Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
nimbev,
thanks for the info. We seem to have 'avoided' each other. I did the Herc course Jan 68 when the Hastings folded (36/24). Then to 47 at Fairford and then to 48 till the end of FEAF.
Finally parted company with the 'K' In 1997 after the HEART job. No ground tours although in terms of hours flown one or two seemed like it .
thanks for the info. We seem to have 'avoided' each other. I did the Herc course Jan 68 when the Hastings folded (36/24). Then to 47 at Fairford and then to 48 till the end of FEAF.
Finally parted company with the 'K' In 1997 after the HEART job. No ground tours although in terms of hours flown one or two seemed like it .
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AA62
I dont know how many crews there are on a Herc Sqn nowadays. In 68 we had 24 crews on 24Sqn in 2 flights of 12. I think we were the only transport sqn that flew in constituted crews rather than operating as a pool of trades. Mind you with sickness/courses/pregnant wives etc the planning board soon fragmented and looked much like any other sqn - but at least they tried, maybe it was because the boss was ex maritime.
With the amount of 'dead time' spent down the route, especially the Changi slip where one was away for 10 days in which you only flew 4 times, you needed a lot of crews.
In 67, ISTR 242 OCU was operating with 2 courses on the flying phase and 2 courses in groundschool at any one time. The throughput was incredible. By the time I went back to the OCU in 69 they were down to 1 course on flights and 1 in groundschool. Ahhh Thorney Island - one of the best postings of all time
I dont know how many crews there are on a Herc Sqn nowadays. In 68 we had 24 crews on 24Sqn in 2 flights of 12. I think we were the only transport sqn that flew in constituted crews rather than operating as a pool of trades. Mind you with sickness/courses/pregnant wives etc the planning board soon fragmented and looked much like any other sqn - but at least they tried, maybe it was because the boss was ex maritime.
With the amount of 'dead time' spent down the route, especially the Changi slip where one was away for 10 days in which you only flew 4 times, you needed a lot of crews.
In 67, ISTR 242 OCU was operating with 2 courses on the flying phase and 2 courses in groundschool at any one time. The throughput was incredible. By the time I went back to the OCU in 69 they were down to 1 course on flights and 1 in groundschool. Ahhh Thorney Island - one of the best postings of all time
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AA62 and others...
In 1976 we had a number of Herc ALMs posted onto Nimrods, amongst them some ex instructors from my time at T Island. ISTR they fitted in extremely well, certainly the one on my crew was superb, and I believe that there was talk of some wishing to retrain as AEOp.
Does anyone know what happened to them - I went overseas at beginning of 78 and by the time I came back I dont think there were any ALMs around the Nimrod fleet (unless they were all at the other station).
In 1976 we had a number of Herc ALMs posted onto Nimrods, amongst them some ex instructors from my time at T Island. ISTR they fitted in extremely well, certainly the one on my crew was superb, and I believe that there was talk of some wishing to retrain as AEOp.
Does anyone know what happened to them - I went overseas at beginning of 78 and by the time I came back I dont think there were any ALMs around the Nimrod fleet (unless they were all at the other station).
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The Royal Air Force will drop relief supplies to Iraqi refugees forced to flee their homes by the advance of the Islamic State extremist group. After a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said he hoped the relief operation, particularly targeting members of the Yazidi religious minority trapped on a mountainside, could begin "in the next couple of days".
I for one will second you on that Coff. Stay well lads and lasses, come home safe.
Gopher 01, what a tale, and quick thinking indeed. Nothing on the SF side changed greatly by the time I had joined you 88 onwards. Do you know the details of the attempted hijack and the GE, I heard about it, but never learned who the GE was? Keep em coming mate.
Best
Smudge
Still looking for the gunsight shot, but will have to throw Mrs Smudge in the loft again.
Gopher 01, what a tale, and quick thinking indeed. Nothing on the SF side changed greatly by the time I had joined you 88 onwards. Do you know the details of the attempted hijack and the GE, I heard about it, but never learned who the GE was? Keep em coming mate.
Best
Smudge
Still looking for the gunsight shot, but will have to throw Mrs Smudge in the loft again.
nimbev,
all the ALMs who went to Nimrods were recalled to normal duties. I do not know if any did remuster to AEop, but I doubt it.
Yes the early 'K' courses were paralleled and a real production line. It was needed as Lockheed delivered the a/c at a speed that surprised MOD.
all the ALMs who went to Nimrods were recalled to normal duties. I do not know if any did remuster to AEop, but I doubt it.
Yes the early 'K' courses were paralleled and a real production line. It was needed as Lockheed delivered the a/c at a speed that surprised MOD.
Another airdrop tale. Those who wish to fall out may do so now. This one is out of the 'you could not make it up' file.
I was on 48 Sqn but not in Changi alas, but at Lyneham after we has brought the squadron back. On the 19 June 1972 in XV 179 we set off on the following route. Lyn -Bermuda- Nassau-Nassau ? (log book does not say why) Coolidge-Georgetown (Guyana)-Bermuda-Lyn. We were going to Guyana with kit for the British Army who were running a training scheme out there. We would be backloading a similar amount. We had two captains who were being route checked by 'Jolly Jack' H. All very routine as we left Guyana full up for the return home. As we neared Bermuda the US Navy controller asked us what our endurance was. This was unusual and we were puzzled as the WX forecast was good and there was no indication that the runway was 'blacked' for any other reason. The Nav and the Eng worked it out and we told them. I think in those days we may have operated the famous 'island holding' fuel reserve for Bermuda.
We were then told the reason for the request. A yachtsman was in distress off Bermuda. He was complaining of stomach pains. A US Navy P3 had been out on patrol and he was overhead the yacht but needed to land ASAP.
Could we orbit the yacht to provide a bit of reassurance ? There was a boat on the way from Bermuda but would not reach him until much later.
So off we went relieved the P3 and took up station.
Someone, I cannot remember who came up with a cunning plan. Why not help this chap by dropping a first aid kit to him ! It all snowballed from there with everyone putting up suggestions. Well the only first aid kit worth dropping was the ELFAK (Emergency Landing First Aid Kit) as it was well stocked.
It was left to me to work out how to do it, as it was not as straightforward as it seemed. We needed to put the ELFAK in a container, so the co pilot Graham C , great bloke with a wicked sense of humour- later of B.Cal and BA)
'volunteered' his RAF holdall. So in went the ELFAK, and I even remembered to unlock it first ! Now all airdrop has to obey certain rules and one of these is density. By necessity we would use the port para door as the ramp area was 'chokka'. Because of the size of the bag it needed to be weighted to achieve the min density so when it left the a/c it would not fly into the tailplane. In went several tie down tensioners until I was happy. We needed it to float so two pax LSJs were inflated and stuffed inside. Two more were inflated and securely tied on the outside. The lights on the LSJ were coaxed into operation by putting the batteries in a paper cup of water with salt from the lunch boxes. So we did a modified ASRA pattern with a dummy run then a live drop.
Immediately after the bag was despatched I looked out and with relief saw that the tailplane was undamaged. Job done.
We circled until we had to land, but not before we saw that he was close to retrieving the bag. The US Navy thanked us and we went to the hotel for a beer and to tell ATFOC the news. We expected a delay whist they sent a new ELFAK. No such luck, it was return as per the schedule.
Next morning the US Navy told us the chap had retrieved the bag and that the boat had reached him and he was OK.
Now you cannot dispose of kit belonging to HM in such a cavalier fashion and not be called to account. It took some while for the system to grudgingly admit we had acted 'in the best interests of the service' (wonderful phrase) and agree to write off the missing bits. Even the armchair 'experten' back at base thought we had done a half decent job.
All over then ? Not quite !
A few months later the co gets a call from the guardroom to the effect that the civvy police would like a word. So off he goes. The police show him a rather sorry looking RAF holdall and ask if it belongs to him. Graham turned it over and there a bit faded was his name. (did not we all put our names on the bottom ?). Yes he said, but how did they get it ? It turns out that the yachtsman had sent all the bits back to Lyneham. Of course having been written off they no longer existed as far as the RAF were concerned. So the holdall was sold to a local Mil surplus store. Someone bought it and it was discovered at the site of a break in containing the burglar's tools.
The police thought they had an easy case but Graham's story of it being turfed out of the port para door near Bermuda was easily verified.
The story of just another day in the life of 'K' truckie crew.
I was on 48 Sqn but not in Changi alas, but at Lyneham after we has brought the squadron back. On the 19 June 1972 in XV 179 we set off on the following route. Lyn -Bermuda- Nassau-Nassau ? (log book does not say why) Coolidge-Georgetown (Guyana)-Bermuda-Lyn. We were going to Guyana with kit for the British Army who were running a training scheme out there. We would be backloading a similar amount. We had two captains who were being route checked by 'Jolly Jack' H. All very routine as we left Guyana full up for the return home. As we neared Bermuda the US Navy controller asked us what our endurance was. This was unusual and we were puzzled as the WX forecast was good and there was no indication that the runway was 'blacked' for any other reason. The Nav and the Eng worked it out and we told them. I think in those days we may have operated the famous 'island holding' fuel reserve for Bermuda.
We were then told the reason for the request. A yachtsman was in distress off Bermuda. He was complaining of stomach pains. A US Navy P3 had been out on patrol and he was overhead the yacht but needed to land ASAP.
Could we orbit the yacht to provide a bit of reassurance ? There was a boat on the way from Bermuda but would not reach him until much later.
So off we went relieved the P3 and took up station.
Someone, I cannot remember who came up with a cunning plan. Why not help this chap by dropping a first aid kit to him ! It all snowballed from there with everyone putting up suggestions. Well the only first aid kit worth dropping was the ELFAK (Emergency Landing First Aid Kit) as it was well stocked.
It was left to me to work out how to do it, as it was not as straightforward as it seemed. We needed to put the ELFAK in a container, so the co pilot Graham C , great bloke with a wicked sense of humour- later of B.Cal and BA)
'volunteered' his RAF holdall. So in went the ELFAK, and I even remembered to unlock it first ! Now all airdrop has to obey certain rules and one of these is density. By necessity we would use the port para door as the ramp area was 'chokka'. Because of the size of the bag it needed to be weighted to achieve the min density so when it left the a/c it would not fly into the tailplane. In went several tie down tensioners until I was happy. We needed it to float so two pax LSJs were inflated and stuffed inside. Two more were inflated and securely tied on the outside. The lights on the LSJ were coaxed into operation by putting the batteries in a paper cup of water with salt from the lunch boxes. So we did a modified ASRA pattern with a dummy run then a live drop.
Immediately after the bag was despatched I looked out and with relief saw that the tailplane was undamaged. Job done.
We circled until we had to land, but not before we saw that he was close to retrieving the bag. The US Navy thanked us and we went to the hotel for a beer and to tell ATFOC the news. We expected a delay whist they sent a new ELFAK. No such luck, it was return as per the schedule.
Next morning the US Navy told us the chap had retrieved the bag and that the boat had reached him and he was OK.
Now you cannot dispose of kit belonging to HM in such a cavalier fashion and not be called to account. It took some while for the system to grudgingly admit we had acted 'in the best interests of the service' (wonderful phrase) and agree to write off the missing bits. Even the armchair 'experten' back at base thought we had done a half decent job.
All over then ? Not quite !
A few months later the co gets a call from the guardroom to the effect that the civvy police would like a word. So off he goes. The police show him a rather sorry looking RAF holdall and ask if it belongs to him. Graham turned it over and there a bit faded was his name. (did not we all put our names on the bottom ?). Yes he said, but how did they get it ? It turns out that the yachtsman had sent all the bits back to Lyneham. Of course having been written off they no longer existed as far as the RAF were concerned. So the holdall was sold to a local Mil surplus store. Someone bought it and it was discovered at the site of a break in containing the burglar's tools.
The police thought they had an easy case but Graham's story of it being turfed out of the port para door near Bermuda was easily verified.
The story of just another day in the life of 'K' truckie crew.
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AA62 ... Brilliant 
A whole new meaning to the phrase "Going Equipped"
Mind you ... How close were you to the Bermuda Triangle ... Spooky things happen out there you know
Coff.
A whole new meaning to the phrase "Going Equipped"
Mind you ... How close were you to the Bermuda Triangle ... Spooky things happen out there you know
Coff.
I note that it states on the bottom of the centre console "This is a Mark 3 aircraft". Did one tend to forget what one was flying , then?
Lyneham Lad,
the reason for the notice was to remind the pilots to care care when rotating the longer MK 3 a/c as it was easy to allow the bumper on the back of the ramp to kiss the runway. Bob R got his nickname 'Bumper' from just such an occurrence.
the reason for the notice was to remind the pilots to care care when rotating the longer MK 3 a/c as it was easy to allow the bumper on the back of the ramp to kiss the runway. Bob R got his nickname 'Bumper' from just such an occurrence.
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I'm not familiar with the Herc flight deck chaps ... so forgive a possibly naff question ... is the "cover" over the throttle/pitch levers to keep FOD out of the quadrant when on the ground "chocked" or for some other reason ?
AA62 ... I'm sure Mrs AA62 made a fine Captain
AA62 ... I'm sure Mrs AA62 made a fine Captain
Coff,
Precisely as you say, an anti FOD device. The slots for the power and condition levers were wide enough to allow all sorts of stuff through. If working on the overhead panel, for example, you dropped a screw that went through, the resulting FOD plod could keep you away from the bar for hours I believe the Flt Eng usually removed it before and replaced it after flight when en route.
Smudge
Precisely as you say, an anti FOD device. The slots for the power and condition levers were wide enough to allow all sorts of stuff through. If working on the overhead panel, for example, you dropped a screw that went through, the resulting FOD plod could keep you away from the bar for hours
I believe the Flt Eng usually removed it before and replaced it after flight when en route.Smudge
Coff,
that's spooky
so was I. Of course as an AGE I would never hear a bad word said against my Co, who was the imprest holder, and usually a very competent and hard working chap
Smudge
that's spooky
so was I. Of course as an AGE I would never hear a bad word said against my Co, who was the imprest holder, and usually a very competent and hard working chapSmudge
Coff,
I always respect the drivers, well nearly always! On the back of each pilot seat, when I worked on the beast, was a stencilled CAPT and CO. Obvious one might think, to prevent us daft techies fitting the seats (which I recall were "handed") in the wrong positions. Word quickly got around the Line servicing squadrons though that it was actually for aircrew use, in helping the appropriate pilot to find his seat before they went flying. I know for a fact of several attempts to re stencil the seats, and see what happened, but to my knowledge, none of the Captains or Co's were caught out. Is this proof positive that Royal Air Force pilots are more creatures of habit, than literate ?
Smudge
I always respect the drivers, well nearly always! On the back of each pilot seat, when I worked on the beast, was a stencilled CAPT and CO. Obvious one might think, to prevent us daft techies fitting the seats (which I recall were "handed") in the wrong positions. Word quickly got around the Line servicing squadrons though that it was actually for aircrew use, in helping the appropriate pilot to find his seat before they went flying. I know for a fact of several attempts to re stencil the seats, and see what happened, but to my knowledge, none of the Captains or Co's were caught out. Is this proof positive that Royal Air Force pilots are more creatures of habit, than literate ?
Smudge
With reference to the throttle quadrant cover, I once saw an Air Eng wrestle one into place after shutdown (and making a fair struggle of it) before leaving the flight deck happily chatting to the Captain. I let them get to the bottom of the crew steps before suggesting that it for aesthetic and noise abatement reasons it might be a good idea to also shut down the No. 1 engine which was still happily chuntering away in ground idle.
There were definitely days when I felt I was reading the checks purely for my own amusement...
There were definitely days when I felt I was reading the checks purely for my own amusement...
See what I mean Coff ? Never underestimate the capabilities of a Hercules Co Pilot. Mal drop, the only thing you missed was the GE up his ladder on No1, trying to avoid the prop whilst fitting the intake blank. I bet it was a good night stop.
Smudge
Smudge