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The Bastards Closed all the Best Bases.
With so many RAF bases closing or already closed, I wonder which ones PPRuNeRs would have campaigned to retain - assuming anyone could have been bothered.
I'm being hard on myself and limiting my choice to two. Obvious ones, but that's the benefit of going firsts. Chivenor Leuchars Oh, I might as well state wich ones I'd have chosen to close. Again two: Valley Any naval one - just for fun here :E (and to sustain Sharkey's paranoia about the RAF having it in for the RN) Just for entertainment, you undersatand. You might want to support your choices. The agument for mine is that they were both brill places to live and fly from (Leu and Chiv, that is). |
Lyneham & Netheravon, same reasons as yours.
Don't really want to suggest base closure, but Wattisham might be up there. Not sure the Pongos care for it much either. |
Has to be RAF Biggin Hill on my save list Courtney ... BoB ... OASC. I wouldn't close any Stations ! :ok:
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Some others, sadly no longer real RAF aerodromes:
Abingdon Biggin Hill Binbrook Bovingdon Brawdy Chivenor Coltishall Cottesmore Gaydon Kemble North Weald Oakington Scampton St Mawgan Stradishall Tangmere Thorney Island Wattisham Watton West Malling West Raynham White Waltham Wittering :{ |
BEagle has got his historic UK En-route Sup out again :ok:
Add Manston to BEagle's list ... Even if only because of the +9000 foot runway :ok: |
And Mr BEags, before we send you to your desert island, which of your favourite tracks would you save if a big wave came along and washed them all away?
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Guetersloh & Upavon - two great tours
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Fond memories of Leuchars, but none more fond than those at Linton, both as a student and instructor. That's the one that'll really make my heart sink when it's finally closed. :{
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Courtney - the same 2 as you (can't imagine why ;)).
However, I reserve the right to change if Akronelli is ever threatened! |
Lyneham
Finningley |
Which bases would I save?
Coltishall would be top of my list. Loved the place.
Second place would be for Boscombe Down to be utilised more than it currently is. I know it's still open, but I'd love to fly FJs based out of there. Sadly I'm not TP material so it's unlikely! I would vote to get rid of Coneheadsby. I think it's a bloody miserable place but I think it'll be around for a while yet! BV:ok: |
Bentley Priory:{:{:{
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On my overseas save list ... RAF Luqa :ok:
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Gutersloh
Benson Places I wouldn't miss: Machrihanish Brize St Mawgan |
And Mr BEags, before we send you to your desert island, which of your favourite tracks would you save if a big wave came along and washed them all away? Abingdon Chivenor Scampton Chivenor Tangmere Chivenor West Malling Chivenor West Raynham ...and Chivenor! |
I thought you lost your cherry in Machrihanish CGB?
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My username gives it away, I'd like Laarbruch to have survived as it was in 1990, but I suppose it is still there in a way which brings up another question... is this all a bit academic, as no station has survived as any of us remembered it, even if it's still open today in RAF hands.
The feeling you had at any given station in any given era is by its nature ephemeral. |
Laarbruch is, of course, right but I'd still vote for Leuchars every time.
Posted from Pprune.org App for Android |
Keep Lyneham - great team spirit about the place in the 90s when there.
Wipe Leeming off the face of the planet - miserable place full of people on last tour trying to be as close to the NE as possible with no interest in anything other than themselves. (sweeping statement of course!) |
Cottesmore before the new build and before the wire went up. You could walk to the pub in Greetham in about the same time as it took to get your car keys, get your car from the garages near ops, and drive around.
It was across the field, passed the staish's quarter, down a farm track, thorough the mounds of the medieval village, through the church yard and thence the pub. Mess party nights, often dominated by the marrieds saw us seeking out pubs even across the A1. All pre underpasses and drink driving. |
Tengah..........................FEAF
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Might be a bit of a challenge to repatriate West Malling for BEagle as it is now the sprawling Kings Hill residential development :(
Twee road names like Hurricane Drive, Spitfire Road etc. :yuk: http://www.alnocontracts.co.uk/image...328_x_331).jpg |
BEagle
Last time I looked the ones in GREEN were still open as RAF stations with airfields...those in RED still going under Army/Marines management...and ones in ORANGE in civvy management as active airfields... Abingdon - with a VGS Biggin Hill Binbrook Bovingdon - partly as short strip for light aircraft Brawdy Chivenor - with RAF SAR Flt Coltishall Cottesmore Gaydon Kemble North Weald Oakington Scampton St Mawgan Stradishall Tangmere Thorney Island Wattisham - with RAF SAR Flt Watton West Malling West Raynham White Waltham Wittering - with RAF Gliding Club At the end of the day, nothing lasts forever and at least 2/3rds are still doing something useful. So it's far better than it could have been (IMHO). :ok: CPL Clott PS and there's still an RAF Manston with Fire School... |
^^^ Shouldn't St Mawgan be Orange?
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Ah Kings Hill what a dreadful soulless place!!
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That's more like it :ok:
http://static.artfire.com/admin/prod...humb_large.jpg I doubt we'd have enough active Stations these days to warrant a Tea Towel ... Not even a commemorative snot rag (sorry I'm forgetting myself ... Handkerchief) :( |
Last time I looked the ones in GREEN were still open as RAF stations with airfields...those in RED still going under Army/Marines management...and ones in ORANGE in civvy management as active airfields... Doesn't change my opinion though. |
Limiting to 2:
Wildenrath Neatishead. Ironic as I retired in the Coningsby area:O |
Very happy times at RAF Newton - Uni, Bulldog and a grass airfield. Great start to a flying career. Oh and Sek Kong was a blast for a quick visit!
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So what flying stations will be left then?
Lossiemouth Leeming Linton Cranwell Coningsby Waddington Shawbury Valley Marham Brize Benson Odiham. Four of those twelve are training stations and another two for helicopters. |
Finningley - it's too damned quiet around here! :(
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Syerston, Oakington, Sharjah, Thorney Island. Close MOD (Air) London?
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Much Binding In The Marsh ... :ok:
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So what flying stations will be left then? Lossiemouth Leeming Linton Cranwell Coningsby Waddington Shawbury Valley Marham Brize Benson Odiham. Four of those twelve are training stations and another two for helicopters. RAF Henlow, RAF Kirknewton and RAF Kenley have a weekend flying program... And I'm sure I've missed some of the other Minor Aerodromes run by the RAF. LJ |
So what flying stations will be left? Those for saving? Church Fenton was one of the friendliest and most enjoyable tours for me. And Kinloss |
Ones I would have had saved
RNAS Lossiemouth RNAS Lee on Solent RNAS Portland Ones I love to see go the way of the Do Do.. RAF Lossiemouth :E |
Save:
Leuchars Kirton-in-Lindsey Lose: Brize Norton |
CC
Thorney should be red. It was once a delightful place. The pongos have torn up the tarmac doing handbrake turns in their APCs or whatever. Sacrilege. |
Bruggen; if only for the golf course!
Coltishall - the best kept secret in the RAF. |
Oh Althenick, you are a one!:D
Jack |
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