The Worst/Best RAF Station
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The Worst/Best RAF Station
Just thought I'd start a new thread. What's the worst/best station you've had the fortune/misfortune to be posted to?
Worst: V****Y Why: Viet taff
Best: Marham Why: Didn't know any better.
Now where's that cup of milky cocoa gone....
Worst: V****Y Why: Viet taff
Best: Marham Why: Didn't know any better.
Now where's that cup of milky cocoa gone....
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Well the best has to be St Mawgan when the NigNogs were still there. Lots of nice girlies, wonderful beaches and a 24 hour scruffs bar!
The worst is Brize because it's the home of the RAF Movements school!!!!!
The worst is Brize because it's the home of the RAF Movements school!!!!!
Worst? Base Aerea Gringo, Islas Malvinas for its sheer pointlessness...
Best? Either Scampton before CFS got there or, of course, Chivenor!
Best? Either Scampton before CFS got there or, of course, Chivenor!
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The best has got to be from a few years ago, Sek Kong, friendly small base and a fistful of HK$'s to boot 
As for the worst, I am among the people who vote for Mount(Un)Pleasant, luckily only there on over nights with the "Queen of the skies" L1011!!!
BTW whats this about the ex Delta -500's being offered for the FSTA freightdoor/wingpods fitted etc?
As for the worst, I am among the people who vote for Mount(Un)Pleasant, luckily only there on over nights with the "Queen of the skies" L1011!!!
BTW whats this about the ex Delta -500's being offered for the FSTA freightdoor/wingpods fitted etc?
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Linton!!!! York's a magic night, London less than 2 hrs on the train....a hell of an improvement on anywhere in Lincoln as far as entertainment goes. Actually who goes to Damon's? Magic...and the Pie Shop...as for York, the fact that you can get a roll and egg to eat in The Gallery while you chase blart gets my vote! Sheer class.
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hmmm
By worst i'd say RAF Cosford. its a **** hole. I went to cadets there for 5 years, and had to put up with squady's for most of it.
By best i'd say Conningsby. Poiny jets and old classics. its like a living museum!!
Felix
By worst i'd say RAF Cosford. its a **** hole. I went to cadets there for 5 years, and had to put up with squady's for most of it.
By best i'd say Conningsby. Poiny jets and old classics. its like a living museum!!
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Best is most definitively Leuchars- St a's in all it's glory (if you can handle lots of 20 ish yank girlies hankering after Wills!).
Worst (that I've been) Coningsby- Lincs is flat and sticks of chicken stuff; while Lincoln itself is improving it is still an hour to get there and more than my flying pay is worth for the taxi.
Worst (that I've been) Coningsby- Lincs is flat and sticks of chicken stuff; while Lincoln itself is improving it is still an hour to get there and more than my flying pay is worth for the taxi.
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Best - Linton-on-Ouse: York is a great night out and there are lots of nurses. I remember a particularly cute one looking after me at the General when I broke my arm.
Worst - Conningsby. It's dull, flat, boring and it takes 1 hour to get to the road out of Lincolnshire. "Deliverance" country, too. "Squeal like a ig, boy"...........
Worst - Conningsby. It's dull, flat, boring and it takes 1 hour to get to the road out of Lincolnshire. "Deliverance" country, too. "Squeal like a ig, boy"...........
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I can't believe that HMP Kinloss has only got one vote as the worst base. Take me back to Blighty any day.
It doesn't help that Kinloss is a seperate Air Force in it's own right, still fighting the Russkies in the Cold War.
As for the best: - Waddo (with Finningley, as a stude, a close second - but that was another thread!)
It doesn't help that Kinloss is a seperate Air Force in it's own right, still fighting the Russkies in the Cold War.
As for the best: - Waddo (with Finningley, as a stude, a close second - but that was another thread!)
Best - Akrotiri in the early seventies. Based aircraft included Lightnings, Vulcans, Hercules, Argosy, SAR Whirlwinds, USAF U2. Frequent detachments of Nimrods, Canberras, Phantoms. Scheduled services courtesy of VC10s and Britannias. The climate, the food, the wine........
Best FTS - Linton, late sixties - five JP squadrons. York pubs were good, even then.
[ 13 November 2001: Message edited by: spekesoftly ]
Best FTS - Linton, late sixties - five JP squadrons. York pubs were good, even then.
[ 13 November 2001: Message edited by: spekesoftly ]
Somebody had to say it...
Best:Colt! Its' reps right, it's small, friendly and now relatively busy. Nch is a fantastic night out, not too many trolls and the beer's not THAT expensive, honest!
Worst:Marham! Is it me or is everyone there clinically depressed?
Things are always worse than they seem!
Best:Colt! Its' reps right, it's small, friendly and now relatively busy. Nch is a fantastic night out, not too many trolls and the beer's not THAT expensive, honest!
Worst:Marham! Is it me or is everyone there clinically depressed?
Things are always worse than they seem!
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Most of the best stations are long gone, and many of you weren't around to serve in the best of the best: Royal Air Force Station Eastleigh. Just four miles from Nairobi, on the equator but at 5'600 feet ASL, a beautiful climate. 
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Following the posts of spekesoftly and Samuel, I would offer Oakington and Thorney Island as extinct favourites. I gather that Norfolk's OK if you like doing your own thing 
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Ah TI, the Royal Air Force's own Butlins on Sea, sailing club 2 mins walk, beach 8 mins, work 10 mins. Speed trails at weekends with E.R.A.s and Cammeron Miller at weekends. Goodwood just down the road, fast trains to Waterloo or slow ones to Brighton. Even Commander Crabbe came to visit!
For the record of dull Lincs Kirton in Lindsay would take some beating, a one pub village somewhere near Sculthorpe!
Good job the swinging sixties followed the frugal fifties.
Correction, Sculthorpe was home to mighty B47s where naughty ops started from. I meant the place in Lincs with an N in place of the L which as Beagle has pointed out the censor wont let us type.
[ 17 November 2001: Message edited by: Pom Pax ]
For the record of dull Lincs Kirton in Lindsay would take some beating, a one pub village somewhere near Sculthorpe!
Good job the swinging sixties followed the frugal fifties.
Correction, Sculthorpe was home to mighty B47s where naughty ops started from. I meant the place in Lincs with an N in place of the L which as Beagle has pointed out the censor wont let us type.
[ 17 November 2001: Message edited by: Pom Pax ]
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Worst: Lossiemouth, it's an ongoing ex-Bucc mates spoof to say its a great station, it isn't....although the flying is great.
Best: Leuchars by a long way, grat flying, great social life and not too far from God's country......too much fun, must be time to close it !!!
Best: Leuchars by a long way, grat flying, great social life and not too far from God's country......too much fun, must be time to close it !!!
Been said before but if this is a vote:
Worst: Marham. Permanent depression centred over that part of Norfolk, smells of sugar beer and Kings Lynn.
Best: Coltishall. RAF's best kept secret.
Worst: Marham. Permanent depression centred over that part of Norfolk, smells of sugar beer and Kings Lynn.
Best: Coltishall. RAF's best kept secret.
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If "retrospectives" are allowed, the best in UK were Little Rissington/South Cerney when they housed CFS. Numerous charming pubs with cotswold ales; Cheltenham for a good lech, and the big smoke a couple of hours up the old A40 (used to do it a damn sight quicker than that in my old TR3 coming back early on Monday mornings). Overseas, Nicosia in the '50s and, as Samuel points out, Eastleigh. We had a couple of chaps down there on detachment flying Harvards against the Mau Mau (ha! ha!). I felt it my duty as their Flight Commander to visit them from time to time (4 stages in a Meatbox: Abu Sueir - Wadi Halfa - Khartoum - Juba - Eastleogh). The Eastleigh Mess was wild during the emergency. You had to watch your manners with the ladies because many of them were packing .32 pistols in their handbags, and one guy got himself shot. If I remember, Samuel, there was a sort of ravine between the mess and the hangars. Some chaps were walking the footpath from the mess to the hangars after breakfast one morning, nursing the usual hangover, when they were confronted by a lion. Quickest hangover cure you ever saw!