Reminiscing.....

[DelP]

Hi folks,

I'm breaking my own rules by posting after more than a few beers...however..

My old unit, now part of 16th Air Assault..

Click

Derek

[Tonks]

Good video!

[Filonian]

Enjoyed watching that Derek.

Thanks for posting.


Graham

[DaveB]

Don't reminisce Derek.. it's far too painful. I got paid more when I was in the mob and had 3 square meals a day whether I wanted them or not

ATB
DaveB

[ChrisHunt]

Was reminiscing (glad you spelt it first!) also the other day whilst standing around in West Hounslow (as you do)... Looking up at the departing aircraft I was reflecting on the same scene in the late 70s early 80s and how much the traffic density and type has changed since then. Back then 747s were still relatively rare, 707s were common, VC10s and Tridents and even Comets still on the go and not an Airbus to be seen - not forgetting Concorde of course. Everything tended to be smaller, noisier and less frequent.

The biggest change, that I still can't quite get over, are the flocks of parakeets now common in that area (smaller, noisier but becoming more frequent ).

Regards,
Chris

[DaveB]

Had a similar experience last Monday while up at my folks in the Midlands. Me, my dad and brother in law were outside having a natter and every few mins, an aircraft would fly over on descent into Brum and almost every single one was a jet of some description.. the sole exception being a Dash8. I thought back to when I lived there ('73) and in those days, almost every aircraft I'd see would have been a Viscount with the odd F27/B737/1-11 to add variety.

ATB
DaveB

[ianhind]

Chris

Slightly rose-tinted memories for the late 70s .

Being my usual pedantic self, just looked at my spotting logs for 1975-79. From a sample of 438:
Airbus A300 were around then (Air France, Lufthansa, Olympic).
Boeing 727, Boeing 737, DC-9 were plentiful. Tristars and DC-10s to a lesser degree. But Boeing 747 numbers (60) matched the 707s and 727s.
Of course, these were only new sightings, so any VC-10s, Tridents, BAC111 don't get included

For 1970-1974 (from a sample of 619), Boeing 707s are the biggest number (128) with DC-8s, DC-9s, Boeing 727 and Boeing 747 about half that. A300s were just starting to appear, still some Caravelles.

I reckon the comparative quietness of the 747 must have meant that it was not so obvious as the previous generation jets. Although having looked at the "late 60s" data, that could be the era you are remembering - no 747s then!

[DelP]

Don't reminisce Derek.. it's far too painful. I got paid more when I was in the mob and had 3 square meals a day whether I wanted them or not

Didn't have much choice Dave, yesterday was a workmate's 50th so a few of us joined him for a 'lunchtime' ( ) pint...it was more like a British Legion do, we were all ex-Service...he's ex-Royal Green Jackets, there was a submariner, RAF fitter, Marine and myself.....a lot of insults, back-slapping.....and 'pull up a sand-bag, swing the light and I'll tell you a story' moments....

...much like being at work but with added alcohol

There was no hope that we could walk a straight line when done, still feeling a bit fluffy

Chris: Interesting point about the parakeets (Green-necked ) I spotted a couple in Dorset when I was living there a dozen years ago and looked it up...rumour was that they had accidently been released after a film shoot and were suited to the UK climate, originally from Nepal I think

ATB,

Derek

[ChrisHunt]

Hi Derek, not so much rose tinted as grey (mists of time and all that). Having thought about it I do remember that the A300 was flying around then and you are quite right the relative quietness of the 747 (and A300 for that matter) meant that they got overlooked in the RDV index (RDV = Relative Disturbance Value). My affiliations with Hounslow relate to Beavers Lane (10 Sigs at the time) which is now a very large warehouse facility and I remember (with not much fondness I might add) the daily arrival of the first 707 of the day at what felt like an rediculously early time (but probably wasn't youth being what is is and all).

What there definately was though was a good deal more variaty in the winged traffic.

Regards,
Chris