We can but dream

[hulahoop7]

LiveLeak.com - HUGE Helicopter Assault Returning from Mission in Mosul (http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=970_1242527130)

[GPMG]

What a shame they had to put some crap music over the real sound.

Very impressive to see though.

[Saintsman]

Hope the guy in front knew where he was going...

Many years ago I was at Manston when lots of US helicopters came in for customs clearance on route to an exercise. They were supposed to be staging through all afternoon but they were held up in fog on the other side of the channel. When the fog cleared they all came at once. That was an impressive site, especially stood in the middle of them as they came in and trying to find somewhere to park them.

[taxydual]

"Join, 26 Left, 28 in. QFE 1024"

[Heywood Djablowme]

I'll admit to knowing nothing at all about helicopters so forgive me; is it just the camera angle or is there really no formation geometry there at all?

How do you lead that mess?

[green granite]

Do they have brake lights so they know the one in front is slowing down. :hmm::)

[Torque Tonight]

F my old boots - that's a package! Imagine the formation checkin for that lot!

[barnstormer1968]

Wow.
I know the British like the idea of "show of force" flights, but I have to say that if I saw this coming for me (and I was a baddy) then I would be running very fast and not looking back by the time I'd seen the first half of the formation.:}

(Yes I realise they are U.S. aircraft)

[seanbean]

Pure rotary porn.....

[blah blah blah]

Formation becomes clear in the shot with all the people. Each element shows up pretty clearly.

[Trojan1981]

Shades of Vietnam? Maybe even the same result...

[Hilife]

A preview of post FMH JHC one would hope.

[Wwyvern]

Large formation check-ins (checks-in?) are no problem. When we darkened the skies of Northern Ireland in the early 70s with a five-ship formation (a Holiday Maker, perhaps), we thought to liven the day and recognise our location by going as "Spud Formation".

Yes, "Spud Formation Check-in" was replied to by "One Potato, two Potato, three Potato, four". A rather grumpy ATC voice said, "Station calling Aldergrove, say again". Sheepish Leader said, "Red Section of five helicopters to taxi."

Also remembered was the inbound call to Aldergrove, "Knuts Corner, inbound, etc". The local ATC didn't respond if this unecessarily long call was reduced to "Nuts to you."

[Been There...]

I know nothing of the specific operation and specifically when they joined up; yes it looks impressive, but tactically what a load of crap. I would have hate to have been tail-end charlie for something like that!!

[Roadster280]

How many Wokkas could Odiham put up at once?

Closest I ever saw was an entire AAC regt (Lynx & Gazelle) who turned up for an ex en masse at NZF on SPTA. I have no idea whether it was planned this way, but they all appeared from behind a tree line together. It was quite surreal at the time, like something from Apocalypse Now.

[Tiger16]

Back in NI, 5 Regt AAC flew about a 15-ship formation a couple of years ago. Rumour has it that this was the only occasion on which more than 2 Lynxes have been serviceable simultaneously!

[Senior Pilot]

50+ "Balbo" fly past used to be the norm at Culdrose Air Days in the 70's, not counting the fixed wing stragglers.

I'll resist the temptation to say "those were the days" ;)

[hulahoop7]

With Merlin chalked in for Stan we might (if you count Apaches) see it break into the teens.

[GreenKnight121]

Don't worry... you'll soon be able to buy brand-new CH-47Fs from Italy.

[MightyGem]

50+
Is that all. We used to have 90+ helos in the Massed Approaches at the old Wallop Airshows.

[Sloppy Link]

And THAT was 'kin scary! Many a tale of OMG in the survivors bar.

[minigundiplomat]

Last big formation from Odiham was in 2004, when we launched a 10 ship for Ex Eagles Eye, and moved the BG from Keevil to Wet Through via Carlisle.

Seriously though, if you had any weapon from a catapult to a RPG you would be hard pressed to miss hitting something in Mosul that day.

Not a lot of tactics going on.

[taxydual]

MGD. Good point.

[spiney01]

Back at Odiham , 1978, change of Stn Cdr, the whole wing got airbourne - 33 Sqn Pumas
72 Sqn Wessex
230 Sqn Pumas
240 OCU Pumas and Wessex

Something like 40/45 aircraft. It took us an hour and a quarter to form up and do a WIIIDE circuit. Noise Complaints? Zero.

Germany, 1983, Major September Reforger exercise, the whole RAF SH force, including 72 over from NI, every serviceable heli in AAC BAOR, two squadrons of German CH 53's, 2 squadrons of German Hueys, and a regiment of US Army Cobras. Impressive. No massed brief, just the normal end of exercise do-or-die against the Weser and canal bridges, the whole damned gaggle at 50 - 100ft across the North German Plain. I'd loved to have seen it from the ground.

[Tourist]

Spiney.

I'm sorry, but I dont believe that the OCU had 240 Pumas and Wessex.
And some of the other figures sound unlikely also.

[Hyper12]

If you were the enemy at that point i think most people would run away or get the white flag out:sad:

[John Eacott]

Re the Culdrose Air Days, and a few of the aircraft that used to take part. These are just the home based Squadrons in 1975 :cool:

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3051-2/CU+air+day+02.jpg

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3054-2/CU+air+day+06.jpg

Cr@p scans, they're on the list to scan again: along with a few thousand others ;)

[BEagle]

Ginos, a Bucc and a Sea Prance 7-ship. Them were 't days....:ok:

Oh - and a few ugly, clattering gravity-defiers as well....

[John Eacott]

And a 4 ship F-104G display, Draken, Lightning, Tin Triangle, and drinks on the crewroom balcony :cool:

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3057-2/CU+air+day+04.jpg

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3060-2/CU+air+day+01.jpg




But I may be going OT ;)

[BEagle]

As well as both a 'Vixen and a Sea Hawk (in front of the hangar)!

The real FAA...:ok:

[John Eacott]

As long as we're OT....... :ok:


http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3061-1/F104Gs01.jpg


http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3065-2/Lightning+CU+01.jpg


http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/3068-2/Lightning+CU+02.jpg

[BEagle]

Tragically, that Lightning F Mk 3 (XP753) was the aircraft which crashed at Scarborough in 1983, killing the pilot.

[West Coast]

The real FAA...

FAA.gov

Just saying...

[BEagle]

Fleet Air Arm - term first introduced by the Admiralty in 1924, although the Royal Navy had an Air Service for many years before then. FAA finally under Admiralty control again in 1938.

US Federal Aviation Administration - formed on 23 Aug 1958.