Leuchars memories
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Fife, Scotland
Age: 78
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Used to work with a guy who regularly phoned the Leuchars met office in the afternoon to get the forecast for North Fife.
This was usually a longish call as he was given quite a lot of info.
One day the helpful met officer, no doubt intrigued by the number of calls, asked him what he was flying.
When he admitted that he was a golfer and just wanted to see if it would be raining on the courses at St Andrews we could hear the response from the other side of the room!
This was usually a longish call as he was given quite a lot of info.
One day the helpful met officer, no doubt intrigued by the number of calls, asked him what he was flying.
When he admitted that he was a golfer and just wanted to see if it would be raining on the courses at St Andrews we could hear the response from the other side of the room!
PICKS135 (#36), the SHAR was being driven by Lt A**y McH**g, who was one of the first two ab-initio SHAR mates. He came to a sudden stop because the efflux in his low hover picked up the barrier on the displaced RW09 threshold.
What was REALLY funny was that the jet needed a replacement wing (apparently not a big job for the Harrier, in both senses of the word). The RN sent the only spare wing that they had at the time to LEU by road on the back of a Truck, Nautical, Quite Tall. Sadly, the driver decided to route under a Bridge, Rail, Quite Low, with entirely predictable results! ISTR that the ac was at LEU for some weeks.
What was REALLY funny was that the jet needed a replacement wing (apparently not a big job for the Harrier, in both senses of the word). The RN sent the only spare wing that they had at the time to LEU by road on the back of a Truck, Nautical, Quite Tall. Sadly, the driver decided to route under a Bridge, Rail, Quite Low, with entirely predictable results! ISTR that the ac was at LEU for some weeks.
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pentney, Norfolk
Age: 81
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
SAR at Leuchars
I spent 18 months or so wet-winching with 228 Sqn (a lot of people forget that one) and 202 Sqn 1963/4 at Leuchars, in Whirlwinds. Working in ATC helped a lot as I could be dropped off from the transport to/from the Guardroom. Had a fab time and the rum ration in my coffee after an hour or so being dunked in the Tay was most welcome!
Join Date: Aug 2010
Age: 91
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Amusing dity regarding XV436
C-Mil perhaps you can confirm this part of XV436 s demise as I was only a student on 228 at the time
On the night of Said accident the Station Cdr and Mrs Staish were having a dinner party - as I recall the OMQ was outside the base down by BBMF - as chance would have they were all outside saying their goodnights as 436 began ploughing across 26/08 as the crew ejected with a whoosh and a bang Mrs Staish said "oh how lovely a fireworks display" !!!! Station Cdr (Spiers??) said gruffly errr I don't think so dearest ...get my hat will you
On the night of Said accident the Station Cdr and Mrs Staish were having a dinner party - as I recall the OMQ was outside the base down by BBMF - as chance would have they were all outside saying their goodnights as 436 began ploughing across 26/08 as the crew ejected with a whoosh and a bang Mrs Staish said "oh how lovely a fireworks display" !!!! Station Cdr (Spiers??) said gruffly errr I don't think so dearest ...get my hat will you
Join Date: Aug 2010
Age: 91
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Centre Line Gun
mike - r - put your paintbrush down!
The only visible difference on the FG1 is the slotted stabilator - though a few FGR2s had them - and on the nose wheel door the ex navy AC had the Carrier lights- oh and 43 Squadron had the gun fitted backwards to improve their kill rate!!!
The only visible difference on the FG1 is the slotted stabilator - though a few FGR2s had them - and on the nose wheel door the ex navy AC had the Carrier lights- oh and 43 Squadron had the gun fitted backwards to improve their kill rate!!!
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Pentney, Norfolk
Age: 81
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
MetBriefing ...
Wouldn't happen to be Wg Cdr M C N (Mike) Smart by any chance? Do you remember the RAE Met Canberra that went in about a quarter of a mile off 27 after the second GCA attempt in rapidly deteriorating WX? All survived but very badly injured - loathe blips disappearing off the radar.
Leuchars meant Dragonfly to me - bit of a pain in the backside, but the odd run ashore in Dundee when the crew were stood down made up for it a bit!
Here is an interesting tale of how a Victor K1 hit well over 100 seagulls during a night takeoff at Leuchars, ingested a sizeable number in all four engines, and never missed a beat.
Bear Hunting - 2 - Tony Cunnane's Life and Times
The Avon may not have been the pokiest of the engines fitted to the Vs, but my goodness it was reliable! Silica gel bags? Pah!
Here is an interesting tale of how a Victor K1 hit well over 100 seagulls during a night takeoff at Leuchars, ingested a sizeable number in all four engines, and never missed a beat.
Bear Hunting - 2 - Tony Cunnane's Life and Times
The Avon may not have been the pokiest of the engines fitted to the Vs, but my goodness it was reliable! Silica gel bags? Pah!
Thread Starter
Excuse me Mr Tankertrashnav Sir, but shouldn't that be sapphires rather than Avons?
By the way Gentlemen, just a reminder that this thread is an opportunity for me to attract all your anecdotal memories of Leuchars and I'm most pleased with the response so far. Thanks for the input so far, keep 'em coming by all means. The book is currently a work in progress but intent to publish has already been accepted, although I'm still to receive the contract. I shall of course PM all regarding any use of the material supplied here.
Once again, many thanks and I look forward to contacting you in due course.
FB
By the way Gentlemen, just a reminder that this thread is an opportunity for me to attract all your anecdotal memories of Leuchars and I'm most pleased with the response so far. Thanks for the input so far, keep 'em coming by all means. The book is currently a work in progress but intent to publish has already been accepted, although I'm still to receive the contract. I shall of course PM all regarding any use of the material supplied here.
Once again, many thanks and I look forward to contacting you in due course.
FB
Centre Line SUU-23A Gun at EGQL
Scruffy Fanny,
I am still at the ink and pencil stage on this one but perhaps you or Courtney can answer my real question which is: Would a Leuchars-based F-4 (43 or 111) in a 2-bag, gun and missile fit ever find itself in the same bit of sky as a Shackleton AEW2?
I have drawn it with a gun pod on because I think the Phantom looks better when packing 20mm but it won't do if it never happened.
Mike R
I am still at the ink and pencil stage on this one but perhaps you or Courtney can answer my real question which is: Would a Leuchars-based F-4 (43 or 111) in a 2-bag, gun and missile fit ever find itself in the same bit of sky as a Shackleton AEW2?
I have drawn it with a gun pod on because I think the Phantom looks better when packing 20mm but it won't do if it never happened.
Mike R
Does anyone remember the daily very early morning calls to ATC from the Russian "trawler" moored on the centreline?
Morning Mike btw.
Morning Mike btw.
Last edited by Lightning Mate; 31st Aug 2012 at 07:58.
Mount Summers
Tinribs
I knew my ransacking of the archive would not be a complete waste of time... While looking for Leuchars Phantom FG1 images I came across this very old B/W photo of that hill at Leuchars with a quarry at the base annotated with arrows showing the impact point and debris field from that very close call with a Canberra tip tank in cloud.
Proof, if any were needed, that you should never throw anything away.
[IMG]
[/IMG]
I knew my ransacking of the archive would not be a complete waste of time... While looking for Leuchars Phantom FG1 images I came across this very old B/W photo of that hill at Leuchars with a quarry at the base annotated with arrows showing the impact point and debris field from that very close call with a Canberra tip tank in cloud.
Proof, if any were needed, that you should never throw anything away.
[IMG]
[/IMG]
Last edited by mike rondot; 31st Aug 2012 at 08:16. Reason: Resize photo
Tabs please !
Re the Canberra that landed short, in the North Sea.
Civvy here, years later I worked with one of the survivors who had ejected underwater. Alan was given the last rights and his wife was flown with great haste up to Scotland while his life hung by a thread. Happily he made a good recovery although one of his legs was never properly straight. I've no idea where he is now but I recall that he was a real gent.
Civvy here, years later I worked with one of the survivors who had ejected underwater. Alan was given the last rights and his wife was flown with great haste up to Scotland while his life hung by a thread. Happily he made a good recovery although one of his legs was never properly straight. I've no idea where he is now but I recall that he was a real gent.
Excuse me Mr Tankertrashnav Sir, but shouldn't that be sapphires rather than Avons?
Cheers for the correction anyway, and do read the story, I was up at Leuchars at the time (but not in Tony's crew), it was quite amazing how much birdflesh went through those engines with apparently no affect whatsover.
Last edited by Tankertrashnav; 31st Aug 2012 at 10:07. Reason: typo
Ah, Lucklaw hill. Good picture.
Can't be done. The rear snub fitting will only attach to the pod upper frame support arm one way round and it can't engage with the centre station front lug (which your plan would require) on the aircraft the wrong way round. 111 Sqn already tried it.
So was I, if you remember. I was just finishing the course. But I do recall that rumour. Staish would probably have been BW around that time.
It wasn't a normal fit because when we put the tanks and missiles on, we usually put all the tanks on. QRA fit was three tanks and 8 missiles. We flew with two tanks, missiles and gun on 29 Sqn in the Falklands, but we needed the gun there.
I seem to remember seeing that fit diring generation excercises and I do remember declaring C44+8 on flying excercises and you could only declare the '+' bit if you you actually had a gun onboard.
So, my thought would be that you could see that fit next to 8 Sqn on an exercise, but I can't recall it specifically.
The F4, as you say, looks better with the gun. Beauty is truth, truth beauty.
Courtney
Originally Posted by Scruffy Fanny
oh and 43 Squadron had the gun fitted backwards to improve their kill rate
Originally Posted by Scruffy Fanny
C-Mil perhaps you can confirm this part of XV436 s demise as I was only a student on 228 at the time
Originally Posted by mike rondot
Would a Leuchars-based F-4 (43 or 111) in a 2-bag, gun and missile fit ever find itself in the same bit of sky as a Shackleton AEW2
I seem to remember seeing that fit diring generation excercises and I do remember declaring C44+8 on flying excercises and you could only declare the '+' bit if you you actually had a gun onboard.
So, my thought would be that you could see that fit next to 8 Sqn on an exercise, but I can't recall it specifically.
The F4, as you say, looks better with the gun. Beauty is truth, truth beauty.
Courtney