R.A.F. Ouston
 

Evening all,

Whilst looking through some photographs today I came across one of R.A.F. Ouston. At the time this aerial photograph was taken it was Albermarle Barracks, Junior Leaders Regiment (26th) Royal Signals. At the time of the photo they were about to, or had just departed to pastures new.

EDIT - Photo taken 1985. My apologies, I forgot to add the date


http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8058/8...d1dd0ba6_c.jpg

Doesn't look like it has changed very much from the my Air Cadet days when I did my gliding course there, although I note the Spitfire has vanished from its spot beside the guardroom.

My friend, APO Barry Hyde, was killed in a collision at night in the circuit, along with a fellow South African student, at Acklington, in 1962. Piston Provosts. I remember them, always.

According to Google Maps - its changed quite a bit!

Google Maps: "Ouston Airfield"

When Tern Hill became the helicopter training school the the FTS moved to Aclington and re-equipped with the JP3. Because the foreign nationals whose governments had only paid for a piston training scheme the Provost T1s went to Ouston and they operated from there. They took on a few RAF trainees when trade was a bit slack.

The photo doesn't show the married quarters to port and starboard, but they were there in 1985, when this photograph was taken.

We used Ouston as an FOB for Purple Helmet (Victory) or something on C130s in the mid 80s.

In 1962 a 'bulge' in the pilot training programme was accommodated by collecting some Piston Provosts and assorted QFIs and starting a Basic Flying course based at Ouston. The groundcrew were provided by Airworks. At the time the 'last Piston Provost course' was already in progress at Acklington, but the Ouston course became a later 'last'! Eventually the Acklington course moved to Ouston too, leaving Acklington to the JP3. The accident involving APO Hyde was a collision in the circuit at Ouston during solo night flying. As far as i can remember there were no foreign nationals on either course.

Dengue Dude,

Those hercs rendered one of the runways unusable if I remember correctly.

Many thanks for that rvusa. Barry and I were at school together, and started BFTS some six months apart. I was at Syerston. I can recall the events surrounding the collision, along with his sister's account of the aftermath. It was she that told me of the South African chap, At Syerston, we had two such fellas on my course; but aside from their accents, they were not distinguished as foreign nationals, merely mates from distant birthlands. Did you meet Barry? So long ago, but ne'r forgotten.

are they still using it to park warhead cargoes overnight from Scotland to Aldermaston?

Heathrow Harry,

No. Not at the moment.

Thanks

A picture that brought back many happy memories of NUAS 1970-74. Too many stories to relate but getting MUAS out of bed and down to the hangar on the pretext of an night exercise was the highlight. APO S== as inspecting officer of the lined up MUAS studes - most still in their PJs was a sight to behold!!

HF

Err, chaps, do we want to discuss overnight parking of warhead cargo in transit here?

Just a thought.........

HB

Why not, it's openly available that Ouston is an overnight parking base.

What we shouldn't discuss is one is parked there now.

Hardly Secret...........

WIKIPEDIA

"Since the 1980s Albemarle has often been used as a stop off point for nuclear warheads convoys on route via road between RNAD Coulport and AWE Aldermaston as part of the UK Trident programme. There is a secure compound located on one of the former runways to keep convoys overnight when required.[1]"

looking at Google earth there is also a very obvious high security compound right in the middle of the runway


used to see quite a few of those convoys on the M4 wayyyy back -espeically around Reading (I guess for Aldermaston) - haven't seen one in years tho'............

I remember visiting Ouston in a BKS Ambassador sometime in 1965/66 when it was being used by Newcastle traffic as Woolsington's runway was being resurfaced/lengthened.

Hmm, no doubt our USMC friends at Camp Bastion felt pretty secure before a smallish taliban force gained entry to their secure area & trashed half a squadron of Harriers, killing the Sqn OC +1.

Surprising what is in the public domain these days........

HB

Halton Brat,

If you think those web pages are bad take a look at this link here for some additional information reference nuclear convoys.

Looking at the link dont think Ive ever seen so many police looking bored.:rolleyes: