…... somewhere to the west a front was threatening so the Pickwickian-type Met Man said, and the remainder of the countryside suffered low visibility, snow and ice-bound airfields - all this when Tangmere was 'green' and gin clear. Thus it was on Monday morning that four weary pilots arrived at the Squadron at an hour when even the early worms were still in bed and proceeded to plan to fly the Continental route to Birmingham, Norwich and base. "Must be airborne by 8:30" muttered Moose, diddling his Dalton and sweating over the flight plan, by 8:15 all was ready when John Barwell announced that diversions were Manston and St Mawgan and it was necessary to re-plan for the Manston - Land's End and back and back and back and base route - exit Moose cursing.

Publicity came to the Squadron on Tuesday when the Air Ministry photographer, Mike Chase, Air Ministry Publicity man and the 'Flight' photographer came to picture the shining new machines and the men wot flies them. Little flying was done apart from a seven formation and the formation aerobatic team. In the evening there was a small drink in the bar followed by a sortie to the Lion House.

Wednesday started off well although the Met Man said there was a threat of snow but it was only slight and that there was no trouble over aviation. Met men being what they are it is hardly surprising that by lunch time the game was definitely 'on'. Some folk on a nav trip had ventured north of Hadrian's Wall when snow started to fall at Tangmere and Graham and Steve were diverted to Waterbeach for the night; the third member of the party was Don Brimms who discovered a fuel transfer failure and had to divert to Silloth where he dropped his droppers bent the pitot tube in so doing and ended up a small twitching heap. At base panic-supreme reigned and everyone who considered himself a wheel in any capacity was up in the tower helping to sort things out.

With most people away being diverted or talking about diversions and many others making like vigorous men of sport those few folk left in the crewroom decided that time could be spent in other ways and disappeared unheeded.

The dreaded booster-pump lurgi struck during the week , at the start of the week it had been noticed once or twice but by the middle of the week booster followed booster with winking amber light - everyone who was anyone had to have a pump failure to be someone; it was the done thing. By Friday night it had been discovered that the wrong type of pumps had been installed and that they would all have to be changed. To do this extra airmen were called in from Odiham and work was done all over the weekend.

Since the 208th started at Tangmere Aged Ray Offord has been quietly hogging the hours in the equally aged of appearance Anson; one of the few qualified drivers airframe Anson

Ch 1 - Tangmere 14

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