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-   -   RAF Laarbruch memories (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/628291-raf-laarbruch-memories.html)

RAFG 26th Dec 2019 10:08

RAF Laarbruch memories
 
Hi There and happy christmas to everyone!

As a member of the only RAF Museum in Germany located at RAF Laarbruch I am on research for the station history for over 10 years now.
I found many posts at PPRuNe but most of them are so old, that the photos are no longer available.

I would like to ask everyone if he can ad stories or photos of his time at Laarbruch and post here.
Otherwise it's possible too, to contact me via PN so photos or anything else can be send via EMail to me or directly to the museum, were they can be shown to interested people of course with any copyrights depending on!

I hope to reach lots of people!

Thank you very much!

RAFG

Finningley Boy 26th Dec 2019 13:35

RAFG,
Could you PM me for a quick chat.

Best regards,

FB

oldmansquipper 26th Dec 2019 21:58

Good luck RAFG, with developing your excellent museum.

Any sign of a Jaguar yet?

NutLoose 27th Dec 2019 04:05

Being a Jag it will get there eventually...... :E

NutLoose 27th Dec 2019 04:08

Nice work on the Hunter BTW

RAFG 27th Dec 2019 11:07

Thanks Guys, my museum fellows did indeed a great job on the Hunter! Love those T.7s! :)

Anyone remember the sectors (Squadron dispersals at Laarbruch) were called:
Blue Sector
Black Sector
Gold Sector maybe 20Sqn??
etc...
Which squadron occupied which sector?

oldmansquipper 27th Dec 2019 11:31

Gold sector - Laarbruch’s premier Sqn. II(AC)

Silver sector - missiles

Some other squadrons were somewhere of course, but I can’t remember where.

reds & greens 27th Dec 2019 12:53

I was on 20 from 86-89 and for some reason 'Gold' seems to ring a bell.
I may of course be wrong.

LOMCEVAK 27th Dec 2019 14:54

Out of curiosity, what is the Hunter's history? The pictures have a variety of colour schemes. Was it an ex- XV or 16 Sqn one from Bucc days?

Vendee 27th Dec 2019 15:54

Yes, Gold sector was II (AC) Sqn. I can't remember the others but when I did my second tour on XV, we didn't seem to use the colour thing anymore.

In relation to the runway, II (AC) were in the SE, XV in the SW, 16 in the NE and 20 in the NW. On my first tour the site that 20 later occupied was empty and just dispersals and a hangar. When I returned in 89 it was fully hardened with 20 Sqn in residence. I think I'm right in saying that the Siegfried line or West wall ran through the 20 Sqn site.

Video Mixdown 27th Dec 2019 16:11


Originally Posted by RAFG (Post 10648130)
Thanks Guys, my museum fellows did indeed a great job on the Hunter! Love those T.7s! :)

Anyone remember the sectors (Squadron dispersals at Laarbruch) were called:
Blue Sector
Black Sector
Gold Sector maybe 20Sqn??
etc...
Which squadron occupied which sector?

Gold was definitely II(AC) during the Phantom/Jaguar era at least. Don't forget that includes II(AC) RIC, which was just off the ring road.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e38ad7cf4f.jpg

RAFG 27th Dec 2019 18:37

The first pic!!
:ok:
Thanks!

oldmansquipper 27th Dec 2019 20:05

RAFG. PM me with an email address. I could attach a few pics from 76-79.

The museum already has access to several FB sites of interest. ‘Heinz Willi’ and ‘Rod’ can help I’m sure.

salad-dodger 28th Dec 2019 08:53


Originally Posted by NutLoose (Post 10647940)
Being a Jag it will get there eventually...... :E

predictable

Four Turbo 28th Dec 2019 08:55

Wasn't there something about the place being designed in metres and built in yards?? Only came to light when they resurfaced the runway and had a mound of the new materials left over? Also why rooms were too small for wardrobes. Or maybe that's all rubbish - just what I heard, but it would be nice to know of any truth!.

BEagle 28th Dec 2019 10:14

From a post on an old PPRuNe thread by foldingwings:


Laarbruch was built post-WW2 by the Germans as part of their reparation for the war. As it was in the British Sector of West Germany it was allocated to the RAF. When it was discovered that the contractor had hived off a substantial financial gain by building it in metres (or vice versa, I can never remember) the German government was so embarrassed that he was prosecuted and sent down for a considerable number of years (30 if I recall). If you took the ring road to the north side of the airfield in the 70s, when I was on XV, it was a one-way traffic system because the road was built (outside of the spec) too narrow for passing traffic! Also, all the buildings were smaller than planned and consequently, so were the rooms in Blocks 13, 13A & 14 (OM) hence the reduced rent for livers-in!

Mind you, all that aside, it was a bloody good place for a party!!!!!

Haraka 28th Dec 2019 11:17

The same story was told about Wilders of course......

RAFEngO74to09 28th Dec 2019 14:20


Originally Posted by Four Turbo (Post 10648875)
Wasn't there something about the place being designed in metres and built in yards?? Only came to light when they resurfaced the runway and had a mound of the new materials left over? Also why rooms were too small for wardrobes. Or maybe that's all rubbish - just what I heard, but it would be nice to know of any truth!.

True. The rooms in the original blocks of the OM were all sub-standard in terms of sq footage. As a result, even first tour fg off like myself in the late-1970s could have 2 rooms - non-interconnected - either adjacent or across the corridor.

Those waiting for a second room had their wardrobes in the corridor.



Rigga 28th Dec 2019 18:26

Bucc Zones/Squadrons:
Blue = Decoys Lightnings/Phantoms (Eventually became 18 Sqn)
White = 15 Sqn
Black = 16 Sqn (Pink zone within)
Gold = 2 Sqn (with RIC)

RAFG 28th Dec 2019 18:49

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7d70513f6c.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fa2f2ea736.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ab28ca3873.jpg
Anyone remember Peter Rolfe? He was a navigator with XVSqn in the 70s.
These photos can be found at the website. I wonder which year it may be. The Buccs have already the camo all around. So may Winter 1978/79??
Can anyone help?

http://thebuccaneeraviationgroup.com...ter-rolfe.html


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