Tactics, how would Vulcan attack USSR ?
As one of those pick axe handle wielding airmen, yes, it was fun looking back now. However, at the time with no protective clothing other than a hairy battledress preseved in oil and grease to repel the elements it was not such fun.
The two man rule was rigidly enforced by the armed RAF policeman resulting in one particular airmen requiring a change of underwear following his stint on B dispersal at Waddo. His presence being required at ALL times no matter what the excuse.
The two man rule was rigidly enforced by the armed RAF policeman resulting in one particular airmen requiring a change of underwear following his stint on B dispersal at Waddo. His presence being required at ALL times no matter what the excuse.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Actually only from 1964. Before that it was high level. Using a high level profile the aircraft could reach Big M with relative ease albeit they would then be in the SA1 coverage. The penetration route was also different with a number of tracks penetrating via Swiss airspace although I have a suspicion that once we sold the Swiss Bloodhound SAM . . .
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I also had a quick glimpse of the SR2 plan; very sporty as they had to cover several of the targets for post strike reconnaissance. Not quite sure to whom they were going to delivery their debrief.
The SOP by 1964 was very much from cloud-cuckoo land but when you realised that in the late 50s the number of nukes was far fewer so it was actually not wholly unrealistic in its early years.
It included the telephone numbers of embassies and air attaches. It included the possibility of being redirected for rearming and restriking etc etc.
The SOP by 1964 was very much from cloud-cuckoo land but when you realised that in the late 50s the number of nukes was far fewer so it was actually not wholly unrealistic in its early years.
It included the telephone numbers of embassies and air attaches. It included the possibility of being redirected for rearming and restriking etc etc.
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Vulcan Security
Beags is quite correct in saying the RAFP had a wooly alligator but as for the SMG - forget it. They actually carried a revolver which was not loaded. They also carried the ammunition in a separate pocket but it was fully wrapped so they would have had to ask the nice intruder person to hang on a minute whilst they found/ unwrapped/ loaded the ammunition.
This was in the mid 60's when anyone could drive onto the base - no barrier - and had free access to all areas. All you would have needed was a few grenades to throw into the intakes whilst said RAFP fumbled with his gun and you could have put out the entire QRA aircraft. You would probably have lost your trouser seat to the wooly alligators though.
The clever bit was that the nice intruder person didn't know that the guns weren't loaded.
Of course if as a pilot you wanted access to the aircraft at the wrong time it needed the Prime Ministers signature as a minimum to get near the aircraft.
ACW
This was in the mid 60's when anyone could drive onto the base - no barrier - and had free access to all areas. All you would have needed was a few grenades to throw into the intakes whilst said RAFP fumbled with his gun and you could have put out the entire QRA aircraft. You would probably have lost your trouser seat to the wooly alligators though.
The clever bit was that the nice intruder person didn't know that the guns weren't loaded.
Of course if as a pilot you wanted access to the aircraft at the wrong time it needed the Prime Ministers signature as a minimum to get near the aircraft.
ACW
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
ACW, I recall an incident in 1965 or 1966 when a civvi drove through Cottesmore village to the A1. Instead of turning right for Greetham he went straight ahead. He went through the main gate, passed Ops and the Mess, passed the quarters, reached the lazy and hung a left.
He came to a T-junction and turned right towards the A1. He proceeded down the taxi-way on only when he reached the 3 Vulcans did the penny drop.
Also at Cottesmore, at a weekend whenever there was a practice alert we could see all the sight seers hanging on the crash gate by the dispersal. Once the practice was over and we got out, of the crowd not a trace. We were convinced they had advanced notice or were wired into the sound system
He came to a T-junction and turned right towards the A1. He proceeded down the taxi-way on only when he reached the 3 Vulcans did the penny drop.
Also at Cottesmore, at a weekend whenever there was a practice alert we could see all the sight seers hanging on the crash gate by the dispersal. Once the practice was over and we got out, of the crowd not a trace. We were convinced they had advanced notice or were wired into the sound system
Is there any truth in the story I heard when serving that an exceedingly stupid orderly officer who tried to see what would happen if he disobeyed the sentry's order to halt as he approached the aircraft ended up dead with a bullet through him? In the version of the story I heard it was an American sentry - something to do with American warheads - but the whole tale may be apocryphal as far as I know.
btwI never heard the term wooly alligator before. I've got one of them, but she's more of a woolly pussycat if truth be told!
btwI never heard the term wooly alligator before. I've got one of them, but she's more of a woolly pussycat if truth be told!
"Pike - don't mention the Airborne Communications Post !"
If you're talking about the role of the tanker fleet relaying the 'go signal' then the role of the airbone communications post has been declassified and is mentioned in the 'Secret State' among other publications.
If you're talking about the role of the tanker fleet relaying the 'go signal' then the role of the airbone communications post has been declassified and is mentioned in the 'Secret State' among other publications.
I recall first guard duties in the UK armed with a pickaxe handle. That was followed by the SLR but with no magazine. Then we were allowed magazines but no bullets and eventually (late 80s?) we were issued with the lot.
Life was easier with a pickaxe handle though.
Life was easier with a pickaxe handle though.
If you're talking about the role of the tanker fleet relaying the 'go signal' then the role of the airbone communications post has been declassified and is mentioned in the 'Secret State' among other publications
(Hope you're right about the declassification. If I get a visit from SIB I'll blame you).
(Hope you're right about the declassification. If I get a visit from SIB I'll blame you).
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airfield boundary fences were more suited to keeping stray sheep out than intruders.
We were moved to a dispersal very close to Swaffham! The guys that lived out drove to a point outside of the fence and 'hopped over'. It saved them many miles of travel
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I once saw a "weapon" with a "Ban The Bomb" sticker prominently displayed being delivered to a Victor at Cottesmore! Funny guys those cracker-stackers.
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Vulcan v USSR
We were pre-targetted on individual routes designed to avoid known USSR defences, primarilly using a high-low profile and ECM using a free-fall weapon. Blue Steel supposedly had the advantage of a stand-off release, but its severely reduced range at low level, and the need to pop-up get the missile clear of the parent aircraft before its motor fired, didn't really work. Unofficially, we reckoned about 10-20% of the V-Force would have made it to the target, but in many instances it would be to bomb a big hole made by a previous (US) strike . . .
"Life was easier with a pick axe handle"..... and the Thunder Flash and striker.
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Armed RAF Police maybe but USAF definitely
The RAFP may have had unloaded guns but I am sure the Yanks were loaded. In 1963 when we needed to divert 90 Sqn to Mildenhall due to Honingtons runway being resurfaced. I needed to carry out some repairs to our Valiant’s Radar. The USAF had large white circles painted on the dispersal, one for each aircraft and no one was allowed to cross this line without first showing your 1250 to the guard sitting in a small caravan, nor were you allowed to drive any vehicle passed the line. I approached the guard showed my pass and informed him I was entering the cockpit, he was quite happy with this, I realised I needed a bit of kit from the signals van, I walked over and picked up the test kit, then proceeded to walk back to the Valiant. Immediately he jumped out of the caravan cocked his rifle and shouted “Halt or I shoot”, I retorted “p off you ‘ve just seen my pass” and carried on, his reply was “Halt or I fire and I mean it”. I stormed back, waved my pass and the response was “ Each time you cross the line you come over to me and show your pass, and next time I will shoot you if you don’t do this!”
