RAF Topcliffe Reunion?
Topcliffe reunion
I should be able to send everyone a short questionaire about what each person would like to see , how many people will come with or without a partner, and I hope to put a couple of available dates after I've been to Topcliffe and Elvington.
Elvington are making all the right noises at the moment including being able to make block booking in hotels around York, transport, and no problems with seating the numbers involved etc etc.
As soon as I am able, everybody will be informed.
best,
5aday
Elvington are making all the right noises at the moment including being able to make block booking in hotels around York, transport, and no problems with seating the numbers involved etc etc.
As soon as I am able, everybody will be informed.
best,
5aday
Topcliffe reunion
Only a handful of Air Engineers so far. They were in the majority on most of the courses going through in my time there, so they are out there somewhere. Maybe some of them have become shy........
Only a handful of Air Engineers so far. They were in the majority on most of the courses going through in my time there, so they are out there somewhere. Maybe some of them have become shy........
Duxford and Hendon were considered as well but ruled themselves out - purely on cost grounds. Anticipated 70 people so far. Those that are eligible keep spreading the word as Elvington could certainly handle about 130 plus ladies and Topcliffe maybe even more.
Topcliffe reunion.
Update:
I have written to the Officer Commanding Alanbrooke Barracks (Topcliffe) about this proposed reunion and I hope to go up to Yorkshire to have a look at Topcliffe and Elvington. I'll report back with my findings possibly on direct email. I might just have a look at the NRM (National Railway Museum) at the same time and make a full couple of days of it.
5aday
I have written to the Officer Commanding Alanbrooke Barracks (Topcliffe) about this proposed reunion and I hope to go up to Yorkshire to have a look at Topcliffe and Elvington. I'll report back with my findings possibly on direct email. I might just have a look at the NRM (National Railway Museum) at the same time and make a full couple of days of it.
5aday
Join Date: Feb 2012
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Reunion
Hi 5aday,
As Chairman of the Air Engineer Association I am happy to advertise for you on our website to see if we can eke any gingers out of hiding. Drop me a line if interetsed!
As Chairman of the Air Engineer Association I am happy to advertise for you on our website to see if we can eke any gingers out of hiding. Drop me a line if interetsed!
Topcliffe reunion
Just to update, I am waiting for a reply from Alanbrooke Barrracks, Topcliffe and anticipate I should get something next week. Depending on the reply I will go there and on the same day, I'll also have a look at what Elvington can offer and subsequently contact you on your private email addresses. Still not so many Air Engineers on the list so far.
Good luck with reunion. I was met. forecaster among a super team c. 1967., Jack Houseman, Ken Winspear and I, with customers like ****slinger and Smackyourarse, Polish gents, flying Varsities. S/Ldr Tommy Tucker in his suave very scarlet silk-lined overcoat ............
The Maccrihanish Kipper run in support of the V Force ....
Nostalgia is not what it used to be.
The Maccrihanish Kipper run in support of the V Force ....
Nostalgia is not what it used to be.
Macrihanish - what a God forsaken place though yes the seafood was excellent. Oft times, a Practise Div from Ballykelly to collect the aforementioned kippers and also ,sometimes, their jumbo prawns as well. Benbeculiar also rated highly for kippers and my London born and raised wife was kept busy bringing them back on her Viscount trips out of Inverness.
Met seemed to be something that was glossed over on the AEOp course which was an irony in some ways as collecting Tafs and Metars was one of the central part of any trip when operating as the radio operator.
The names you mentioned did not figure large in my time at Topcliffe
but pilots such as Peacock and the terrifying screen Signaller/AEOp such W/O (Mr) Mawson figured large during my time.
Wasn't one of the CW callsigns at Topcliffe PR7W ?
Met seemed to be something that was glossed over on the AEOp course which was an irony in some ways as collecting Tafs and Metars was one of the central part of any trip when operating as the radio operator.
The names you mentioned did not figure large in my time at Topcliffe
but pilots such as Peacock and the terrifying screen Signaller/AEOp such W/O (Mr) Mawson figured large during my time.
Wasn't one of the CW callsigns at Topcliffe PR7W ?
Ah but, ah but, ah but.....
......on the AEO course we did quite a bit on met and also on navigation.
On some trips when not on HF we did right hand seat and airtraffic comms and other times went down the back and did transferring position lines to give positons for the other WOp student to send to Uxbridge (MLM).
I will always remember when the nav instructor took us out one night with a bubble sextant and we tried shooting whatever star we could find. Leaning against the corner of the groundschool block trying desperately to keep the star in the bubble I shouted "Why won't the f***ing thing stay in the bubble?"
"Ah" said Ron Ventham, "you've just experienced a profound truth of the earth rotating away from it! It's YOU that's moving NOT the star!"
Oooer missus - the realisation almost made me topple over.
Somethings you just NEVER forget.
The Ancient Mariner
On some trips when not on HF we did right hand seat and airtraffic comms and other times went down the back and did transferring position lines to give positons for the other WOp student to send to Uxbridge (MLM).
I will always remember when the nav instructor took us out one night with a bubble sextant and we tried shooting whatever star we could find. Leaning against the corner of the groundschool block trying desperately to keep the star in the bubble I shouted "Why won't the f***ing thing stay in the bubble?"
"Ah" said Ron Ventham, "you've just experienced a profound truth of the earth rotating away from it! It's YOU that's moving NOT the star!"
Oooer missus - the realisation almost made me topple over.
Somethings you just NEVER forget.
The Ancient Mariner
Topcliffe reunion.
Rossian,
As far as I recall there was no navigation instruction on the AEOp course and our involvement with the nav in the Varsity was minimal apart from sending postion reports on VHF or CW based on his info and taking turns to distribute the rations. Apart from that the nav was often a mysterious figure sitting somewhere in the bowels of the back of the aeroplane. Actually, it was all quite good fun in spite of the old age of the aeroplanes. Next, for a couple of us ,was the Shack Mk2 /lll which was probably even older. I'd had a while down near Leatherhead and thought I'd bought enough beer for a guy from P STaff in MOD to secure an overseas posting direct from training. Dream on. His idea of overseas was Ballykelly.
Again, it was so much fun but that's a totally different story.
As far as I recall there was no navigation instruction on the AEOp course and our involvement with the nav in the Varsity was minimal apart from sending postion reports on VHF or CW based on his info and taking turns to distribute the rations. Apart from that the nav was often a mysterious figure sitting somewhere in the bowels of the back of the aeroplane. Actually, it was all quite good fun in spite of the old age of the aeroplanes. Next, for a couple of us ,was the Shack Mk2 /lll which was probably even older. I'd had a while down near Leatherhead and thought I'd bought enough beer for a guy from P STaff in MOD to secure an overseas posting direct from training. Dream on. His idea of overseas was Ballykelly.
Again, it was so much fun but that's a totally different story.
Topcliffe reunion
Still no response from the Army at Topcliffe so I now have an appointment on Wednesday 14th., at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington. I'll keep all options open and report back later next week.
Dave M
5aday
Dave M
5aday
Topcliffe Reunion
Good news from the Army today and all very positive.
They (4Regt, R.A.) deploy to Afghanistan in October and return six months or so later so they will have a sterile period prior to deployment.
The the good news is their Boss would be very happy to let us have a reunion at Alanbrooke Barracks, Topcliffe. I am hoping to go up there next week to get some better ideas of dates, both for this and next year.
You will get more info on email very shortly.
Dave M
They (4Regt, R.A.) deploy to Afghanistan in October and return six months or so later so they will have a sterile period prior to deployment.
The the good news is their Boss would be very happy to let us have a reunion at Alanbrooke Barracks, Topcliffe. I am hoping to go up there next week to get some better ideas of dates, both for this and next year.
You will get more info on email very shortly.
Dave M
Topcliffe reunion
A short questionnaire has been sent to everyone involved and then I hope to let everyone know what is going to happen very soon. There are two dates (Aug 11th and 18th) and two venues (Topcliffe and Elvington) It's all explained in the email.
5aday
5aday
R.A.F. AE & AES Topcliffe Reunion
Some reunion details:
Saturday 18th. August at Topcliffe.
Mess bar open from 12:00 hrs.
Champagne from 18:30hrs
Black tie dinner from 19:45hrs
Bar closes 01:00hrs.
Carriages from 01:00hrs
Gun Park display 10:30hrs (Sunday)
Coffee in the mess 11:00hrs
Disperse from 12:00hrs
More information such as advance menus coming on email.
Thank you.
5aday
Dave Morton.
Saturday 18th. August at Topcliffe.
Mess bar open from 12:00 hrs.
Champagne from 18:30hrs
Black tie dinner from 19:45hrs
Bar closes 01:00hrs.
Carriages from 01:00hrs
Gun Park display 10:30hrs (Sunday)
Coffee in the mess 11:00hrs
Disperse from 12:00hrs
More information such as advance menus coming on email.
Thank you.
5aday
Dave Morton.
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Russruspy.
'Try Brooklands......their Varsity was at Topcliffe......'
The Brooklands Varsity is WF 372 - and a fine example it is too. But it was never at Topcliffe. It did some time at Cranwell in the late 50's then in 1962 it was allocated to 1 ANS at Stradishall where it remained until 1 ANS was absorbed into 6 FTS at Finningley in 1970. It remained at Finningley until 1976 when it was sold to the Peterborough Flying Club for use as a clubhouse at Sibson
Having said all that, WF 372 is well worth a visit. It is usually open and you can scramble all over it, play with throttles and fantasise about how you might have been a pilot. AND you can sit in AEOp seat and send morse code which is played through loud speakers for all to hear.
I wish you well with the reunion
'Try Brooklands......their Varsity was at Topcliffe......'
The Brooklands Varsity is WF 372 - and a fine example it is too. But it was never at Topcliffe. It did some time at Cranwell in the late 50's then in 1962 it was allocated to 1 ANS at Stradishall where it remained until 1 ANS was absorbed into 6 FTS at Finningley in 1970. It remained at Finningley until 1976 when it was sold to the Peterborough Flying Club for use as a clubhouse at Sibson
Having said all that, WF 372 is well worth a visit. It is usually open and you can scramble all over it, play with throttles and fantasise about how you might have been a pilot. AND you can sit in AEOp seat and send morse code which is played through loud speakers for all to hear.
I wish you well with the reunion