I was with Shiney 9 at Detmold in the late 70's when Ross Mallock was CO, we had Scouts then and had a ball deploying on exercise as a flight with back of cabs filled with orange handbags, after flying ended for the day, building a big bonfire and sitting around on crates getting pissed.

One of the guys, used to wear his slippers in the location after flying and one night someone took a dump in them, rather than mag to grid, he took them home to wash them for next ex! I think he ended up as a gazelle driver, poor sod. I remember as a crewy he barfed into a barf bag every time he flew, but because he could still do the job never got chopped, ex Queers on Horseback as I recall.

We had an ex barman from Belfast on the flight who used specialise in a cocktail for each new exercise, I vaguely remember drinking Tequila sunrise out of big black plastic mugs, One of our young lewtenants, ended up puking so hard he shat his kecks and slept in them only realsising next morning that the shit stink was from him and he proceded to rake the cack out of his trolleys!

Then they spoilt it all and gave us Lynx, biggest fuckin vibrator in the world with shit availability, oh and this was the AH1, none of the fagotty things with wheels and tops hats on the rotor head.

Any body else there in those days with an anecdote or two?

I heard a fat wobbly, can't pass BFT while he has a whole in arse, sergeant pilot, ended up as training major at wallop, who ever heard such a thing? another weasely guy with a rubbish tache was I/C sims at wallop??

Ross Mallock produced a record or Army Air Corps type flying songs with some other guys from the Regiment, playing instruments various, (one of whom was a lance jack crewy who took a commisiion in the RAOC) it was excellent, called Army Airs IIRC, would love a copy if someone still has one??

You passed the diplomacy and tact course then!

Nope, but thought this aviation area was pretty moribund thought to provoke some reaction, actually loved scaring myself in the Lynx and had a ball with it and the great guys at 9 regt and beyond, was kind if hoping if the anecdotes were memorable enough it might nudge a few memories, was a very long time ago.

Was on 669 as a Bowser Mong under Danny 'Desert Alligator' fame, went back after my ACM(O) course, and once more after my APC. Good times. I had a copy of that LP, artwork by Tony Pring, bought Tony's customised Capri, followed by a TR6 from our semi-tame Guardsman ACM.

Not AAC, but whilst vortexringpiece was fannying around at 9 Regt, I was next door at 4 Fd (Armd) Wksps also fannying around.

From time to time, we were invited over for a flight in one of those dodgy machines. I seem to recall they were test flights of some sort, as one of the crew (REME Air Tech?) would be pointing some kind of strobe light gun at the spinny round propellor thing.

The only rule was, that we had to be in uniform and sober. The former wasn't difficult, but the latter sort of got in the way.

Great days, though, and thanks for letting us have a cabby. We still talk about it at our reunions, it was a very rare occurrence for our trade to get in a helicopter, although I always thought it was 4 Regt.

654 Sqn of 4 Regt, and 659 (formerly 655 Sqn) and 669 (formerly 659 Sqn) of 9 Regt shared the big shed just passed Malfunction Junction aka 71 Ac Wksp, until we all became one big happy family on amalgamation. Bastards.
Sounds as if you'd been invited on blade tracking runs, Arte. Totally agree about work getting in the way of drinking.

Originally Posted by cloudbuster

Was on 669 as a Bowser Mong under Danny 'Desert Alligator' fame, went back after my ACM(O) course, and once more after my APC. Good times. I had a copy of that LP, artwork by Tony Pring, bought Tony's customised Capri, followed by a TR6 from our semi-tame Guardsman ACM.

Tony Pring married our WRAC Chief Clerk in Detmold. I was in 114 Pro Coy across the main drag from 9 Reg 1979-81.

Originally Posted by Brush_Dust_Shake

Tony Pring married our WRAC Chief Clerk in Detmold. I was in 114 Pro Coy across the main drag from 9 Reg 1979-81.

I was in 114 before I went flying, I was taking my turn as Cpls mess barman one time when a sky god with flying badge and RMP capbadge came in and told me all about the process. Went straight down stairs to the cellar, got out the AGAI's out and the rest is history.

Can't remember the full screws name but IIRC correctly he was involved in a Gazelle crash where he and his pilot were doing a pop up behind some trees and didn't make the recovery, stoofed into the ground and both of them were spat out the bubble in there seats and rolled 50 yards down the way. He lost his bottle (not entirely surprisingly!)and banged out I think.

Chap called Maunger was OC 114 then, famous for calling a unit active edge because he hadn't been invited to a Unit party, he turned up pissed while we were all on the square at 3 in the morning, next party he was invited too and we all turned up in combats and dressed the mess in cam nets, I think he got the point!

Can't remember the full screws name but IIRC correctly he was involved in a Gazelle crash where he and his pilot were doing a pop up behind some trees and didn't make the recovery, stoofed into the ground and both of them were spat out the bubble in there seats and rolled 50 yards down the way. He lost his bottle (not entirely surprisingly!)and banged out I think.

Chap you're thinking of was a very good mate of mine, initials JC. His missus worked in the dental centre. He was a crewman at the time of the crash, (the aforementioned Tony Pring was driving, and they had the tame Guardsman in the back, hit the highest point on SLTA), and went on to become a pilot then QHI, then went on to fly for Plod after instructing at Wallop. He was practicing for the airshow season with the Blue Egos when I was on my Lynx conversion and offered me the opportunity to see the back-flip from the inside.

Originally Posted by cloudbuster

654 Sqn of 4 Regt, and 659 (formerly 655 Sqn) and 669 (formerly 659 Sqn) of 9 Regt shared the big shed just passed Malfunction Junction aka 71 Ac Wksp, until we all became one big happy family on amalgamation. Bastards.
Sounds as if you'd been invited on blade tracking runs, Arte. Totally agree about work getting in the way of drinking.

Ah, thanks for sorting the 4 v 9 question. My memory loss wasn't entirely down to the quality time spent on sports afternoons in the Ice Bar then. Cheers.