Muharraq

Here we have a typical refuelling scene as two aircraft are 'turned-round' for the next sortie. The conditions are hot, humid and hazy. The ground crew working in shorts only, are only too happy to get back to their air-conditioned crew-room if they can, before the next job. The Hunter line, on the airfield perimeter, is surrounded by barbed wire. The hangar, in front of which Squadron buildings are in the process of construction, house aircraft needing repair work or servicing which cannot be completed on the line.

Sharjah

Our frequent detachments to Sharjah are almost entirely for live weaponry practice. Here Hammy Armstrong and I are returning from a sweaty session on the range with 3-inch rockets and front guns. Stefan Kawowski, our ever-ready camera man happened to be up the runway to film our take-off. It was a pity that he 'fell over' just after taking the photo below! F-Foxtrot, incidentally, was my own aircraft and a fine bird she was too! Sharjah's runway incidentally is only half as wide as Muharraq and pairs take-offs are flown that bit more keenly!

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Almost all training involves at least one pair of aircraft. Consequently, we get plenty of practice at pairs take-offs. A somewhat exaggerated tactical take-off here, by self, enabled me to include a 'visit' to the Squadron's line hut - just to remind them that they had put another Hunter in the air! I should have remembered at the time that this sort of thing is 'not on' with rockets on board!

208 Squadron 1965-67 (08)

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