discussion Armed Forces Past and Present

[Guest]

I was the last of the "call up" conscription. 18 years old 3 years to go before they abolished conscription.

Made it on further education course and so deferred. If I had to I would have joined the RAF but on a 3 year voluntary. Why because they played a lot of cricket whereas in the conscription group no time for sport.

Laurie

 

[rickoshea52]

I did 14 years as a rigger in the RAF on Nimrods, Pumas and Sea Kings with some time spent in component and sheet metal shops. The best was two tours at Kinloss and two years in Northern Ireland with a four month det to Saudi Arabia where the max daytime temperature was never below 50c and a four week det to Florida which was mostly spent on the pi$$.

I hated Lossiemouth and 202 Sqn with a passion.

These days I am the IATA 2 (Europe, Middle East & Africa) regional representative for a company that builds landing gear for commercial aircraft from rattley little Q400 turboprops to A380. Sometimes in have to work in North America or Asia if the resident rep's there are busy. This week I'm in Vienna to fix a B767 then straight to Riga to fix a Q400.

 

[eddiesolo]

Was going through the process of signing up for the RN when I met my future wife, all changed and never went through with it. Hats off to you guys that served, even in part-time or reserves.

Thank you for being there,

Si

 

[Guest]

Have to agree on the sense of humour thing. Most people don't get it except ex forces, even when I joined the police

I was told I was to sarky

 

[Lee W]

Crab fat, pongo or matelot, part time, full time or reserve, your sense of humour just gets better, civvies just don't understand it...I was in conversation years ago with an oppo, a civvy who new us came over to join the talk, me and oppo slipped into naval lingo...civvy promptly left as he didn't understand a word of what we were saying, he was slightly threaders with us, lol.

Respect to the past present and future forces

Lee

 

[Guest]

Have to agree on the sense of humour thing. Most people don't get it except ex forces, even when I joined the policeI was told I was to sarky

I get that all the time personally I don't do sarcasm wouldn't know how to

 

[Dave W]

I did 14 years as a rigger in the RAF on Nimrods, Pumas and Sea Kings with some time spent in component and sheet metal shops. The best was two tours at Kinloss and two years in Northern Ireland with a four month det to Saudi Arabia where the max daytime temperature was never below 50c and a four week det to Florida which was mostly spent on the pi$$.I hated Lossiemouth and 202 Sqn with a passion.

These days I am the IATA 2 (Europe, Middle East & Africa) regional representative for a company that builds landing gear for commercial aircraft from rattley little Q400 turboprops to A380. Sometimes in have to work in North America or Asia if the resident rep's there are busy. This week I'm in Vienna to fix a B767 then straight to Riga to fix a Q400.

Next time your in our old shed of a hanger at Southend (ATC Lasham) say hello.

 

[rickoshea52]

Next time your in our old shed of a hanger at Southend (ATC Lasham) say hello.

Will do but you'll need to break a LG for that to happen,Dave. Boeing jobs are rare for me and I have only been to your "shed" once, Lasham is a far less salubrious establishment. Do you get many 757's these days?

 

[Richi72]

Ok so I did a little time to

5 years Royal Dutch Marines / 2 years as an instructor with the Engineers / 7 years as a Master Mechanic leading a team of mechanics for the heavy Tanks (Leopard II, YPR 765, M109. Seen my share of different country's like Cambodia,Africa, Bosnia,Iraq and a couple more, nice time have some good memories.

The bad ones i like to forget. Well thats it from me.

Cheers Richi

 

[Guest]

okay fellas we have a tin head amongst us, now raise a glass to the wrecking crew lol (yes richi you)lol

mobear

 

[Richi72]

OK

so i will raise a glass but can you tell me somthing about the tin head (wrecking crew i know ;-) )

Cheers Richi

 

[Dave W]

Will do but you'll need to break a LG for that to happen,Dave. Boeing jobs are rare for me and I have only been to your "shed" once, Lasham is a far less salubrious establishment. Do you get many 757's these days?

We still get 757's in regularly.Just had a DHL in and have now got an Air Astana in for Cabin mods.As for Lasham,I don't think it's changed much since the Polish Mosquito squadrons were based there during WW2!

 

[Guest]

tankies are surrounded by metal so you have tin heads lol,and there isnt much to stop a tank so wrecking walls buildings is an art form for tank drivers lol

mobear

 

[Richi72]

Thanks Mobear.

Cheers then mate

Richi

 

[Ian M]

Sirs, I doff my hat to you all. Respect.

Ian M