Were you there when...?

[2eggbanjos]

I thought it might be a nostalgia trip for a few to mention just one outstanding event they'd like to share.
If I may start the ball rolling,
When Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub bogged their fire tender down in the grass next to the runway at Bruggen. With insight and genius worthy of their Children's TV namesakes, they decided to lighten the tender by dumping all the water. Which made the grass even soggier and you can guess the rest. Unless you're a fireman.

 

[Flybynight]

I thought it might be a nostalgia trip for a few to mention just one outstanding event they'd like to share.
If I may start the ball rolling,
When Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub bogged their fire tender down in the grass next to the runway at Bruggen. With insight and genius worthy of their Children's TV namesakes, they decided to lighten the tender by dumping all the water. Which made the grass even soggier and you can guess the rest. Unless you're a fireman.

I wasn't there for that but I was when a drunk MTD turned a coach over in 62 or 63, killing a WRAF in the process (84 days in Colchester). I don't know when the stuck dimwits you mention totally bogged themselves down, but in the 60s there were two rock ape trades - gunners and firemen. Say no more. It was probably a result of fibres from their asbestos fire suits rotting their brains.

I was at Leuchars when a Lightning display pilot went in and died when his aircraft flamed out at the top of a climb, and instead of ejecting he tried to reignite both engines, whilst practising for Leuchars Air Day 1964. A Javelin was lost the same day through taxying too fast and venting fuel on hot brakes. The pilot and a techy riding in the navigator's seat escaped on the ground but the pilot had to cut the techy out because his straps were caught.

 

[shettie]

Ah... reminisences... Like the Crash Ambulance that was transporting exercise casualties to the medical center that rolled onto it side at Bruggen and made some real ones... Early 80's...

 

[techie_tubby]

Was anyone in Germany on the 11th of Feb 1985 when the coach crashed killing the RAF Germany band members, a RAFP and coach driver? I went to the memorial service last month, was a very moving tribute.

 

[2eggbanjos]

Ah... reminisences... Like the Crash Ambulance that was transporting exercise casualties to the medical center that rolled onto it side at Bruggen and made some real ones... Early 80's...

That was just before I got there but I was around when a drunken gooner stole Herr Gruber's little tank and took out half a mile of perimeter fence on his way down to Roermond. Apparently he got to the border post and was asked for his passport by a gun-weilding border guard. At which point he surrendered, despite being surrounded by 20 tons of ballistic-proof steel.

 

[Ex-Bay]

Anyone remember the seat that went off when the canopy of the Canberra got sliced by another kite which had lost hydraulics. Bruggen, I think, about 67/68. It was an impressive sight.

 

[Downsizer]

Does anybody remember that time i sh1t myself at work after a heavy night on the lash?

 

[2eggbanjos]

Does anybody remember that time i sh1t myself at work after a heavy night on the lash?

As opposed to you ****ting yourself every morning?

 

[shettie]

Does anybody remember that time i sh1t myself at work after a heavy night on the lash?

LOL If you're name is Phil and you played rugby - then yes - vividly

 

[Flybynight]

Does anybody remember that time i sh1t myself at work after a heavy night on the lash?

That's why I don't have brown sauce on my bacon.

Here's an oldie. Farnborough Air Show, 52 or 53, FBN there with his Dad on the Saturday. Pilot John Derry and observer plus many ground spectators killed when the prototype DH110 (Sea Vixen) broke up in mid-air. The Old Man's recollection was the tail boom spinning to the ground "like a sycamore leaf" as he put it afterwards whereas mine was the two engines, one slightly higher than the other, whistling like kettles across the sky from my left to my right, landing amongst the public on the Bank. It was after this incident that aircraft were forbidden to turn towards spectators at air displays. "The show carried on" after a break, and the flying programme went ahead the next day, aircraft dipping port then starboard wings when flying over the spot. Add this to the two Comets that broke up in mid-air with full loads of passengers in the 50s, and De Havillands appeared to be specialists at this kind of thing.

 

[Ex-Bay]

I wasn't there for that but I was when a drunk MTD turned a coach over in 62 or 63, killing a WRAF in the process (84 days in Colchester). I don't know when the stuck dimwits you mention totally bogged themselves down, but in the 60s there were two rock ape trades - gunners and firemen. Say no more. It was probably a result of fibres from their asbestos fire suits rotting their brains.

I was stationed at Upavon in 1962. The firemen there at the time complained bitterly about being made "Fireman/Gunner" in the latest round of sorting out.

 

[Toonman]

Early seventies at Laarbruch, New Years Eve and a dog handler who had had a few, going on shift at midnight stumbled and let go of his dog called Wolf. It behaved like one and bit at least seven other snowdrops before they managed to catch him with a net.

 

[2eggbanjos]

A Deci dog we'd christened Fin F got run over on the pan. Overheard at the time (possibly from Kev the fairy),
"Fin F - finis."
Who says education is wasted on the Avionics trade?

 

[185]

binbrook 70s tacival traped finger blood every where, sent to med center hand wraped in that blue paper. taken to a room full of other casualtys left for over two hours befor thay realised i was a real casualty and not part of the exercise.

 

[Flybynight]

I was stationed at Upavon in 1962. The firemen there at the time complained bitterly about being made "Fireman/Gunner" in the latest round of sorting out.

'Fireman/Gunner' was called an 'advanced' trade and got them extra pay as opposed to the 'skilled', and lesser-paid, 'Fireman' or 'Gunner'. Nevertheless, this marriage made not so much in Heaven as in Catterick foundered after the abolition of 'skilled' and 'advanced' trades. Instead, we have techies (originally with rapid promotion - what happened to that?) and the rest.

There was bad feeling both ways round in the Regiment at the time you mention. I knew a Corporal Gunner in his 40s, former member of the RAF Regiment Queen's Colour Flight at Catterick (predecessor of RAF QCES at Uxbridge), former DI at Catterick, by then a GDI in RAFG, who stood rather less chance of becoming a Sergeant than this computer does because he wouldn't volunteer to become a 'Fireman/Gunner'. He it was who persuaded me to go out drinking in Eindhoven one evening wearing Best Blue, a strange rock ape practice so I gathered. Strange or not, we weren't allowed to pay for for anything all night for the Dutch citizens queueing up to treat us. :drunk:

 

[Very Heavy very Humble]

Early seventies at Laarbruch, New Years Eve and a dog handler who had had a few, going on shift at midnight stumbled and let go of his dog called Wolf. It behaved like one and bit at least seven other snowdrops before they managed to catch him with a net.

I heard about this dog too , it was only to be let out in a time of war as it went for the throat!

 

[Oldstacker]

Flying 45 Gall Oildrum

Flying 45 Gall Oildrum

I clearly recall walking across a car park towards the NAAFI at Gutersloh around 1990 ish and hearing a very loud KABOOM! I looked up to see a 45 gall oil drum still climbing at a rate of knots before coming back down with a crash. Seems a someone from workshop was welding a fence post to it to act as a barrier, but no-one had vented and purged the drum first......... I seem to recall it damaged a couple of cars in the NAAFI car park when it returned to earth.