rob878

As you correctly said "was 5*" in about 1950. Now the weather board huts resemble garden sheds and the showers are a constant source of worry if your going to hack your shin off on the peeling steel partions. The americans threw loads of money at refurbishing some of the blocks during Op Telic one, however we can't use them as they are far to special for the likes of us.

I do know how lucky i am, i made a point of working on fast jets during my career so that i avoided the "dig in" and instead "checked in" whilst wheeling my samsonite behind me. Though it was a little worrying when we got told we might have to go up to Baghdad, the thought of the sqn getting off the back of a herc and wheeling our suitcases across the pan would have more than a little embarrassing.

p1mark

Pansies Pete.....Pansies.

Extremely sad picking on spelling mistakes i know, but you are fair game!

pslewis

ME and some other brave volunteers I would fully expect!!

Pete

Tidgy

hahahahaha, he's norm the first in line to point them out pmsl

pslewis

I do slot the odd one in to give the impression that I am also capable of the odd mistake ........ of course, I am in fact superhuman

Pete

Tidgy

not super man but been told you wear your pants on the outside, pmsl

anyway pete, answer my post

Hoppy

Interesting post Les I guess most RAF pilots get quite a few memorable moments throughout their career. I hope you've got some pics for the grandchildren. I'm envious, of course, but then I'm not...

I've had the immense privilige of flying with the Reds as a civilian. A day of full VIP treatment (apart from the medical!) and access all areas. I was in Red Ten (spare plane, flown by the 'other' squadron leader, as you know) so I could take pictures of the formation, but also, and thankfully, it meant we could break off at any time.

This was a long time ago, only a few years after the Hawks replaced the Gnats, and I was pretty fit after playing squash with the Harrier lads from RAF Wittering. But I struggled with the g-force and with that rolling horizon I readily accepted the pilot's offer to break off for a gentle cruise up to the Humber Bridge. He had even offered me a go on the stick but, to my enduring regret, I forgot about that while the turmoil in my stomach had 90% of my attention and the other 10% kept a wary eye on the ejector handle lest my three-ton camera somehow managed to get tangled up in it Thank God everything stayed in its place

It was an extraordinary experience for somebody completely unfamiliar with high-g and a three-dimensional 'road' to negotiate. No real feeling of speed without reference points like trees and houses flashing past, just that spinning horizon, the crushing weight on my shoulders, and the g-suit trying to break my bones. I could hardly stand up after touch down, and was shaking for another hour at least.

Call me a wimp if you like, but I recall Jeremy Clarkson threw up all over the place I was told that if I puked, I had to clean it. Reckon I'd still be at it now with a tooth brush

A chance to fly with the Red Arrows has got to to score pretty high on anybody's lifetime wish-list. But if I was ever asked again, it would be a polite thanks, but no thanks. It's not for the uninitiated

Question: I was told that in a dog-fight situation the big advantage fell to the guy who could pull and hold the most g the longest, not the aircraft. I guess this must still be true. Or are dog-fights, in reality, a thing of the past?

Cheers,

Richard

Tidgy

very very rare nowadays, in todays fights its normally one side has huge advantage over the other, so it never comes down to dog fights.

pslewis

You lot have been watching too many films

Pete

Tidgy

oi pete, answer my post!!! or are you ejecting from doing so???

jd5217

gone hiding

pedroartois

Saw them in Silloth, Cumbria yesterday. Was an awsome display - might go to Southport this weekend to watch em again.

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

saw them buzzing dover docks a few weekends ago. The Red Arrows are great

DaveD

iTrader: (2)

As an interceptor aircraft to defend the Naval Fleet, the FRS2 Sea Harrier has a beyond visible range air-to-air missile, so any attacking can be downed way before any normal missiles can lock onto target.

Of course all the Royal Navy Sea Harriers have been retired, and there is no longer an interceptor aircraft until the JSF comes into service.

Most RAF aircraft are now too compromised (being bombing/attack types) to be true dogfighters.

rob878

Now that we have amraam and asraam we know longer really need to dog fight in the traditional sense. The Tonka F3 is such a good stable missile platform that it really does excel at it's role. Mind you it wasn't meant to be a dog fighter it was meant to be an interceptor, which it still does day in day out extremely well. Well once we get spares, err a few serviceable frames etc etc.

p1mark

Leslie

I should give up PSL, you are doing the JCB bit by digging an even deeper hole for yourself.

That must have been a great day for you Hoppy, you must be a bit important to get a trip like that. The airsickness bit is a shame but can happen to anyone. I felt a bit "off" in my first trip in a Hawk which involved a bit of low level air to air combat,

That is a pretty fair comment to make on surviving a dogfight but it also depends on how you manoeuvre the aircraft to outwith the enemy.

My trip with the Arrows was in the Gnat which I considered to be a better aircraft for their display incidentally. The Gnat was so small that it felt like pulling a pair of trousers on when you got into it . It handled beautifully and was the easiest jet aircraft I have ever flown formation in. It was so light that it had a fast response to throttle movement. Easy to land too. It had the fastest rate of roll going and when you did a twinkle roll your eyes would continue to flick aoround the horizon for a short while. You had to learn to time the roll mentally so you could stop with the wings level.

Happy days to remember of course, and I would go up again with the Arrows at the drop of a hat

Les