The REAL 'Mr Wessex'........
Scared? Never - he was too much of a gent, and Shula was always there to get us out of trouble. He was happy with us Plt Offs - it was the Green Shielders he appeared to find trying. On my course, our token NZ was Taff's student - the mutual incomprehension during debriefs kept the rest of us thoroughly entertained. As CWDG went on to a successful career in Wessex, JPs and eventually Macchis in his own native Air Force (making it to at least Wg Cdr), I reckon Taff must've been a sound instructor.
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I arrived on the OCU in 76 Manx
I was a young dull student Crewman in '74 on 240 OCU, Puma not Wessex, but enjoyed listening to Taff with pipe akimbo, though yes - you definitely wouldn't cross him.
What days, then arriving on 230 to meet Geordie Haswell, Brian Hennerly, and a host of other WW2 veterans. Like Taff - all Gentlemen!
(yes dundiggin - I'm still dull I know
)
What days, then arriving on 230 to meet Geordie Haswell, Brian Hennerly, and a host of other WW2 veterans. Like Taff - all Gentlemen!
(yes dundiggin - I'm still dull I know
)
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Manx, It would have been late 76 when I arrived, probably around August September time.
I vividly remember Taff's technique for a sloping ground landing nose up with a Wessex - 'Right laddie, brakes on, flare and dump the lever .... now'. Worked every time (when he did it!).
Ah, Oldbeef... I wondered where you'd learned the technique that you taught me on the mighty Whirlwind 10 
...could never find the brakes for the nosewheels, though...
...could never find the brakes for the nosewheels, though...
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I seem to remember Taff getting stuck during a confined landing, after lowering the collective, the tree branches that were being held down by the downdraught sprang back up above the rotors preventing him lifting it back out.
