The Ghost of RAF Laarbruch
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Thanks for the response A2QFI. When the PAC was built there were concerns about how long it would stay above ground level due to the water table in the area, which is alledgedly why both it and the one at Bruggen were built above ground... it might well not be a problem in 50 years 
.
Hmm, 'Herman the German'... was that over on 20 sqn's HAS site, near Pork Chop Hill: isn't there meant to be a WWII bunker under Pork Chop Hill which was found to have the remains of german soldiers in it when it was discovered in the '70s or '80s?
.Hmm, 'Herman the German'... was that over on 20 sqn's HAS site, near Pork Chop Hill: isn't there meant to be a WWII bunker under Pork Chop Hill which was found to have the remains of german soldiers in it when it was discovered in the '70s or '80s?
"Clive" (a knob) did the same for me and my tribe - but we got the little slum opposite the Railway Station! The place looked awful - but the family were okay!
I thought the war graves were actually for Russian POWs?
Not looking forward to flying Dire-air (does that sound like diarrhoea?) into Weeze International in a few days time.
I thought the war graves were actually for Russian POWs?
Not looking forward to flying Dire-air (does that sound like diarrhoea?) into Weeze International in a few days time.
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Walrus, there is indeed a bunker it was next to the old glider club hangar do not remember it being called "pork chop" hill though I left Laarparts in 1981 it could be memory fade!! when I was there you could actually get in the bunker I went in once and remember there being military style paintings on the walls but from what era they were maybe from I don"t know. But as I was there during the time scale you mention I do not recall any bodies being found inside, for clarrification on the bunker location it was directly opposite the old XV HAS site on the other side of the runway you would pass it if you left the XV site and turned right and was about half way to the XVI/QRA site.
Rigga, I really need to take a trip back as this thread has got me all nostalgic, had a look at the FR website and it appears they are no longer flying there from PIK, though I was on XV the XVI lads had a reunion there 2 years ago but could not make it as I was in Norway, must try though.
Rigga, I really need to take a trip back as this thread has got me all nostalgic, had a look at the FR website and it appears they are no longer flying there from PIK, though I was on XV the XVI lads had a reunion there 2 years ago but could not make it as I was in Norway, must try though.
Nostagia trips!
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Walrus75
Hmm, 'Herman the German'... was that over on 20 sqn's HAS site, near Pork Chop Hill: isn't there meant to be a WWII bunker under Pork Chop Hill which was found to have the remains of german soldiers in it when it was discovered in the '70s or '80s?
Hmm, 'Herman the German'... was that over on 20 sqn's HAS site, near Pork Chop Hill: isn't there meant to be a WWII bunker under Pork Chop Hill which was found to have the remains of german soldiers in it when it was discovered in the '70s or '80s?
Used to work in it on the early morning and people including myself always swore you could here voices, sitting alone in a jag at dawn prepping it with the doors open and the mist swirling in whilst you listened to the voices got the old hair up on the back of the neck one morning
It could just be that some power cable or 'long lead' is acting as a tuned circuit and picking up a local AM radio broadcast through some quirk of hertz?
When I was in Barksdale on 'Giant Voice '79', whilst crewing in to our mighty tin triangle we were subjected to such an effect if the crew chief's lead was plugged in. Not some local hee-haw $hit-kicking station, but this being the Deep South, we were treated to some bible-bashing god-botherer in full flow about The Vengeance of The Lord.....
When Radio One first started, there was a lamp post on my walk from school to the boarder's house which used to resonate and emit mysterious music and Tony Blackburn
on occasions - weird.
Back in the 1960s, very faint 'voices' started coming from our TV set even though it was switched off and unplugged. The local TV chap said that it was probably a case of resonance - the voices were BBC World Service.
However, back in the 1950s, Merryfield talk down would often boom out over our little 12" Bush TV - but we were only about half a mile from the transmitter site.
Often these things have simple explanations!
When I was in Barksdale on 'Giant Voice '79', whilst crewing in to our mighty tin triangle we were subjected to such an effect if the crew chief's lead was plugged in. Not some local hee-haw $hit-kicking station, but this being the Deep South, we were treated to some bible-bashing god-botherer in full flow about The Vengeance of The Lord.....
When Radio One first started, there was a lamp post on my walk from school to the boarder's house which used to resonate and emit mysterious music and Tony Blackburn
on occasions - weird.Back in the 1960s, very faint 'voices' started coming from our TV set even though it was switched off and unplugged. The local TV chap said that it was probably a case of resonance - the voices were BBC World Service.
However, back in the 1950s, Merryfield talk down would often boom out over our little 12" Bush TV - but we were only about half a mile from the transmitter site.
Often these things have simple explanations!
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Long Lead Acting as an Aerial
I remember during long boring pre-start checks in the F4, stude droning thru Flip cards, we used to get Radio 4 on the intercomm. This was probably from the 40 or 50 feet of walk-about long the lead the start crew used.
Let's face it, if that was in 2005 that wasn't "in the line of duty". It was just squatting. 
No big deal I suppose, as no-one is ever going to use those blocks, but let's not dress it up as something noble!
No big deal I suppose, as no-one is ever going to use those blocks, but let's not dress it up as something noble!
Hebridean Jocky - are you saying that, as a professional pilot, you were obliged to be a squatter due to low pay?
What sort of an airline would ever force that on its employees...
What sort of an airline would ever force that on its employees...
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The last five airlines that I have worked for bar one have gone bust.
Take god care
HJ
Take god care
HJ
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We visited Wildenrath a few years back and altho the whole air terminal had been demolished, there was still a parking slot in the adjacent car park marked "DAMO". Suspect it's still there. You always had to drive over a railway line to get to the front of the terminal anyway, even when it was an airfield.
Coinicidentally, my husband was on a visit to Bruggen after Wildenrath was closed, one of the LECs drove him over there just in time to see his old workplace, the FDC (Freight Distribution Centre) being knocked down. Coincidence or what?
cc
Coinicidentally, my husband was on a visit to Bruggen after Wildenrath was closed, one of the LECs drove him over there just in time to see his old workplace, the FDC (Freight Distribution Centre) being knocked down. Coincidence or what?
cc
Well I went back to Weeze International / Airport Niederrhein / Dusseldorf Weeze Airport for a long weekend to celebrate a mates 50th Birthday and Me, Mrs Rigga and one of the baby Rigga's thoroughly enjoyed it.
We all enjoyed once more "Echte Deutsche" hospitality. We struggled with our bad german language again and made some embarrassing mistakes. Great.
Driving on the wrong side again - Schnittzels, Pommes, Mayo, Saurkraut, Kassler...the lot!
Walks in Goch centrum and a drink in the Market Square. A walk around Weeze including the Tierpark. Pictures of "our house" in Gocher Strasse.
Really good party with the birthday boy's neighbours, social clubs and in-laws doing gigs to ridicule him (for being english) and rewarding him with copious amounts of Bier, schnapps and Euro's
I managed to down about 8 to 10 homemade Rhubarb Schnapps with another fellow Brit, had quite a few biers and felt absolutely nothing in the morning! (how did I do that!???)
Took the girls and the hosts to Alpago's - and we were again remembered by the Red-haired old girl that runs the place! We only visit once every few years!
Visited the Laarbruch Museum (how sad is that!) to see their "new" additions of Bucc and Canberra Cockpits (they need some officers shoes for the dummies on show!) and their new outside exhibits of a Rapier set, a Bloodhound, and an ex-Iraqi Russian VSU (or sommink) gun - If its the one from 18 Sqn - I think I even have a picture of me sat on it in the middle of a desert!
- Absolutely brilliant!!
Ryanair? as bad as normal - but this time NO DELAYS!!!!!
That's how good this trip was!
Rigga
We all enjoyed once more "Echte Deutsche" hospitality. We struggled with our bad german language again and made some embarrassing mistakes. Great.
Driving on the wrong side again - Schnittzels, Pommes, Mayo, Saurkraut, Kassler...the lot!
Walks in Goch centrum and a drink in the Market Square. A walk around Weeze including the Tierpark. Pictures of "our house" in Gocher Strasse.
Really good party with the birthday boy's neighbours, social clubs and in-laws doing gigs to ridicule him (for being english) and rewarding him with copious amounts of Bier, schnapps and Euro's
I managed to down about 8 to 10 homemade Rhubarb Schnapps with another fellow Brit, had quite a few biers and felt absolutely nothing in the morning! (how did I do that!???)
Took the girls and the hosts to Alpago's - and we were again remembered by the Red-haired old girl that runs the place! We only visit once every few years!
Visited the Laarbruch Museum (how sad is that!) to see their "new" additions of Bucc and Canberra Cockpits (they need some officers shoes for the dummies on show!) and their new outside exhibits of a Rapier set, a Bloodhound, and an ex-Iraqi Russian VSU (or sommink) gun - If its the one from 18 Sqn - I think I even have a picture of me sat on it in the middle of a desert!
- Absolutely brilliant!!
Ryanair? as bad as normal - but this time NO DELAYS!!!!!
That's how good this trip was!
Rigga
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Lidl and Aldi bratties are full of preservatives and precooked, probably reclaimed, pork and in no way resemble the mighty fresh version. Best ones I ever tasted were from the Schnell Imbiss sited on the crossroads at Niederkruechten
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Raf Laarbruch
Too young or was it too long ago? Was just a Pad Brat in Laarbruch 58-60 when the old man was on XVI flying B(I)8's so don't remember much other than impromptu parties started by single Aircrew in the OMQ's then the siren going off and them not knowing whether it was for real or not.
To the point though I do remember the Fuchsbau from a later life down the road from JHQ, fantastic half chicken but don't know if it is still there.
To the point though I do remember the Fuchsbau from a later life down the road from JHQ, fantastic half chicken but don't know if it is still there.
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Im Fuchsb(r)au
It still shows on Google Maps/Earth and I was going to go there during my recent visit to Weeze but didn't make it. Cracking chickens and frits, go easy on the Maggi savoury sauce! Mama's which provided a similar catering service in Weeze has long gone.
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Ahhhh how many shifts inside the PAC! Moved to the PAC at Bruggen when the Tonkas left Laarbruch! Would be expensive to maintain it for business use I suspect! A HAS would be a cheaper secure area
Moved to the PAC at Bruggen when the Tonkas left Laarbruch! Would be expensive to maintain it for business use I suspect! A HAS would be a cheaper secure area
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Rigga
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(they need some officers shoes for the dummies on show!)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Anglia
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(they need some officers shoes for the dummies on show!)
How Apt
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A2QFI
I can confirm there is no "r", it would change the meaning totally. Glad to know it's still there, an incentive to divert on my next trip to the Nurburgring.
I can confirm there is no "r", it would change the meaning totally. Glad to know it's still there, an incentive to divert on my next trip to the Nurburgring.
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Im Fuschsbau
Google is your friend!
Fuchsbau Mönchengladbach - The Chicken in the wood - Startseite
It is down a turning (east) off raod from Hardt to Rheindahlen Garrison East Entrance.The turning has a German police emergency telephone on it, looks lke a cross between a dalek and a small lighthouse, about 5 ft tall.
Fuchsbau Mönchengladbach - The Chicken in the wood - Startseite
It is down a turning (east) off raod from Hardt to Rheindahlen Garrison East Entrance.The turning has a German police emergency telephone on it, looks lke a cross between a dalek and a small lighthouse, about 5 ft tall.
Last edited by A2QFI; 20th Apr 2009 at 12:26.