any case, the sole survivors of my 30 years are ...
Shawbury ... a shadow of its former self from the ATC Powerhouse days.
Waddington ... so different from V-Force days.
MoD Main Building ... enough said. I hope they fixed the sewage smells.
So, RIP to all the places I worked ... Feltwell, Manby, Strubby, Binbrook, Tengah, Changi, Sopley, Watton, West Drayton, Stanley, Bentley Priory, Bracknell.
And the RIP list from the OH ... Henlow, Upwood, Hullavington, Luqa, Lyneham, Locking, West Drayton, Brampton. MoD Adastral, Bracknell. (Her survivors are Cranwell, Odiham and Northolt)
A bit different now, eh?!
Shawbury ... a shadow of its former self from the ATC Powerhouse days.
Waddington ... so different from V-Force days.
MoD Main Building ... enough said. I hope they fixed the sewage smells.
So, RIP to all the places I worked ... Feltwell, Manby, Strubby, Binbrook, Tengah, Changi, Sopley, Watton, West Drayton, Stanley, Bentley Priory, Bracknell.
And the RIP list from the OH ... Henlow, Upwood, Hullavington, Luqa, Lyneham, Locking, West Drayton, Brampton. MoD Adastral, Bracknell. (Her survivors are Cranwell, Odiham and Northolt)
A bit different now, eh?!
Last edited by MPN11; 22nd Mar 2021 at 10:40. Reason: adding Cranwell to her list!
Ah! I understand "now"! My RIP list is tentative, some relics may survive.
RIP Uxbridge, Nicosia, Acklington, Topcliffe, Dishforth, Church Fenton, Linton, Manby, Strubby, Upwood, Finningley, Shinfield, Bawtry, Gutersloh, Detmold, JHQ, ............ memory fades.
I think Brize and Leeming are still active?
[And I still eat at, and stay in, the Petwood at Woodhall Spa, when the Chinese Plague permits].
RIP Uxbridge, Nicosia, Acklington, Topcliffe, Dishforth, Church Fenton, Linton, Manby, Strubby, Upwood, Finningley, Shinfield, Bawtry, Gutersloh, Detmold, JHQ, ............ memory fades.
I think Brize and Leeming are still active?
[And I still eat at, and stay in, the Petwood at Woodhall Spa, when the Chinese Plague permits].
Coming out with that Trumpism IS a disgrace, and the fact that it is on an internet rumour site is irrelevant!
Given that the Chinese state media still claim the virus is "imported" a little firing back won't do any harm.
https://www.technologyreview.com/202...ts-conspiracy/
https://www.technologyreview.com/202...ts-conspiracy/