Bye Bye Klassic

[downsizer]

So the K is to be put down at the end of October, no more extensions according to the latest IBN...

What will all the Eng and Nav mafias do now...??:{:{:{

[charliegolf]

What will all the Eng and Nav mafias do now..

Join Pprune like the rest of us:ok:

CG

[smujsmith]

I suspect they either, hope to be re allocated to another aircraft, or, moved to a training role, or, remuster to another trade, or, take the money and head for civvy street. Whatever choice you make Gentlemen, I for one salute your service, respect your feelings and, wish you all the best for the future.

Smudge

[NutLoose]

Are they having a farewell bash for all ex Ten guys?

[downsizer]

Are they having a farewell bash for all ex Ten guys?

Maybe, but this thread is about Hercs....:ooh:

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

If you combined the farewell bashes for the three Brize types which are going out of service shortly, it would be a hell of a party!

[NutLoose]

Now that's an idea :E

[smujsmith]

I, probably like many, assumed we were talking about the venerable C130K, however, there are indeed a couple of 'Ks' about to retire. I can only go on experience from GW1, but, as part of a two man GE team allocated to see all C130 traffic through, bumping in to a two man VC10 GE team in the mess bar. We agreed a 12 on 12 off shift. One of each aircraft with the qualified man leading. Never worked in any team with more vim and vigour during my whole time in the service. I will always extract the urine from VC10 GE's, I would never disrespect either their commitment nor professionalism.

Nos tutus Vos quisnam super ut receptum

Smudge

PS Boys, if you organise it, they will come.

[Tankertrashnav]

Am I right in saying the NATO reporting name for the IL 62 (the VC10 lookalike) was 'Classic'?

Don't suppose there are many, if any, of those still around?

[ksimboy]

Farewell bash to all 3 retiring types is a fantastic idea. Sadly I doubt the powers that be at the " AT Super Hub" would allow it as it may be seen as a bonding effort by crews both ground and air , and that would not be seen as good for morale amongst the fun detectors!

[Rhino power]

Am I right in saying the NATO reporting name for the IL 62 (the VC10 lookalike) was 'Classic'?

Don't suppose there are many, if any, of those still around?

It certainly was/is called the 'classic', still some floating about too, mainly Government/Military use...

-RP

[Jaysi]

Hate to be spotter-ish...but an Air Koryu (N Korea) Classic departed Bangkok's Suvranabhumi airport 2 weeks ago; flew over my golf hole. Google assisted with the airline id....noisy...as you'd expect

[Ken Scott]

Farewell bash to all 3 retiring types is a fantastic idea.

How about a 3 type formation around the secret super base & the adjoining parts of Oxfordshire to 'thank' the locals for their unstinting support to operations?

The C130 formation departure from L**nham was enjoyed by the residents of Wiltshire who came out in their thousands to watch, there was even a painting to mark the event. Would the residents of Aston, Bampton & Clanfield want to miss out on a similar opportunity to show their appreciation?

[Top Bunk Tester]

As there appears to be a greater concentration of NIMBYs around the Secret Oxon Airbase than there was around the Secret Wilts Airbase, they'd probably all just ring up and complain about the noise of the totally uneccessary flypast :ugh:

[Tankertrashnav]

Thanks Rhino and jaysi.

Be great to see the Air Koryu Classic being invited to Brize to do some circuits,alternating with a "ten", just to see which one annoyed the Nimby locals more!

[TEEEJ]

Tankertrashnav,

The IL-62 was in low scale production in the early 1990s. The following IL-62 was completed in 2004 from an example partially built in the 1990s. It was delivered to Sudan.

Photos: Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Sudan-Government/Ilyushin-Il-62M/1960917/L)

Other operators.

Photos: Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia---Air/Ilyushin-Il-62M/2255339/L)

Photos: Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Gambia---Government/Ilyushin-Il-62M/2283292/L)

Photos: Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Ukraine---Government/Ilyushin-Il-62M/2283048/L)

Photos: Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia-State-Transport/Ilyushin-Il-62M/2241047/L)

Photos: Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Russia-Ministry-for/Ilyushin-Il-62M/2229312/L)

Photos: Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled-(KAPO)/Ilyushin-Il-62M/2245403/L)

Photos: Ilyushin Il-62M Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Air-Koryo/Ilyushin-Il-62M/2079566/L)

[Tankertrashnav]

Thanks for the pics, TEEJ.

Never noticed before that like the Victor I used to fly in the IL 62 has a "tailwheel" (or in fact 2). We used to call ours the 19th wheel, can't recall it ever being required to do its job!

[downsizer]

I, probably like many, assumed we were talking about the venerable C130K,
That was the intention!

[DaveW]

Never noticed before that like the Victor I used to fly in the IL 62 has a "tailwheel" (or in fact 2). We used to call ours the 19th wheel, can't recall it ever being required to do its job!

It's not so much a tailwheel as an out-of-aft-CG protection strut. :8

http://avioners.net/wp-content/uploads/blogger/-nbMTbRoM2cc/Tgz7IeAbKLI/AAAAAAAAFzg/TbdIBNbNj9g/s1600/ilyushin_il-62_has_four_engines_aircraft-wallpaper.jpg

[OmegaV6]

Thanks for the pics, TEEJ.

Never noticed before that like the Victor I used to fly in the IL 62 has a "tailwheel" (or in fact 2). We used to call ours the 19th wheel, can't recall it ever being required to do its job!

Story doing the rounds many years back, the design was "stolen" by soviet spies of the cold war era, but the "soviet boffins" did not believe the wheels should be as far back as they are and moved them forward ... hence with the weight of the engines at the back it has a tendency to sit on its arse when on the ground and needs the tail strut.... the VC10 with the wheels in the right place is perfectly balanced .. :)

[Herod]

Well, we can't say that the C130s haven't earned their keep. It's almost exactly forty years since I started my conversion course on them, and I'm long retired. It's still a case of the only thing that will replace an old Hercules is a new Hercules.

[Chugalug2]

Thank you for returning us to the real star of this thread, Herod. 45 years for me, and I can still remember the wonder of the Mighty Herk on making its acquaintance at 242 OCU. It has served us well and should be preserved in one example at least. The RAF's track record of doing so for large transport aircraft isn't exactly a glowing one. Given she was often the first in and the last one out, high time to make an exception.

[It's only Me]

Just as well that there is one already at Cosford.

Me

[smujsmith]

Chug,

XV202 resides happily at RAF Museum Cosford. Worth a visit its a great day out. My career on Albert started on 5 March 1971, which makes it around 42 years ago I believe. Apart from a few years away on Vulcans, Lightnings, JPs, Bulldogs and Nimrod AEW, I ended my days, after a double GE tour, as a team manager of almost the same team I started on in 71. So, Palin eat your heart out, I did my full circle too. One thing that I will never forget is the comradeship and common sense of purpose everyone on Albert shared, from Harry Staish, to me the "erbert". I doubt anyone could have been gifted a better 30 year career than me.

Smudge

[Just This Once...]

It would seem appropriate to preserve a K with the full set of 'lumps and bumps' that were acquired over the years - pretty much all of them under UOR rather than any core-funding investment.

[rotaryeng]

Have to disagree with your dates Smuj. Like me, you were marching around the parade square with the rest of Trenchards finest on 5 Mar and were then given a 48 hr pass before reporting for your first day of work on 8 Mar.

[smujsmith]

Rotaryeng,

I stand corrected, I always use the 5 March as that was the day I was officially posted to Colerne. As you say 8 March was arrival day.

Best regards

Smudge

[Not a Crew Chief]

Smuj, I'll raise your career.
Started on Belfast Major Servicing at Abingdon (while some of my entry joined you at Colerne). Couple of GE's came across to do some post service checks deemed too difficult for us and I thought, "I can do that". Got a trip on the old Deci Malta schedule and the GE had been on my engine course. Future settled. Whatever it took I was going to be a GE.
After diversions to Buccs, Lightnings, and Vulcans finally got to Brize for an extended 10 tour followed by an extended TriStar tour. Not quite full circle but a Belfast bringing my engine and change team to Dubai was pretty close.
As for an all types fly past and party, bring it on. Might see more a/c and personnel than the 2015 RAF.

[Tankertrashnav]

As someone who has been out for many more years than I was in, I am very out of touch with what's going on. So do I understand the withdrawal of the C130K means that the RAF will then have no Hercules of any mark in service?

What, then, will the RAF transport fleet consist of? We see C17s landing at Brize when some poor soul has been KIA in Afghanistan, but other than that the general public (of whom I am one) get little info on what else there is. Naive question, but I'd appreciate the info.

[Biggus]

Ttn,

C-130J....


RAF - Hercules C4 / C5 (http://www.raf.mod.uk/equipment/herculesc4c5.cfm)

[mmitch]

Many moons ago when the C130 tankers were being retired I wrote to the PROs at RAF Lynham and Marshalls suggesting that one should be preserved as a tribute not only to the Hercules but to the team who converted and certified it in double quick time for the Falklands. It could have gone to Duxford near to Marshalls of Cambridge. Never received a reply from anyone.
mmitch.

[Chugalug2]

Thanks Smudge and Me re XV202. Good news indeed. Though one can only hope that it fares better than the Beverly at Hendon. :{

[NutLoose]

Doubt it will be parked outside.

[smujsmith]

Nutloose,

I'm afraid it is parked outside. Not much room in there with the Belfast, Hastings etc.

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b572/smujsmith/image_zps465def5b.jpg (http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/smujsmith/media/image_zps465def5b.jpg.html)
Pity they parked the props like that, it makes the aircraft look wrong to me.

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b572/smujsmith/image_zps95fdf6ae.jpg (http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/smujsmith/media/image_zps95fdf6ae.jpg.html)
That's how to park your props, No1 blade at the top, OK No4 prop is a little skew. XV200 at Falconara Italy during Sarajevo airlift ops. :ok:

Smudge

[Brian 48nav]

I gather there is to be some sort of 'formal handover' of 202 on the 12th September at Cosford.

[Tankertrashnav]

Biggus - thanks for that - the reference to the nav and eng mafias now makes sense!

[WE992]

The photo of 200 reminds me of the Ancona to Sarajevo and back 3 times a day. Day after day after day!

[smujsmith]

WE992,

I took that photograph whilst doing exactly what you just said. 3 trips a day, 1 hour in, 1 hour back around 15 minutes on the ground. Hard work, hard play. As a GE we did a six week stint, From memory we flew for 6 days and day seven was the GEs opportunity to catch up on the servicing. One set of aircrew, two GEs, we did 2 trips one day, 1 the next. the Aircrew did the lot (47 SF for you), awesome blokes. This may bring back a memory or two.

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b572/smujsmith/image_zps55c14570.jpg (http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/smujsmith/media/image_zps55c14570.jpg.html)
Top is a French Foreign Legion chap, who would have liked a lift home I think, bottom ready for take off. Both in Sarajevo.

I wonder if we ever shared that det ? Palace Hotel Ancona sound familiar, and the Bushy Bushy steak ?

A couple of other shots I got of Albert;

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b572/smujsmith/image_zps109d4829.jpg (http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/smujsmith/media/image_zps109d4829.jpg.html)
First prod heading south from ASI

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b572/smujsmith/image_zpsd4b913f3.jpg (http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/smujsmith/media/image_zpsd4b913f3.jpg.html)
Between lifts of Hooligans in Norway, Arlanda ISTR exercise winter deployment (XV205 was known as Terry the Tractor - it just kept plowing on whatever punishment it was given)

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b572/smujsmith/image_zps7b3d04c4.jpg (http://s1292.photobucket.com/user/smujsmith/media/image_zps7b3d04c4.jpg.html)
Not one that I took, and suspicion of photoshopping, but a fun Albert shot.

Smudge

[November4]

Ancona det....what a month that was.

Indian night in the hotel when the GE and Eng(?) took over the kitchen and produced a 3 course curry for the det. Remember the Herc Capt coming back from the toilets with some paper hanging out of his trousers...good laugh till a TCW bloke set it alight.

Building a load of 4 pallets....being asked by the loadie (Ade D* Cr*s) what was the load as it was very light....4 x pallets of tampax...."You mean to say we are risking our lives for tampax!!!"

Seeing the armourer positioning a palletiser in front of the Herc. He came back on start up with an old style head set, jacket, scarf and proceeded to kick the tyres on the palletiser. The Herc would be nose in so have to reverse out of the bay. As the reverse thrust was applied, the armourer pulled up the handle of the palletiser which he had fixed a windsurfer sail. The Herc crew applied reverse thrust, the sail caught the prop wash and the palletiser with armourer shot off across the pan. The crew stopped, drove back on to the bay and waved the armourer back for a second go. Told us later that they couldn't taxy as they were crying with laughter.....

St Patricks night - pooteen appeared from the Herc det for a BBQ. Every one ate and were ready to leave before the Canadians humongous steaks were ready to be eaten.

[smujsmith]

November 4,

Sir, you truly did that detachment. What a hoot it was. I can add the Norwegian crews, crew changeovers, roll mop herrings of various kinds and never ending quantity , taken with a humongous drink that tasted like "grappa"(I can never remember the name of it). I have to say, the Canucks were a great bunch of blokes and from an engineering point of view, were very in to reciprocal assistance. Despite the frivolity, that we seem to have enjoyed "off duty", the actual work was always carried out with total professionalism. Your load of Tampax reminds me of my sending a signal to OC Eng at Lyneham asking if he was comfortable in our flying loads of leaking bags of rock salt, to de ice the roads in Sarajevo. In an aircraft that seemed to have corrosion designed in to it, it just seemed wierd that we would do that. The Canadians, US and Norwegians had all refused to carry it. I never received a reply, but I did receive a "one way discussion" with the man himself on return from the det ( along the lines of "just do as you are told Chief, thinking is for real people"). Not the first time, and not the last. Anyway digression from thread could lead to further mutterings from "higher" authority. If nothing else the demise of the K is bringing out some great memories.

Best regards

Smudge:ok:

[NutLoose]

Ahhh for a missed comma smudge

It should have read

Doubt it, it will be parked outside

[ancientaviator62]

I went to Cosford to give my two pence worth of memories of the K on 302.
No, there were no plans to put her inside, despite my contention that she was more worthy than the Belslow. Their Belfast has an MSP heavy drop platform inside. As it was incapable of opening the ramp in the air never mind drop anything this is misleading at best. No smudge, the props are still not lined up !
Noticed that they had buckets inside 302 ! Some things never change.
I remember when we came back from the Ethiopia Op, when it rained the splilled grain in the holes in the floor began to sprout ! It was suggested that the groundcrew be issued with lawnmowers.

[November4]

I remember when we came back from the Ethiopia Op, when it rained the splilled grain in the holes in the floor began to sprout ! It was suggested that the groundcrew be issued with lawnmowers.

I seem to remember a Techie getting an award or something for making a vacuum cleaner attachment that fitted over the floor points so they could be cleared of grain.

[Just This Once...]

With the top of a traffic cone, some bodge tape, a pipe and a broom handle (oh and a few psi of cabin pressure) made a remarkably effective way of cleaning floor points.

[Chugalug2]

Smudge:-
reminds me of my sending a signal to OC Eng at Lyneham asking if he was comfortable in our flying loads of leaking bags of rock salt, to de ice the roads in Sarajevo... The Canadians, US and Norwegians had all refused to carry it. I never received a reply, but I did receive a "one way discussion" with the man himself on return from the det ( along the lines of "just do as you are told Chief, thinking is for real people").
Unbelievable! I see what you mean when you mentioned, on the WWII Pilot Brevet thread:
us old SNCOs love to read about our leaders and betters:oh:
Given stories like that, I can't say I do much.

[dragartist]

great story about the gadget for cleaning out the receptacles in the floor.

Funny how the floor points and fittings became quite contentious in the last days of this aircraft. We had one fall out during one of the last MSP airdrops. goodness knows what may have happened if it had been used to attach HUPRA or a despatchers harness.

The issues on the J are no different. The floor fittings are tolerant of debris but the dash 4a latches are certainly not. when we had a problem with dash 4a not working on one of the early airdrops a FOD sweep was conducted. A whole bag full of wine bottle corks, crisp packets and seat buckle clips was recovered. A photo taken for a flight safety campaign. (In the airdrop role the dash 4a was quite safety critical). You all guessed; a few months later the same thing occurred. These little access hatches made great waste bins. Then there was the Electrolube lacquer sketch. a story in itself. Another of those "you could not make it up moments!"

[TEEEJ]

The K will still be around for a while in foreign service. Austria, Mexico and Sri Lanka operate ex-RAF examples.

Marshall Aerospace begins upgrade of Austrian Air Force's first C-130K - Airforce Technology (http://www.airforce-technology.com/news/newsmarshall-aerospace-upgrade-austrian-air-force-c130k)

Austrian C-130K (Ex-XV292)

Photos: Lockheed C-130K Hercules (L-382) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Austria---Air/Lockheed-C-130K-Hercules/1960023/L/)

Mexican C-130K (Ex-XV222)

Photos: Lockheed C-130K Hercules (L-382) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Mexico---Air/Lockheed-C-130K-Hercules/1848452/L)

Sri Lankan C-130K (Ex-XV213)

Photos: Lockheed C-130K Hercules (L-382) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Sri-Lanka--/Lockheed-C-130K-Hercules/2002956/L)

Demobbed - Out of Service British Military Aircraft (http://www.demobbed.org.uk/aircraft.php?type=562)

[NutLoose]

reminds me of my sending a signal to OC Eng at Lyneham asking if he was comfortable in our flying loads of leaking bags of rock salt, to de ice the roads in Sarajevo... The Canadians, US and Norwegians had all refused to carry it. I never received a reply, but I did receive a "one way discussion" with the man himself on return from the det ( along the lines of "just do as you are told Chief, thinking is for real people").


The first Chinook arrivals suffered similarly from corrosion, if i remember correctly, it was eventually traced, the delivery pilots from the Philly plant to the docks would take a car with them to drive back, as it was winter they had great lumps of snow and ice on the bottoms full of rock salt which the cabin heating melted, it then sat on a boat for six weeks allowing corrosion to set in.

[smujsmith]

Chug, #45

Not the first run in with that OC Eng, and certainly not the last. (I could write a blooming book I suppose) I have to say, whatever might seem to be evident, I am not now and was never intolerant or disrespectful to my superiors. I did though join the RAF based on a very important, to me, principle. The blokes who flew the Spitfires, Hurricanes and beat the threat of invasion fought for it, the thousands who gave their lives flying Stirlings, Lancasters, Halifax and Wellington bombers believed in it. Our right to question authority, and a right to challenge the bullish misuse of rank when it is evident (blimey, it must be Sunday, I'm doing a sermon). Apologies if it offends anyone but I'm happy that my 30 years was an honest one. The OC Eng in question and a Flight Sergeant Eng controller at the time seemed to have decided that, aircraft were not to be delayed down route with faults, and, that GEs on routes who called in a fault were to be threatened with total doom and end of career. I was the subject of a couple of their attempts at intimidation. Suffice to say that the OC Eng was posted after only 1 year in post, the Flight Sergeant was offered, early release from service, and wisely accepted. I survived as a GE for a further four years. Honesty prevailed.

Nutloose,#43

On the Sarajevo run, we had that vacuum cleaner. Albert, had an overboard vent, Port side about 6 feet in front of the para door. Officially it was used when we carried LOX containers, typically the Belize LOX run, as a safety feature to dump the LOX in an emergency. A bit of tubing, an adaptor and at FL230 a decent GE could vacuum out the cargo bay of a Mk1 Albert before descent back into Ancona. It worked very nicely, and usually earned a pat on the back from the "front end" for a nice aircraft. I'm just wondering if this could constitute a breach of any international aviation conventions.

Nutloose #48

Having seen the inside of a Wokka once, thankfully, it went U/S before we left terra firma, I see that you guys had exactly the same problems with floor and cargo that we did. It's funny how way past the event we all see where the problems came from.

Albert was for me, most of my service career. Not just the aircraft, the crews, the muppets, the 47AD chaps, all contributed to the experience I had during my time. Sadly, as this thread attests, all good things come to an end. I'm sure that everything I was lucky enough to experience is still there with the J if they take the opportunity. My apologies for the long, rambling post. I doubt that we will have many threads to reflect our service on the C130 in future years, we are, really coming to the end of an era.

Smudge

[ancientaviator62]

I have just realised that I have referred to the Cosford Herc. as 302 !
It should of course be 202. Apart from 'tempus' my other excuse is that I had just finished reframing a print of XV 302.

[ancientaviator62]

Smudge,
like you the K was most of my service career, as I spent almost 30 years of my career on the a/c after a Hastings tour. I was fortunate to not to have a ground tour during that time and did every role that the a/c was cleared for, including the SF task before the SF Flight was invented. So my log books are a great memory jogger as are the pics (some seem to have vanished) of a very enjoyable time.

[Chugalug2]

Smudge, I joined my first Herc Sqn (30 Sqn) at Fairford, and with it the newly devised system of Centralised Servicing. First Line Servicing personnel up to then had been part of the Squadron (as they had been on 48Sqn Hastings at Changi). Morale on Eng Wing plummeted, so the Wg Co Eng and the two (30 and 47) flying Sqn bosses arranged that the two Eng Sqns (A & B) be adopted one each by 30 and 47. The friendly rivalry between the flying squadrons was instantly transferred to the Eng Sqns, each determined to outperform the other.

We still had bosses then that realised that no matter how shiny the kit, their greatest asset was people, and that their greatest duty was to those people. Loyalty in those days was a two way game, pity it changed.

BTW, visiting the office of that particular Wg Co Eng was an unnerving affair. Behind him on a shelf was a large bell jar, containing AVTUR. Thriving on the AVTUR was a fern like growth looking for all the world like something out of Quatermass. Its cousins evidently lived in our fuel tanks, and were busy trying to eat their way out!

[smujsmith]

Chug,

I know loads of people from the era of centralised servicing, who would repeat your description in exactly the way you did. Whatever you happen to be with regard to trade etc. I certainly think that being able to identify with an organisation, Squadron etc, makes a big difference.

I suspect your Wing Co's Plant in the fuel was "cladosporium resinae", a really not nice fungal growth that lives at the interface of water and fuel. That's why the first thing a GE would usually do, on arrival at the aircraft in the morning was get the Prod out and do a drain along all tanks, it allowed the fuel time to settle overnight and you could get a good look at what was in it. Many were the Houchins around the world that became receptacles for the poly bags of drained fuel, always with the permission of the supporting local lads.

Smudge

[ksimboy]

The happy days of watching the locals remove the clear poly bags with the water drain residue, and the delight of the coach driver in Dakar taking the remaining ham sandwiches home to feed his family . Particularly a rare treat at Ramadan.

[smujsmith]

Ksimboy,

Talk of Dakar, did you ever bump into the chap, I think he was a manager on the airport, who had picked up every gash bit of lashing tape he could get hold of from Alberts transiting to and from ASI starting in 82. Took them home and his wife unpicked the strands and wove him a white, lashing tape suit from it. I did hear that they liked us to leave a bag or two of water sediments as they used it for cooking.

Regards

Smudge :ok:

[ksimboy]

Indeed Smuj, and very smart he looked too. I also recall on an early trip into Dakar , the Nav instead of reading shut down checks storming from Albert to ATC to present the controller with a new "f******g bucket".

[ancientaviator62]

Ah the dreaded 'CR' in the tanks which could have been avoided by the use, from the start, of FSII in the fuel. It was not and cost the RAF a fortune as I recall. Like chugalug I remember the 'adoption' at Fairford (I was on 47) OF 'our 'servicing line. We still had beer calls in those days to which all attended.
Happy days !

[ancientaviator62]

I was on 48 in Changi when the whole lot closed down. We had our own ground crew and after we brought the Sqn back to Lyneham we used to invite them for beer calls despite the fact they were now in the centralised system. This was frowned on by the Eng Wing mafia so it died a death.

[OmegaV6]

[offtopic... ish]

Smudge ... why does any mention of Dakar always bring to mind one of your compatriot GE's, white trousers, a bar, and a nightfighter .......... :) :)

[fergineer]

Wouldn't be ML would it Omega??????

[Top Bunk Tester]

Can't be Fergie, there was no mention of a gold medallion :ok:

[OmegaV6]

Fergie .. yup ... and TBT ... don't think the medallion was noticed as we all looked at the red marks ........... :E:E:E:E

[smujsmith]

Do you know fella's,

I know ML had a nice white suit. The thought it had been made from lashing tape never occurred to me, good thought ;)

Smudge :ok:

[bunta130]

Nige

I think you may be mixing stories......an affliction of old age that I often suffer.

The ML, white trousers and nightfighter incident was in the New Florida 2000 in Nairobi.....I believe. Albeit, I suspect the white trousers were frequently 'sported' in those days.

I remember that gent being trained up by a PJ (Geordie lad of some repute) in '85........I'm nearly as old as you.....

Dakar's Bistrot in between the N'Gor and the Diarama was yet another hangout; the garlic prawns were the least dangerous things to 'dip into'....

Cheers

Bunter

[ksimboy]

The aircraft will be missed, having shown an amazing flexibility throughout its RAF career. No matter what challenges have been thrown at both aircraft and crews ,they have risen to them all. Well done chaps and chapesses .