Tried tweeking it a bit but don't think it's any better, see what you think???

Trev


http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...dall/SAR-1.jpg

SAR in the 80's
 

To follow on from the photo of SAR wing people. I was a "Sooty" on SAR from 1979-83 (back row second in from right), worked in the engine bay with Bill Marshall, Ginge Roper etc up to the time when we set up the deep strip facility, then ran the Wessex engine team on the hangar floor. The photo was taken in May 1981 just after IAT at Greenham Common, the Sea King ZA105 had won the concours & had just 305 hours on it, we inherited it from Boscombe Down, the Wessex is XT602, the Whirlwind XJ729, it was pensioned of early 1981 & lifted back to Finningley from Valley under a Sea King (can show photos of the lift), became a pain in the rear as we were forever shuttling it in & out to fit Wessex & SK's in the hangar, again have piccies of the pushing & shoving of the thing, we did do an engine run on it in early 83 as an exercise, Ginge Roper has a lot to answer for that although it proved that with modding to date could have been made airworthy again !. Re Gainesy's post the chap 2nd from right front row (not a Mars Bar in his pocket but sunglasses case) is Paul Wilson, Roly Jackson is not in the picture, it was taken by Ralph Brooks the Finningley Station photog & is one of a sequence.
Rgds Paul H, Bicester.

Photo ident
 

Re C130Jjtechie post on page 1, 2nd row up 5 in from left is Sgt Mick Harris, rigger. From right, 5 in is SAC Mark Donovan, sooty. hope helps, as before the photo was taken in May 1981 after IAT Greenham Common.
Paul H.

Zetec2,how dare you complain about my favourite WW....!I think the little grey cells need a bit of OX-38,good for hair restoring as well,Paul,see earlier post; F/S RP would be proud of her..where`s my old sparring partner now, F/S GB ?

Whirlwind XJ729
 

Further to earlier posts, the Whirlwind XJ729 was at Finningley in May 1981 & was not a flyer at that time !, the group photo must be early July 1981 as IAT took place over weekend June 27 1981 when the Sea King ZA105 won Concours in the Sea Search comp, also we had the Sycamore which was also a pain in the rear that being an occupier of valuable bay space, remember GB, our beloved Flt Sgt George Brown but the other initials elude me, clues please ? the OX38 long since drained from my veins replaced later by Aeroshell 100. lets have more, re the group photo I have a few blank spaces re names can anyone help send/exchange info to fill in the blanks. Also "it's a small world" theme re SAR, some of you will remember my eldest Stephen used to come along on Wessex & Sea King flights/jollies usually chauffered by Brian Skillicorn, talking today with him tells me he has Paul Bancroft (3rd row up from bottom, 4th in from left) working for him on Rolls Royce projects, can't get away from SAR people ??? (would posters on this thread pm me your names so we can build up a list of SAR people out there - reunion maybe ???) Regards Paul H, Bicester.

SARW Photo
 

I can identify myself in the photo, John Turner, back row 5 from the right with Kev Rutter next to me on my left. Both of us Corporals worked in the SARW Components Bay. Also front row, fourth from the left, is Cpl Ron Snaith (stacker!), but we still spoke to him. Ginge Roppers stories were legendary and I never heard him repeat one! Enjoyed every minute at SARW Finningley!

Zetec2,Roger Pilon,or was he a W/O.....?Syc......

turkeyjay

3 years at Wyton and it now clicks where I remembered you from. I worked with Mal on the Herc IPT. SARW was the best first posting anyone could ever have.........

SAR Wing
 

Good to see the bodies in the picture coming out of the woodwork, lets have some more of you, but still don't remember Roger Pylon/Pilon ????Paul H.

As far as I am aware ZA105 was never at Boscombe . It arrive at RAF Coltishall from Westlands with 12.15 hrs. It remained at Coltishall until we were sent to the Falklands in 1982 and it came with us

Trev's picture
 

Hi Trev I can name all but 2 of them, I am stood last but one back row on the right, picture was taken by Ralph, the Cpl photog, ace bloke, available for weddings, funerals, Bar Mitzva's etc, etc, I worked with Dad as you may remember in the engine bay along with Ginge Roper, photo was taken after IAT 1981, aircraft are Sea King ZA105, our newest aircraft only had 305 hours on the airframe, Wessex XT602, & Whirlwind XJ729, pm me if you need full list, will stick it in post, B Rgds, Paul H, Bicester.

Unfortunately you will not find me in this photograph. Most of my service life was with SAR and my last job for Finningley was to select the choppers required for the Falklands. At first I didn't remember Bill but with all aged memories, his likeness has surfaced and I recall many laughs with him. I think the "stone gnome" is a direct pointer to the engines used by the Whirlwind. I'll let a sooty explain that one. As mentioned in previous Pprune threads, I had the pleasure of renovating the Sycamore Mk14, XJ380 prior to taking a post to Lossie followed by Leconfield and my migration to Australia.
One reason for leaving, voluntarily, was the likes of Bill were exiting the RAF at great speed; Bob Nesbit, Ginge Roper (Bill's old boss?). These were characters not see since the introduction of National Service; in fact, they were probably the remnant of that era.

GIGFY (Bob Botwood)

The first SAR flight in the Falklands was in 1982 (though may not have been known as 1564 Flt). I was at Coltishall when they moved the existing flight from there.

I remember doing all the packing for it, though I left on posting in the July and they went about a week afterwards.

Ginge's Tales
 

Ginge is still telling his tales, I pop in to his shop to see him occasionally and I see Bob Nisbet walking into town to keep fit, though apparently he does catch the bus home after his visit to Ginge.

1st SAR Flight in Falklands
 

The 1st SAR Flight in the Falklands was C Flt 202 Sqn. Known locally as SAR Det. But we were still controlled by Finningly

Great to see this photo once again probably half the crew have passed to the Happy Hunting ground in the Sky. I can't find myself - Paul Oughton due to the image quality but definitely remember the photo being taken. The trip to the Falklands on the Contender Bezant with the 4 Cabs was my first real job as a shiney new Cpl along with Paul "Bonker" Bancroft, Roly Pemberton, Paul Bunney and Georgie Bayles. Navy Point took some work but we managed OK. Norrie Rough was our first Flt Cdr and a thoroughly nice bloke. Check out the HQ SARW page on Facebook to see the old gang - Happy Days!

Not "Rollie" Jackson but Paul Green, who recently passed away, was one of my rally service crew, Rollie is not in the picture !.

Paul Green not Paul Wilson as my earlier post
 

This to clarify earlier post and for Gainsee, the famed ex "Flight" Gainsee ?.

I notice Eric Cox's name mentioned. We went through AEOp training at Topcliffe at similar times 1971/2. Anyone know what happened to Eric. I lost touch after he left Nimrods.

Roy Brookes 5 on the left on the front row was in the gearbox bay