Peter Android Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Unable to post links. But still worth a mention . A truly Worthwhile Organisation Respect.http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive/hrh-launches-air-cadets-75th-anniversary-07022016 Edited By Peter Android on 08/02/2016 17:39:50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 THIS ....may help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Android Posted February 8, 2016 Author Share Posted February 8, 2016 Thank You. cymaz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Oh to have my ATC days all over again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Well, as an ex member of 90 Squadron ATC I wish them many more years! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuphedd Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Too True !! I was a "member" in the late 50s and managed to log up 137 flying hours , ended up "flying " Vampires , When you had time to spare , on with your uniform down to the nearest RAF field , into the mess and put your name on the board and just wait for an invite to go flying , I dont remember ever not getting one , and in the holidays you could live at the field . Mind you could draw a short straw and get a whole night tour in a Shack out of Kinloss , just noise and darkness and the only break was doing the 180 at the end of a sweep . only regret is I never qualified as a pilot as they tested my eyes !!! I often wonder if all the tax I payed over my working years payed for all the fuel and airframe life I used in those days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 I stupidly left the ATC when I was 17 after being made up to Corporal because of female distraction. Regretted it ever since. I had a wonderful time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max50 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Wrexham 2279 for me. Flight Sergeant and then instructor. Those were the days. Battling it out with Hawarden in the Drill competitions; Singing those unmentionable songs,in the back of the bus on the way home from Shawbury. Brings back memories. Use to call me Noddy, as I was always falling asleep in the pub. And why was it the barman always used to ask me was I over eighteen, when I was the only one there who was. Great days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFlyer Smyth Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Proud member of 301 Squadron Bury St Edmunds. Loved it. The civil instructor was a neighbour of mine so I used to get a few perks ! Loved the chippies and the gliding and shooting at the local brewery rifle range on a Wednesday evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hopkin Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 491 Sqd (Handsworth Wood) now sadly gone Fun days... Gliding at Gaydon, Camps at Chivenor, Lossiemouth, Coltishall, shooting at Stafford, Weekend in Snowdonia..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 Mine was 425 (Aldridge) Squadron, but I was in "B" Flight, based in Great Barr. 425 still exists, but only in Aldridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazza58 Posted February 8, 2016 Share Posted February 8, 2016 1147 Barking Sqn, part of West Essex Wing. I joined at 13 and left as F!t Lt. Fabulous organization. Took me to Germany, Malta, Cyprus, Canada as well as all over the UK. Flying Chippies at Marshal's, gliding at Swanton Morley, 303 at Purfleet. Every weekend kept me busy. I just wish I was able to thank all those wonderful gentlemen who steered so many of us in the right direction. My gliding instructor when i was 16, was an elderly chap of around 24 years of age. When my son came home from his gliding course, he told me about his ancient instructor, a certain Sqn Ldr Horsley. Yup same man. Thank you gentlemen Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Price 2 Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Well Colin. I guess we both fell for the female form at the same time of our lives and with the same disastrous consiquences. I left 220 Sqd, St Albans, at just about the time i was getting close to being offered flying/cliding tuition. What idiots we were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASH. Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I loved my time in the ATC, they were memorable days and I remember them fondly. I was so keen to join I went along twice a week for months before I was old enough for my uniform. I learnt how to 'spit & polish' so my boot toecaps were like glass and used soap in my uniform creases to make them razor sharp. Learnt how to shoot, march and drill, read map and play snare drum. Proper littIe action men we were. I even persuaded my father to get me an air rifle for my thirteenth so we could practise for father and son comp.. he was a lousy shot Flew in many different aircraft from Puma,Wessex and open canopy gliders, my favourite being the Chipmunk of course. I remember cold Sunday mornings at Cambridge, clambering onto the Chippie wing with propdraft in face and parachute hanging down behind. And flying over the local flower gardens upside down to get a better look. Those were the days. Edited By ASH. on 09/02/2016 01:37:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I was in the CCF at school RAF section so got the same sort of things our ATC pals did. Gliding at Sealand Chippies at Woodvale. Also r with Meteor I left that school and did not join the atc as I was in the BB and was busy ever ynight doing a lot of activities.When i moved to Neston i became a civvie instructor with 2375 Sqdn Neston The CO was Jim Bailey Flying officer I think. He also owned the Model shop so I had the rub of his workshop and stock. Yes I did pay for the stuff I used but at a huge discount as I often built and repaired aircraft for him and his customers However I changed jobs and did shift work that cut down the hours I could have given to tdsqadrdron Jim was POW after being shot down over Belgium But I never found out what he flew. After his release from Colditz he found that he had had TB but recovered untreated I lost touch with him and was shocked to hear of his death.a year or two later It was good fun while it lasted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Nicol Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I was in St Andrews Sqn ( can't remember the sqn number because it was so long ago) tried to join the RAF as an airframes fitter, but was a bit too thick for that . was offered an apprenticeship in the army as airframes fitter , but after the first twelve weeks of training decided I wanted to be a tank mechanic instead. Spent the next 25 years up to my A~~e in mud and water and sand and snow fixing big heavy things that went bang, instead of lounging around in a nice heated aircraft workshop.... would I change anything, , not likely.. have enjoyed most of my working life, still work for the army , but retiring in July, time for some serious flying then back to the ATC Did my first glider flights at RNAS Condor, in a T31 and T21 Sedberg when I joined the army, was a member of the army gliding club as it was then solo'd in a graunau, and eventually got a C cert then I discovered beer and women, the downfall of so many young men..... years later wife bought me a flight in a sailplane at Portmoak , a Blanik hadn't forgotten much. Conversation after landing went like this " whats the big idea landing so far up the field ? ... Pilot " don't blame me , he landed it!" it was great, but a dicky ticker stops me from gettiong back into gliding Edited By Gordon Nicol on 09/02/2016 10:01:44 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Just to bring some more nostalgia to the blog - some pics from my days as a 5F cadet as a staff cadet at 644GS at RAF Spitalgate in the late 60's! Out of school 4pm on a Friday, 5pm with my mate Rick hitchhiking from Northampton to Grantham. Draw bedding at the Guardroom and there until after tea on Sunday - lift home with the instructors. First thing Monday morning do school homework!! LOL! Look at this poser! Real Polaroids too! Flying suits from Silvermans Surplus! Not only did we drive the winches but the Land Rovers and the 3 tonners! The other kids at school never believed what we told them we had been doing. Edited By Terry Walters on 09/02/2016 10:23:07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I was in 492 Shirley (no jokes please) squadron, we used Gaydon and Cosford for gliding, Shawbury for Chippie flights and the .303 range. Happy days. Hullavington camp during Concord's early testing meant we could see it flying out of Fairford iirc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Brooks Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 1244 (Swindon) Squadron. We used to mount the guard of honour for A.O.C's parade at Salisbury every year. We even devised our own continuity drill routine. Being so close to RAF Lyneham (Hastings, Britannias and Comets), I seemed to spend a lot of the summer holidays airborne! If there was nothing flying we were often given free run of the Link trainer. Edited By Phil Brooks on 09/02/2016 10:42:22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle 899 Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 1340 Rhyl Squadron; Great times gliding at Sealand, Chippies at Shawbury. Intended to join RAF but then decided on the Fleet Air Arm! We had several flat tops in those days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Walters Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Posted by Phil Brooks on 09/02/2016 10:41:28: 1244 (Swindon) Squadron. We used to mount the guard of honour for A.O.C's parade at Salisbury every year. We even devised our own continuity drill routine. Edited By Phil Brooks on 09/02/2016 10:42:22 Us too Phil! Note SLR's from the army. We asked the local barrack's W/O to drill us. He thought we were mad! We loved it! That's me rear rank on the right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuphedd Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 I was in the CCF , is/was the ATC any different ?? I was in the CCF band , so also had to have an Army uniform as well as my RAF one , the band had many plusses , especially when you had to go on town parades where they supp;ied the food ! but back to the Air side. One of my school mates spent the whole summer flying round the world with the RAF and providing you never left the base you did not need a passport ! He flew to Malta and then somewhere in Malaysia then over to Australia where the base was shared with the US AF. The US were very surprised to see a youngster flying with the RAF and not to be out done they offered to fly him back to the UK via the USA.He accepted and spent most of the summer being flown from one US base to another till he had seen most of the USA and them was flown back to Mildenhall ! All by using a bit of initiative ! He probably made Air Vice Marshall! cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Android Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 Excellent Stuff , lots of happy memories from many people. Chippie's from Church Fenton , buzzing York Minster , pour Moi' , wonderful days .............. Herky Birds from Abingdon - Flying night - drops with the Para's ( Brave Souls ) Where have 48 years gone . The opportunities are still there for the Lads & Lasses who may care to tear themselves away from their electronics for a while. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Android Posted February 9, 2016 Author Share Posted February 9, 2016 Posted by Bob Cotsford on 09/02/2016 10:29:10: I was in 492 Shirley (no jokes please) squadron, we used Gaydon and Cosford for gliding, Shawbury for Chippie flights and the .303 range. Happy days. Hullavington camp during Concord's early testing meant we could see it flying out of Fairford iirc. ............................................................................................................................................................ Hello again Bob , our ATC Squadron also got invited to set foot on one of the Concorde prototypes based at Filton which we enjoyed greatly. sadly , we did not get a flight in it . Cheers.P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo Delta Posted February 9, 2016 Share Posted February 9, 2016 Was in 2384 Bushey and Oxhey Squadron back in the early 70's Great experience and great memories , but disliked the uncomfortable uniform , collar studs for goodness sake ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.