The role of the UC Rating in the A/S Wessex...

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
CharlieOneSix
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5004
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:58 pm
Location: NE Scotland
Gender:
Age: 79

The role of the UC Rating in the A/S Wessex...

#1 Post by CharlieOneSix » Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:37 am

For those not in the know, in days of yore the crew of an anti-submarine role Wessex consisted of an Observer - Navy parlance for Navigator, and alongside him was the UC rating who operated the sonar, plus two pilots up front. 815 Squadron flew with the Guinness Harp emblem on the side of the Wessex - that relates to the Squadron's time based at Ballykelly, Northern Ireland, in 1958/59 when their steed was the Whirlwind helicopter and reflects the relationship the Squadron had with the Guinness brand at that time!

The snippet below dates from around 1961 when 815 was the first A/S Squadron to form with the Wessex and perfectly describes the role of the UC rating :D ..........The harp was present at our final reunion in 2016.
815 Harp.jpeg
815 Harp.jpeg (100.12 KiB) Viewed 565 times
815 Wessex-HAS1.jpg
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org

Boac
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17205
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:12 pm
Location: Here

Re: The role of the UC Rating in the A/S Wessex...

#2 Post by Boac » Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:47 am

C16 - excellent. That's a very big sonar buoy in pic2.

G-CPTN
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 7593
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 11:22 pm
Location: Tynedale
Gender:
Age: 79

Re: The role of the UC Rating in the A/S Wessex...

#3 Post by G-CPTN » Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:52 am

An acquaintance (with cockney connections as well as Irish experience) referred to 'an aristotle of strings' - meaning a bottle of Guinness.

User avatar
CharlieOneSix
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5004
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:58 pm
Location: NE Scotland
Gender:
Age: 79

Re: The role of the UC Rating in the A/S Wessex...

#4 Post by CharlieOneSix » Thu Jul 23, 2020 2:47 pm

Boac wrote:
Thu Jul 23, 2020 10:47 am
C16 - excellent. That's a very big sonar buoy in pic2.
Ha! Never thought of it like that! :)) The model is 16 inches long, rotor tip to tail rotor tip. Superbly made for me a few years ago in solid wood and handpainted - no transfers - by Nice Airplanes http://niceairplanes.com/Home_Page.html. Warning: the connection is shown as not secure but I haven't had a problem with it. Helicopters, Lightning, Harrier, all around £180 plus postage. No standard model - just tell them what you want in terms of external equipment and livery - I sent photos.
The helicopter pilots' mantra: If it hasn't gone wrong then it's just about to...
https://www.glenbervie-weather.org

Boac
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17205
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:12 pm
Location: Here

Re: The role of the UC Rating in the A/S Wessex...

#5 Post by Boac » Thu Jul 23, 2020 3:16 pm

They look cracking models, C

User avatar
TheGreenGoblin
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 17596
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2019 11:02 pm
Location: With the Water People near Trappist-1

Re: The role of the UC Rating in the A/S Wessex...

#6 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Thu Jul 23, 2020 11:32 pm

The helicopter and the UR as a kind of reverse Siren! A most imaginative notion. Luring submariners with dulcimers and harps, whatever next?
Though you remain
Convinced
"To be alive
You must have somewhere
To go
Your destination remains
Elusive."

User avatar
FD2
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 5110
Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2015 10:11 pm
Location: New Zealand
Gender:
Age: 76

Re: The role of the UC Rating in the A/S Wessex...

#7 Post by FD2 » Sat Jul 25, 2020 6:00 am

Thanks C16 - what an amazing selection of models they've made. Great joke - was the newspaper printed on the 1st April ?!

Someone gave me an S76, probably made by the same people, which was in the Air Horrid Harrod colour scheme but looks much better now I've repainted it in Bristow colours!

Post Reply