RAF Fastjet Flying Nonstop?
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: South Africa
Age: 87
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Sorties of that length in the V Force (Victor tankers in my case) were not unknown. The rear crew could leave their seats although there was little point as there was nowhere to go, but the two pilots were stuck in their bang seats for the duration so were in no better a position than the FJ crews who might be accompanying them. Possible to put the pins in and get out I suppose, but there would have been little point.
The trips included:
May 28th 1959 Marham - Salisbury 9h42 Sqdn. Ldr J H Garstin
June 18th 1959 Marham - Waterkloof 11h03 Wg. Cdr. M J Beetham
July 9th 1959 O/H LHR - Cape Town 11h28 Wg. Cdr. M J Beetham
July 14th 1959 Cape Town - O/H LHR 12h20 Wg. Cdr. M J Beetham
Mar 2nd-3rd 1960 Marham - Around UK 18h05 Sqdn. Ldr J H Garstin At the time the longest flight by a jet a/c.
May 25th 1960 Marham - Changi 15h35 Sqdn. Ldr J H Garstin
June 1st 1960 Butterworth - Marham 16h16 Sqdn. Ldr J H Garstin
Normally on these long flights there were 6 bodies on board as the Crew Chief usually travelled on the jump seat.
There was also the Vulcan to Sydney, and the dry run for that, which was the Vulcan flew Scampton to O/H Karachi, and returned to Scampton.
We also did trips ferrying fighters.
One such trip was taking Javelins to Singapore. The route was Marham/Coltishall - Akrotiri - Karachi - Gan - Singapore. All done on successive days. We ground crew did the pre-flights and saw the a/c off. Jumped aboard a Britannia, that followed the Valiant's and Javelins. On arrival did the de-snagging and went to bed. Repeated each day for 4 days. We were young and thought it was all fun!
When we retrieved our bags after landing the nav’s heavy holdall was soaking wet as it had been directly under his seat and someone had removed the bladder that should have been on the end of the rubber pipe connected to his pee tube. Poetic justice had been served,
On a transit to Luqa from Scampton, our AEO decided that he needed to use his Vulcan pee tube. Which then leaked so that the contents ended up on the lowest part of the rear crew compartment - the entrance door. Where it froze...
Until, that is, we descended into the warmer air of Malta. As we taxied to the parking slot, out strode the Det Cdr ('Paddington Bear') in his smart KD, clutching 5 tinnies of Hopleaf for us. Before we could warn him, he opened the entrance door - with the inevitable result.
He was good enough to see the funny side though "Fine crew that, I bring them beer and they p*ss all over me!".
Until, that is, we descended into the warmer air of Malta. As we taxied to the parking slot, out strode the Det Cdr ('Paddington Bear') in his smart KD, clutching 5 tinnies of Hopleaf for us. Before we could warn him, he opened the entrance door - with the inevitable result.
He was good enough to see the funny side though "Fine crew that, I bring them beer and they p*ss all over me!".
Join Date: Sep 2008
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The crew chief apparently moved to the bomb aimer's position soon after take off and slept!
If one needed to use the Elsan, privacy wasn't a priority.
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: UK
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Goose Bay to Alaska, 3 AAR’s 8hrs. Transport guys tucking into their in-flight meals whereas we had sandwiches cut into small bite sized amounts! At least the AAR sections broke down the boredom of flying over the sheer empty vastness of The Canadian Prairies. Return flight was only 6:30 but the second 4 ship had a little trouble but that’s another story!
