Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
Coff #1893,
Cracking picture, and nice to see a real politician for a change. The modern crop are shadows of her shadow I'm afraid. Those were the days, when you could actually believe that a politician "really" supported our servicemen.
AA62, We have to take your word for the "brown knees". It's hard to comment on "moonyism" from a black and white photo
Smudge
Cracking picture, and nice to see a real politician for a change. The modern crop are shadows of her shadow I'm afraid. Those were the days, when you could actually believe that a politician "really" supported our servicemen.
AA62, We have to take your word for the "brown knees". It's hard to comment on "moonyism" from a black and white photo
Smudge
Last edited by smujsmith; 24th Nov 2014 at 07:10.
Another in the sequence of a few newly discovered black and white pics.
ASRA drop and you can clearly see the marine marker and the linked containers.
Shame on you smudge. Would I have posed for a publicity shot with 'get some time in' knees ? It would be very bad for the image !
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Reminiscent of the later Lord Trophy events when we got to drop an ASRA set up.
Your photo Bill - OK, we fancy you (sharing the blacked out room in Masirah . . . you'll do, my last one was with Dave Ratcliffe)
Your photo Bill - OK, we fancy you (sharing the blacked out room in Masirah . . . you'll do, my last one was with Dave Ratcliffe)
Brian,
oh yes the black out rooms at Masirah. And the shock to the system on opening the door to that intense sunlight. Yes I remember Dave and I also remember the Lord Trophy drops. One of my early posts includes pictures taken on a Lord Trophy 1 ton drop at El Adem.
oh yes the black out rooms at Masirah. And the shock to the system on opening the door to that intense sunlight. Yes I remember Dave and I also remember the Lord Trophy drops. One of my early posts includes pictures taken on a Lord Trophy 1 ton drop at El Adem.
John Bell
There was a reference a few days ago to the passing of John, can anyone fill me in with the details - when? why etc?
I was on 4 course with John, he was about a year ahead of me and had spent I think a year on the Hastings including the OCU. After the course I went off to 48 and John to 24 at Lyneham. Amazingly in my subsequent 6 years on the Herc' I never ever bumped into him.
I gather after a tour with 24 he went to the Staff Nav' Course and stayed on as an instructor and then did the old Spec' N Course.
I have a feeling, possibly wrong, that he did not appear on the Herc' again until he became boss of 30 in Sept' '83.
I bumped into him on a couple of occasions at parties at Lyneham, ( wee George Brown often invited Anne and I to the Xmas Draw etc ) once when he was Staish.
Then years later, in 2009, I bumped into him at the market in Fleurance, Gers in France. He told me he was a keen cyclist and had just done the Cairo to Cape Town epic and was thinking of cycling from Perth WA to Darwin.
He came across as not having changed since he was a Fg Off in '67 - top man. Has he really gone?
I was on 4 course with John, he was about a year ahead of me and had spent I think a year on the Hastings including the OCU. After the course I went off to 48 and John to 24 at Lyneham. Amazingly in my subsequent 6 years on the Herc' I never ever bumped into him.
I gather after a tour with 24 he went to the Staff Nav' Course and stayed on as an instructor and then did the old Spec' N Course.
I have a feeling, possibly wrong, that he did not appear on the Herc' again until he became boss of 30 in Sept' '83.
I bumped into him on a couple of occasions at parties at Lyneham, ( wee George Brown often invited Anne and I to the Xmas Draw etc ) once when he was Staish.
Then years later, in 2009, I bumped into him at the market in Fleurance, Gers in France. He told me he was a keen cyclist and had just done the Cairo to Cape Town epic and was thinking of cycling from Perth WA to Darwin.
He came across as not having changed since he was a Fg Off in '67 - top man. Has he really gone?
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See post 1868 - that's what we were going on.
JB was a hell of a nice bloke - some good stuff on YouTube of him sitting in the Nav seat discussing Herk operations. As I said earlier, I met him last on the Lyneham RAuxAF in about 2000.
Don't know anymore than is on the post 1868 - why not PM Alison Conway and see what you can find out.
JB was a hell of a nice bloke - some good stuff on YouTube of him sitting in the Nav seat discussing Herk operations. As I said earlier, I met him last on the Lyneham RAuxAF in about 2000.
Don't know anymore than is on the post 1868 - why not PM Alison Conway and see what you can find out.
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I last met John when he was Air Attache in Delhi when we transited through supporting the Red Arrows. As we all agree a top bloke who will be sadly missed but fondly remembered..
Another in the series from Changi. Looks like Inflight and the bowser are topping the a/c up. Why it is the opposite direction to the others escape me. Perhaps Null Orifice or one of the others can remind me.
Another in the series from Changi. Looks like Inflight and the bowser are topping the a/c up. Why it is the opposite direction to the others escape me. Perhaps Null Orifice or one of the others can remind me.
I have just recalled that XV 194 was the innocent victim of the 'I have control no I have' incident at Tromso. I am sure someone can flesh out the story better than I can.
XV 194
Nice picture of the late lamented XV194, AA62, it being in the proper colour scheme and all!.
It's actually facing the 'right way' as it receives final fuel and the culinary delicacies prepared by Changi Creek - it is the other Ks in the shot that are the wrong way round. This untidy-looking situation arose frequently, due to lack of availability of towing resources (men and tug), and sometimes other (infrequent!) aircraft movements by the Shacks of 205 or the Kiwi vibrators
.
Apparently, and before my time on 48, there was an incident featuring a very senior squadron pilot that involved the combination of reverse thrust, braking, and a slight downward slope on the far end (number escapes me) parking slot
.
I believe there followed a squadron order?/verbal instruction? to airframe drivers that forbade them from reversing into the squadron dispersal slots - one of the aforesaid gentlemen may enlighten us further. As a result, all aircraft arrived 'nose in' to the slot, and were turned around during the turnround or afterflight servicing.
Tromso:
I don't know the full story regarding the demise of XV194. Tales of a possible asymmetrical reverse situation due to an outboard being out of limits, a crosswind, and a bit of a hoo-hah up front surfaced shortly afterwards.
This aircraft was the Fleet Fatigue Index leader at Lyneham at the time.
It's actually facing the 'right way' as it receives final fuel and the culinary delicacies prepared by Changi Creek - it is the other Ks in the shot that are the wrong way round. This untidy-looking situation arose frequently, due to lack of availability of towing resources (men and tug), and sometimes other (infrequent!) aircraft movements by the Shacks of 205 or the Kiwi vibrators
.Apparently, and before my time on 48, there was an incident featuring a very senior squadron pilot that involved the combination of reverse thrust, braking, and a slight downward slope on the far end (number escapes me) parking slot
.I believe there followed a squadron order?/verbal instruction? to airframe drivers that forbade them from reversing into the squadron dispersal slots - one of the aforesaid gentlemen may enlighten us further. As a result, all aircraft arrived 'nose in' to the slot, and were turned around during the turnround or afterflight servicing.
Tromso:
I don't know the full story regarding the demise of XV194. Tales of a possible asymmetrical reverse situation due to an outboard being out of limits, a crosswind, and a bit of a hoo-hah up front surfaced shortly afterwards.
This aircraft was the Fleet Fatigue Index leader at Lyneham at the time.
Null Orifice,
than you for the clarification ref the 48 parking procedure. I had completely forgotten !
If no one appears soon to tell the tale of the demise of XV 194 then you may have to put up with my version.
than you for the clarification ref the 48 parking procedure. I had completely forgotten !
If no one appears soon to tell the tale of the demise of XV 194 then you may have to put up with my version.
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Gentlemen,
I was sent the information of John Bell's demise by the Secretary of 30 Sqn Association, as I am a member (if you served on 30 may I suggest that you join?). There is to be a service of thanksgiving at 1500hrs on 27th November at St Mary's Church Attenborough NG9 6AS. This follows a private cremation earlier in the day. There are limited seats in the church. May I suggest you google the association and contact the sec before going "on spec".
I was sent the information of John Bell's demise by the Secretary of 30 Sqn Association, as I am a member (if you served on 30 may I suggest that you join?). There is to be a service of thanksgiving at 1500hrs on 27th November at St Mary's Church Attenborough NG9 6AS. This follows a private cremation earlier in the day. There are limited seats in the church. May I suggest you google the association and contact the sec before going "on spec".
Last edited by Alison Conway; 25th Nov 2014 at 14:18. Reason: omission
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Just found this from Gp Capt Bell in the Telegraph dated 31 Aug 2004
SIR - Mark Thatcher's reappearance in the news reminds me of an incident during his now notorious Paris-Dakar rally in 1982.
I was flying from RAF Lyneham to west Africa in a C130 when the flight got the message to divert to Gibraltar. We were to put ourselves on search and rescue standby for the prime minister's son, who was lost somewhere in the Sahara. We spent a couple of days there, but without a call-out, as he turned up unharmed.
Meanwhile, the two pallets of vegetables that we were carrying for Ascension Island slowly went rotten in the back of the aircraft. It must have been quite an expensive exercise to divert an RAF transport aircraft and crew from its primary mission, but I guess that being a member of the PM's family must have some perks as well as its downside.
I was flying from RAF Lyneham to west Africa in a C130 when the flight got the message to divert to Gibraltar. We were to put ourselves on search and rescue standby for the prime minister's son, who was lost somewhere in the Sahara. We spent a couple of days there, but without a call-out, as he turned up unharmed.
Meanwhile, the two pallets of vegetables that we were carrying for Ascension Island slowly went rotten in the back of the aircraft. It must have been quite an expensive exercise to divert an RAF transport aircraft and crew from its primary mission, but I guess that being a member of the PM's family must have some perks as well as its downside.
Brian W May,
Thanks for the YouTube link to the late great John Bell. I was fortunate enough to have met him a couple of times during my time on Albert, as many have said, the man was legend. Sympathies to his surviving family, that's a big piece of world to replace.
Smudge
Thanks for the YouTube link to the late great John Bell. I was fortunate enough to have met him a couple of times during my time on Albert, as many have said, the man was legend. Sympathies to his surviving family, that's a big piece of world to replace.
Smudge
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No worries Smuj.
He was such a nice guy, but no push over and really well respected. There are far worse things to be remembered for.
Tromso:
If memory serves (and it's iffy), as a result of this accident, we ended up with vertically challenged drivers carrying a larger back seat cushion, something about not being able to get full rudder on.
Probably other reasons too, but that strikes a chord.
He was such a nice guy, but no push over and really well respected. There are far worse things to be remembered for.
Tromso:
If memory serves (and it's iffy), as a result of this accident, we ended up with vertically challenged drivers carrying a larger back seat cushion, something about not being able to get full rudder on.
Probably other reasons too, but that strikes a chord.
Last edited by Brian W May; 25th Nov 2014 at 20:37. Reason: Addition of Tromso comment.
I was not on the accident to XV 194 nor even on the same squadron so my recollection really is hearsay but it may jog the memories of others.
On finals to Tromso the captain did not like the co pilots flying so he took over control but apparently neglected to inform the co of this small fact .
The a/c 'arrived' on the runway and during the ensuing wrestling match poor old 194 ran off the runway into a large drainage ditch and was damaged beyond repair. The only injury was to the loadmaster who had a sprained thumb.
At the SI the captain was reprimanded and fined. Rumour has it he then tried to claim back the money on his kit insurance ! How successful this ploy was I know not.
I recall at least one of our pilots with a back cushion when I did the OCU in 1968.
On finals to Tromso the captain did not like the co pilots flying so he took over control but apparently neglected to inform the co of this small fact .
The a/c 'arrived' on the runway and during the ensuing wrestling match poor old 194 ran off the runway into a large drainage ditch and was damaged beyond repair. The only injury was to the loadmaster who had a sprained thumb.
At the SI the captain was reprimanded and fined. Rumour has it he then tried to claim back the money on his kit insurance ! How successful this ploy was I know not.
I recall at least one of our pilots with a back cushion when I did the OCU in 1968.
Last edited by ancientaviator62; 27th Nov 2014 at 07:17. Reason: correction
Memory lane!
Brings some of it back into focus again, thanks for the piccie!
I'm not used to seeing that view from upstairs, being one of the lower-level dwellers in the building to the left of shot.
The picture reminds me of the tractor incident, where an unauthorised groundcrew 'member' (I use that word deliberately!) was driving the tractor back to the squadron HQ from the flight line to its parking place just around the corner of the building on the right.
On arriving at said parking place (facing the wall), he failed to stop and collided with the aforesaid wall, bending the front bumper of the tractor in the process. External damage to the wall was only slight; however, the impact dislodged most of the white ceramic tiles on the inside wall of the toilet within. Another groundcrew member had, fortunately, chosen a stall other than that in the corner and was unhurt, although he was moderately traumatised by the incident.
Apperently, the driver had seen others, more competent than he, arrive at said parking place having first pulled the diesel cutoff lever, brake using the foot brake, then apply the parking brake, and leap off - all in one smooth action
. His lack of skill and judgement led to considerable mirth in the crewroom - the inevitable disciplinary action followed. Cost him a few quid too, if memory lane leads to the correct destination!
Brings some of it back into focus again, thanks for the piccie!
I'm not used to seeing that view from upstairs, being one of the lower-level dwellers in the building to the left of shot.
The picture reminds me of the tractor incident, where an unauthorised groundcrew 'member' (I use that word deliberately!) was driving the tractor back to the squadron HQ from the flight line to its parking place just around the corner of the building on the right.
On arriving at said parking place (facing the wall), he failed to stop and collided with the aforesaid wall, bending the front bumper of the tractor in the process. External damage to the wall was only slight; however, the impact dislodged most of the white ceramic tiles on the inside wall of the toilet within. Another groundcrew member had, fortunately, chosen a stall other than that in the corner and was unhurt, although he was moderately traumatised by the incident.
Apperently, the driver had seen others, more competent than he, arrive at said parking place having first pulled the diesel cutoff lever, brake using the foot brake, then apply the parking brake, and leap off - all in one smooth action
. His lack of skill and judgement led to considerable mirth in the crewroom - the inevitable disciplinary action followed. Cost him a few quid too, if memory lane leads to the correct destination!