Hercules, a Thank you

[DX Wombat]

Thank you to the two from Lyneham which flew over Shobdon last Wednesday evening (at the statutory 250'), you gave me the photo I wanted.
Next time do you think you could use the Dead Sea QFE? (and let me know a few days beforehand so I can get down with my camera) :E :E :E
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/DX_Wombat/P1011792.jpg

[c-bert]

Stunning phot.

Herc at night, I like it. :E

[Green Flash]

Just the one big formation light, then?

[Al R]

Christ, he's low. :eek:

[Flap62]

If he was carrying some steel girders in the back, that would be the perfect shot.

[DX Wombat]

Christ, he's low. :) Not low enough for me :E
The single light to the right of the photo is the moon, the smaller group to the left is the second Hercules. I was back in the caravan when the third one came through about an hour later :( having got thoroughly frozen standing next to the grass taxiway waiting for them to arrive. Must have stopped en-route for a bacon buttie. ;)

[airborne_artist]

Night LL is great, but jumping out of Albert in the dark is even better :E I miss it :ok:

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Until you land on your PWC.:ooh:

[Airborne Aircrew]

Night LL is great, but jumping out of Albert in the dark is even better

But the best of all is number one in daylight... All that time to watch the "little model" pass by beneath before you jump... :D

[airborne_artist]

But the best of all is number one in daylight... All that time to watch the "little model" pass by beneath before you jump...

I didn't do a single day jump after I qual'd at Brize, except a balloon jump one summer evening at Hankley Common.

[charliegolf]

jumping out of Albert in the dark is even better

"Only bats and tw@ts........":)

CG

[airborne_artist]

"Only bats and tw@ts........"

Be grateful that some of us (http://www.army.mod.uk/uksf/special_forces_soldier_reserve_/sas/index.htm) are bats (because we can't be the other category)

[BEagle]

"I was back in the caravan"

Ooooooh dear, what an admission! One of these, perchance:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/nw969/Bow_top.jpg

Kushti bok!

[Ken Scott]

As the aircraft in the picture has its landing & taxy lights on then the gear must be down & it's making an approach so the 250 ft MSD is not a player.

[maximo ping]

You'll be wanting to check the rules and regs out old chap...AFAIK it depends on the presence of an Air Trafficer to waive your auth'd msd.:E

[DX Wombat]

Definitely NOT making an approach, the gear wasn't down, it was a beautiful, clear, moonlit night and I was close enough to see - trust me! They trundled gracefully past and turned North.
BEagle, mine's not that colourful or interesting I'm afraid but it serves me well. :ok:

[thorpey]

Gr8 shot of the moon!!

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

DX,

I think you should consider a trip to Specsaver's or Haine and Smith :rolleyes:

[DX Wombat]

Er, a memory transplant might be a better idea. :O :O :O It wasn't you in one of them was it? :)

[OmegaV6]

Well unless they have done some very expensive and time consuming mods to the undercarriage and taxi lights of the "J" model .. the main gear is down ...


:bored:

[Ken Scott]

D X Wombat - sorry, in your picture the lights - landing lamps, taxy lights & wingtip taxy lights - are on, as they would be for landing. The taxy lights are fixed to the main landing gear so they are not visible unless the gear is extended. They may have been carrying out an approach to overshoot at Shobdon.

[DX Wombat]

Thank you Ken. :ok: We usually have a note posted on the notice board at Shobdon saying something along the lines of: "27.9.07, 21:40hrsL, Lyneham, C130 x 2, 250', E - W then turning N." I know the photo isn't wonderful but it is exactly what I wanted. I had somehow blotted out the fact that I had seen the landing gear as knew they were just flying low through the airfield. It took Seldomfitforpurpose's post to jog my memory :O I wouldn't know an early model from a late one, I simply enjoy seeing them and could watch them all day - they are so full of character (and no doubt some characters too) and yet very graceful. I find them remarkably quiet for such a big aircraft. It was such a clear night that I had been able to watch these two approaching from somewhere near Worcester. :) The third one sneaked in about an hour later but hadn't had its intended arrival posted on the board so I wasn't able to get outside in time.

[monkeybumhead]

KS

I think you will find the taxi lights are actually attached to the main U/C doors and not the U/C itself. You are right though when you say the gear has to be down for the lights to be visible. Hope this helps.

MBH

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

MBH,

speaking in anorak/spotter/sad giffer talk

I think you will find the taxi lamps themselves are in fact attached to brackets which themselves are attached to the undercarriage doors..............:rolleyes:

Any more wonderful examples of utter nitpicking are welcome...........I;iiiiiiii thankyou:D

[Green Flash]

Well, to be fair, the lamps are attached to the reflector/lamp holder, which is then attached to .....

[Ken Scott]

MBH: thanks for the correction, I was being rather general in my description. You're right, they are actually attached to the door. Had a look today on my walk round before flying just to be sure.

[Ken Scott]

Giving the aircraft number might compromise the anonymity which I enjoy on this site! Remember, the Thought Police are reading this too - have you not wondered why ABIW no longer posts?

[whiz]

Giving the aircraft number might compromise the anonymity which I enjoy on this site! Remember, the Thought Police are reading this too - have you not wondered why ABIW no longer posts?

You mean your names not Ken and you're not a Scot .... well I'll be buggered !! :rolleyes: