RAF to the Rescue

[Pete]

Besides fighting major wars and the conduct of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance are among the military's core missions. As Churchill said of the RAF during the Blitz, "Never in the field of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few."

Whisky could be stored at RAF base

Aberdeen Press and Journal
Scotland, UK
Published: 12/01/2010

THE RAF was ready last night to fly to the rescue of millions of gallons of whisky stored under snow-damaged warehouse roofs.

William Grant is considering transferring casks from three huge warehouses whose roofs have suffered damage from unprecedented snowfalls to spare hangar space at RAF Kinloss in Moray. Talks have still to take place between the company, which distills, processes and stores the famous Glenfiddich and Balvenie malts and other whiskies at Dufftown, and the base.

An RAF spokeswoman confirmed last night it had been approached as a possible site for storing of casks of whisky. She said: “We have been approached and I believe we do have some space available if it is needed and if we can come to some arrangement, but at the moment it is only a potential solution.”

A spokesman for William Grant said the roofs of three warehouses at the complex had suffered damage but there is no immediate threat to their valuable contents.

He said: “We are looking for potential storage space, but we are still at the early stages looking at contingencies.”

He said discussions were under way with Moray Council, and customs and excise would need to approve the transfer of bonded goods to another site.

[Commando Spirit]

Ironic that the RAF will fly to the rescue of Whiskey and yet they often drop us in the wrong place and refuse to fly if there's a cloud in the sky....!? Makes you wonder hey...

[davidbfpo]

Ironic that the RAF will fly to the rescue of Whiskey and yet they often drop us in the wrong place and refuse to fly if there's a cloud in the sky....!? Makes you wonder hey...

CS,

Clearly you unaware that the RAF is meeting a HMG requirement for 'income generation', so beloved of the (UK) civil public sector. They store the whisky and charge for the facility or refuse to release it till paid even more.

Small, practical snag IIRC HM Customs have to licence such bonded warehouses and as "joined government" is so difficult - it will not happen quickly.

Isn't RAF Kinloss under threat of closure?

[Kiwigrunt]

Isn't RAF Kinloss under threat of closure?

Maybe that's why they want the Whiskey...

[Commando Spirit]

Thanks BFPODave - I am very aware of the income generation piece!! Perhaps we should just sell the RAF, how much would that bring into the coffers?