RAF Woodvale Broken Into

[Mark Nine]

For those that rolled their eyes when the West Midlands police helicopter was attacked at Birmingham Airport.
BBC NEWS | UK | England | Merseyside | Police pursue helicopter vandals (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8300873.stm)

[DrinkGirls]

Liverpool Echo.co.uk - News - Liverpool Local News - Police helicopter attacked at RAF Woodvale (http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2009/10/10/police-helicopter-attacked-at-raf-woodvale-100252-24898625/)

This is mentioned on Rotorheads forum as well. Seems a 4x4 drove on to the back of the airfield and exited 'through' the main barrier. Luckily(Joke!) they were after the rozzers, not the UAS's.

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

I suspect that the RAF Woodvale guarding regime is likely to be under review.

Duncs:ok:

[CarltonBrowne the FO]

This seems like a comparatively determined attempt to destroy or disable the police helo, rather than mere vandalism.

[6Z3]

I'm reminded of the time (was anyone else there?) at Woodvale , when a crowd of us was watching Top of the Pops one early evening, when a couple of chaps in overalls knocked on the TV room door, entered, apologised for the inconvenience, but explained that the TV had to go back to the shop for a minor fix, to be returned in the next couple of days. We all watched with mild annoyance, which was soon forgotten when the senior officer present used it as an excuse to open the bar half an hour earlier.

It was some weeks later when someone noted that the TV had been missing a long time for just a minor repair, when it was discovered to have been half hitched!!

Such was the security of Woodvale in the early 70's.

Looks like things haven't changed, 'cept I see from Google Earth that Victor, Valiant and Vulcan blocks have gone.
(ooh, afterthought.... the happy memories of those peanut blocks with all sorts of shennanigans with ladies from IMMarsh (sp) and other colleges around the area coming to our weekly thrashes in the Mess.


The pleasures of UAS's, are they still the same?

[teeteringhead]

.... someone with a grudge against jayteeto??;)

[jayteeto]

I wasn't on shift!! The crew did really well, big well dones all around.

[MightyGem]

comparatively determined attempt
It was a bit more than that!

[mally35]

Mighty Gem. Just out of interest where were the crew at the time of the attack?

[MightyGem]

Mighty Gem. Just out of interest where were the crew at the time of the attack?
Mixing it with the attackers.

[SilsoeSid]

mally35Mighty Gem. Just out of interest where were the crew at the time of the attack?

MightyGem
Mixing it with the attackers.

So there Mally!
Don't know what your agenda was with that remark, but go crawl back into your little hole!

[VinRouge]

I hope they took on their scooby with a cricket bat.. if you didnt get chance to get them with it.

[Mechta]

Having recently had our local plod chopper move into our local RAF airfield, for some extra protection, how are they going to protect it now, given the efforts that the neerdowells appear to be willing go to, to disable them?

The SAS proved how easy it was to destroy aircraft on the ground in North Africa, 65+ years ago, all the time that the attacker has the element of surprise. The boys & girls manning the plastic drainpipe lifting barrier won't stop much with their SA80 peashooters if the attacking 4x4 is protected with some well placed sandbags and armoured panels.

Maybe the Normans had the right idea and the helicopter will need a moat round it, or it will have to 'nest' on top of a tall building? :O

[PPRuNeUser0211]

Indeed mechta, if the oiks in question are just going after the helicopter, the L85's dont enter the equation. What the guys on the gate need is a big stick! (Or perhaps a dog...)

[VinRouge]

I actually support the Protection dog idea. Perhaps we could use a couple that have just come back from the Stan?

Or are protection dogs classed as an offensive weapon?

There is something psycological about an angry german shepard with bared teeth bounding towards you that focusses the mind.

IF the tossers shoot the dog, I would say you have ample rights to use the rifle on them. It could be you next.

[Mechta]

Having had a think overnight how easily one might disable the plod chopper, here's a low risk approach. Naturally, one has no desire to get shot/injured/do porridge, so its slightly more high tech than would be required.

1. Fake a temporary 'unescorted' pass
2. Drive crash vehicle onto camp & park it up in one of the 'long term car parks'
3. Return to camp with 'getaway' vehicle (could be a bicycle)
4. Wait until its dark
5. Move crash vehicle to within sight of target
6. Position oneself in sight of target
7. Using previously installed remote control (easy with electric power steering and automatic transmission - they do it on Top/Fifth Gear all the time) drive crash vehicle as fast as possible into cockpit of helicopter.
8. Make escape in a slow, orderly fashion on bicycle in resulting confusion.

No heroics needed ramming barriers getting into the camp, no getting shot at, no raising the alarm before the crash vehicle is on final run in, so hopefully no porridge!:E

How long before we see Police helicopters parked in revetments, or even hardened aircraft shelters?:eek:

[jayteeto]

Mighty Gem has his hands tied a little in that he can't really tell 'everything' that happened (yet). To all the police and security bashers out there, there is no way on heaven or earth that the aircrew could be criticised. In fact I hope that they get a commendation for their reaction, they did not lose in single second in their robust and determined protection of the aircraft. :ok:
Just remember the security at Greenham Common was vast, the protesters still regularly got in. The security guys at Woodvale do the very best they can with the assets available.:ouch:

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

Mechta,

Are you mental?:confused:

Duncs:ok:

[Mechta]

Duncan DS, Am I mental? I hope not, but I do wonder about the people who buy our law enforcers helicopters, put programmes on the TV every night to show how effective they are against the lowlifes, yet:

1 Fail to have the foresight to see that these same lowlifes have an awful lot to gain by destroying these helicopters.

2. Fail to take reasonable precautions to protect them (and this is no slur against those on the ground who currently guard them).

I ask myself who insures these aircraft? With at least three vandalised now, the premiums must be astronomical; Or do the Police self-insure? Either way it is Joe Council Tax-Payer picking up the bill (:\no pun intended).

We now appear to have a class of aircraft which is at less risk when in the air than parked up on the ground.

[chevvron]

I still say there must be hundreds of retired Ghurkas in the country who would be only too willing to form a security force to protect these (and ambulance helicopters too - they won't be immune from your average imbecilic vandal with an IQ of 2). And guarding these assets, they should be authorised to carry their Kukris.

[Mechta]

Chevvron, From what I have seen, your good idea has recently been put into practice:ok:, although I have yet to see any evidence of kukris. Whether the primary motivation was as a cost and manpower saving exercise, or as a way of getting experienced (ex?)servicemen on guard duty, I don't know. What their chances would be against a surprise attack by eight or so thugs with firearms, if the ghurkas are unarmed, one can only speculate.:uhoh:

The standard response from Chief Constables, at the non-availability of their helicopter is, 'Cover will be maintained by the helicopters from neighbouring constabularies'. In this case, an exercise by the people who specialise in such things:cool:, to demonstrate the ease with which, say, five police helicopters across adjoining counties could be disabled simultaneously, could be the wake up call that is needed to get the helicopters the level of protection which their effectiveness against criminals demands.

[SilsoeSid]

Hi Mechta,

...get the helicopters the level of protection which their effectiveness against criminals demands.

Of course all that is needed is protection along the lines of Khe Sahn, Camp Bastion, Crossmaglen, Bessbrook etc
Why can't everyone else see it the way you do?

Because they have their reality cereal for breakfast each morning along with that nice smelling coffee!

Sleep safe,
Silsoesnapper


p.s. Do you have fridge magnets on your planet?

[SilsoeSid]

Mechta;
...I do wonder about the people who buy our law enforcers helicopters, put programmes on the TV every night to show how effective they are against the lowlifes...

Isn't it ironic that both Merseyside and W.Mids are the 2 forces that have shunned these TV shows?

Clearly a little knowledge goes a long way Mechta, let us know when you leave our solar system :p

[SilsoeSid]

Something strange going on then airpolizei,

Merseyside don't feature on the Chopper Coppers production list!
BFI | Film & TV Database | CHOPPER COPPERS (http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/32110)

But if that's what you saw...and it was in colour...it must have been so!


And if it was so, I hardly think that the attack was made to prevent further adventures into the delicate and precise art of Curry eating!

[SilsoeSid]

but I recall Merseyside featuing in Chopper Coppers.
Mmmm (http://www.merseyside.police.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1551)

Chopper Coppers was made in 1999,

The Merseyside 135 was delivered to the Air Support group on 16 August 2002, becoming fully operational on the 29 August 2002.

Bonus for the baddies then.

Based on the old footage of the Squirrel you refer to, they managed to disable aircraft with much better kit on board. :rolleyes:



Along the lines of your car boot tale... I once found myself in Berlin Tegel to pick up the General +1 and take them to an ex location in Poland.
Having to get into the terminal to meet Gen. from his flight, I had security problems with the aircrew survival knife attached to my combat trouser leg. After a short period of discussion and examination I happily left it at the desk to be collected when on the way back to my aircraft.

The same security conscious desk jockey, after returning the knife, then gave us a hard time getting airside as the Gen +1 didn't have 'sufficient ID.

However, the situation was rapidly resolved when he noticed the pistol, on open view on my LCJ, attached around my neck with a pretty obvious light coloured lanyard and we were hastily ushered to the ac before the security boss returned.

We then launched into the night and Polish airspace...and that as they say became a different adventure! :eek:

[diginagain]

they managed to disable aircraft with much better kit on board.

Didn't JC manage to disable a Merseyside Squirrel with a loose cowling?:}

[diginagain]

Here we are, at least ten years down the line and I've still not flown with many guys as professional as JC. If I ever cross over to the dark side, I'd want JC to teach me how. He is the master of all things rotary.

Couldn't agree more. Not bad for a former Monkey.:ok:

[diginagain]

Our friend was 'working-up' his display as I was attending Lynx Conversion, and I was invited to see the move from the inside; unfortunately the DS wouldn't let me.

A nicer bloke you couldn't hope to meet.

[MightyGem]

airpolice, who I obviously must know, but don't, is correct. Merseyside did feature in Ch5's "Chopper Coppers" series, with our 135. I was there at the time. :cool:

[a346driver]

I remember a certain pilot driving a bulldozer into the mast by the Mess and
another rolling his lovely Lancia Beta on the runway.
The only danger then was from inside the wire!