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The Office - Part Six - Final Part
The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Possibly my favourite image of all time, beating up the 617 Sqn Has Site at Marham very early on a frosty morning.
Other0001 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
Joining the pattern at Nellis during Exercise Green Flag, February 1986.
END1 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
And the traffic on the ramp.
END2 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
In March 1986 I moved on to the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit at Honington where I taught ab initio students and also ran the Qualified Weapons Instructor's course. As I suddenly had responsibilities the photos virtually dried up.
This photo was sent to me by a member of the public. Taken as I ran in to Otterburn range on Exercise Mallet Blow, it was one of a set of 13 pics taken with a motor drive.
END3 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
The BBC came along to make a documentary called "White Knights, Fiery Steeds" about low flying in the UK. There was twilight aerial filming of taxying and take-offs as well as filming from within the pattern at Holbeach range. All this was done from a Jetranger camera-ship and I persuaded the boss that they needed someone in the left seat as safety advisor.
Between passes at Holbeach I abused my position to get some photos as briefing material for my QWI students. In this case the strafe targets.
END4 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
END5 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
Next, two images from the terrible HUD film we had to debrief from. An AIM9 missile leaving the rail of my aircraft in Aberporth range filmed from our buddy in trail.
012 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
And the latter stages of a live 1000lb retard drop on Garvie Island.
011 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
I have no photos at all of my one year on 16 Sqn at Laarbruch and the only one of any interest from my time on Standards & Evaluation at Laarbruch comes from January 91 when the Station Commander and I ferried an aircraft from Bruggen to Tabuk just ahead of the Gulf War.
END6 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
We had set off before sunrise and it was only as we approached the tanker for a test prod in the dark that he told me that not only was he not night current but that he had not done the tanking course yet. He completed the course in one sortie. The photo was taken as the sun rose and Sicily passed down the port side.
By the time my students had finished fighting the Gulf War without me and the Berlin Wall was firmly down it was back to Blighty for a couple of ground tours before leaving the RAF in 1996.
I did get back to Honington for a while as a civvie when the Station Commander, an old mate of mine, allowed me to keep a microlight there.
END7 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
Even that came to an end in 2015 and I am now fully ground-bound but always looking up.
That’s the end of my hardware images but flying suit patch fans might be interested in the annex to my tale which I will put in the Military Aviation Memorabilia section.
Steve W
Other0001 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
Joining the pattern at Nellis during Exercise Green Flag, February 1986.
END1 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
And the traffic on the ramp.
END2 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
In March 1986 I moved on to the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit at Honington where I taught ab initio students and also ran the Qualified Weapons Instructor's course. As I suddenly had responsibilities the photos virtually dried up.
This photo was sent to me by a member of the public. Taken as I ran in to Otterburn range on Exercise Mallet Blow, it was one of a set of 13 pics taken with a motor drive.
END3 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
The BBC came along to make a documentary called "White Knights, Fiery Steeds" about low flying in the UK. There was twilight aerial filming of taxying and take-offs as well as filming from within the pattern at Holbeach range. All this was done from a Jetranger camera-ship and I persuaded the boss that they needed someone in the left seat as safety advisor.
Between passes at Holbeach I abused my position to get some photos as briefing material for my QWI students. In this case the strafe targets.
END4 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
END5 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
Next, two images from the terrible HUD film we had to debrief from. An AIM9 missile leaving the rail of my aircraft in Aberporth range filmed from our buddy in trail.
012 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
And the latter stages of a live 1000lb retard drop on Garvie Island.
011 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
I have no photos at all of my one year on 16 Sqn at Laarbruch and the only one of any interest from my time on Standards & Evaluation at Laarbruch comes from January 91 when the Station Commander and I ferried an aircraft from Bruggen to Tabuk just ahead of the Gulf War.
END6 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
We had set off before sunrise and it was only as we approached the tanker for a test prod in the dark that he told me that not only was he not night current but that he had not done the tanking course yet. He completed the course in one sortie. The photo was taken as the sun rose and Sicily passed down the port side.
By the time my students had finished fighting the Gulf War without me and the Berlin Wall was firmly down it was back to Blighty for a couple of ground tours before leaving the RAF in 1996.
I did get back to Honington for a while as a civvie when the Station Commander, an old mate of mine, allowed me to keep a microlight there.
END7 by Stephen Wilson, on Flickr
Even that came to an end in 2015 and I am now fully ground-bound but always looking up.
That’s the end of my hardware images but flying suit patch fans might be interested in the annex to my tale which I will put in the Military Aviation Memorabilia section.
Steve W
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Thank you for posting those six parts Steve.
An era sadly gone now with the demise of the rear seat executive (as my cousin Bill referred to the trade)
An era sadly gone now with the demise of the rear seat executive (as my cousin Bill referred to the trade)
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Steve thanks for the service and taking the time to show/tell your time in the RAF with some great images.
Look forward to seeing your patch collection.
Regards
Rob
Look forward to seeing your patch collection.
Regards
Rob
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- Posts: 181
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Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Brilliant... thanks for your service and images.
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Excellent collection - thanks for sharing.
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Thanks for posting these excellent photos Steve, I'm so glad that you managed to regain access to your Flickr account.
This season, I'll be mostly wearing........A THONG!
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Great set especially 1,2,3 and 4
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Excellent posts, thanks.
In this world there's two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig.
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Hi, very interesting shots all F\Cers will be very grateful for your input, all the best,Rob
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Thanks for posting those - fascinating
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Another terrific set. Don't suppose you can recall the year of that Mallet Blow pic? I never saw the documentary mentioned more's the pity!
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
I echo the "Thanks" for having served our country and for providing us enthusiasts with many happy memories. Hope you are still managing to fly - greatest feeling in the world. All the Best.
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Looking more closely at the image the fuselage pylons are clean so that must be us after dropping 4 x concrete 1000lbers on the runway target on 14 March 1988.
Poor copy of the programme is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlX7PqyRRVM&t=2s
Fellow FCer Taff Evans appears at 0:25 by the way.
Steve
- The Phantom
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Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Very good and interesting again.
Has been an excellent series of posts
Has been an excellent series of posts
- teeonefixer
- Posts: 789
- Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:39 pm
- Location: East Yorkshire
Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Thankyou for one of the best sets of posts on FC. Not only the terrific pics but also the associated story.
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Re: The Office - Part Six - Final Part
Many thanks for sharing these and your other postings, all very interesting to see what you did as a day job.
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