Cornish Jack
Tony Stafford was the signaller I was referring to. He was a great bloke, unfortunately our paths never crossed after Bahrain.

I remember a master pilot in the jp sim at linton in the early 80s

Master Pilots
 

What a fantastic rank (title) to have!
I was down the back of a Wessex and had to retrieve "Taff" Walkers magnifying glass, which he had dropped on a navex!!
He even called the staish "boy".
(Started on Mosquitos and joined about '42, I think).
I could have sworn that "Jock" Riddoch flew last.
But I guess RAF News should know!
As you say UTP SY.
Al H****n was a Puma crewman first. Did all that has been mentioned and also spent some time flying the A109.
Cheers!
lsh

Despite which.................:}

(Worked a lot with Al, bl00dy good hand.)

Ah, LSH!

If you are the ex Puma crewman you spent a few trips in my LHS!

(Bark once for yes, twice for no! Ring any bells? If so, drop me a P.M. Unless the Xmas letter is on its way soon ;) )

"Tales of the Golden Monkey"
 

Centre seat mostly!!
PM sent.
(L)SH

Only when we tied a knot in your monkey harness to shorten it! :)

Could I possibly use this thread to ask a supplementary question that has always intrigued me. I remember as an ATC cadet, sometime in the 50's, seeing an airman with RAF wings working in the airmans' mess at RAF Lllandow.

I have always assumed that he was an NCO pilot who had been reduced to the ranks for some misdeanour. Could there be another explanation?

pulse1

A possible answer to your recollection may be due to the airman in question having re-enlisted after a period in civvie street. When back in uniform he would still be entitled to display previously earned aircrew brevets.

When I was at Colerne in 1972 there was a Cpl who wore an Air Gunners Brevet. I asked him about it and he said he had been demobbed at the end of WWII and re-enlisted in the early 1950s. As an aside, the UTP and the SWO at Colerne at that time both wore the Pathfinder eagle. The UTP was a Sqn Ldr Walsh but the SWOs name is lost in the mist of time. Both good eggs though.

Aircrew Brevet
 

In the early eighties SAC Brian H****n was in ATC at Manston, wearing an ALM brevet.
He had done the 6 months on the Sqn that were required to earn the brevet but was subsequently remustered out of the trade.
They changed the rules pretty quickly after that and you had to attain "combat ready" status on a Sqn to qualify.
lsh
(monkey harness and bar!)

We had two airmen aircrew student navs in 1961. One, at least, was ex-AEOp, Brian Wiggins. I think he went back to the kipper fleet. The other, Bill Cairns, completed the nav school and then was given a commission. As he had been through the whole nav school process, I am not sure what else he did, but I think it was a quick conversion.

I think the first RAF pilot I met, at least the first I met who was in uniform, was a Corporal. A Corporal Steward serving lunch in the Officers' Mess at RAF Silloth. I won't say when :)

Not that it helps with the original question but I'm sure that I remember a Master Pilot at Finningley circa 1987.

And what a Gentleman too..

I seem to remember him being interviewed about the time of his impending retirement by some young lady reporter asking how did he feel when after flying all the other pilots went to the Officers Mess and he had to go to the Sergeants and his reply was not printable :hmm:

He once in a while regailed some of his wartime flights and If memory serves me right he mentioned returning of one mission shot up and lost with wounded onboard when the runway lights came on, upon landing the lights suddenly went out and a German Halftrack appeared out of the dark guns firing............. he said although he had no idea what was in front of him he just nailed the throttles fwd.

He was presented with a Solid Silver Wessex on his retirement...

Was there not a ex Master Pilot as the SWO at Odiham at the same time who had came to that position Via ATC?
I had arrived as a young impressionable LAC from training at the Guardroom, knocking on the hatch this face appeared and asked me if I knew anything about growing tomatoes, which took me aback somewhat ( he was having some problems with his in the greenhouse around the back of the Guardroom)................ Invited in and having a cup of coffee made by him I enquired of one of the Guards who he was to be told it was the SWO !!

Another Taff Walker story I recall was when a young ATC cadet seeing the wings on his chest asked of the Master Pilot, “Excuse me sir but I thought the lowest rank you could be to fly an aircraft in the RAF was Pilot Officer”. To which Taff replied, “It is laddie”.

SWO
 

If I remember correctly he was an AG.
Nice guy, late 70's early 80's. (era not age!).

Replaced by a guy on promotion from Colchester!
Caused a but of dodging behind buildings, he did!!

Remember Dan Daly, Master Nav (Smirnoff + Bar)?!
lsh.

I'm certain there was a Cpl admin type at RAF Hendon in the 70's who wore RAF pilots wings. Jim Davidson was a mate of his.

It's ongoing, isn't it? AFAIK we're training NCO pilots every day. Oh, you meant RAF NCO pilots :}

There was a Master pilot at Boscombe early 70's, he brought me a replacement kinetheodolite camera up to scampton when the one we were using for trials broke. He arrived in a Valletta and SACTO went all dewey eyed
and entered the nostalgic mode

There was a Corporal AATC at Cottesmore in 1967 with Pilots wings and a chest full of medals, he had re enlisted after previous service.

I remember a Master Pilot on the Lightning sim at Binbrook in the 80's, who was an absolute gentleman. When I arrived at Gut in '79 there was a old Cpl on 18 sqn who wore an AG brevet and various medal ribbons on his battle dress (most of use had thunderbird jackets by then) At Valley in the '80s, the walls of STCAAME (sic) were littered with pictures of hoards of NCO pilots alongside their Javelins which went out of service in '68.