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Classic
Many thanks, I remember 5/11 at Valley in '87 as i was going through Flying Training on 1 Sqn/4 FTS. I'm not aware of the Jindi photos, possibly Ian Black? Many thanks for your contribution. Best wishes, Taff |
Dominator2
Very impressive, a magnet to Valley! Just been going through the MPC Photos from yesteryear which has plugged a few gaps. And a Dominie tour, good for the CPL/ATPL !!! Many thanks for your time and help. Best wishes, Taff |
Several visits over the years but only one missile:
22Mar71 QRA Red Top firing Lightning F6 XR765. Missile broke up structurally immediately post launch due to failure of the ALTAS unit. The firing was at relatively low level but the missile thought it was at high level so applied high gearing control inputs. Aircraft suffered superficial damage from flying through the dispersed debris field. Quite exciting though. |
I was on BCU at Valley 85-87, I took a few pics of the STCAAME visitors...
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....f45c00b7b3.jpg ..even the Buccs carried Sidewinders! |
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Originally Posted by nipva
(Post 10973495)
Several visits over the years but only one missile:
22Mar71 QRA Red Top firing Lightning F6 XR765. Missile broke up structurally immediately post launch due to failure of the ALTAS unit. The firing was at relatively low level but the missile thought it was at high level so applied high gearing control inputs. Aircraft suffered superficial damage from flying through the dispersed debris field. Quite exciting though. |
Taff, some photos from outside the wire.
Not great quality but here are 3 USAF visitors 68-0077 F-111E UH painted as 680 77th AMU stbd and 680 77TFS port with the name June Nite departing on 24JUN1986 - unusual to see an Aardvark land. 68-0099 F-111D CC 522TFS/27TFW - I think this was when it came over with the Coronet Comanche 1986 deployment from Canyon AFB to Boscombe Down 27 August - 24 September 61-0285 EC-135H 10ACCS https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....5c4c6903f9.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....853fe1695f.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....c3c375e0b0.jpg Immediately after the UH F111 on the reel were distant shots of 208 Sqn Bucc XX900/MS and 226 OCU Jag XX119/01 so same day/week Unfortunately I have no dates but other visitors the same day/week as the F-111D and EC-135 I have photos of are: XV300 Hercules C,1P, XW438/2 JP T.5A RAFC, 69-0369 AR RF-4C 1TRS/10TRW (posted on Phantom Friday thread) and F-4Ms XV430/A, XV472/E, XV485/M & XV488/P 19 Sqn which were at STCAAME. |
Have the 'CC' F-111D on 29.8.86, the 1st is a new one for us which is great, the EC-135 is also new, it's sister ship '286 came in Sep & Oct.86. Many thanks for your time and there's nothing wrong with those photos, we're spoilt in the digital age! Please feel free to forward the other photos you have to [email protected] Best wishes, Taff
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Looking at a more distant shot of the port side of "June Night" she appears to be carrying a AIM-9L (or subsequent variant) - be interesting to know if it was there to perform a trial/practice firing?
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....95a865ec28.jpg Taff - I have sent a PM |
The first F1-11 to plonk itself into Valley in 1971. one Friday afternoon, when, strangely, it went "tech "..these things happen as we know. At this point, the full weight of top level security was deployed as armed guards. This elite force came from within Eng Wing, as ever, and notably comprised of relatively new arrivals....
In a rare moment of practicality, the famous all purpose pick axe handle was replaced with an SLR and....live ammunition, plus the infamous yellow card. There was a slight problem here....the magazine in the SLR was empty....the one with the live ammunition in was sealed in plastic wrap that would have taken about an hour to get into. We were given a very grave briefing as to intruders , etc which we thought was, perhaps, a little surprising as it was located on the well known pan that was adjacent to the sand dunes, where the "fence " at that time was sort of hanging onto a few posts and tourists happily had picnics watching the flying. An exciting night of defending our allies aircraft then followed, based in an ice box, and with nothing useful, like refreshments for example, being provided hence we had to make " alternative arrangements " involving the chip shop in Bodedern and liquid refreshment c/o Boddingtons. Next day, whilst seemingly quick enough to assemble this fearless force, nobody had thought about changing over after "some considerable time ". ....which turned out to be around lunch time , Sat. Enter the cousins tech Sgt sent to rectify the "defect ".......having offered his views as to the crew, the USAF, the state of the UK roads and just about anything else that came to mind, he fixed the defect in a remarkably short time shall we say. Then came the interesting moment. We noticed the name going into the log was not the one displayed on his uniform and, being curious, asked why. He kindly informed us the "asshole had done it to me, so I'm doing it to him "....we just sort of nodded here and quietly wandered off. |
EXFIN,
PM sent this morning |
Dusted the logbooks off so here we go...
23 Aug 77 JP3A XN634 Linton- Valley. My BFT land away. 07 Jul 83 JP5A XN405 Linton-Valley RTB 11 Jul 84 JP5A XW313 Ditto 08 May 85 JP5A XW432 Ditto 16 May 86 JP5A XW429 Shawbury-Valley-Linton 22 May 85 JP5A XW299 Brize-Valley-Linton 25 Sep 86 JP5A XW320 Linton-Valley-Linton Happy days as a JP QFI 02 Oct 89 F3 ZE205 Coningsby-Valley 30 Jul 90 F3 ZE731 Leeming-Valley MPC 25 Sqn 30 Jul 90 F3 ZE791 MPC 31 Jul 90 ZE290 MPC 02 Aug 90 ZE290 MPC 14 Jan 91 F3 ZE791 Leeming-Valley RTB 15 Jan 91 ZE787 Ditto 16 Jan 91 ZE787 Leeming-Valley 17 Jan 91 ZE794 MPC-RTB This group were in support of Op Granby 19 Apr 93 F3 ZE168 Leeming-Valley MPC 23 Sqn 20 Apr 93 ZE966 MPC 21 Apr 93 ZE966 MPC 21 Apr 93 ZE966 MPC 22 Apr 93 ZE168 MPC 23 Apr 93 ZE 168 MPC 23 Apr 93 ZE168 MPC These sorties were flown before we deployed on Op Deny Flight, so some rather unusual profiles. 2 weeks later we were behaving like mud movers and getting to do some strafe at Wainfleet! 10 Jan 94 F3 ZE888 Leeming-Valley 21 Oct 94 F3 ZE159 Leeming-Valley And finally one for the thread starter-(ok, so it’s not Valley related but...) 26 Feb 08 B757-200 G-FCLJ MAN-ALC-MAN Part of my ‘Bus-Boing conversion-Cheers Taff! |
clingon3
Mr P, many thanks, much appreciated. Hope all's well, I went to QR in 2012, and as much as I enjoyed my time with TCX I thought the writing was on the wall, I was amazed it went on as long as it did. I was lucky in that the Missus was quite happy to go there & the kids were grown up. That's no consolation to those affected by it's sad demise though. Hope all's well and again, many thanks for your generous time. Best wishes, Taff |
Just a quick one to say thank you to all who have contributed, a wide spectrum which is encouraging. To those who haven't, GET those LOGBOOKS out be they personal or a relative, inputs such as 'MPC' & 'VYL' should jog the old grey matter! Better to have a history of your flying movements accessible for future generations rather than in an old dusty book hidden away somewhere! Lockdown permitting we are hoping to go online sometime this Year, hopefully mid-year. Best wishes, Taff
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Originally Posted by Krystal n chips
(Post 10974120)
The first F1-11 to plonk itself into Valley in 1971. one Friday afternoon, when, strangely, it went "tech "..these things happen as we know. At this point, the full weight of top level security was deployed as armed guards. This elite force came from within Eng Wing, as ever, and notably comprised of relatively new arrivals....
In a rare moment of practicality, the famous all purpose pick axe handle was replaced with an SLR and....live ammunition, plus the infamous yellow card. There was a slight problem here....the magazine in the SLR was empty....the one with the live ammunition in was sealed in plastic wrap that would have taken about an hour to get into. We were given a very grave briefing as to intruders , etc which we thought was, perhaps, a little surprising as it was located on the well known pan that was adjacent to the sand dunes, where the "fence " at that time was sort of hanging onto a few posts and tourists happily had picnics watching the flying. An exciting night of defending our allies aircraft then followed, based in an ice box, and with nothing useful, like refreshments for example, being provided hence we had to make " alternative arrangements " involving the chip shop in Bodedern and liquid refreshment c/o Boddingtons. Next day, whilst seemingly quick enough to assemble this fearless force, nobody had thought about changing over after "some considerable time ". ....which turned out to be around lunch time , Sat. Enter the cousins tech Sgt sent to rectify the "defect ".......having offered his views as to the crew, the USAF, the state of the UK roads and just about anything else that came to mind, he fixed the defect in a remarkably short time shall we say. Then came the interesting moment. We noticed the name going into the log was not the one displayed on his uniform and, being curious, asked why. He kindly informed us the "asshole had done it to me, so I'm doing it to him "....we just sort of nodded here and quietly wandered off. |
Meteor U16 WA991
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ec8204af9c.jpg photographed in the static park at an air display in the mid 70s |
Hello Taff
Hope you find the attached interesting. All taken by me from Boscombe Hawk XX154 flown up to Valley for my sortie on 21 August 1998. My pilot was the Boscombe Chief Test Pilot Mr Sepp Pauli (spl) who in a former life had been a German Air Force F-104 driver. Sepp was a very understanding and accommodating person who understood a photographers needs and requirments. So much so that after the Tornado pilot had run through the range a number of times before firing the Sidewinder, we eventually had to divert into Llanbedr for fuel before returning to Valley. We arrived at the Tornado drivers debrief at STACAAME (or was it AGWU at the time) on time, and to hear him shouting many expletives over the radio as the Sidewinder came of the rail. (All of which are unprintable here!!!!) Cheers Taff. Just received the message stating I am not allowed to mail URLs until I have posted at least 10 messages. Is there a way of posting the photos here I am not aware of? |
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From a miss-spent youth to mid-life crises...
20/2/1964.J-P 4,XP628, Syerston-VLY ,solo navex,2 FTS,2SDN ,D Flt. 20/2/1964,J-4 XP628 VLY-Syerston.RTB. 27/7/1964-3/9/1964, CFS(H) 2 SDN,SAR DET.;45 SORTIES,Convex/mountains boats,etc Whirlwind 10 XP405,XP302/343/342/356. 17/9/69 ,Whirlwind 9,XM666, W Freugh-Vly-Boscombe-Down. Refuel after SS11 Missile trials. 18/10/1972 Hunter T7 XL612, Bedford-Vly,RAE ,Aero Flight. 18/10/1972 Hunter T7XL612 Vly- Bedford. 29/2/1980,, Sea-King 3 XZ589,Culdrose-Vly;RAFSKTU. 14/10/1980 WW 10 XP361 .Vly-Finningley, HQSAR Wing 13/3/1981,Wessex2 XT601 Finn.-Vly 13/3/1981.WX2 XR518 VLY-Finn 6/5/81, S-K 3 XZ588 Fnn-Vly-Finn. 22/5/81 WX2 XR518 Finn-Vly-Brawdy 14/7/81JP 5a `T`,Finn-Vly 14/7/81WX2,XV724 Vly-Finn. 12/01/1982.WX2 XV729 Benson -Vly 13/01/1982 .WX2,XV729 Vly-Finn 16/08/82 WX2.XR524 Finn-Vl 16/2/1982 WX2.XT601 Vly- Leconfield 9/11/82 WX2,XT674 Finn-Vly 9/11/82 WX2. XR518 Vly-Finn. 7/12/82. WX2,XT602 Finn-Vly 7/12/82 WX2XT604 Vly-Finn 6/11/84 HS125-7, ZD621 Shawbury-Vly-Sha`bry 32 Sqdn. 14/11/84,HS125-7 ZD621 Honington -Vly-Honington 21/01/86,HS125-4 XW788 Northolt -Vly 21/01/86,HS125-4 XW788 Vly-Finn. 18/02/86, HS125-7, ZD704,NHLT-Vly-NHLT 23/97/86 HS125-7 ZE395 Wyton-Vly -Wyton 10/1094 C-130k XV181 Lyneham-Vly 24 SQDN 10/10/94 C-130K XV181 Vly -Vidsel(Sweden) ESPE 14/10/94 C-130k XV186 Akrotiri-Vly 14/10/94 C-130k XV186 Vly-Ly`ham.. The 6 weeks I spent at Valley in 1964 was living in the Sgts Mess `Annex`,somewhere between the northern thresholds.A most abysmal place,no heating,no bath,ablutions outside for the usual sh,sh,sh,cold water,;breakfast was only meal that coincided with `the working` day,and `fly-prog.,and flying kit not allowed in the Mess...The CMC must have spent time as a POW with the SS....Apart from that,the weather was great,and the flying was total fun ,but hard work,2-3 sorties a day... |
Box Brownie, many thanks will try and track it down! Taff
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