Linton on Ouse : The end of an era
Please don't be rude about the JP3. It garnered speed, it accrued height, but it was sweet. In a clanky kind of way. ....any height, any speed as long as it's low.
Linton provided the 25 flypast in 77?
Linton enjoyed a 43 ship stream take off for AOC inspection day.
The bowling alley was in the loft above the accommodation of 1sqn
Night out in York or Sleaford?
We knew how to have fun
Wets
Linton provided the 25 flypast in 77?
Linton enjoyed a 43 ship stream take off for AOC inspection day.
The bowling alley was in the loft above the accommodation of 1sqn
Night out in York or Sleaford?
We knew how to have fun
Wets
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Please don't be rude about the JP3.
However, I did later wonder if it was ALL down to me after John West (ex Harrier display pilot) was killed in a JP (actually a Strikemaster), in similar circumstances during a civvie demo flight to a potential buyer.
Last edited by ShyTorque; 4th Mar 2021 at 18:30.
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Oh what fun it was at the back end of the '2' for the '25' flypast in '77! As we took off at the tail end of the 25-ship stream (I think, counting spares) the leader was already overhead Leeming, and turning back to the South-East. At least that allowed us to cut the corner to catch up! After that it was a case of 'riding the waves' as they came rippling down the echelon of the '2'.
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I was lucky enough as a student to fly in the “whipper in” aircraft for what (if my memory is correct) was the final practice formation flight for the “25”. Not much whipping in was needed.
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Picture #1 above: That was my Quarter!
Picture #2 above: Pretty much the view out of our lounge window!
Picture #2 above: Pretty much the view out of our lounge window!
Ah the JP Mk3.. Fumes in the cockpit drill, open the canopy....all the way and keep the speed below 140kts (if I remember correctly).... stick elbow out the side and then do one handed barrel roll (still below 140kts.) You couldn't do that in the JP Mk5!!
A question comes to mind.... Why didn't they rebuild the JP? Bearing in mind that the JP gave many years of stout service to the flying club, having been converted from a piston engined trainer, I'm thinking why didn't somebody at BWoS suggest a conversion to a sexy modern turbo prop ? Piston Provost becomes jet provost, becomes PT6 - Provost. What could possibly go wrong ?
We never needed Tucano. They could've done the rebuilds at an old shipyard in Belfast.
We never needed Tucano. They could've done the rebuilds at an old shipyard in Belfast.
why didn't somebody at BWoS suggest a conversion to a sexy modern turbo prop ?
The competition was initially won by the PC-9 until the politicians realised it hadn't been designed in Brazil, when suddenly the Tucano became much more attractive. The Belfast dockyard mateys did such a great job of building it they managed to prove the RAF policy of taking apart the first aircraft delivered was a good investment, because it allowed the customer time to complain about the build quality before they got sent too many more of them.
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Always thought it a shame the Firecracker didn't get more of a look in and was dropped from the competition fairly early, anyone know why?
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Oh yes, I see it was a bit of a laggard - T-34C was much the same, presume that's why it was eliminated early on too.
Have really enjoyed this thread - and seeing the pics in #191 had me scurrying for my logbook; only flew XN589 once, on 19 July 1977 (Ex 85, Nav 10, solo around LFA11 for 1h00m). I then retraced a search I did a few years ago to see if I could find the current location of the one I flew my first (ever) solo - XM412. I wonder if she really is still languishing behind a grotty barrier at Balado...
I've noted quite a few names from other posts (I was lucky enough to be a stude on 1 Sqn
); 14 Course were our senior Sqn-mates, while their predecessors (9 Course) were still around during our groundschool phase. I personally thought that 14 had the right attitude when it came to the "Sqn Mascot" provided by 9 - the Boa Constrictor. As soon as 9 were off the base, ISTR that the snake was donated to a local zoo while they kept the gerbils that had been bought as rations for Hissing Sid.
I never had a problem with the "stude for a pissy-little-job"/ "my names Den but you can call me Sir" attitude at Linton - reaching the dizzy heights of L/Cpl in the pongoes before transferring had inured me to all that. Not having flown anything other than a parachute before the JP, I did find it daunting comparing my progress with the crewroom 'aces' who'd had Flying Scholarships or been through UAS. I had a real problem with underconfidence - right up to the formation phase. When I saw what the 'aces' were actually like, I genuinely wondered if I was then just seeing them on a really bad set of days. My (A2) instructor, who eventually followed my path onto rotary, said it was a useful lesson then gave me a stern warning about veering from underconfident to cocky. I heeded his advice then, and always afterwards too - there were some really top-quality instructors at 1FTS, and I will always be grateful for the start they gave me to the best possible career.
I've noted quite a few names from other posts (I was lucky enough to be a stude on 1 Sqn
); 14 Course were our senior Sqn-mates, while their predecessors (9 Course) were still around during our groundschool phase. I personally thought that 14 had the right attitude when it came to the "Sqn Mascot" provided by 9 - the Boa Constrictor. As soon as 9 were off the base, ISTR that the snake was donated to a local zoo while they kept the gerbils that had been bought as rations for Hissing Sid.I never had a problem with the "stude for a pissy-little-job"/ "my names Den but you can call me Sir" attitude at Linton - reaching the dizzy heights of L/Cpl in the pongoes before transferring had inured me to all that. Not having flown anything other than a parachute before the JP, I did find it daunting comparing my progress with the crewroom 'aces' who'd had Flying Scholarships or been through UAS. I had a real problem with underconfidence - right up to the formation phase. When I saw what the 'aces' were actually like, I genuinely wondered if I was then just seeing them on a really bad set of days. My (A2) instructor, who eventually followed my path onto rotary, said it was a useful lesson then gave me a stern warning about veering from underconfident to cocky. I heeded his advice then, and always afterwards too - there were some really top-quality instructors at 1FTS, and I will always be grateful for the start they gave me to the best possible career.
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Thud, the snake stayed on until 22 course. I’m certain about that because I was designated OIC, as the only person willing to handle it. It eventually went to Knaresborough zoo in my car and an aquarium came in its place (the latter was not of my doing). We were in a flight briefing next door when the bottom literally fell out of the new tank as it was being filled and water came under the wall!
Thanks, Shy - I have a pic in my album of the gerbils enjoying the sunshine on the grass outside the 1 Sqn studes crewroom during one of those glorious, endless summer '77 afternoons. Did NOT, however, recall the aquarium! You don't happen to remember what happened to the trandem I bought in York, do you? I remember 16 Course attempting to sabotage it (for which read 'vandalise', only young officers don't do that sort of thing - do they?!), and I lost track of it after I was lucky enough to leave for Shawbury after the 3A.