Seasonal Message from Bob Graffham
Have a Good Festive season and whilst enjoying traditional fare in the typical traditional climes!
Think of we poor folks in the Antipodes, who have to suffer scorching hot sun and high temperatures whilst forcing down, Turkey, Roast Spuds, Brussels, Carrots, Rich Gravy and Cranberry Sauce! Lobster, Prawns, Crabs (No not them RAFie Types). Ham, Ice Cream, Cold Ale, Cold Beer, Champagne, Cold Crisp White Wine, (Not Cold) Red Wine, Cold Cider, Rum, Whiskey, Port and "Panadol" ! And that's just for Breakfast!
I did
manage to get the tree up
but it was touch and go with nobody to help me
empty the "green stems"!
I was able to Buy the Boys a Brand New GPS each for only $699 ?
Sorry that was $6.99 of course
(No Batteries needed)
Thinking of you all
Bob Graffham
30 Year rule declassification
BY Bob Graffham
Well here we are, that time of year again when the old 30 year rule allows
previously secret government info to be released. Many like me would have
read recently of the crisis that Jim Callaghan's government had UK
in with respect to the Cold War in the mid-late 70s, especially the shortage
of ammunition for the RAF interceptor fighters and the "two shot" limit
for air defence missile batteries!
We've all seen the pictures of 43 Sqdn Phantom jets shadowing Soviet TU-142
bombers as they always strayed into our airspace to tease us. It worked in
the early 70s when RN Phantoms shared these duties with 892 Sqdn being based
at Leauchars when not on Ark Royal. Which clearly showed that it was the
RN that put the fear up the Soviets !!
Unbeknown to many? But now I am able to release that it was we Missile Aimers of 829 Sqdn in our Wasp helicopters that took over the main role once Ark had retired!
Who do you think took all those photo's of the Soviet Bombers being shadowed by the Phantom? Yes folks, all taken by we crewies on our trusty Hasselblad cameras (remember them?) as we raced alongside armed to the teeth with SS11 missiles attached! We didn't need the longer range AS12 as it was decided that the visual presence of a Navy Wasp with our fearsome Aircrewman peering through the sight was enough to send every Ivan at a gun portal running to the front of that Bear/Bison for his life!
Due to the cost of ammunition we thus used those SS11s and with dummy warheads
on too! Our instructions were to race up behind and send one of our trusty
missiles straight into the the back of one of those Turbo-props or tailpipes
and send Ivan to an immediate annual water egress training sortie below!
The other advantage of dummy warheads was, that we could score a success
with a ricochet off of the airframe without fear of blowing the missile to
smithereens prematurely!
There we are folks! Don't forget that you heard it here first and, for those
sceptics of you that I hear saying "And Pigs Might Fly"! Well just
remember that we Crewmen might have done 99% of the work on board but there
was one at the flying controls doing as we bloody well told him!
Bob Graffham