425 Sqn News

I thought we were going to Swynnerton...that's the last time I let you navigate.

Following his transfer from 2415 Sqn, Plt Off Owens has been promoted to the rank of Flt Lt and has taken the post of Commanding Officer 425 Sqn.

Plt Off Owens has transferred in to 425 Sqn from 2415 Sqn and will be taking the CO post very soon. Fg Off Swift will return from 'caretaker' OIC to his post of Sqn Officer and continues as Wing Radio Communications Officer.

Thanks to F Sgt Horobin who organised the event, 11 of 425's cadets, including Cdt Tunnell who was recovering from an appendix op when the photo was taken, were awarded their Basic and Intermediate Swimming Certificates during June 2007.

Following discussions with staff and senior Cadet NCOs, Fg Off Swift had the pleasure of promoting Cadets Perkins and Phillips to Cadet Corporals Perkins and Phillips during June 2007.

Four of 425's cadets who helped with support duties at the 2007 Cosford Air Day had the of meeting Flt Lt Pablo O'Grady, who is an ex-Air Cadet himself and is now Red 7 with the Red Arrows.

8 Cadets and 2 staff from 425 Sqn were part of the team of 30 from Staffordshire Wing who provided assistance to the general public at the event, directing them to the wrong hangar for the toilets for the first couple of hours (yes, the supplied maps were wrong !) and generally helping with other queries.

425 Sqn also provided the Ground Communications radio net for the cadets covering the event.

In addition to that, we also organised part of the recruitment and information display in hangar 4, where Fg Off Swift and CI James was kept very busy showing kids how a Clansman intercom worked...

Cadet teams took part in the First Aid, Modelling, Aircraft Recognition and Target Shooting competitions, and the Squadron came 19th overall out of the 31 Squadrons taking part.

Our best result was Cdt Conway's highly detailed model of a Vietnam-era patrol boat, which came 2nd in its model class.

Well done to everyone who took part, including CI Bates (who had to depart before the photo above was taken) for organising the the models over the last 12 months and F Sgt Horobin for completing the First Aid training, and the cadet comms team for providing support comms - and organising the PA system - for the event.

Three of 425's cadets flew with 633VGS (Volunteer Gliding Squadron) on 6 May and completed a stage in their GIC (Gliding Introductory Course). Unfortunately our 4th cadets allocated a place was unwell and was unable to fly on the day.

Aldridge Beaver group paid the Sqn a visit at the beginning of May, and saw some of the models built by Mr Bates' modelling project cadets.

Ken Cox joined 425 Sqn in 1958 and left as a F/Sgt in Dec 1962. He became a CI in 1963 and then went on to serve as an Adult WO (no Adult Sgts in those days...) for 18 years, where he remained until 2002. After retiring as an Adult Warrant Officer he continued with 425 as a CI until April 2007.

Whenever we go to a public event and meet ex-cadets, Mr Cox is always the first person to be asked about. He has in recent years been our 'Mr Fixit', with a talent to repair just about anything given to him !

He was presented with a few gifts by the Sqn on his retirement, and he has threatened to come back and see us on a regular basis.

425's Cadets took part in the Wing Athletics at Rowley Stadium, Stafford, on 29th April. All cadets who took part did well, with Cdt Horobin being selected to represent Staffordshire in the Inter-Wing Javelin and Shot-Putt.

Over the weekend of 21/22 April 8 cadets (plus 2 external candidates) completed their Gold Practice walks in the Brecon Beacons with CI Corbet. After a bit of a hesitant start due to unexpected closures of footpaths, the team completed the 2-day walks and gained a lot from the experience.

The Gold team would like to record their thanks to Mr Roy Bates, Civcom chairman, for his last-minute offer to drive the minibus and stay away for the weekend due to an unexpected change in CI Halford's weekend plans. Also to Mr Skidmore from Walsall DofE for his assistance.

16 cadets and 3 staff from 425 Sqn attended the Easter Swynnerton Camp, with two cadets entering for the Leadership Course run concurrently with the main camp.

Cadets were split into 8 flights with ~40 cadets in each flight. The flights then rotated around 8 exercises and events over 4 days, including target shooting, bridge building, canoeing / raft building, orienteering, rock climbing, sports, fieldcraft and a radionav / escape and evade exercise.

Sgt Sheppard and Cpl Stone successfully completed the gruelling Leadership Course, with Sgt Sheppard being awarded a special commendation for effort and perseverance.

9 cadets recently spent a day with 8AEF at DCAE Cosford, and they all flew in the ATC's powered aircraft, the Grob Tutor.

Following the resignation of the CO, Flt Lt Timmins and the Sqn Adjutatnt, AWO Timmins, and with Fg Off Hughes moving to live abroad, 425 Sqn has had a few changes in the office...

Fg Off Swift is now OIC (Officer In Charge), with ASgt Dicks becoming the Adjutant.

CI Halford has become Training Officer for the Sqn. Other changes include ASgt Dicks taking responsibility for D&D, CI Bates is now running the NVQ/BTEC qualifications scheme for cadets as well as his modeling and aircraft rec projects, CI Litherland is looking after 1st Class training, CI James has taken on the radio section and CI Smith is developing Fieldcraft training. CIs Halford and Corbett are continuing their excellent DofE training. CI Cox is continuing to provide back-up for the modeling project on a Wednesday evening as well as his much needed work looking after the building and grounds.

Members of the the CivCom have been giving the building and filing cabinets a spring clean...

With the Wing Field Day coming up all staff are going to be very busy over the next few weeks...

Should any parents have any queries on the new arrangements, feel free to call into the office one evening and we will do our best to help.

Cadet Vikki Phillips flew the Air Cadets Vigilant motor glider solo for the first time on Saturday 3 February at 632VGS, RAF Tern Hill. She was awarded her Silver Gliding Wings later in the day.

The first 425 dining-in night for some 16 years took place on 27 January 2006, attended by 80 squadron members, ex-members, Wing staff, parents and guests.

All cadets and parents - please make a note of the following dates for payment of 2007 subs:

3 Jan, 29 Jan, 26 Feb, 26 Mar, 23 Apr, 21 May, 18 Jun, 16 Jul, 13 Aug, 10 Sep, 8 Oct, 5 Nov

Courtesy of our local Morrisons store, 425 finished off 2006 with a bag-pack on Christmas Eve to raise funds for the Squadron.

A group of 425's cadets and two staff members took the opportunity to go target shooting with the Wing Shooting Team and other Sqns at Whittington during December. 4 cadets fired on the 200yd L98 range, and 3 who weren't qualified on the L98, fired on the shorter No 8 rifle range. Some cadets with either no - or very little - shooting experience came very close to achieving a marksman's award.

Four of 425's cadets went gliding at 633 VGS at DCAE Cosford late in November - and had 20 minutes each on GIC 1 and 2 lessons in a Vigilant motor glider.

This is the view the cadets had from the cockpit on the return to the airfield. Can you read the instruments ?

Setpoint Challenge is a bit like Scrapyard Challenge in DPM, where cadets from different Sqns work in flights to solve engineering problems and make things from basic supplies, like paper and glue. Shown above are Cadets Jones and Perkins working on a suspension bridge, with bracings made from A4 paper sheets rolled into tubes, and Conway helping with the build of a model aircraft. The event, attended by nearly every Sqn is Staffordshire Wing, was held in an old storage hangar at MoD Stafford (ex-RAF Stafford) on a chilly Saturday late in November.

On the weekend following Nesscliffe Camp, 425's cadets had a weekend at Beaudesert Camp where they learned about campcraft - packing bergens corectly, lighting fires and using stoves, safe use of cutting tools and their maintenance, shelter building, map reading, how to skin a rabbit and expedition emergency procedures - and as can be seen had time to socialise as well...

On the first night the cadets all slept in tents, on the second night they all slept in their home-made shelters.

Over the weekend of 27 to 29 October, 10 cadets and 3 staff from 425 took part in 'Exercise Custard Cream' at Nesscliffe Training Area, along with 36 cadets from 121, 485, 1046 and 1368 Sqns. Cadets took part in Fieldcraft, Recce, Navigation and Search, Aircrew Rescue and Comms training exercises, and had L98 firing on the range. We lived in Bunker 109 - an old concrete ammunition storage bunker on the training area, and lived on 24-hour ration packs.

The camp was split into 3 flights, with 425's Cdt FS Horobin and Instructor Cdt FS Phillips being selected to run a flight each. ICFS Phillips' flight won the camp inter-flight competition.

Following training with the Wing band, Cadet Woolridge played as part of the Staffordshire Wing band at the Regional Field Day at RAF Cosford, where Staffordshire Wing won the Full Band competition. We believe this is the first time a 425 cadet has played for the Wing in a Regional competition.

She has now been selected for a week's camp at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus as part of the Corps Band.

Late note: Cdt Woolridge has now returned from RAF Akrotiri. Watch this space for a report and photos...

425's Civcom organised a car wash at Senior Car and Van Rental during September to raise funds for the Squadron. Cadets turned out in force in their new 425 Sqn polo shirts, armed with buckets and sponges, and set to work.

Above is our Sqn treasurer, or is that Sqn treasure (the young lady on the left), treating some of the cadets to a well-earned break.

At July's RIAT Air Display there were over 490 Air Cadets and 100 staff operating in 35 separate teams working 'behind the scenes'. Due to the size of the RAF Fairford airfield and surrounding area the only practical way to keep in touch with the teams' progress, answer queries and allocate new tasks was by using a dedicated radio net.

Cadet Moyse from 425 Sqn, seen above with Cadet Cpl Orvis from (73) Huntingdon Sqn, was selected to work as part of the team of 6 radio operators who controlled the net from the Air Cadet Control tent on the airfield, working in shifts to keep the station on the air for up to 14 hours each day over 7 days.

Verdict ? 'An absolutely amazing week...definitely want to go again next year...'

Cadet Sergeant Horobin was promoted to Cadet Flight Sergeant at the Sqn HQ during July 2006

With temperatures hovering around the 30's, 425's Silver D of E group take a well-earned break during their successful 3-day expedition in the Black Mountains.

425's Instructor Cadet Warrant Officer Swift flew the ATC Vigilant motor glider display at the start of this year's Cosford Air Day. He was also interviewed by TV's Central News and by the Radio Cosford reporter. More information will appear in the next issue of the Staffordshire Wing Herald.

At the same event a number of 425's cadet radio ops, along with 30 cadets from 4 other Squadrons, provided ground communications cover for the event.

425'S cadets competed in the 2006 Wing Field Day competition along with the other 30 Squadrons in Staffordshire Wing. We had a 3rd-place plastic scale model (see below), came 4th out of 31 in First Aid, and scored well in the Target Shooting, Aircraft Recognition and Modelling competitions. The team achieved the best overall result for the Squadron for a number of years.

Cdt Sgt Horobin and Cdt MacDonald have been awarded Wing Blues and tapes for representing Staffordshire Wing in the recent Regional hockey competition.

425's team, seen above, took part in the Staffordshire Wing athletics competition on a very wet day in May.

They performed very well, achieving placings in a number of events including javelin, discus and the relay. They
were all a credit to the squadron!

7 of 425's cadets completed their practice Silver Dof E expedition in Wales during April 2006.

14 of 425's cadets took part in Exercise Acorn - a 24-hour (well, nearly...) sponsored radio operating exercise over the 31 Mar / 1 Apr weekend along with 18 other cadet radio stations across the country.

The exercise was conceived and run by 425's cadet radio ops to raise funds for Acorns Childrens Hospice.

Well done to all cadets who took part...and to those who have raised sponsorship money. Thanks !

Cadet Flt Sgt Swift was presented with his Cadet Warrant Officer appointment at the Wing Presentation Evening in March 2006

Six of 425's cadets were invited by the Aldridge Lions to carry international flags into the opening ceremony at their International Convention held recently in Walsall, and were more than pleased to help.

Instructor Cadet Sergeant P was promoted to Instructor Cadet Flight Sergeant at the Sqn HQ during March 2006

One of 425's cadets spent a week's work experience with the Hangar Training Flight (HTF) at the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering (DCAE) Cosford recently.

She worked on the Jaguar GR1, and helped with an engine change. She also visited the avionics section, and was able to talk to the pilots at the University of Birmingham Air Squadron - UBAS - which is also based at Cosford.

Following the visit she has decided to look further into a career as an engineer in the RAF, and would like to thank everyone involved for their help.

On a freezing December day in 2005, four cadets tried to get three staff members lost on Cannock Chase. Fortunately they failed, which means that the map reading training is working !!

The above cadets have been promoted during November 2005 - four to Cadet Corporal, and two to Cadet Sergeant