Church Fenton to close this year
That Yorkshire list stirred the memories: I did tours* or detachments+ to:
Acklington+ Leeming* Topcliffe* Dishforth+ Linton+ ChurchFenton+ and Finningley*
Quite liked Yorkshire!
Acklington+ Leeming* Topcliffe* Dishforth+ Linton+ ChurchFenton+ and Finningley*
Quite liked Yorkshire!
Such a shame, a great base to work from and an even better location to socialise from.
Solo party had 2 coach-loads of nurses & teachers.
And to this day, 29 years later, the daffodils still grow outside the front of the southern hangar, spelling out our course number.
Solo party had 2 coach-loads of nurses & teachers.
And to this day, 29 years later, the daffodils still grow outside the front of the southern hangar, spelling out our course number.
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Aircrew Officer Training School, RAF Church Fenton, 1969!
A relaxed atmosphere, aircrew teaching would be aircrew - OK we still had vicious drill sergeants - and a happier place to do IOT I cannot imagine.
The Red Course Dining In Night challenge (just before graduation) was to see who could climb the anteroom wall in No 2 Mess (the IOT Mess); it was made of unplastered brick and every foot or so one random brick was set proud that allowed the adventurous to give it a go. Plenty of Sam Smiths coursing through the veins helped!
Not many cadets took up the challenge but I did and within inches of touching the ceiling fell backwards off the wall, crashed onto a new G-Plan coffee table and stood up with aforementioned plank of wood stuck firmly around my right ankle! Hell, I thought that was it - no graduation for me, despite reassurances from my IOT Sqn Cdr who had been a party to coaxing cadets to climb! Round the corner strode the AOTS equivalent of Wg Cdr Cdts! 'Who did that?, he asked. 'Me' said I sheepishly. 'Bloody good show!' said he. Following quickly with, 'Squadron Fund will pay for that, that's just what we expect from aircrew! Well done, Bloggs!'
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Shame it's got to close but last time I was there in the 80s it looked pretty sad so God knows what it looks like now!
Time moves on!
Bloggs
A relaxed atmosphere, aircrew teaching would be aircrew - OK we still had vicious drill sergeants - and a happier place to do IOT I cannot imagine.
The Red Course Dining In Night challenge (just before graduation) was to see who could climb the anteroom wall in No 2 Mess (the IOT Mess); it was made of unplastered brick and every foot or so one random brick was set proud that allowed the adventurous to give it a go. Plenty of Sam Smiths coursing through the veins helped!
Not many cadets took up the challenge but I did and within inches of touching the ceiling fell backwards off the wall, crashed onto a new G-Plan coffee table and stood up with aforementioned plank of wood stuck firmly around my right ankle! Hell, I thought that was it - no graduation for me, despite reassurances from my IOT Sqn Cdr who had been a party to coaxing cadets to climb! Round the corner strode the AOTS equivalent of Wg Cdr Cdts! 'Who did that?, he asked. 'Me' said I sheepishly. 'Bloody good show!' said he. Following quickly with, 'Squadron Fund will pay for that, that's just what we expect from aircrew! Well done, Bloggs!'
And the rest, as they say, is history.
Shame it's got to close but last time I was there in the 80s it looked pretty sad so God knows what it looks like now!
Time moves on!
Bloggs
Originally Posted by Coff
What type of dog Courtney old chap ... Labrador perchance ?
Originally Posted by 1.3
Courtney, does your "dog" have your password by chance? If so, standby for incoming!
Originally Posted by Coff
Come on Courtney ... Let's be hav'in your shaggy dog story then
Anyway, no one ever saw much of me and it became the assumed truth that Jessica was the SNavO. Suited me.
She used to steal peoples cigarettes too.
Funny old time.
Then there was Weather Dog Katy.
Katherine was a lab/collie cross bitch with a touch of whippett. A Rescue dog from RSPCA Bawtry, c. 1982, who chose us. She turned out extremely intelligent and biddable. Loved children and people. At RAF Finningley and St Mawgan [and I think Great Yorkshire] Days/Shows she was an integral member of the Met stand team.
She was advertised thus:
I do the observing. They send me out at 10 minutes to the hour. If I come back dry and unruffled it's OK. Wet its raining. Wet and ruffled it's raining and a gale. Come back stiff and cold it's frosty. White, and it's snowing. Fail to return and it's foggy. Where's the chocolate drop then?
Katherine was a lab/collie cross bitch with a touch of whippett. A Rescue dog from RSPCA Bawtry, c. 1982, who chose us. She turned out extremely intelligent and biddable. Loved children and people. At RAF Finningley and St Mawgan [and I think Great Yorkshire] Days/Shows she was an integral member of the Met stand team.
She was advertised thus:
I do the observing. They send me out at 10 minutes to the hour. If I come back dry and unruffled it's OK. Wet its raining. Wet and ruffled it's raining and a gale. Come back stiff and cold it's frosty. White, and it's snowing. Fail to return and it's foggy. Where's the chocolate drop then?
Victor B1a
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Church Fenton
What a place.
Chippies.
Sam Smith's fine ale.
Parachutes -Did anyone ever look cool carrying one across the apron.
Charming ladies from Ripon teachers college.
Saturday lunch in the Shambles in York.
Daffodils around the city walls of York.
Racing yachts out of Whitby, Scarborough and Bridlington.
The big copper beech in Pickering - you could see it from miles away.
Oh! Nearly forgot. The flying was great in 1972.
Looking back I think I was a very lucky chap.
Anyone remember Flt. Lt. Chas Spooner, a superb instructor.
Happy days.
D.
Chippies.
Sam Smith's fine ale.
Parachutes -Did anyone ever look cool carrying one across the apron.
Charming ladies from Ripon teachers college.
Saturday lunch in the Shambles in York.
Daffodils around the city walls of York.
Racing yachts out of Whitby, Scarborough and Bridlington.
The big copper beech in Pickering - you could see it from miles away.
Oh! Nearly forgot. The flying was great in 1972.
Looking back I think I was a very lucky chap.
Anyone remember Flt. Lt. Chas Spooner, a superb instructor.
Happy days.
D.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: home: United Kingdom
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SATCO - Sqn Ldr Kate S******
Said SATCO was also PMC in the early 90s. She hated - absolutely hated - aircrew misuse of the Tannoy in the 'scruff's bar'. I recall her bursting into the bar to bollock the studies for singing on the Tannoy, only to find the CI -Pete Stannard - holding the mike singing 'It's not unusual'! Embarrassing silence ensued.
Duncs
Duncs
