Gray haired old aviators
 

When did you realise that as a gray haired old ex aviator all you had were fond memories and many a story to tell ??
Mine was at breakfast this morning as I drunk my coffee from a mug with "Museum of Army Flying" emblazoned on the side !!
;);)

When all the aircraft you flew are reincarnated as gate guardians :uhoh:

Don't hold back.

It could be worse: You could be a gray haired old aviator going to war in aeroplanes that should be in museums!!

When all the previous stations you have served at are closed.

When there are more members of your social group on the outside than inside.

When you go to functions and the music is 'too bloody loud'.

When hangovers hurt so much you actively avoid them.

When everyone looks so young.

When you wake up at Shawbury/Cranwell/Linton evry morning.

Grey hair....

Hair? What's that??

To answer the poster's question, I reckon it's when even the gate guardians are newer than anything you ever flew.....:hmm:

By George! I think I may be there.:{

You find out the aircraft you flew are scrapped or are the gate guardians !:ugh:-Sorry did'nt see the earlier similar post.

ALL ALONG THE SOUTH COAST
Jeremy Taylor

All along the South Coast the sea is sort of... there,
The sun is sort of shining through a sort of salt sea air,
There's a... sort of shall we or shan't we? A sort of yes or... no.
A sort of rolling up of trouser legs and a dipping of the toe.

All along the South Coast the day is sort of bright,
At least it's sort of brighter than it is at sort of night.
There's a sort of should we? could we? a sort of yes or... no.
Well it could be sort of fun, we ought to sort of have a go.

All along the South coast they're turning out the lights.
It's sort of past 11 o'clock and we've sort of seen the sights.
There's a sort of shall we? dare we? a sort of... groping of the thighs....
A sort of gasp, a sort of pleasure and a sort of burst of sort of sighs.

All along the South Coast the waves beat on the shore,
They sound, well, sort of different than they sort of did before.
There's a sort of did we or didn't we? a sort of smoothing down of clothes,
A sort of Better take you home now, d'you think it sort of shows?

All along the South Coast we sort of settle down,
It's just as sort of good as any other sort of town,
Only now we're sort of... older, we sort of stop at home,
We paint the walls and mow the lawns, and leave the world... alone.

You find that people don't remember some of the aircraft you flew, the Balliol??? for instance and its smaller brother, the Piston Provost.

The Balliol! I wish I'd been able to have a go in one. A Merlin engine (lots of torque) and a short wingspan reportedly meant very scary fun from full power at low speed.

I knew one ex-pilot (Jim's now sadly no longer with us) who changed branch to navigator after very badly scaring himself during a low-level night go-around in one. 720 degrees of roll, out of control, over the threshold in the dark would have put quite a few others off, too. :eek:

When you find that you first flew your current aircraft before your latest crew member was born...

My goodness, Fantome, your post took me backto some good old songs of his.!!!

The gate guardians I flew are being scrapped to be replaced by newer aircraft that I didn't.

(And I remember the sound of the Balliol when it beat up the graduation parade practice at Acklington as we were all trying not to look - and then took our lead from the parade adjt who was and ducked!)

I've found a Balliol !!
 

RogerK the linka no workie! soz

That link says "Forbidden".

Found this one that works though

Gallery

When three aircraft in your logbook are on display in the RAF museum!

Only three, Dan ? !! I think I feel younger already !:ok::ok:

When no one remembers Samantha