Air Cadet Pic

[mrloudly]

Happy days! There's two in there that made it through to fast jets!

[croyde]

I left Air Cadets when I got my scratchy uniform back in the 70s. Wish I hadn't as a few of the lads got to fly Chipmunks and all it cost was their weekly subs.

[Simpo Two]

We never did get the photo of us taken in front of a Victor tanker at Marham, c.1978...

[mrloudly]

This was 5F (Northampton) and a load of oiks from Daventry ;-)

Picture taken at Abingdon where the jag had been for some work.

[mrloudly]

I reckon these were taken in 75. Still in touch with quite a few of the lads, amazing how a common interest hold people together!

Sadly the guy third from the right in the first pic was killed in a Cessna 150 whilst learning to fly!! Solo stage and spun in...

[Total loss]

I should still have a few of these, also from the '70's. I seem to remember having an official annual camp pic taken at every camp, but not getting a copy of all of them.
Here's my camps, I wonder if the pics would be stored in official archives ?
Lindholme
Valley
Coltishall
Lyneham/Hullavington
Thorney Island
Luqa
Gutersloh
Wildenrath

[shouldbworking]

That beret - front centre, is shocking, even for a cadet

[Asterix]

My ATC days woiuld have been late 70's/early 80's - thank god I don't have any photos - the uniform never fitted correctly and I always looked like a mushroom.

[Simpo Two]

The CCF uniform was certainly a puzzle to a 12-year old - enountering collar studs for the first time! The Army cadets, who managed to get into uniform in about 60 secs as opposed to 15 minutes, thought it was most amusing...

We also had a misfitting 'womble suit', for the assault course and other grubby bits.

Does anyone else remember the blue training manuals - 'Meteorology' etc - with the fine cotton threads in the covers?

[croyde]

I remember firing .22 rifles at an on site range and handling Lee Enfield .303s for drill. Our ATC was on a Territorial Army base so there was plenty of hardware around including armoured cars and towed guns. This was back in the 70s.

[mrloudly]

I did:

Abingdon
Wittering
Brize Norton
and, strangely for the Air cadets Chatham naval base???

Brize was by far the best flying wise (748's and VC10's) although the night excercise at Abingdon with the Argosy wreck was really good fun!
Chatham was good as well, remember the Wrens being nearly the reason to jump ship to the Sea Cadets LOL

[Ledaig]

croyde said:

I remember firing .22 rifles at an on site range and handling Lee Enfield .303s for drill........

I remember at 13 being handed a 303 and 20 rounds on a summer camp at RAF Locking.

First 10 went roughly in the direction of the target, second 10 just went somewhere down the range due to being in so much effin pain

[mrloudly]

Ledaig said:

croyde said:

I remember firing .22 rifles at an on site range and handling Lee Enfield .303s for drill........

I remember at 13 being handed a 303 and 20 rounds on a summer camp at RAF Locking.

First 10 went roughly in the direction of the target, second 10 just went somewhere down the range due to being in so much effin pain

One of the lads with us was really small. I remember at Abingdon they put a sandbag on him whilst he was firing a .303!!! Bet they wouldn't do it now LOL

[Marlin45]

THis thread bring back memories but for the life of me I can't remember where our squadron pic has gone this days. Probably eaten by one of our past dogs?

I used to be in 1216 SDRN - Eastleigh in approx. 1980

Edited by Marlin45 on Monday 17th September 15:07

[Kaelic]

Remember my ATC times well, was a runner for the squadron, wing and corps so ended up all over the place using travel warrants

Best times were when we were sent to RAF bases to run (Turnhouse, Cosford etc) and getting extra hours in on the chipmunks... still have my 3822 somewhere

Ended up joining the University Air Squadron but degree diluted my interest .... which I regret now

[Hexhamhc]

Absolutely loved my years in 58 Squadron. Enrolled in 1969 and remember being all excited at the prospect of the MRCA being introduced!! (Still flying as the Tornado I think!). Enjoyed flying gliders at Linton-on-Ouse, Chipmunks at Church Fenton, going on camp to Hullavington,West Raynham, Hal Far, and Laarbruch when RAF 15 Squadron were flying Buccaneers.
Happy days and a great achievement for a young, aeroplane mad, lad. Got me to go solo in a Kirby cadet glider when I was still just under 16 years old!

[mrloudly]

Hexhamhc said:

Absolutely loved my years in 58 Squadron. Enrolled in 1969 and remember being all excited at the prospect of the MRCA being introduced!! (Still flying as the Tornado I think!). Enjoyed flying gliders at Linton-on-Ouse, Chipmunks at Church Fenton, going on camp to Hullavington,West Raynham, Hal Far, and Laarbruch when RAF 15 Squadron were flying Buccaneers.
Happy days and a great achievement for a young, aeroplane mad, lad. Got me to go solo in a Kirby cadet glider when I was still just under 16 years old!

Loved the original "MRCA" colour scheme. Remember seeing it at Upper Heyford when it went tech during its display. Feeling old now, an aircraft having come into and left service (as good as) during my lifetime...

[eccles]

Simpo Two said:

Does anyone else remember the blue training manuals - 'Meteorology' etc - with the fine cotton threads in the covers?

I've still got a bunch of those manuals up the loft.


I did annual camps at Scampton, Brize and Gibraltar. Had a great time. We still had "Hairy mary's" when I joined at the back end of the 70's and you only got the new kit when someone left. We shot .303's down at Penally camp near Tenby, and later moved onto SLR's. Gliding at Fairwood (Swansea), Aerobatics in Chipmunks over the Seven bridge after flying from Filton. Going up to St.Atan and seeing Vulcans on majors and lots of scrap V bombers outside. Ah, yes, 1358 Pontardawe and 215 City of Swansea Squadrons were great fun.

[Melchett]

1461 sqn for me, then onto University Air Squadron.

I still have my 3822, BGT certificate, first solo certificate. Llanbedr was the favourite location for me. The W/O in the centre was John Orwin, hard as nails and scared everybiidy including our CO. Top bloke, RIP W/O.



'I have no live rounds or empty cartridges in my posession Sir'

[Matt172]

mrloudly said:

This was 5F (Northampton) and a load of oiks from Daventry ;-)

Picture taken at Abingdon where the jag had been for some work.

I was in 5F when I was at school bit later than you though, I was 1 when that picture was taken