Wikiposts
Search
Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

Hercules Tanker

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 9th Nov 2022, 08:00
  #1 (permalink)  

"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: England
Age: 77
Posts: 4,142
Received 224 Likes on 66 Posts
Hercules Tanker

I've been asked whether the RAF ever had any Hercules adapted to act as tankers, presumably for other Hercules. Does anyone have any gen on this?

Herod is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 08:07
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: aus
Posts: 1,317
Likes: 0
Received 111 Likes on 69 Posts
Originally Posted by Herod
I've been asked whether the RAF ever had any Hercules adapted to act as tankers, presumably for other Hercules. Does anyone have any gen on this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Martin_KC-130
rattman is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 08:08
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Northumberland
Posts: 8,585
Received 94 Likes on 64 Posts
Sure that somebody will be along shortly to give chapter and verse, but googling "RAF Hercules Tanker" gives this, which looks like a good place to start:

The story of RAF Hercules air-to-air refuelling in the Falklands

There's also this earlier thread

RAF Hercules Tankers

SWBKCB is online now  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 08:41
  #4 (permalink)  

"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: England
Age: 77
Posts: 4,142
Received 224 Likes on 66 Posts
Thanks Guys. I should have been more specific, since I knew about the Falklands. There is a picture showing a Hercules with "mission tallies" on the side, which look like tanker missions. However, the picture is dated early '73. I was on the Hercules fleet from '73 to '76. and know nothing of this. I suspect the tallies are for something else, but the picture isn't clear enough to tell.
Herod is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 10:05
  #5 (permalink)  
wub
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Scotland
Posts: 1,216
Received 14 Likes on 7 Posts
Possibly Operation Khana Cascade, air drops of relief supplies following an earthquake in Nepal, in 1973.
wub is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 10:08
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: sussex
Posts: 1,841
Received 19 Likes on 14 Posts
Herod,
the now quiet Hercules thread has a gr
A reat deal of info and pics of the Conversion and use of the Hercules as a tanker It was used to tank other Hercules nut also many FJ a/c as well. Especially supporting the RAF FJ element in the Falklands and of course the Airbridge..
ancientaviator62 is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 10:19
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: sussex
Posts: 1,841
Received 19 Likes on 14 Posts
Herod,
I was associated with the Hercules tanker virtually from the beginning to the end when they were converted back to standard. I have a collection of pics of the tanker inside and out. If you are interested PM me with your e-mail address and I will send you a selection.
ancientaviator62 is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 10:26
  #8 (permalink)  

"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: England
Age: 77
Posts: 4,142
Received 224 Likes on 66 Posts
Thanks wub. That looks like it may be it. The tallies could be meal sacks, indicating number of drops. The picture was taken at Luqa in Jan 63. The date doesn't quite tally, but then the photographer may have that wrong by a couple of months. After all, it was a LONG TIME AGO.
Herod is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 10:33
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: sussex
Posts: 1,841
Received 19 Likes on 14 Posts
Herod,
the RAF did not operate the Hercules in 1963, so you must mean 1973 I think.
ancientaviator62 is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 14:49
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: sussex
Posts: 1,841
Received 19 Likes on 14 Posts
Herod,
I got your PM but not sure if my reply went ! If you send me your e-mail address I will send pics etc. Better I think than boring the rest of the readership.
ancientaviator62 is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 15:57
  #11 (permalink)  

"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: England
Age: 77
Posts: 4,142
Received 224 Likes on 66 Posts
email address sent
Herod is offline  
Old 9th Nov 2022, 18:31
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: virginia, USA
Age: 56
Posts: 1,062
Received 15 Likes on 10 Posts
Originally Posted by ancientaviator62
Herod,
I got your PM but not sure if my reply went ! If you send me your e-mail address I will send pics etc. Better I think than boring the rest of the readership.
Boring?! I think you would find most of us here would love to see some early herky-bird tanker interior pictures. Bring' em on!
sandiego89 is offline  
Old 10th Nov 2022, 07:38
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: sussex
Posts: 1,841
Received 19 Likes on 14 Posts
sandie,
the reason I said 'boring' was that it was all covered in the Hercules thread.


ancientaviator62 is offline  
Old 10th Nov 2022, 09:25
  #14 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 367
Received 161 Likes on 50 Posts
A gazillion gallons of Avtur. One 5kg BCF.

"Its H&S gone mad, I tell you".
DuncanDoenitz is offline  
Old 10th Nov 2022, 10:05
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 412
Received 32 Likes on 19 Posts
Grab the Lockup (about 4000lb IIRC), then 5 mins of fun over Stanley in the world's fastest steam engine, the magnificent FGR2....
57mm is offline  
Old 10th Nov 2022, 10:52
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Wildest Surrey
Age: 75
Posts: 10,820
Received 98 Likes on 71 Posts
Originally Posted by ancientaviator62
Herod,
the now quiet Hercules thread has a gr
A reat deal of info and pics of the Conversion and use of the Hercules as a tanker It was used to tank other Hercules nut also many FJ a/c as well. Especially supporting the RAF FJ element in the Falklands and of course the Airbridge..
Superb photo.
chevvron is offline  
Old 10th Nov 2022, 10:58
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: In the State of Denial
Posts: 1,078
Likes: 0
Received 146 Likes on 28 Posts

The view from the opposite end.
Ken Scott is offline  
Old 10th Nov 2022, 11:17
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 776
Received 571 Likes on 209 Posts
Originally Posted by chevvron
Superb photo.
Thank you.
Video Mixdown is online now  
Old 10th Nov 2022, 11:34
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,056
Received 2,931 Likes on 1,250 Posts
Originally Posted by ancientaviator62
sandie,
the reason I said 'boring' was that it was all covered in the Hercules thread.
Are those the ex Andover tanks that were also used in the Chinook?
NutLoose is offline  
Old 10th Nov 2022, 15:34
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 282
Received 30 Likes on 14 Posts
They were certainly ex-Andover tanks. Initially the fitment was 2, latterly 4.
ExAscoteer2 is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.