I think you're right, Haraka - some time in the Lent Term 1973?

Some very mediocre cars in that photo. Not student cars as we had to park at Mitchell Block - but did our QFIs really drive such dull vehicles?

I only flew with the Underpants Tester a couple of times - a '9 day check' on 3 Mar 73 (then a couple of solos the following day) and an 'EEs' trip on 16 Apr 73, followed by 3 solos over the next 2 days sweeping imaginary Huns from the skies of West Berkshire!

Great times those were.

Re Instructors cars:
One Sunday after a flying scrub. The famous R...k M....s was seen sitting in his car (an 1100 IIRC) static in the car park despite the fact that engine had been running for several minutes and obviously he wasn't waiting for anybody. There were a couple of other instructors as passengers who were looking decidedly sheepish.
A passing student jokingly inquired of him through the open driver's window if he was waiting for the T's and P's to come up .

"So! Wot if I am , If its absolutely correct for piston aero engines then it stands to reason it's correct for car engines."

The other car occupants manifestly looked elsewhere during this exchange.:O

Owen O’Mahonry
 

"Well, she enjoyed her trip, but sadly that was all....https://www.pprune.org/images/smilies/sowee.gif DNCO for yours truly!"

As it cannot possibly be the Chipmunk that failed to impress her, maybe it was a trip in any of those cars in the background?!

lsh
:E

On a cold winter det to Valkenberg, many moons ago, the crew dispatched to Amsterdam to sample the cultural highlights. During a particularly artistic show, one of the crew was summoned to the stage to aid in the performance. Vigorous ignoring of the offer and shaking of the head resulted in another 'volunteer'. The original choice then confided to the rest of us 'theres no bloody way I was going up there - I'm wearing my longjohns.'

Anyone else remember the "Drawers, long, aircrew" we were issued with after the massively overloaded Atlantic Conveyor sank, allegedly taking the entire MOD stocks of anything made in the previous twenty years to the sea bed?

At least, the sinking of that ship was the excuse we were given. It allowed stores to issue aircrew with underwear probably last worn in the trenches by the likes of Corporal Jones of Dad's Army.

The rubber buttons on the front were too large to go through the button holes so the crotch had to remain agape. After a single use the material stretched so badly that the gusset sagged to knee level and gave a level of fit around the legs that Nora Batty would have been proud of. To finally enhance the "dirty old man" look, the material was yellowing nicely.

Or the green underwear issued with your combat kit so as not to show up your position when hanging out on the line above your slit trench.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARMY-Y-Fr...UAAOSw6hBchUtE

Bon Giorno, the only time I wore mine was to pose for a photo like that.

Do you remember the white two piece Acrilan Pile " Bunny Suit" that was issued in the late 60s? Mine was immediately purloined by the then Mrs TT to wear as a "Track Suit" to a cold evening Fireworks Party. In said suit, with just a pair of white FMBs, she looked a lot better than the photo in the AP. https://www.pprune.org/images/infopop/icons/icon7.gif

In the winter of 1978/9, my wife and I had to wear half the bunny suit each plus our overcoats over the bedclothes each to keep hypothermia at bay due to the appalling state of our RAF Shawbury married quarter, which had only the inner part fitted of what was supposed to be basic double glazing. When the wind blew a three inch gap appeared above the dining room window frame as it blew inwards. The allegedly "warm air" central heating sucked electricity into a black hole inside a cabinet from which no heat ever emerged. That was the year the water in the U bend of the inside loo froze solid.

Overcoats? Luxury... you were lucky :)

(grabs hat, but leaves coat in case it fits anyone still at Shawbury)

It was the same in the Square at Leeming, where we had the oil fired heating on 24/7 due to the single glazed leaky windows. All but broke the bank feeding the tank. The only light relief was our neighbour, the Canuck exchange QFI, who insisted on furry covers for the toilet cisterns......

That was the winter in my "New" single room accomodation at Odiham when the sliding window, which was simply bonded to the upper and lower frame halves decided to debond itself and fall out when I went to close it, it took well over a year to get a new window fitted "due to it being expensive and a specialised item", it only got resolved when in frustration the block inventory holder suggested I put in a gen app for substandard accomodation allowance and back date it to the date it failed. The window was replaced within a week and the RAF Electric bill dropped dramatically as I had the room heating and a couple of fan heaters running 24/7, I was lovely and warm with the curtains closed, window or no window. :)