I was browsing another website, and came across a reference to RAF Weeton ... hey, I wuz there (Trainee and Permanent staff) but a long time ago. Quick service history ....
1958 ... National Service call-up, but signed on for 9 years as an MT Mechanic.
1958 ... Boot camped at RAF Wilmslow.
1958 ... Temporary posting to RAF Wittering
1959 ... Trade training at RAF Weeton
1959 ... Permanent staff at RAF Weeton.
1961 ... RAF Sharjah
1962 ... RAF Barnsham (now RAF Honington)
1964 ... RAF Faldingworth
1965 ... RAF Butterworth (SAM site in far corner of RAAF Butterworth)
1967 ... RAF Innsworth for demob (had to phone from Mum's house to say I would be a couple of days late).
As an ATC cadet, I was flown out of Duxford, Oakington, Marham and Kenley. On one trip from Kenley, an AVM climbed on board, handed me and my mate a map each, said he wanted to know where we were when we landed. "Er ... won't it be Kenley?". It turned out he was on a Sunday "jolie" to Marham, Scampton, Waddingtton, and somewhere I've forgotten. We could wander round the hangers while he had his G&Ts.
As a school boy, I enjoyed circuits and bumps at Croydon, in a Tiger Moth, Puss Moth, and Proctor ... fifteen shillings a time. Also used to lie in the road and take photographs into the undercarriage bays of Meteors, as they took off from Biggin Hill.
Shortly after the war, a gang of us sprogs watched a plane (Dakota) fly very low over-head, and disappear into the horizon somewhere near Sanderstead. Shortly afterwards, a bloke in RAF uniform (Squadron Leader?) appeared, riding a bike, asked if we'd seen an aeroplane. We pointed where the plane had crashed (we assumed), and off he rode. I think the News Chronicle reported 90 killed (too many for a Dakota? Overloaded?) I've been unable to trace any record of this crash on the WWW. Does anybody know anything about it?
Er ... I was at Sharjah when the Hunter cannon were fired over Sharjah village (Oops!), a Hunter landed with no nose-wheel, and a Britannia (?) had to circle overhead while we helped the Snowdrops remove our drunken MT electrician from riding a bike up and down the runway.
Happy days,
John Williams (rising 79) Kettering.
PS ... I'm hoping the photos, taken outside Dubai, in 1961, are of an Airfield Construction Scammell.
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The following user(s) said Thank You: Paul Francis, PETERTHEEATER
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