Tactics, how would Vulcan attack USSR ?
PN
"top stack at 510.. we saw lots of contrails but nothing at our level".
As the old joke ends: "I don't have to run faster than the bear, I just have to run faster than you."
"top stack at 510.. we saw lots of contrails but nothing at our level".
As the old joke ends: "I don't have to run faster than the bear, I just have to run faster than you."
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Al Steadman
I was at school with Al Steadman, who was a bit of a fantasist. How he got to be in charge of a Vulcan and, presumably, a big nuke, was a matter of amazement. We thought him dangerous with a pea-shooter. Sad he was so foolish as to try to sell secrets, even sadder that he was not weeded out before he got to try it on.
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I remember seeing an edition of (I think) "Have I Got News For You" or some similar quiz show where the discussion somehow drifted around to the subject of the Dennis Potter drama "The Singing Detective" and particularly the scene in which Alison Steadman's character was getting a good seeing to in a field.
After a while, one of the panel (director Mike Leigh) chimed up with the immortal line:
"Oi you lot, that's my ex-wife you're talking about".
Priceless
(Apologies for extending the thread drift)
After a while, one of the panel (director Mike Leigh) chimed up with the immortal line:
"Oi you lot, that's my ex-wife you're talking about".
Priceless
(Apologies for extending the thread drift)
Last edited by moggiee; 1st Apr 2011 at 10:58.
When she was interviewed by Mark Lawson she described doing the scene in the forest, which she said was hyped out of all proportion, helped along by a predictably outraged Mary Whitehouse. As Ms Steadman said "all it was was a quick flash of a bloke's bum" (Patrick Malahide's in fact).
Returning vaguely to the thread, the upcoming V-Force Reunion is open to all who served on the V Force, as well as their families. I wonder if Alison would come along as my guest, or would that be tactless? Perhaps bruv had better stay away, though
Returning vaguely to the thread, the upcoming V-Force Reunion is open to all who served on the V Force, as well as their families. I wonder if Alison would come along as my guest, or would that be tactless? Perhaps bruv had better stay away, though
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There was a very good Discovery Prog showing how it would have gone to war...
XH558 will be at Bruntingthorpe BTW for the open day at the end of the month, where the Frightnings, Buccs Comet, Hunters, Canberra, Victor Nimrod, JP etc do their fast taxy displays down the runway...
Sun 29th - Cold War Jets Open Day
More details see............ Good day out if you like seeing them doing reheat runs and generally making a noise
Details here
Lightning Preservation Group Based at Bruntingthorpe Airfield near Leicester
XH558 will be at Bruntingthorpe BTW for the open day at the end of the month, where the Frightnings, Buccs Comet, Hunters, Canberra, Victor Nimrod, JP etc do their fast taxy displays down the runway...
Sun 29th - Cold War Jets Open Day
More details see............ Good day out if you like seeing them doing reheat runs and generally making a noise
Details here
Lightning Preservation Group Based at Bruntingthorpe Airfield near Leicester
Cunning Artificer
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All this talk of security: around 1966 to 1969 Waddo NAAFI - a.k.a. "The Raven Club" was Eastern England's premier night club. The "Exercise Edom" that took place during the Bee Gees' performance was an interesting event. Most of the patrons were completely baffled - they didn't realise they were drinking and dancing in the middle of one of UK's premier nuclear bases.
On the other side of the fence, Their Airships didn't realise that one of their premier nuclear bases was a night club featuring international stars.
We were obliged to wind down the funds and spent most of them on a Grand Free Ball with Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball playing back to back sets on the main stage all night and entry ticket raffle prizes that included holidays, chest freezers, television sets and the like. The MOD took the rest and for those still at Waddington, your swimming pool was one outcome of the MOD's benefit.
...and its not true that the RAFP on QRA weren't armed with loaded weapons. Those on airfield patrol had their ammo wrapped up in plastic in their pocket. but those on QRA had them loaded. How do I know? We knicked his pistol off one of them while he was asleep.
On the other side of the fence, Their Airships didn't realise that one of their premier nuclear bases was a night club featuring international stars.
We were obliged to wind down the funds and spent most of them on a Grand Free Ball with Acker Bilk and Kenny Ball playing back to back sets on the main stage all night and entry ticket raffle prizes that included holidays, chest freezers, television sets and the like. The MOD took the rest and for those still at Waddington, your swimming pool was one outcome of the MOD's benefit.
...and its not true that the RAFP on QRA weren't armed with loaded weapons. Those on airfield patrol had their ammo wrapped up in plastic in their pocket. but those on QRA had them loaded. How do I know? We knicked his pistol off one of them while he was asleep.
We might have been packing a powder puff at the perimeter, but I can assure you our US collagues weren't titting about. - Or perhaps they were..
My Brother in law was USMC at a certain 'Facility' in the South West and got a visit from a pal at his Quarter just off Dustbin Alley. To cut a long story short, the chap left a grenade down the side of the settee.
BIL panicked.. and not wanting to dob his buddy in, discharged the granade off the cornish cliffs.. Sometime later the Yanks discover 'One of our granades is missing' the guilty bootneck coughs and says he's left it at BIL's house.. They drag him in, and he comes up with the unlikely but true story of how he disposed of it and subsequently was busted to PFC.
Yes they were definately armed AND dangerous.
Although the thing that tickles me about the disposal, was that although off duty, he got dressed up in his battle kit to throw it off the cliff..
My Brother in law was USMC at a certain 'Facility' in the South West and got a visit from a pal at his Quarter just off Dustbin Alley. To cut a long story short, the chap left a grenade down the side of the settee.
BIL panicked.. and not wanting to dob his buddy in, discharged the granade off the cornish cliffs.. Sometime later the Yanks discover 'One of our granades is missing' the guilty bootneck coughs and says he's left it at BIL's house.. They drag him in, and he comes up with the unlikely but true story of how he disposed of it and subsequently was busted to PFC.
Yes they were definately armed AND dangerous.
Although the thing that tickles me about the disposal, was that although off duty, he got dressed up in his battle kit to throw it off the cliff..
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Had the doubtful privilage of doing the ACP once. Sat up there waiting for the magic word. The word, I discovered later was CURRANT but it was delivered very quickly by a lass with a strong Irish accent. Just quietly try it for yourself, would you relay it? Well we did not and initially our lord and masters got very upset but then they thought about it and changed the system.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Art, aye, they didn't half pick 'em.
In one exercise they issued ONE envelope to the first crew with instructions that the rest of us were to log what we heard:
The scramble duly came and we all recorded APPLECART. At the debrief was we were shown the code word. At least the first two letters were the same:
APOCATHARY.
And an airborne authentication which we also received properly in morse:
BANDOLARO.
At least NOURISHMENT just before lunch was clearly understood. They switched to alphanumerics a bit later.
In one exercise they issued ONE envelope to the first crew with instructions that the rest of us were to log what we heard:
The scramble duly came and we all recorded APPLECART. At the debrief was we were shown the code word. At least the first two letters were the same:
APOCATHARY.
And an airborne authentication which we also received properly in morse:
BANDOLARO.
At least NOURISHMENT just before lunch was clearly understood. They switched to alphanumerics a bit later.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Warmtoast, thanks for those, very illuminating. I don't recall reading those. I do remember that he had supposedly tried to buy the chief constable of Lincolnshire's house in Harmston IIRC. The pay of a flt lt would not match the sort of house a chief constable might have had.
The report of special branch aspects are interesting. I seem to remember that the Russian embassy was as likely as not to have informed on him too in case he was an agent provocateur. As ex-RAF his half-life was going to be extremely short. They would much have prefered to develop their own in-place agents such as Brittain and Praguer where they could be developed and controlled.
The report of special branch aspects are interesting. I seem to remember that the Russian embassy was as likely as not to have informed on him too in case he was an agent provocateur. As ex-RAF his half-life was going to be extremely short. They would much have prefered to develop their own in-place agents such as Brittain and Praguer where they could be developed and controlled.
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Puzzling
Where did the rumour come from that Alison Steadman (actress) is Alastair Steadman's (spy) sister? If you research it there appears to be only a common surname. He came from Sussex and she Liverpool. Perhaps she has successfully expunged him, understandably.
Last edited by Dendmar; 16th Dec 2012 at 10:17. Reason: added info
If it does turn out to be a myth (which I have to admit I always assumed to be the truth) I for one shall be delighted. Alison was and remains one of my favourite actresses, equally at home in a Mike Lee or Denis Potter play or Gavin & Stacey.
The kindest description of Alastair, on the other hand, is that he is a prat!
The kindest description of Alastair, on the other hand, is that he is a prat!
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It's fascinating to think that Steadman, almost certainly, was/is a member of PPRuNe as we all know you can't keep an ex RAF man away from this forum.
Wonder what his 'handle' is/was?
Wonder what his 'handle' is/was?
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Alison Steadman was registered in Liverpool in 1946 and her mother's maiden name was Evans. Her father's name was possibly George whereas Alastair's father was Charles.
QED
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Not sure how I stumbled on this post, but it brought back some memories.
Al Steadman went through 4FTS and was posted to Lightnings.
He struggled on the 229 OCU Hunter pre-Lightning course as it was called in those days before getting an early chop at the Lightning OCU.
I recall a 226 OCU Lightning QFI expressing amazement that Al had negotiated his Mk2 Jaguar from Norwich to Coltishall.
Not sure if he even soloed on type.
Fast forward to January 2015 General Election campaign[
Al Steadman went through 4FTS and was posted to Lightnings.
He struggled on the 229 OCU Hunter pre-Lightning course as it was called in those days before getting an early chop at the Lightning OCU.
I recall a 226 OCU Lightning QFI expressing amazement that Al had negotiated his Mk2 Jaguar from Norwich to Coltishall.
Not sure if he even soloed on type.
Fast forward to January 2015 General Election campaign[
UKIP delivered 'A Message from Patricia Culligan' leaflet to my home on the South Coast
Under the headline 'Miliband, Clegg and Cameron ...They aren't on our side '
Ms Culligan posed with a rather dapper gentleman outside a local NHS facility with the caption SAVE OUR NHS.
The gentleman in question is [99.9% certain] Mr Alastair Steadman!
Don't have a copy of the leaflet unfortunately.
Under the headline 'Miliband, Clegg and Cameron ...They aren't on our side '
Ms Culligan posed with a rather dapper gentleman outside a local NHS facility with the caption SAVE OUR NHS.
The gentleman in question is [99.9% certain] Mr Alastair Steadman!
Don't have a copy of the leaflet unfortunately.