Vasco - thanks! I spent a happy hour (no, not one of those) wallowing in the exploits of Flt Lt Coole and Ascart 4321, with a lot of L O L -ing.

But actually, that wasn't the strip I remembered - the one I was talking about was an even older predecessor, also in the Wootton Lynestoke Globe. And the joke about the propeller falling off being just a gauge fault originated with a Britannia..... (but none the worse for that)

But, being an ex Belslow person, I loved the idea of a Belslow crew still waiting in Glander 18 months after the Queen of the Skies had gone out of service, thinking one was going to arrive any time...... That would have been my fault, cos I was the last Flt Cdr Ops on 53, when the grateful Govt disbanded us. (only to hire the old girl rapidly back at great expense for the Falklands, but that's another story)

Anyway, I particularly like your name - I was a Vasco too, and I've always claimed to be a founder member of SODCAT. (Society of Directional Consultants and Allied Trades, for the uninitiated)

I guess we probably know each other.....?

airsound

I'm proud to say I STILL have both the "bound" copies of the "Rompers Green" articles, originals all done by Chas Finn-Kelcey .. :)

Vol 1 1977 - 1979
Vol 2 1980 - 1982 (signed by Chas for me when we worked on the OCU - or was it Hercules Training Flight then ? - together :) )

Those were the days .. bring back NACEVAL & GROPE

Always remember the fight to spot "startrek" when the Globe came out ...

Showing my age now .....

:)

Not sure if they had Ascot callsigns, but many thanks to the Herc mates who flew over Wood Norton in Norfolk on Friday afternoon around 3pm - great to see and hear some heavy metal!

Me too, airsound. All very long ago now, but I seem to recall the staging posts at El 'Addit and the Isle of Gin. Oh yes, and the ever repeated stricture;" No tlikit, no flyup" in the Transit Hotels! I remember that both Admin and Org were on an ever lasting quest for something or other, I just can't remember what! I bet someone does though. :ok:

The author/artist who penned Admin & Org is still going strong and always attends the Britannia Association annual reunion.

I heard a diferent story - back in the days when ME aircrew were all chopped FJ/Rotary aircrew, ASCOT simply stood for:

Another Sore C:mad:t On Transport:}

Rs caught
 

When they used to type using manual typewriters, the stn ops staff could type faster than the keys could move. RRR on a F2919 callsign field came about when the R key was stuck down. When asked what happened to the field by the captain, the ops assistant explained "The Rs caught". From then on it was known as ASCOT...

Easy to see I've written a fantasy book!

I'll get my coat.

SMT

Vage Rot

Back in the days when "Ascot" was introduced as the Transport callsign an Andover was making its serene way along an Airway in Italy when the Captain (one Flt Lt "Jock" Craig) said to his Nav "Where's Mount Etna ?" The Nav, after a flurry of charts, came up with the answer that it was at least 20 NM's away to Stbd. Jock then said "Oh, I just wondered - I got my first 190 over Etna".

:)Easy fishing really!!:D

Vage Rot

So how many visually aimed guns kills have you got?

On the same Sqn was a MAQM Don Hayward who, as an airgunner, had been shot down twice over enemy occupied territory and got back to Allied territory both times - although the second time he spent several months with the French Resistance fighting the Germans down here in the Midi. He was one of the first into Ouradour sur Glane after the SS had massacred all the population they could lay their hands on.

A fellow PPL student and I were discussing royal airspace earlier this week and this led around to the Ascot callsign. I think it is all RAF transport flights, he thinks it is royals and other VIPs only. Is anybody able to enlighten us, please?

All Air Support Command flights were prefixed with ASCOT, preceding a four figure flight number which depended on aircraft type and route (scheduled or special) I seem to remember VC 10's and Comets used Ascot 2***, Argosy - 4***, Britannia - 6*** and VIP flights used 1***.

Joe...

Royal Flts use the prefix Kitty..............

Ascot was and as far as i know only used for transport ops aircraft...


Brakedwell...

You are correct on the VC10... 2 series flight numbers

Tristar was 3 series
Mk1 Herc 4 series
Mk3 Herc 5 series

I think the 6 series went to tankers....

8 series was allocated to MOD charters..ie when Britannia Airways did the Gutersloh charter it was RR8950 outbound and RR8951 inbound to Luton..

Rgds

LL

The Queens Flight used "Kittyhawk" - other Transport Aircraft flying Royals would use a normal Ascot callsign.

What about the non RAF aircraft with Ascot callsigns, do they get a number code?

ASCOT c/s
 

For AIRSOUND:
As my poor ole brain recalls, Wooton Lynestoke was inveted in a Lyneham Globe cartoon in the 60's. The main characters were 2 Civil Servants named Admin and Org and I think the series was drawn by a Nav. Alway good for a political dig!
Ascot was the Transport Command callsign, Im pleased to see its still in use!
Now that does show my age :}

Malcolm Fraser, a Britannia captain, penned the adventures of Admin & Org

Ad, Min & Org
 

Thanks Brakewell, you've got to forgive me, it was a :mad: long time ago!

Today's useless fact:
COTAM means the same en Francais - Chiffre Operationnel de Transport Aerien Militaire

ASCOT

Aren't Supporting Cock-all On Task

After Six Crew On Tetleys

over to you ..............