Nassau Beach
 

We had a party in my room. The bath was about 9 inches deep in Harvey Wallbanger. We had about four Herk crews and a couple of British Airways crews - mayhem ensued.

The management sent one of the 'security' lads up to ask us to pipe down (it was late) and I managed to convince about four guys who were holding this chap's feet over my balcony (I was on the third floor!) to set him on his feet right side up! Self control is soluble in alcohol!!

I was hors de combat next morning. The aircraft came in having had a Turbine O'Heat warning. You guys checked all the wiring and we launched.

Fortunately, the warning came on again so we slotted the engine and returned to Nassau (apparently it was water in the detector). Do you remember the rain - and the 'dirty' fuel?

That was the playing of my 'joker', didn't do that again . . .

Was it the Emerald Beach that banned us from their 'all you can eat' breakfast as 'we' all ate too much?

The three hotels in a row that we were accommodated in not only got understandably annoyed at the over indulgence at breakfast but in rotation they provided "Managers Parties" on different days of the week for the incoming paying guests. The Ascoteers soon cottoned on to the unlimited supply of rum punch and conch fritters at these dos and presented themselves in various dilapidated beach attire at all the functions to the chagrin of the staff. The beach party, however, persisted through the det and as crews rotated the new flasks of Harvey wallbanger appeared. My crew did the shuttle to Belize and back in time to replenish the flasks with the good stuff. The incumbents were down to appletons and minute maid at that stage. An American couple who had been observing the ritual said "We have never seen a beach party go on for seven days. When do you guys sleep?". We were suitably inscrutable.

Good man Dougie, we did our best.

This really was my baptism as I'd only joined 30 Sqn that January (75) so was an innocent (ish).

Managed to make it to Belize and back to Nassau then climbed in the back and dead-headed to Lyneham arriving 24th December ready for Christmas party.

Tiring time I recall . . .

Lyneham this morning, 1 of 4
 

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/t...ps7ctd31ee.jpg

Photo bucket having a hissy-fit, other three will follow asap

2 of 4
 

3 of 4
 

4 of 4
 

It makes me weep every time I see what they've done to a once fine flying station.

That view is so familiar and so alien all at once . . . a bit poignant.

Block 101 on steroids.....
 

http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/o...&1486624435154
or somewhere a bit farther East....

What is on the field north of 06/24?

Christmas spent in Utah thanks to procurement forgetting to tick the 'chaff' box when ordering the C-17 and then choosing to use the C-17 in real ops.....
Basic crew plus a couple of excellent 'Movers' headed West - rare event at that time - collected the DG from Hill AFB - marvelled at the number of F-16s on the ramp - and spent the route distributing proper-strength beer among the needy. Beer in 7-11 being marked as 'high alcohol content' if it was more than 2%.....If memory serves me correctly, the city was preparing to host the Winter Olympics so locals were very keen to welcome 'strangers'. Was given a lift by local blue light taxi as they didn't trust people who preferred to walk between bars.
Would still be there now if it wasn't for the fact that someone else needed the load.
Herc crew wearing Xmas hats being chucked out of a bar as the hats were not on the list of 'correct headgear' just showed how much work Utah had to do prior to Olympics.
Xmas hats worked a treat in Halifax on the way out I seem to recall as the local netball team fancied playing with our bobbles...........and the 'co' might have been mistaken as one of Princess Diana's grieving boyfriends.......happy fu55ing days ;-)

That'll be the solar farm, cropping up on so many open areas of the UK courtesy of substantial subsidies to the owners. In Lyneham's case I believe it offsets much of their electricity usage but also has the additional benefit of denying the airfield to aviation.

Good god, what an eyesore.

I wonder what the effect of a Typhoon Q-scramble going supersonic over that field of glass would be....:\

Don't recall the REME being issued with Typhoons though!!

I happened to wander around South Cerney churchyard on Thursday, armed with my trusty Hasselblad 500C and saw this memorial to the crew of XV180 (Fairford). Developed the film this morning and thought this thread might be a suitable place to upload the photo.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2771/3...2537b57e_o.jpg

Edit - photo link refreshed.

Poignant picture, LL.

R.I.P. to the crew of XV180.

50 years ago
 

I had to think of something to get this thread bumped back onto Pg 1 - it is 50 years ago this month since 242 OCU received its first Hercules and IIRC No1 Course commenced.

Brian,
did my course in the New Year of 1968, No 8. Not long after yours I think.
We were still operating the Hastings (24 Sqn) when the first 'K' arrived at Colerne.
Did you ever find any more pics ?