Useful

**pandaplodder** · 22-01-2012, 19:47

Originally Posted by cloudbuster

Took a look at Machrihanish in the early 1990s, on a long navex. Miles and miles of bugger-all. V-bomber bolthole.

In its day it was as important as Diego Garcia

**Raven2008** · 22-01-2012, 19:49

Originally Posted by engee

Seriously? So you have aircraft being marshalled by guys wearing blindfolds?

Did the staff park their cars outside the camp then get shuffled in once blindfolded?

Professional isn't the first word that springs to my mind.

the 'LONGARMS' project in 1982 fitted RF detection and audio alert syestems at the back of each parking bay - It was the first commercial use of parking sensors. The audio was interpreted by the Handler who moved his lightsticks accordingly.
AR1 is offline Reply

Think it was so that the handlers didnt see the exotic airframes arriving

**Fifth_Columnist** · 22-01-2012, 19:53

Originally Posted by Raven2008

AR1 is offline Reply

AR1 was our rather shabby search radar, but it wasn't offline that often...

**JP47** · 22-01-2012, 20:02

Originally Posted by pandaplodder

In its day it was as important as Diego Garcia

In what way was it as important?

**engee** · 22-01-2012, 20:15

Keep up JP47:

It was the first 'commercial' use of parking sensors

**JP47** · 22-01-2012, 20:23

Originally Posted by engee

Keep up JP47:

It was the first 'commercial' use of parking sensors

Don't recall seeing them, I must have been blindfolded

Much preferred DG, The booties had a cracking bar and made sure you had a good sesh

**tiger stacker** · 22-01-2012, 21:04

Originally Posted by Gravelbelly

We took a UOTC there in the early 00's. The thing that impressed me most was the complete absence of any secret underground tunnels...

Being a sad git, I found the SEAL building interesting for two things - the welded and angled stop butt in their indoor range, and the rather cheesy-looking jacuzzi just off their kit cages. Nice to know that they could have a bath together after exercise...

September 2001 by any chance

Couple of harriers for the RE to build landing points for, apart from that Feck all to see.

**pandaplodder** · 22-01-2012, 21:59

Originally Posted by JP47

In what way was it as important?

V Bomber and B52 staging area

Another little know V bomber dispersal base was RAE Thurleigh

**alfred_the_great** · 23-01-2012, 00:22

Mac is/was also an alternate for the shuttle, depending on it's orbital attitude.

**saladin** · 23-01-2012, 00:48

I thought the long runway was originally built as a staging point for the B-36 - as was Greenham Common ?

...and Mac was seriously touted by a senior grown-up as a possible training area for Scottish units short of space after Cultybraggan was shut.....that it would actually be quicker to drive to the English Midlands appeared to have escaped his notice.