Posted: 2003-01-23 12:45
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4AM
They say the darkest hour is right before the dawn.
We would arise, not from sleep but from passing out from too many warm Moosehead and bull**** stories. A coffee helped a little but then we went to the flightline in the dark, flashlights stabbing the dark as we did half-hearted walk-arounds.
Then...there is NOTHING.....I say..NOTHING more horny than nine Avengers running up in the dark..18,000 horsepower growling..orange flames turning blue as they warmed up. The first team would move into the pits to await the dawn, when the C172 pointer planes would take of and go to the block. We had two per team. They navigated for us online and we simply lined them up.
DAWN. We launch. Frank lines up with his 625US gallons of poison and roars off, vortices trailling from the slots at the wingtips. He banks right and I am powering up already, full power..49"...52" if you need it through the gate..tail up six inches and a slight tug and she breaks free.Frank banks back for the joinup. Gear up...First power reduction....first power reduction...****!..it's stuck....accelerating...I go scorching by Frank.."Slow down" he yells. "Can't..throttle's stuck" says I.
200kts.. I turn on downwind...250Kts.
I look at the Dunphy Airstrip..3000feet. No Way!
"Go to Chatham" growls Frank calmly..."050 degrees roughly"
I set a rough course..I can't remember what the final speed was because I was focussed on the cylinder head temp along with the oil temp that had already hit redline. I trimmed nose down and left all the right rudder trim in...getting hot in here.
The big chill...it ran up my spine..
"Climb up and jump" suggested another pilot : I see some smoke"
I looked at the 'chute...US Navy 1952 ..it read.
I stayed low...if it cuaght fire I wanted to ditch..the landscape was flat but flashing by in a blur.
The US Navy manual says you can use full power for two minutes..in wartime that is.
It's now about five minutes. I'm on my own.
She's screaming..was that a puff of smoke?
I could see the base off in the distance. Frank had already looked up the frequency for me...thanks Frank.
"Chatham Tower Zebra Two inbound..I have a problem"
"Say your position" says the controller.
I have lied in the past by saying I said "DESPERATE!" It got a few laughs.
"Crossing a powerline NE bound" is all I knew.
"What is you plan?"...they have every right to know..I didn't have one.
"Left base 250knots plus" I blurt out. I don't know what he said.I wasn't listening.
I noticed a helicopter hovering at the other end of the runway.
I roll onto base.....miles out.
250 KNOTS ON FINAL
More to follow over.
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CLguy
Joined: Jul 05, 2002
Posts: 105 Posted: 2003-01-23 13:02
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Duke all the best to you! Just another walk in the park! Did you ever work with the legendary Agent Orange on the TBM's. The guy who introduced his wife, "Boys meet the Crank, Crank meet the Boys". I flew Canso's with him in the early 80's. Never a dull moment!!
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Just Curious
Joined: Nov 06, 2001
Posts: 650
From: Frozen North
Posted: 2003-01-23 13:43
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Small world...I knew the Slaz from his brief foray into the arctic, but now I know that I know you too! I've got a picture of your machine (on the ramp in YCH) downstairs in the bar. All my little air cadets got hero shots in front of it.
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