another V force QRA question

Fascinating insight…..thanks for sharing it, Thers nothing like hearing it from the horses mouth so to speak;)
I find it quite alarming but strangely fascinating to think that whilst i was a nipper blissfully inaware that The might of the then V force were sat there ready and waiting to go 24hrs a day 365 days a year etc etc.
You mention the squadrons reform in 75, was that still QRA based in Vulcans or Victors, but with the lower level attack run?……and may i ask what weapon was onboard.

Please excuse my lamen questions 😮

Ah the joys of dispersed ops and scrambles- when I was at Waddo we went to Thurleigh, Coningsby, Cottesmore, Wyton and even to Valley once. The accommodation at Thurleigh was caravans although the mess area was a proper building. It always seemed to be misty or raining when we went. Our GE was kept on site although who maintained it I don’t know. When the squadrons reformed in 1975 the GE became the responsibility of each unit. Our dispersal was Cottesmore originally although we later decamped to Coningsby. Unlike previous dispersals we were allocated barrack block accom and ate in the mess.
The GE was kept in garage and on one occasion we turned up a Coningsby during their Taceval which caused a bit of chaos. Fortunately we went in Winter so had to drink the rum ration on the way home- a happy glow surrounded us all.

Scrambles were organised chaos. When the hooter/tannoy went we would leg it out to our assigned aircraft- if you had slot 1 you could stroll while finger 4 you had to run. By the time we got there the crew bus was well on its way- the crews running towards the aircraft which was ready for them by the time they arrived. With the crew strapped in and seat pins removed the crew chief would plug in his long lead while the two ground crew would move to the chocks and kick them clear of the mainwheels. If this was a high speed scramble the AAPP was started almost immediately which allowed the 28v power plug to be removed after which the chocks were pulled clear. Once readiness state had reached Zero two the engines would start [ think this the right number- it was a long time ago!] which would see the 200v plug pulled and the Houchin pushed clear. Once the scramble was called the crew chief would disconnect and we would leg it to the fixed power plinth to escape the blast. Depending on their state the aircraft would either use rapids to start although the unlucky ones had to use a Palouste which meant more graft.

HTH
Cheers
Mad Jock

Bill O’Sullivan (Cockpit-Fest organiser) has been compiling a record of the Flying Ops of Vulcan XM594 for NAM.

IIRC one of the entries for the aircraft records a 28 day ‘Dispersed Op’ at Thurleigh, Beds – the aim of which was to prove the longevity of such ops! Rather cruelly IMO the families were bussed down from Lincs to ‘see’ their loved ones over the fence.

Stornoway had a Seco-hut complex with Kitchens and Dining area equipment.

Exactly the same for Mawgan, even enjoyed the odd meal in there in my ATC Chipmunk flying days!

Excellent info and a good descriptionof life on QRA, Thanks chaps 😉

Stornoway had a Seco-hut complex with Kitchens and Dining area equipment. It was still there when the Tac Coms Wing used to take new Junior (including Reservist) Officers there and make their lives hell. The SNCOs and JNCOs were instructed to make life as difficult as possible for the Junior Officers. I can tell you that they were very, very, good at it. Even to the extent of putting a live sheep into the Detachment Commander’s bunk. That bunk was probably in the complex of (Seco?) hutted accommodation built for V-Bomber Dispersed sites.
Two Corporals were the prime suspects. But the nearest we got to making them confess was by apologising to the local Crofter for ‘rustling’ one of his sheep!
HTH
Resmoroh

The following article by Sqn Ldr Philip Goodall on the V-Force Reunion website sheds a bit of light on ‘Dispersed Ops’ http://www.vforcereunion.co.uk/article8.html 🙂

St Mawgan which was a dispersed V Force airfield had permanent crew rooms near the ORP pads (East Dispersal), I believe that the MT section held the vehicles ready for any deployment.
This was exercised on a few occasions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BgE7iYPAVg