The Bastards Closed all the Best Bases.
RAF Mount Batten - I was attached there for a month or so before it closed. Sitting in the Officers' Mess looking over Plymouth Sound - and the OO having to ascend the Gun Tower to lower the Ensign with the DNCO - armed with a key from the 17th Century!
RAF Hereford - pleasant place, great Mess (now demolished), nice part of the country. Now occupied by Them...
RAF Thorny Island - the RAF Sailing Association has/had a great clubhouse there.
RAF Holmpton...selected for quirkiness - anyone out there still serving who knew of this place?
RAF Hereford - pleasant place, great Mess (now demolished), nice part of the country. Now occupied by Them...
RAF Thorny Island - the RAF Sailing Association has/had a great clubhouse there.
RAF Holmpton...selected for quirkiness - anyone out there still serving who knew of this place?
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Having spent 19 years stationed at them it has to be:
The best
#1 Bruggen
#2 Waddington
The comon denominator was that, in my time, there were 4 squadrons of mud moving aircraft on each.
The worst
Brize
Scampton
3P
The best
#1 Bruggen
#2 Waddington
The comon denominator was that, in my time, there were 4 squadrons of mud moving aircraft on each.
The worst
Brize
Scampton
3P
I visited Holmpton on an inspection c 1997; in the R3 bunker it still had State Boards up for the RAF Hospitals, bottled gas holdings at our former airship base, V-parking slots available on Support Command airfield etc. A complete time warp of a place.
One of the Civil Service Security Guards had gone mad and chased the other staff around the site with an axe. Not surprising, really. Too close to Hull.
One of the Civil Service Security Guards had gone mad and chased the other staff around the site with an axe. Not surprising, really. Too close to Hull.
Last edited by Whenurhappy; 8th Mar 2013 at 08:24.
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Spent at week at Holmpton (Patrington) when it was an MRS not the funny farm that it later became. That was on a detachment from another great little posting; Hartland Point in 69.
The other posting that stands out was, of course, Butterworth/Penang 66/68.
The other posting that stands out was, of course, Butterworth/Penang 66/68.
Last edited by lauriebe; 8th Mar 2013 at 09:32.
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Best RNAS Portland(HMS Osprey) 703 Sqn early 70's. Lodged ashore in Weymouth,no accomodation on board.Became a Wasp pilot(Radio mech really)in the summer months,really impressed the holiday making totty!
Worst RNAS Honington(RAF)-middle of nowhere,joys of Barnham camp!
Worst RNAS Honington(RAF)-middle of nowhere,joys of Barnham camp!
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For obscure, I offer RAF Theddlethorpe, which had an officer, a WO and some airmen, a combined everything building, lots of muddy ranges, and a huge nightclub, which pulled totty at the weekend from Nottingham and Leicester to the Lincolnshire coast in the 70s.
RAF Nordhorn was nice, as was Mountbatten and Oakington. I loved Troodos, liked Innsworth and Stanmore Park and hated every second I was at Henlow. I counted up the other day and in my time in uniform, I served at, was detached to or visited 44 RAF stations.
Like Theddlethorpe, Donna Nook had probably a larger bar stock than its parent - B......k. Went with OC PMS (newly promoted) on surprise bar stock check, and was he surprised. Wanted to come all "heavy" but I managed to persuade him that it was all in the interests of good community relations. IIRC they had a flight sergeant there early 80s who did quite well on Mastermind.
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Been off air for a while, computer became confused after some sort of cyber trauma and refused to recognise its keyboard. Got a new one now with twin carbs and a B and O audio.
1st tour at Wyt in 73/74 - magic place.
All the sqns listed in previous posts - lots of great guys (including Al Suicide (39 Sqn) and, from the tower, Steve Dzuiba (RIP)) - lots of stunning girls on the many JSPI courses who could be persuaded to frolic in the swimming pool in front of the OM. Even the Flt Lt WRAF from the education centre was a real cutie.
I became "friendly" with a nearby farmer's daughter (she was only a farmers daughter but she couldn't keep her calves together).
And, for the anoraks, there was some seriously interesting engineering going on, because that's what we did in those days.
Then I was posted to some other places - the one I enjoyed least was Wattisham - for personal reasons.
Then before I finally retired (1999/2004) I was posted back to Wyton. No sqns any more but lots of great guys and gals; no names no pack drill. I had a whale of a time. We were still doing team building expeds back then and blimey we had a few - I remember scrambling up a cliff with my face about 6 inches below a female civil serpent's nether regions and when we got to the top she said " sorry you had to suffer that" I just smiled quietly to myself.
So, for me - get rid of Wattisham....oh, whoops too late!
Keep Wyton....oh, whoops too late!
Rgds SOS
1st tour at Wyt in 73/74 - magic place.
All the sqns listed in previous posts - lots of great guys (including Al Suicide (39 Sqn) and, from the tower, Steve Dzuiba (RIP)) - lots of stunning girls on the many JSPI courses who could be persuaded to frolic in the swimming pool in front of the OM. Even the Flt Lt WRAF from the education centre was a real cutie.
I became "friendly" with a nearby farmer's daughter (she was only a farmers daughter but she couldn't keep her calves together).
And, for the anoraks, there was some seriously interesting engineering going on, because that's what we did in those days.
Then I was posted to some other places - the one I enjoyed least was Wattisham - for personal reasons.
Then before I finally retired (1999/2004) I was posted back to Wyton. No sqns any more but lots of great guys and gals; no names no pack drill. I had a whale of a time. We were still doing team building expeds back then and blimey we had a few - I remember scrambling up a cliff with my face about 6 inches below a female civil serpent's nether regions and when we got to the top she said " sorry you had to suffer that" I just smiled quietly to myself.
So, for me - get rid of Wattisham....oh, whoops too late!
Keep Wyton....oh, whoops too late!
Rgds SOS
Last edited by SOSL; 8th Mar 2013 at 18:29.
Fondest memories of stations in their very last days when I think I was the last pilot to fly from them.....
Acklington - lovely low-level country when every one thought you were SAR (despite being camouflaged) and never complained.
Riyan - wandering from my room to the bar past XS 675 parked between the two
and only a short detachment to Valley left me with an unfavourable impression and no wish to return
Acklington - lovely low-level country when every one thought you were SAR (despite being camouflaged) and never complained.
Riyan - wandering from my room to the bar past XS 675 parked between the two
and only a short detachment to Valley left me with an unfavourable impression and no wish to return
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Very Good
Akrotiri 61-64 Canberras then Station Flight (variously SITF/VASF then TASF) Great Kebab gatherings - Personal No 1 Little Arif
Masirah 66-67 Fantastic esprit de corps and always busy. Never a dull moment
Akrotiri 70 - 73 Lightnings, Lightnings and Lightnings plus inevitable Kebab and Meze bashes. Little known spot on opposite side of road from Little Arif heading towards the Keo factory, about 100 yards or so. Never knew the name, we only knew it as "The Shilling Brandy Coke Bar". It was just as we named and the owner was generous to a fault with the Brandy but nursed the coke like it was the last bottle in the world. Fantastic value; very basic place, would be packed with a dozen guys there ! Great for warming up then only a short stagger to Little Arif.
Not too bad
Valley late 60's - Granted I was on MPC - Our own world really. Despite much bad press I did not find the locals too bad, maybe because we had our own circle and did not need to rub shoulders with the Trogs too much, though those I did seemed OK.
Not very keen
Scampton - Miserable in Winter, and it seemed like winter most of the time.
Wattisham - Miserable full stop
Was always sorry never got to FEAF but in another life spent a lot of time in that part of the world. Even got to set up a corporate ground handling office at Seletar
Akrotiri 61-64 Canberras then Station Flight (variously SITF/VASF then TASF) Great Kebab gatherings - Personal No 1 Little Arif Masirah 66-67 Fantastic esprit de corps and always busy. Never a dull moment Akrotiri 70 - 73 Lightnings, Lightnings and Lightnings plus inevitable Kebab and Meze bashes. Little known spot on opposite side of road from Little Arif heading towards the Keo factory, about 100 yards or so. Never knew the name, we only knew it as "The Shilling Brandy Coke Bar". It was just as we named and the owner was generous to a fault with the Brandy but nursed the coke like it was the last bottle in the world. Fantastic value; very basic place, would be packed with a dozen guys there ! Great for warming up then only a short stagger to Little Arif.Not too bad
Valley late 60's - Granted I was on MPC - Our own world really. Despite much bad press I did not find the locals too bad, maybe because we had our own circle and did not need to rub shoulders with the Trogs too much, though those I did seemed OK.Not very keen
Scampton - Miserable in Winter, and it seemed like winter most of the time. Wattisham - Miserable full stopWas always sorry never got to FEAF but in another life spent a lot of time in that part of the world. Even got to set up a corporate ground handling office at Seletar
Last edited by Q-RTF-X; 9th Mar 2013 at 11:42.
Victor B1a
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2 More.
North Luffenham (decompressions and Ruddles fine ale).
Mountbatten (Sea survival and brilliant tea and hot buttered toast).
I recall a large portrait of Lawrence of Arabia in the entrance to the mess.
He was dressed in his A/C 1's overalls. What a shame he dropped the Brough Superior.
D.
Mountbatten (Sea survival and brilliant tea and hot buttered toast).
I recall a large portrait of Lawrence of Arabia in the entrance to the mess.
He was dressed in his A/C 1's overalls. What a shame he dropped the Brough Superior.
D.
Gaydon, when it was 2ANS. Great instructors, beautiful area, good pubs around, especially the one in Lighthorne which you reached by walking straight out of the back of the station.
Changi - though sadly I didn't appreciate it until too late in my tour - that 'married under 25' nonsense had made me quite bitter at first.
Changi - though sadly I didn't appreciate it until too late in my tour - that 'married under 25' nonsense had made me quite bitter at first.
Gaydon, when it was 2ANS. Great instructors, beautiful area, good pubs around, especially the one in Lighthorne which you reached by walking straight out of the back of the station.
YS
As oldmansquipper wrote:
Speaking of which:
A splendid sight earlier today, belting along the Cotswold line! Battle of Britain* Class No. 34067 Tangmere.
As I'd already completed my circuit consolidation when ULAS went to RAF Thorney Island on Summer Camp in 1970, I never managed to fly at Tangmere, which we were using as an RLG. What a missed opportunity! But some illicit doggers over the Isle of Widget was rather fun!
*I have other relevant photos, of course....
To have kept/keep
Tangmere - Spent my formative years lying in the long grass along side the threshhold watching the Hunters coming & going, then (later) flying out of there with the ATC.
Tangmere - Spent my formative years lying in the long grass along side the threshhold watching the Hunters coming & going, then (later) flying out of there with the ATC.
A splendid sight earlier today, belting along the Cotswold line! Battle of Britain* Class No. 34067 Tangmere.
As I'd already completed my circuit consolidation when ULAS went to RAF Thorney Island on Summer Camp in 1970, I never managed to fly at Tangmere, which we were using as an RLG. What a missed opportunity! But some illicit doggers over the Isle of Widget was rather fun!
*I have other relevant photos, of course....
Last edited by BEagle; 9th Mar 2013 at 13:30.
