Alan Pringle and the bomb (s)
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Alan Pringle and the bomb (s)
An interesting article in The Guardian about Valiant co-pilot Alan Pringle who flew on two sorties during Op Grapple, and thus probably became the only RAF aircrew member ever to have dropped two nuclear weapons. I remember chatting to Alan about this at one of the V Force reunions at Newark a few years ago - certainly a good conversation starter - "I once dropped two H Bombs!"
He later became a Victor K1 tanker captain and he was OC standards (I think) at Marham when I was there in the 70s. Nice chap.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...VehiHGXnW9E37w
He later became a Victor K1 tanker captain and he was OC standards (I think) at Marham when I was there in the 70s. Nice chap.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...VehiHGXnW9E37w
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Nice link, TTN. 
An interesting article in The Guardian about Valiant co-pilot Alan Pringle who flew on two sorties during Op Grapple, and thus probably became the only RAF aircrew member ever to have dropped two nuclear weapons. I remember chatting to Alan about this at one of the V Force reunions at Newark a few years ago - certainly a good conversation starter - "I once dropped two H Bombs!"
He later became a Victor K1 tanker captain and he was OC standards (I think) at Marham when I was there in the 70s. Nice chap.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...VehiHGXnW9E37w
He later became a Victor K1 tanker captain and he was OC standards (I think) at Marham when I was there in the 70s. Nice chap.
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeands...VehiHGXnW9E37w
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"I once dropped two H Bombs!"
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Well I know Alan used to reckon he was the only one, but whether it was one or two its still a pretty amazing experience.
When I was at Marham as a young nav there were many chaps like Alan Pringle around, very experienced aircrew who seemed to have been around the V Force forever. I have to admit to being somewhat in awe of them and it would never have occurred to me to go up to them and say start a conversation. Big mistake! The ones I subsequently met in later years were all very approachable, and I could have learned so much from them, even though the techniques involved in avoiding getting swallowed up in a nuclear fireball might not have been of any real use to me!
When I was at Marham as a young nav there were many chaps like Alan Pringle around, very experienced aircrew who seemed to have been around the V Force forever. I have to admit to being somewhat in awe of them and it would never have occurred to me to go up to them and say start a conversation. Big mistake! The ones I subsequently met in later years were all very approachable, and I could have learned so much from them, even though the techniques involved in avoiding getting swallowed up in a nuclear fireball might not have been of any real use to me!
