Taceval, Maxival and Minival
Arrived Bruggen on a Friday June 1977, 2 days later on a Sunday watching the Squadron play football of went the 'hooter', 3 years of Exercise at Bruggen loved every minute. Looking back I must have been mad.
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We had a 10 day Taceval in Sept 76 at Marham which I'm pretty sure is a record, still can't work out if it meant we were good or bad at it! The best memories were the sim air attacks reds which normally meant running for cover of course. During one such raid two of us found ourselves guarding a site on the 'other' side of the airfield miles away from anyone so we hopped up one of those Victor tail serv platforms to get a good view and enjoy the beautiful summer sunshine ( 76 what a year). Two Belgium starfighters roared low over the station and past us very noisey , very close and at eye level , needless to say , scaring the crap out of us. I still use that as an excuse now when I can't hear what the wife says........
Oh,there was one about then, not a million miles away,when the entire senior management of one " self -licking lollipop " recce support unit was thankfully trashed and their "boss" consequently posted.
Unfortunately some continued on........although thankfully diluted among the rest of a generally vibrant and competent community .We had one of these oddities (ex-Nav),who didn't want to be in RAFG (having previously turned down Singapore!):and who, in front of Harrier aircrew, refused to identify NATO ground equipment on imagery " without consulting my reference manuals"
Oh Yes. Absolutely a great attitude for First Phase reporting from a highly stressed pilot, with snap decisions within a very few minutes from "bird in" to Int.Report out!
But not , as we were constantly reminded " how we used to do it at *****"
Unfortunately some continued on........although thankfully diluted among the rest of a generally vibrant and competent community .We had one of these oddities (ex-Nav),who didn't want to be in RAFG (having previously turned down Singapore!):and who, in front of Harrier aircrew, refused to identify NATO ground equipment on imagery " without consulting my reference manuals"
Oh Yes. Absolutely a great attitude for First Phase reporting from a highly stressed pilot, with snap decisions within a very few minutes from "bird in" to Int.Report out!
But not , as we were constantly reminded " how we used to do it at *****"
Last edited by Haraka; 14th Oct 2015 at 18:06.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
On ISK and realism, in late 70s, the SOpsO came up with a daring plan.
Co-locate an Ops Centre for both Lossie and Kinloss south of the Elgin-Forres ridge.
This suffered from the NIH syndrome and being an excellent idea.
Then Jules Flood, SOpsO at Honington suggested setting up austere minimal dispersals at the many closed or minimal airfields around East Anglia and Lincolnshire. This idea got a little further but failed as the concept was not explained to the JOs sent out to check out the local areas.
Plan - a runway with sufficient concrete for emergency occasional use. A caravan or reasonable weather proof building. Access for bowsers. Supply of simple rearmament such as Aim 9.
Recce - good surface runway like main base. Full weapons replenishment. Sleeping accommodation, Ops room, comms lines direct to ADOC etc.
Of course wholly missed the point and that was the end of a good plan.
Co-locate an Ops Centre for both Lossie and Kinloss south of the Elgin-Forres ridge.
This suffered from the NIH syndrome and being an excellent idea.
Then Jules Flood, SOpsO at Honington suggested setting up austere minimal dispersals at the many closed or minimal airfields around East Anglia and Lincolnshire. This idea got a little further but failed as the concept was not explained to the JOs sent out to check out the local areas.
Plan - a runway with sufficient concrete for emergency occasional use. A caravan or reasonable weather proof building. Access for bowsers. Supply of simple rearmament such as Aim 9.
Recce - good surface runway like main base. Full weapons replenishment. Sleeping accommodation, Ops room, comms lines direct to ADOC etc.
Of course wholly missed the point and that was the end of a good plan.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
OAAT, at a major fighter base in Lincolnshire we (they) had achieved astonishingly high results except for nuclear - the joys of a hardened station.
The staish handed over "a first rate station" to CCCC who decided on a crash disaster exercise. It was pre-notified and programmed for an after hours exercise.
Naturally . . .
Anyway the exercise went on and started to suck in manpower of which, not a lot. Eventually the sirens went and people slowly returned to work. Keys areas like GDOC, SNCOs etc were all on the airfield and all the indians drinking coffee and watching TV
The staish handed over "a first rate station" to CCCC who decided on a crash disaster exercise. It was pre-notified and programmed for an after hours exercise.
Naturally . . .
Anyway the exercise went on and started to suck in manpower of which, not a lot. Eventually the sirens went and people slowly returned to work. Keys areas like GDOC, SNCOs etc were all on the airfield and all the indians drinking coffee and watching TV
Disregarding the above entirely
- Meanwhile, somewhere in ex-Training Command.........................'til 1978, when some bright spark called an excercise at Shawbury at 0500 and all the Blue people 'rushed' into work to find that the civvy drivers werent playing and everyone coud go back to sleep for a couple of hours until they turned up...but not back in your own beds!
Time to clear some shelves, methinks!
- Meanwhile, somewhere in ex-Training Command.........................'til 1978, when some bright spark called an excercise at Shawbury at 0500 and all the Blue people 'rushed' into work to find that the civvy drivers werent playing and everyone coud go back to sleep for a couple of hours until they turned up...but not back in your own beds!
Time to clear some shelves, methinks!
And, as a UK Unit merely resident in RAFG, good 'ole 431MU also had 'NAT-Evals' where we played our own games across Germany and even banned Bruggen from entering our gates!
- "Git Orf Moy LAAAAND!!!"
(Oh, how we used to enjoy those when on the road!-))
- "Git Orf Moy LAAAAND!!!"
(Oh, how we used to enjoy those when on the road!-))
Old Rotund One
I think you nailed the rivet with your comment that TACEVAL's were "an appraisal exercise for the staish".
I recall Lossie circa 1980 when the staish, (who had very appropriate initials for a member of the Royal Air Force), declared that the exercise results were not as expected and that we would TACEVAL 'til we got right
I think you nailed the rivet with your comment that TACEVAL's were "an appraisal exercise for the staish".
I recall Lossie circa 1980 when the staish, (who had very appropriate initials for a member of the Royal Air Force), declared that the exercise results were not as expected and that we would TACEVAL 'til we got right
I loved them. Especially the three day exercises. More flying than you could shake a stick at. In latter days, co-located with our ground crew in the HAS, keep the jet working.
Rule one, stay airborne all day never letting the tankers get more than arm's length away and always stay full on day three - no NBC play that way. Babies' Heads, that stuff that looked a bit like tea, comfy bunk in the 'submarine' and more serviceable jets than you could imagine.
Running an 8-ship CAP with AWACS, maybe some ships, tankers, jammers and some targets was better than a week of 1v1 PIs if you were lucky.
Happy days.
Rule one, stay airborne all day never letting the tankers get more than arm's length away and always stay full on day three - no NBC play that way. Babies' Heads, that stuff that looked a bit like tea, comfy bunk in the 'submarine' and more serviceable jets than you could imagine.
Running an 8-ship CAP with AWACS, maybe some ships, tankers, jammers and some targets was better than a week of 1v1 PIs if you were lucky.
Happy days.
Akrotiri Bad Boy,
I recall Lossie circa 1980 when the staish, (who had very appropriate initials for a member of the Royal Air Force), declared that the exercise results were not as expected and that we would TACEVAL 'til we got right
I recall Lossie circa 1980 when the staish, (who had very appropriate initials for a member of the Royal Air Force), declared that the exercise results were not as expected and that we would TACEVAL 'til we got right
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Rigga .....about 63/64 Bruggen was "evacuated" for some exercise or other. Entire base personnel went camping at various spots around Holland, Germany using just about every truck parked at 431 MU. All was fine until the end of the exercise when.....as rumour had it.....the MU found itself short of 3 Maggies.
Rule one, stay airborne all day never letting the tankers get more than arm's length away
Always keep your lunchbox with you in the aircraft, not left in the HAS for the groundcrew to snaffle when you are scrambled!
And Rule 3:
Avoid flying armed.
QUOTE:
I recall Lossie circa 1980 when the staish, (who had very appropriate initials for a member of the Royal Air Force), declared that the exercise results were not as expected and that we would TACEVAL 'til we got right.
Said officer shook up a complacent RAF HQ in JHQ ......simple little things like synchronised clocks and HOBs to attend HOBs meetings and not send deputies. Works for me.
Someone once wrote something like: "there is nothing more certain to ensure the proper completion of tasks than the knowledge that, if not completed satisfactorily, they will be repeated until satisfaction is achieved".
I recall Lossie circa 1980 when the staish, (who had very appropriate initials for a member of the Royal Air Force), declared that the exercise results were not as expected and that we would TACEVAL 'til we got right.
Said officer shook up a complacent RAF HQ in JHQ ......simple little things like synchronised clocks and HOBs to attend HOBs meetings and not send deputies. Works for me.
Someone once wrote something like: "there is nothing more certain to ensure the proper completion of tasks than the knowledge that, if not completed satisfactorily, they will be repeated until satisfaction is achieved".
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Lunch box brings to mind the infamous Nimrod survival scrambles, aka taxi round, shut down and shut up in every sense as we were airborne.
"Tower, can we open the rations?"
"Wait"
"C/s, you make make drinks."
"Tower, can we eat"
"Negative"
"Munch munch"
"Munch"
"Tower, can we open the rations?"
"Wait"
"C/s, you make make drinks."
"Tower, can we eat"
"Negative"
"Munch munch"
"Munch"
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Then there was the time at Lossie when the nuclear survival rations were all issued forward.
A massive block of mouse trap, over a foot cube, appeared on the counter in Flying Clothing. Every time the mice passed a bit got nibbled off.
At endex perhaps one pound was left.
A massive block of mouse trap, over a foot cube, appeared on the counter in Flying Clothing. Every time the mice passed a bit got nibbled off.
At endex perhaps one pound was left.
Avoid imitations
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SH in RAFG during the early 1980s seemed to be one long field deployment. Our Sqn had four planned exercises per year, plus there were the various "Evals" which seemed to be every few weeks. Even when we were on "peacetime" tasking we got caught up in the exercises of the user units.
The best thing, apart from "Endex", was our air control orders, which were usually not above 150 feet agl for helicopters. Not easy to achieve, especially tricky when an under slung load needed a 100 ft strop! But exhilarating to try - Licensed hooliganism
The worst thing was visiting a typical Harrier deployment "tented city" and seeing the excellent facilities they were given, which sharply contrasted with the lack of even basic stuff and c**p we had to put up with. Towards the end of my time there some plonker decreed that all RAF helicopter crews would have to "cam up" in the cockpit when not flying in full NBC kit, including that dreadful AR5. We flew around looking like clowns whilst the army thought we were barking mad. And we probably were. I took away the overriding view that it was all about upper management gaining points for promotion and had the balloon really gone up, I reckon I would be lucky to survive more than a couple of days.
The best thing, apart from "Endex", was our air control orders, which were usually not above 150 feet agl for helicopters. Not easy to achieve, especially tricky when an under slung load needed a 100 ft strop! But exhilarating to try - Licensed hooliganism
The worst thing was visiting a typical Harrier deployment "tented city" and seeing the excellent facilities they were given, which sharply contrasted with the lack of even basic stuff and c**p we had to put up with. Towards the end of my time there some plonker decreed that all RAF helicopter crews would have to "cam up" in the cockpit when not flying in full NBC kit, including that dreadful AR5. We flew around looking like clowns whilst the army thought we were barking mad. And we probably were. I took away the overriding view that it was all about upper management gaining points for promotion and had the balloon really gone up, I reckon I would be lucky to survive more than a couple of days.
visiting a typical Harrier deployment "tented city" and seeing the excellent facilities they were given,
"Any fool can be uncomfortable".
Avoid imitations
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Unofficial Harrier Force Motto:
"Any fool can be uncomfortable".
"Any fool can be uncomfortable".
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There's discomfort and there's AR5
Lasting memories of Exercises are always surmounted by the claustrophobic recall of the AR5. One "eval" I recall being all kitted up and standing before two female squippers holding this rubber appendage. Them, not me. Take a deep breath in the respirator close eyes and don the headpiece. On opening eyes and the fullers earth settling, there was a large poster on the wall in front of me with the cartoon character "Wicked Willie" wearing a condom and the subscript "Now you know how I feel". You can't tell if female squippers are grinning in respirators.