The memoir with details of military career progression, aircraft maintenance work, and training in England for the 748 aircraft.
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What the page says
I never actually finished the boat myself. I had done a lot of work on it but then it became obvious I couldn't finish it. I couldn't put the engine in, couldn't afford to. It was an inboard. So I decided to put it up for sale and sold it on the proviso I be present on the day of launch, but I didn't oblige. I saw it with the engine installed shortly before launch day but that was the only time.
When I started the job in Sale I found myself taking over a sargeant's duties. I was virtually signing C Servicing repairs, which put me in a position where I was acting above where I was ranked. I got paid for that duty though!
Next I got moved down to the Vampire areas. After a short time there I was signing for major repairs; this was a big responsibility. I got paid for that again. The Air Force got a new aircraft I was hoping to go on that but apparently they were holding me back for the 748 which I went away for in 1988 for training in England. I went alone for a relatively short time of about three or four months. However, things all came unstuck. In the end they brought another bloke back urgently and we met the first aircraft coming into Sale. We virtually set up the flight line into East Sale. We saw another one in and then I was requested back to England for a flight to bring an aircraft back. I was with a corporal engine fitter and we were to do the electrical engineering which we were trained for.
A group of us went to England; things didn't work out very well there. There was a hold-up when there was damage done on the aircraft during production. An argument erupted between my squadron leader and their engineers that it should be repaired but it never happened. I was on record as saying it was a 'rough repair' and I still say that today that it was a rough repair. I was over-ruled, fair enough, that's the way the system should work. As far as I know it never blew out. I'm probably stricter on that sort of thing because I came from the manufacturing side and knew what it should be.
People: Derek
Places: Sale, East Sale, England
Interesting facts
The HS748. A British twin turboprop bought by the RAAF as a navigation trainer and VIP transport. Australia sent its crews and tradesmen to the Hawker Siddeley factory at Manchester to learn it, which is how a Gippsland posting produced a trip to England.