The film actually reminded me of when 1 Sqn Harrier GR.1s operated from the woods on the periphery of RAF Milltown in the very early 1970s.
Being an aviation-mad local schoolboy, me and some mates snuck in to have a look on a Sunday morning, and it was obvious there had been one hell of a party the night before.
An early-warning trip wire had been put up around the woods, with beer cans dangling which should have alerted the ‘groundies’ who were soundly snoring in their tents.
Once safely over the wire, we took photos of ourselves sitting in the Harriers cockpits, and clambered all over the aircraft, which were covered in plastic cammo netting.
We also found an old farm hut which was being used as an armoury, full of Sneb rocket pods, 30mm ammo, instruction manuals, and spares.
It’s simply outrageous when I think about it now, but one dim pal even had a dump right in the middle of the red ‘X’s on top of a wing. Every safety pin was pulled out of the parked armed aircraft, and together with Sneb rubber gaskets and manuals were taken home to sell or swap at school the next day.
I often wonder what the servicemen thought when they realised so much was missing, how many people we got into trouble, and horrified at the lives we risked.
Strange, we don’t get a mention in this article about the detachment though. Today’s kids seem like little angels….
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%201202.html
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