Masirah.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Ian, you remind me of the Form 21 action converting hangars, aircraft to hangers, coat and then writing off the latter as C stores.
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Visiting crews to Masirah were often given "duff gen" by the residents who had to while away their 12 months unaccompanied. The guff about taking the train to the Golden Flip Flop Club wore thin on us seasoned visitors. After a round of golf on the "browns" of the local club the best fun was trolling for grouper around the wreck of the mis spelt S.S. Eletric. On one occasion as the dory raced past the ship with six rods out all of us yelled "fish" at the same time. Then the hard work started of winching these enormous grouper up from the depths as they paddled backwards with their huge pectoral fins. Finally as they reached the surface they just gave up except for one which was zipping around far too quickly. "That's cos it's a barracuda" said the dory driver. Once the fish were aboard he opened up the throttle and all these fish including the one with the pointy teeth slid aft. A great rush was made to be in the bow first. A few Gizzit gins were needed at the fish Barbie that night.
Masirah Donkeys.
No fence in those days, JW!
Back in the late '50s I was ground crew on Shacks that were doing a bit of the old fashioned 'colonial policing' - you know the sort of thing: meet interesting people and drop bombs on them!
Between sorties, us groundies retired for a spot of scoff (hard tack biscuits and tinned compo cheese IIRC). On returning to the servicing control tent we caught sight of the arse-end of a donkey protruding from the tent. Closer inspection revealed that the critter had been lunching on a F700 that was left open on the Chiefy's table.
After we had stopped laughing, chased the donkey away, and carried out a fresh servicing (current signed pages were inside donkey), we needed several signals to base in order to establish the approximate hours consumed by lifed items, these pages also having formed one of the courses of the donkey's lunch
Back in the late '50s I was ground crew on Shacks that were doing a bit of the old fashioned 'colonial policing' - you know the sort of thing: meet interesting people and drop bombs on them!
Between sorties, us groundies retired for a spot of scoff (hard tack biscuits and tinned compo cheese IIRC). On returning to the servicing control tent we caught sight of the arse-end of a donkey protruding from the tent. Closer inspection revealed that the critter had been lunching on a F700 that was left open on the Chiefy's table.
After we had stopped laughing, chased the donkey away, and carried out a fresh servicing (current signed pages were inside donkey), we needed several signals to base in order to establish the approximate hours consumed by lifed items, these pages also having formed one of the courses of the donkey's lunch
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No fence in those days, JW!
Back in the late '50s I was ground crew on Shacks that were doing a bit of the old fashioned 'colonial policing' - you know the sort of thing: meet interesting people and drop bombs on them!
Between sorties, us groundies retired for a spot of scoff (hard tack biscuits and tinned compo cheese IIRC). On returning to the servicing control tent we caught sight of the arse-end of a donkey protruding from the tent. Closer inspection revealed that the critter had been lunching on a F700 that was left open on the Chiefy's table.
After we had stopped laughing, chased the donkey away, and carried out a fresh servicing (current signed pages were inside donkey), we needed several signals to base in order to establish the approximate hours consumed by lifed items, these pages also having formed one of the courses of the donkey's lunch
Back in the late '50s I was ground crew on Shacks that were doing a bit of the old fashioned 'colonial policing' - you know the sort of thing: meet interesting people and drop bombs on them!
Between sorties, us groundies retired for a spot of scoff (hard tack biscuits and tinned compo cheese IIRC). On returning to the servicing control tent we caught sight of the arse-end of a donkey protruding from the tent. Closer inspection revealed that the critter had been lunching on a F700 that was left open on the Chiefy's table.
After we had stopped laughing, chased the donkey away, and carried out a fresh servicing (current signed pages were inside donkey), we needed several signals to base in order to establish the approximate hours consumed by lifed items, these pages also having formed one of the courses of the donkey's lunch
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
NO, as I recounted earlier, the donkey fence was erected while we were there in Jan 72.
What happened to the donkeys ? Were they slaughtered (presumably the younger ones) by the Brits or the Arabs ? Did we have donkey stew or filet d'ane á la mode de Masirah ? I can't remember much about the food there, possibly not entirely unconnected to the amount of beer I drank !
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
NRU, no doubt some succumbed but they were the Toyota pickup of the day. Strange no one mentioned the camels.
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Masirah - The OK Coral
Whatever happened to the OK Coral? I seem to recall this splendid facility was constructed to house all stray animals collected by the plods in their evening "round up" before the fence was built. Having strays wander around the runway during operations was not conducive to flight safety.
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Detached there from TPMH Akrotiri in 1976. Whilst out on a walk around the golf course we asked a member of the permanent staff where he was off to. His reply, 'Down to the beach to do some sunbathing.'
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Doing similar while walking out to the ship wreck and monument when a local on his put put bounced across my path. On the back was either wife and daughter or two wives both sitting side-saddle in black hibjab but without the veil.
He couldn't see what they were doing but I got great cheesy grins and a wave from both of them
He couldn't see what they were doing but I got great cheesy grins and a wave from both of them
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I see you can stay at the resort spa on the island for less than £100 per night room only of £1,000 for 8 days DBB plus taxes and gratuities.
ian16th. I take it that you had a 'Traveling F700'. We had such on 214 Valiant's.
These were the full 700 as it was a 3 month det. Travellers were used when we went on ops where there was a likelihood of diverting to Muharraq or Sharjah.
These were the full 700 as it was a 3 month det. Travellers were used when we went on ops where there was a likelihood of diverting to Muharraq or Sharjah.
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JW,
When was that photograph taken? I used to visit with 8Sqn 68/69 and my memory (admitted somewhat unreliable now) had the compound tagged as the OK Coral.
GL
When was that photograph taken? I used to visit with 8Sqn 68/69 and my memory (admitted somewhat unreliable now) had the compound tagged as the OK Coral.
GL
I see you can stay at the resort spa on the island for less than £100 per night room only of £1,000 for 8 days DBB plus taxes and gratuities.
Fixed Cross:
I'm sorry, I really don't know when I took the Lazy M photograph. I first visited Masirah on 30.04.65 (Argosy XR139) and made my last Argosy flight out on 21.09.71 (XN852). A quick trip through my log books tells me that I visited the Jewel of Arabia no less than 93 times!
I next visited on 30.09.72 (Belfast XR368) and after another 19 visits finally said goodbye to the place on 18.04.76 (XR369 Masirah - Athens).
I have looked in Colin Richardson's history of Masirah this morning and came up with:
1971
"A donkey fence was erected around the airfield. This was long overdue. It was quite ridiculous that the RAF Police had had to round up stray animals before it was safe for aircraft to land or take-off at what was now a major staging post. At night it had not been easy to see whether stray animals had returned to the airfield".
"The donkey fence caused a little extra difficulty for the Masirah State Railway because a gate in the fence had to be opened and closed on every journey. The MPBW warned that if the gate was ever left open or damaged the railway track would be cut".
My guess is that I took the Lazy M photograph in 1971. My further guess is that the Lazy M was built at the same time as the donkey fence and was possibly a replacement for the OK Coral (which I don't really remember)?
I'm sorry, I really don't know when I took the Lazy M photograph. I first visited Masirah on 30.04.65 (Argosy XR139) and made my last Argosy flight out on 21.09.71 (XN852). A quick trip through my log books tells me that I visited the Jewel of Arabia no less than 93 times!
I next visited on 30.09.72 (Belfast XR368) and after another 19 visits finally said goodbye to the place on 18.04.76 (XR369 Masirah - Athens).
I have looked in Colin Richardson's history of Masirah this morning and came up with:
1971
"A donkey fence was erected around the airfield. This was long overdue. It was quite ridiculous that the RAF Police had had to round up stray animals before it was safe for aircraft to land or take-off at what was now a major staging post. At night it had not been easy to see whether stray animals had returned to the airfield".
"The donkey fence caused a little extra difficulty for the Masirah State Railway because a gate in the fence had to be opened and closed on every journey. The MPBW warned that if the gate was ever left open or damaged the railway track would be cut".
My guess is that I took the Lazy M photograph in 1971. My further guess is that the Lazy M was built at the same time as the donkey fence and was possibly a replacement for the OK Coral (which I don't really remember)?
