Black Alpha Jet
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Axminster Devon
Age: 84
Posts: 166
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"The Chipmunks and Bulldogs used before the Grobs used to have a (rather controversial) war role during the Cold War."
I started AEF work on Chipmunks in 1978. The aircraft were to be put at the disposal of the Regional Commander in the event of a hot war. This might have been classified then, but then I should not have known about it if it was so secret, on the principle of "need to know"; because what was controversial to me as a newly retired military pilot was that the students of AFS at Valley were to man the chippies for this role instead of me !
We occasionally tried out liaison work with the police, pretending to do what police choppers do now. I assumed that was in rehearsal of the hot plan, but it was not very heavily briefed.
I started AEF work on Chipmunks in 1978. The aircraft were to be put at the disposal of the Regional Commander in the event of a hot war. This might have been classified then, but then I should not have known about it if it was so secret, on the principle of "need to know"; because what was controversial to me as a newly retired military pilot was that the students of AFS at Valley were to man the chippies for this role instead of me !
We occasionally tried out liaison work with the police, pretending to do what police choppers do now. I assumed that was in rehearsal of the hot plan, but it was not very heavily briefed.
