Runway Controllers and the Runway Caravan
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Cupola
Yup!
hole in the Ground with a glass dome about 3' across and about 2" thick and very hot inside, so I'm told. I wouldn't know, I was in the Caravan with the air con turned to high.
The Cupolii at Brüggen were some distance further along the runway from the caravan but the same distance in from the runway. During exercises they were manned by local at one end and some form of approach at the other end. The real losers in this scenario were the armed sentries who were there to stop the Guards 3rd Shock Army from interfering with the safe departure of the worlds biggest Jaguar/Tornado wing (choose your era!). Im sure some of the controllers of the time can set us right.
In latter times (late 80s) due to real 'elf & safety, the sentries were brought into cupola anytime there was a multi aircraft scramble as there were thought to be health implications with Tornado "noise" and internal body vibrations at close quarters
hole in the Ground with a glass dome about 3' across and about 2" thick and very hot inside, so I'm told. I wouldn't know, I was in the Caravan with the air con turned to high.
The Cupolii at Brüggen were some distance further along the runway from the caravan but the same distance in from the runway. During exercises they were manned by local at one end and some form of approach at the other end. The real losers in this scenario were the armed sentries who were there to stop the Guards 3rd Shock Army from interfering with the safe departure of the worlds biggest Jaguar/Tornado wing (choose your era!). Im sure some of the controllers of the time can set us right.
In latter times (late 80s) due to real 'elf & safety, the sentries were brought into cupola anytime there was a multi aircraft scramble as there were thought to be health implications with Tornado "noise" and internal body vibrations at close quarters
Coke machines in Towers
What does it mean?
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The coke machine has coke, but is out of change.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Something similar at Coningsby as the Alternative ATC. A revetted bunker south side, well set out, dogleg sand bag entrance etc. Quite Spartan but it also had a SOMA terminal that I had to check out regularly and ensure was serviceable long after victory in WW3
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Danny, this question of yours somehow landed in the thread on Horse-Play in the Mess so I've given it a stiff talking to and brought it here where it belongs.
It was a little musty shall we say each time I entered for the sole purpose of dusting the ARC52s and there were certainly no sanitary arrangements for the skilled man / maid in the tower to use. When the hooter when off as it did monthly my job was to run around with an SLR looking aggressive so quite what went on in them I will leave to those that know what I'm talking about to explain. Very much their purpose was to prevent the occupant being turned to dust in the event of the unmentionable happening but as to their effectiveness in that scenario I think we all know the answer. During the start of my tour the cupolae, the Ops Bunker and bits of the bomb dump were the only hardened structures on the Station but then the COC and HASs appeared, peace broke out and some time later it all became Weeze Airport.
I have a vague recollection of a CADF in the eastern end cupola but cannot recall any opening in the structure to pop off a flare. As said earlier I don't even remember if there was a caravan. Swinging the PAR was a regular task but no recollection of a caravan trundling up and down at the same time. Given that the Glide Path and Localiser occupied spots at both ends I'm sure if there was a caravan there I'd have been a regular visitor for a brew while fettling the ILS and while I fettled regularly there was definitely no tea drinking.
John
...capola (capoli?)...
"Capolae", I rather think. After my time - sounds thoroughly unhygenic and claustrophobic to me ...... bunker only fettled once a month ? ...... hope they issued you with a good air- freshener ! What was it all for ? - to protect you against wayward aircraft, or to survive the atomic exchange ? (as Laarbruch would be a radioactive charnel house by then, not much point really).
Did you have a sort of flare tube to pop the 'red's out ? How long was your "shift" down there ? Sanitary Arrangements ? Tell us more - I never heard of these things in my life.
Don't think a CA/DF set (they were operated by the Skilled Man/or Maid in the Tower Approach Room [in later pattern Towers], they had a "slave" set upstairs so that one operator could do both Local and Approach when things were quiet).
In general: Those poor old joannas ! On TV saw one hefted a good hundred yards or more by a reconstructed Trebuchet. Struck the "Lost Chord" when it speared in ! ("Caution - Low Flying Pianos ?")
Poor man's version: (Hawarden 1942) "Duty Pilot" (Prune taken off flying for the day) on grass by side of threshold, kitchen chair, Verey pistol and big bag of reds. Fire at will if sees two Spits intending to land on the same spot at same time. R/T "Local Control" ? - don't be silly ! (mixed bag of Spits, newly assembled Wimpeys and God knows what from ATA plus visitors - often 20 + in circuit. Control not possible). Looks like rain ? - bring your groundsheet.
But they were good days .............
Danny.
"Capolae", I rather think. After my time - sounds thoroughly unhygenic and claustrophobic to me ...... bunker only fettled once a month ? ...... hope they issued you with a good air- freshener ! What was it all for ? - to protect you against wayward aircraft, or to survive the atomic exchange ? (as Laarbruch would be a radioactive charnel house by then, not much point really).
Did you have a sort of flare tube to pop the 'red's out ? How long was your "shift" down there ? Sanitary Arrangements ? Tell us more - I never heard of these things in my life.
Don't think a CA/DF set (they were operated by the Skilled Man/or Maid in the Tower Approach Room [in later pattern Towers], they had a "slave" set upstairs so that one operator could do both Local and Approach when things were quiet).
In general: Those poor old joannas ! On TV saw one hefted a good hundred yards or more by a reconstructed Trebuchet. Struck the "Lost Chord" when it speared in ! ("Caution - Low Flying Pianos ?")
Poor man's version: (Hawarden 1942) "Duty Pilot" (Prune taken off flying for the day) on grass by side of threshold, kitchen chair, Verey pistol and big bag of reds. Fire at will if sees two Spits intending to land on the same spot at same time. R/T "Local Control" ? - don't be silly ! (mixed bag of Spits, newly assembled Wimpeys and God knows what from ATA plus visitors - often 20 + in circuit. Control not possible). Looks like rain ? - bring your groundsheet.
But they were good days .............
Danny.
I have a vague recollection of a CADF in the eastern end cupola but cannot recall any opening in the structure to pop off a flare. As said earlier I don't even remember if there was a caravan. Swinging the PAR was a regular task but no recollection of a caravan trundling up and down at the same time. Given that the Glide Path and Localiser occupied spots at both ends I'm sure if there was a caravan there I'd have been a regular visitor for a brew while fettling the ILS and while I fettled regularly there was definitely no tea drinking.
John
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Following on from INW copying Danny's post to this one, I have moved my comment here too:
Danny, as the Cold War evolved in to Flexible Response many idiocies were inflicted on the PBI. Hangar doors in UK were painted green. Hi Viz yellow bowers were painted green as were red fire engines and white ambulances. Then, as you couldn't see them, fluorescent yellow strips were attached. No one figured out that everything is GREEN on a bomber radar and jammers would have been more effective.
Everything had to have an alternate so that the chaos could continue when the taceval team took out the primary. Odd, but they never took out the alternate to see if the station could create another alternate. Extra brownie points if you managed to 'hide' the A team in the alternate thus only losing the B team.
Everything had to have an alternate so that the chaos could continue when the taceval team took out the primary. Odd, but they never took out the alternate to see if the station could create another alternate. Extra brownie points if you managed to 'hide' the A team in the alternate thus only losing the B team.
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Hi Viz yellow bowers were painted green as were red fire engines and white ambulances. Then, as you couldn't see them, fluorescent yellow strips were attached. No one figured out that everything is GREEN on a bomber radar and jammers would have been more effective.
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We used to paint our vehicles with a brush................no need for masking off............... The vehicles were painted every 2 years whether they needed it or not. I am sure ours were 2 inches wider than when they were built.
58KD41 was 'My' Sherpa......................
Arc
58KD41 was 'My' Sherpa......................
Arc
Alternates!
The Germans had a mobile Alter-Met [only one] which turned up at the next base for TACEVAL. I am not sure how they knew, or whether they rushed it to the base being evaluated in time for Day Two.
It was fully mobile and, I seem to remember, had a trailer as well.
Being a Met Evaluator had its funny side, as when I asked the German S Met O what the wheels were for ................
Very difficult to assess: whereas the vehicle could not be in two places at once, neither could I. We never managed to run two TACEVALs simultaneously.
The Germans had a mobile Alter-Met [only one] which turned up at the next base for TACEVAL. I am not sure how they knew, or whether they rushed it to the base being evaluated in time for Day Two.
It was fully mobile and, I seem to remember, had a trailer as well.
Being a Met Evaluator had its funny side, as when I asked the German S Met O what the wheels were for ................
Very difficult to assess: whereas the vehicle could not be in two places at once, neither could I. We never managed to run two TACEVALs simultaneously.
Certainly the WP Met provisions were poor, as we discovered when the various organisations were open to a shufti. I can't remember the phrase for our planned broadcast blackout in the event of TTW [???? HELP ???] but, in a Westerly, the WP would have been badly served for information, and in an Easterly we were well practised at forecasting potential target weather.
Met BFG/RAFG regularly topped the NATO league tables for forecasting WP potential target weather, which was evaluated once a week or so. In effect it was a long period TAF that could be compared with ground truth after the event.
Met BFG/RAFG regularly topped the NATO league tables for forecasting WP potential target weather, which was evaluated once a week or so. In effect it was a long period TAF that could be compared with ground truth after the event.
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Things are not always what they seem.
It's Not Working et al,
Seems that I retired at the right time (1972) when we were still discounting the idea of a nuclear kick-off and thought that it would be a re-run of WWII (at least at the start). Estimate was that the Tartar hordes would reach the Channel Ports in 48 hours. The Wise Virgins among the Patches ensured that the family car was full of fuel, and had a suitcase packed in the hall, ready for a quick getaway.
Now another Funny Caravan Story (Binbrook, ca. end 1949). Excerpt from my Post p.165 #3295 on "Pilot's Brevet" Thread:
(And this brings to mind an old "Tee Emm" tale of the WW2 chap who found a steady red in blacked-out Britain, thought "Pundit", circled for a while to wait for the ident and then realised that he was flying round his own navigation light). 
(it happens !)
Danny.
Seems that I retired at the right time (1972) when we were still discounting the idea of a nuclear kick-off and thought that it would be a re-run of WWII (at least at the start). Estimate was that the Tartar hordes would reach the Channel Ports in 48 hours. The Wise Virgins among the Patches ensured that the family car was full of fuel, and had a suitcase packed in the hall, ready for a quick getaway.
Now another Funny Caravan Story (Binbrook, ca. end 1949). Excerpt from my Post p.165 #3295 on "Pilot's Brevet" Thread:
And one dark night when the following cross-talk was heard: ....... (ATC): "Kingpin 23, clear line up & hold" ..... (23): "Can't - Caravan's giving me a steady red" ...... (Cpl on i/c to Twr.): "No, I'm not, sir ! ....... (ATC): "He says he's not" ...... (23): "I tell you, he is" ....... (Cpl on i/c): "No, I'm NOT" ........ "He says" ......... "I TELL YOU" ........ this went on for quite some time before ATC could convince 23 that what he was looking at was the obstruction light on top of the Caravan...
(it happens !)
Danny.
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The Runway Caravan. Camouflage the damn thing and then stick it alongside the active runway so no-one could see it. A brilliant idea.....not.
Anyhow, having driven the beast back into Leeming MT yard one Friday, after the not camouflaged Jet Provost's had ceased annoying the local villages, I was accosted by the Duty MT Controller. "You'll have to wash it" says he. "Bugger" thinks I, "the bar's open".
The MT chappie then shows me this brand new all singing, all dancing diesel engine powered pressure washer. After a 30 second course of instruction, Cpl Taxydual set to work.
Within 10 seconds, the dirty green paint began to disappear and the original red/white squares began to re-appear.
Whoops.
Anyhow, having driven the beast back into Leeming MT yard one Friday, after the not camouflaged Jet Provost's had ceased annoying the local villages, I was accosted by the Duty MT Controller. "You'll have to wash it" says he. "Bugger" thinks I, "the bar's open".
The MT chappie then shows me this brand new all singing, all dancing diesel engine powered pressure washer. After a 30 second course of instruction, Cpl Taxydual set to work.
Within 10 seconds, the dirty green paint began to disappear and the original red/white squares began to re-appear.
Whoops.
ACW342 - Marham was a Master Div at the time I was there. I can recall laying the Goose Necks for SASO to check it could be done, local dollies from Swaffham enjoying the small bar in the Caravan, and most of the controllers bar one asleep in Monitors.
It was so easy, sometimes it was a pleasure to go to work to get some rest.
It was so easy, sometimes it was a pleasure to go to work to get some rest.
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Swan Necks dirty smelly things
5ADay, fortunately for me I arrived at Wattisham straight out of Shawbury whilst the runway wasn't. A runway that is, just a long but narrow hole in the ground full of contractors and diggers, mechanical as well as human, and after many weeks this hole in the ground was returned to the station as a pristine "new" runway. This was when I was introduced to the latest in high tech, emergency runway lighting, THE GLIM LIGHT! a battery powered lamp with a 6v car type battery and which was maintained IIRC by the ground engineering section.
Leeming, late 80s in the caravan on Rwy 34. A Jag calls up for recovery with huge hydraulic problems, not sure he will be able to get the gear down. Lots of talk on the radios, aircraft still had droptanks on, it was decided he would run in, drop them on the airfield then try to lower gear, if they failed to lower it would do a wheels up. I thought the plan was to drop them on the west side of the runway nearest Leeming Bar, not the east side. Jag runs in, lots of R/T about the calls to be made about when to drop etc. I watch the Jag through the bins, sure enough, no gear but drop tanks on the wings. Jag gets closer, all I can see is it nose on running in, then hear the words "callsign, drop....". I didn't hang around for the rest of the call and legged it out of the caravan, faster than Eusain Bolt (and without starting blocks) for the old cottage next to the taxiway where we reared pheasants (another story). Lungs and legs bursting, glanced back to see the tanks gracefully falling away from the Jag and hit the grass just beyond the caravan and towards the Fire Section. When they hit the ground it was like a scene from Apocalypse Now, earth, bits of expensive metal and a huge cloud of fuel covered the area. The Jag did a circuit, dropped the gear, I ran back to the van to see it land from short finals. Managed to get my breath back and call the Tower on the Hadleigh Box to express my displeasure, the Tower controllers comment was " sorry I forgot to tell you to leave...." Flt Lt D* O****-D**, where are you now, I can still smell the Avtur? Always had the door open after that when she was upstairs!
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higthepig (#55),
Read your harrowing tale this morning - and had a fearful shock ! ...... Your "where are you now ?" follows set of initials that would identify me perfectly ! Thankfully, seems it was a 'she' - and "in the late '80s", which lets me out on both counts (I retired from Leeming in '72).
What's this "Hadleigh" Box? From time immemorial, these have been known as "Squawk Boxes", a perfect name for them, if I may say so; and your:
recalls a Thornaby tale from '51. Jack Derbyshire (wartime F/Eng) and the Station Adj., kept day-old chicks in his (the only) room in the old Thornaby Hall, keeping them warm with electric fires as there was no CH in the place. Just thought I'd mention it ....
Wasn't it risky to drop the tanks on the airfield ? Leeming is not all that far from the sea, didn't he have the fuel to get there and back ? And the decision to drop on the W. side seems strange, given that God knows how far they would richochet - and the Tower is on that side ! Whereas to the E. there was only the CA/DF and (much farther out) the AR-1/PAR head. Could be wrong .
And what was a Flt. Lt. (he or she) doing in Local ? Were there no more hairy old Masters or F/Sgts left in the Branch ? ......
"Smell the Avtur ? - you should've been at Driffield in the early '50s, mate ! Only place in the country for Meteor and Vampire conversion, all the mechs wore green "paraffin" rubberised overalls, and the (downwind) little town of Driffield had to get used to it.
Danny.
Read your harrowing tale this morning - and had a fearful shock ! ...... Your "where are you now ?" follows set of initials that would identify me perfectly ! Thankfully, seems it was a 'she' - and "in the late '80s", which lets me out on both counts (I retired from Leeming in '72).
What's this "Hadleigh" Box? From time immemorial, these have been known as "Squawk Boxes", a perfect name for them, if I may say so; and your:
...for the old cottage next to the taxiway where we reared pheasants (another story)...
Wasn't it risky to drop the tanks on the airfield ? Leeming is not all that far from the sea, didn't he have the fuel to get there and back ? And the decision to drop on the W. side seems strange, given that God knows how far they would richochet - and the Tower is on that side ! Whereas to the E. there was only the CA/DF and (much farther out) the AR-1/PAR head. Could be wrong .
And what was a Flt. Lt. (he or she) doing in Local ? Were there no more hairy old Masters or F/Sgts left in the Branch ? ......
"Smell the Avtur ? - you should've been at Driffield in the early '50s, mate ! Only place in the country for Meteor and Vampire conversion, all the mechs wore green "paraffin" rubberised overalls, and the (downwind) little town of Driffield had to get used to it.
Danny.
Danny42C
Was not you! She may have been a Fg Off at the time. We were still in the old Tower then on the 'domestic side, the Happy Eater one on the A1 side was not finished.
I think the Jag was very close to jumping out and did not have the time to get his feet wet to drop the tanks.
PN
ack Hadley, I blame predictive spellchucker!
Never called them Squawk box, always called them Hadley Box, or the Box.
Cheers
Was not you! She may have been a Fg Off at the time. We were still in the old Tower then on the 'domestic side, the Happy Eater one on the A1 side was not finished.
I think the Jag was very close to jumping out and did not have the time to get his feet wet to drop the tanks.
PN
ack Hadley, I blame predictive spellchucker!
Never called them Squawk box, always called them Hadley Box, or the Box.
Cheers
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higthepig (#58), (and ta, PN, for #57).
Either thee or me is going round the bend, (and I'm not at all sure about thee !)
ATC'd at Leeming Sep '67- Dec '72 (double-toured). All the time in pukka "Gaydon" pattern tower (Octagon on top) on A1 (E) side of runway, in front of hangars. (still on Google maps, or was last time I looked). What "old Tower" ?
Although all ended well in your case, can't help feeling your lad would've been better advised to trim it into a glide, power off (could you do that with a Jag ?), point it at Denmark, and bang-out ! We had a Vulcan (XM610) on fire in my time (1971), originally making for Leeming, but never got there. they baled the back office chaps out, then the pilots went out.
But they'd left it late: although they'd headed it out to sea, it curled back and could've taken out a good chunk of Wingate with hundreds of casualties, but by the grace of God made a big hole, but no one hurt. Lucky !
Did you ever see the 1 Hangar Ghost ?
Danny
higthepig (#58), (and ta, PN, for #57).
Either thee or me is going round the bend, (and I'm not at all sure about thee !)
ATC'd at Leeming Sep '67- Dec '72 (double-toured). All the time in pukka "Gaydon" pattern tower (Octagon on top) on A1 (E) side of runway, in front of hangars. (still on Google maps, or was last time I looked). What "old Tower" ?
Although all ended well in your case, can't help feeling your lad would've been better advised to trim it into a glide, power off (could you do that with a Jag ?), point it at Denmark, and bang-out ! We had a Vulcan (XM610) on fire in my time (1971), originally making for Leeming, but never got there. they baled the back office chaps out, then the pilots went out.
But they'd left it late: although they'd headed it out to sea, it curled back and could've taken out a good chunk of Wingate with hundreds of casualties, but by the grace of God made a big hole, but no one hurt. Lucky !
Did you ever see the 1 Hangar Ghost ?
Danny
