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Photograph from the closure parade.
Words fail me

ricardian wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 06, 2022 12:40 pm

Photograph from the closure parade.
Words fail me

Yes indeed. What happens to Nigger's grave? Can his correct name now be put on the grave stone?

The one station I would really be sad to see closed is Northolt. I think that is unlikely in the foreseeable future as a VIP airfield. You could stand in front of the OM above the threshold of 26 and just imagine the Spits landing there. Counting them out and counting them in.

Ex-Ascot wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 06, 2022 1:49 pm

ricardian wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 06, 2022 12:40 pm

Photograph from the closure parade.
Words fail me

Yes indeed. What happens to Nigger's grave? Can his correct name now be put on the grave stone?
The one station I would really be sad to see closed is Northolt. I think that is unlikely in the foreseeable future as a VIP airfield. You could stand in front of the OM above the threshold of 26 and just imagine the Spits landing there. Counting them out and counting them in.

I was billeted at Northolt when I was posted to MOD (AIR) (then AM London) when I came back from Sharjah in 1964. Great little camp that housed lots of waifs & strays from unusual London-based postings. We were not liked by the SWO because we were all shift workers and not available for fire picquet or guard duties - I watched Churchill's funeral procession from Whitehall Gardens.

Ended my RAF National Service at Scampton,and visited Niggers grave many times. Changing the name is disgraceful and shows no respect for his Master. What will happen to it if Scampton becomes another housing estate ?

ExSp33db1rd wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 07, 2022 2:12 am

Ended my RAF National Service at Scampton,and visited Niggers grave many times. Changing the name is disgraceful and shows no respect for his Master. What will happen to it if Scampton becomes another housing estate ?

Don't suppose there will a 'Nigger Avenue'

They could have a Nigger Park, and make it the centre of interest. Maybe an RSPCA Dog Rescue Home ? The Dambusters deserve no less. As Chuchill said " Those who ignore history ............"

Living in MQs at Scampton - a truly dreadful "house" - was the best possible incentive to buy our own place.

Living in MQs at Scampton - a truly dreadful "house" - was the best possible incentive to buy our own place.

Circa 1957 I was MQ Marching In / Out Hofficer, Form 5 wasn't it ? I recall a departing Sgt. telling me that any incoming wife would only go around cleaning up and tidying it again anyway, so why should he bother ? I refused to sign the release form and referred him to the Stn. Adjutant.

If it was the same MQ we moved into in the late 70s, it was never cleaned.

Was looking a retrospective/history of Scampton, starting out as it did as Home Defence Flight Station Brattleby in World War 1 and having a varied history, returning to agriculture and then becoming home to many storied squadrons and exceptional men and women over the years.

This photo grabbed my attention.

Feb. 02, 1963 - ''Blue Steel'' shown to the press at R.A.F .Scampton general view in the Missile Store : Member of the press paid a visit today to the secret 'V' Bomber at Scampton - where they were shown ''Blue Steel'' the British Nuclear Warhead - which will be carried by the R.A.F's Vulcan and Victor Jet Bombers. The Commander-in-Chief Bomber Command - Sir Kenneth Cross said that in tests - Blue Steel had exceeded the specification in respect of range - accuracy and reliability.

https://www.keymilitary.com/article/wea ... ar-missile

I note that the building set aside for Blue Steel at RAF Wittering was declared a Grade 2 listed building. One hopes some sort of preservation order will be promulgated for part of what was RAF Scampton as well! Perhaps Nigger's grave should be declared a national monument!

Were 'brown coats' preferable to 'battle dress' overalls?

G-CPTN wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 27, 2023 5:54 am

Were 'brown coats' preferable to 'battle dress' overalls?

I have no idea although, I am guessing here, those men in the brown coats, might very well have been Avro, Armstrong Siddeley or Elliots civilian engineers? No doubt somebody in the know well come along to set us straight.

Blue Steel

It was normal for NCOs working in 2nd line "bays" to wear the brown coats rather than overalls. However, one of the 3 is not wearing an NCO armband so it may have been because the Blue Steel propulsion system did not tolerate oil or grease contamination well. The Cpls are wearing their rank armbands on different arms. I seem to remember that should have been worn on the left arm.

Caption reads
"What happens if I hold this lighted match up here?"

izod tester wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 27, 2023 8:36 am

It was normal for NCOs working in 2nd line "bays" to wear the brown coats rather than overalls. However, one of the 3 is not wearing an NCO armband so it may have been because the Blue Steel propulsion system did not tolerate oil or grease contamination well. The Cpls are wearing their rank armbands on different arms. I seem to remember that should have been worn on the left arm.

Thank you for the detailed answer.

Those brown coats were also known as "dust coats" or "KD greatcoats". SNCOs and above wore white coats.

Having spent my last tour of duty at Wittering, I wasn't aware that a Blue Steel prep shed at Wittering was a Grade II listed building - the only place I thought was listed is the bell tower on the Guardroom. Looking at recent satnav photos of the place, it would appear that the Blue Steel shed was demolished some time ago and replaced by an new electronics centre which was built in 2000(ish) - that caused me a lot of grief because some "bright" child in charge of the project didn't include the requirements for special secure storage, racking, IT infrastructure.

TheGreenAnger wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 27, 2023 5:39 am

I note that the building set aside for Blue Steel at RAF Wittering was declared a Grade 2 listed building. One hopes some sort of preservation order will be promulgated for part of what was RAF Scampton as well! Perhaps Nigger's grave should be declared a national monument!

To be more precise:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/ ... ry/1404936

+

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/ ... ry/1402763

Oops, looks like I got the wrong building. On the map I looked at, the BS shed was flagged as the "new" electronics centre. The BS shed was used by ME(Gs) to maintain/service ground equipment.

GOOD NEWS !! SCAMPTON TO BE SAVED !!

It will become home for 1,500 illegal migrants whilst the runway will remain active.

What could possibly go wrong?

P S. Don’t look to electronic MSM for this news, though the e-versions of those awful right-wing ‘papers’ have grabbed the story days ago…

But the Red Sparrows will get lots of target or ingeston practice, or both….

P P S. Please don’t ask what will happen to the grave of Guy Gibson’s non-reflective dog !

barkingmad wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 20, 2023 7:30 pm

GOOD NEWS !! SCAMPTON TO BE SAVED !!

It will become home for 1,500 illegal migrants whilst the runway will remain active.

What could possibly go wrong?

P S. Don’t look to electronic MSM for this news, though the e-versions of those awful right-wing ‘papers’ have grabbed the story days ago…

But the Red Sparrows will get lots of target or ingeston practice, or both….

P P S. Please don’t ask what will happen to the grave of Guy Gibson’s non-reflective dog !

There was mention yesterday on BBC Radio Lincolnshire that the plan is to accommodate the Rubber Boat Club members in portacabins sited ON the runway.

There used to be a nice high-security enclosure on one of RAF Ouston's runways - if it's still there it could be an alternative location and the weather in those parts would encourage the RBC members to change their minds about coming to the UK.