Hmmm! 2 days ,33 replies!! For a bit of kit which ought to be relatively reliable??? In the late 60s, at Tern Hill, usls with the Whirlwind - hooked up, marshalled away and moved across for the next one in. Same, same, and returned for the first one -???? NOTHING underneath!!
Some difficulty getting pilot to understand that he was missing his load. Eventually got him landed and checked hook - CLOSED and LOCKED!!! Back to dispersal and call armourers. "QUITE IMPOSSIBLE", say they. "The geometry of the hook wouldn't allow the bar to open and reclose and lock - must have been 'finger trouble'. Hook bar must have been nudged closed by landing". I KNEW that this wasn't so, but couldn't prove it.
Move on a year or so and similar scenario and similar result! This time I insisted the helo stayed airborne and hover-taxied to the pan and held the hover while the armourers come out to inspect. Non-plussed armourers and nothing subsequently to explain same.
Must admit that the first time I noticed the manufacturer's name I had a momentary doubt - Hobbies of Dereham.
Some years later on D Squadron at Boscombe and we did trials on a 'jungle penetrator'- a device attached to the load hook, intended to be lowered into dense jungle with four extendable 'seats' with straps to allow up to four SF guys to be extracted in emergency. Not at all sure that I wouldn't have preferred to take my chances on foot. The trials were an 'interesting' failure!!