AA62 mines
JATE flying section carried out the first airborne mine delivery once the sequence was developed in 1982. The load was 16 stores in sticks of 4 restrained with chocks, which meant that the AD team had to step over the first stick to release the second etc. There were a number of strops and lines suspended from the para cables. 1 for the drogue and 2 for the arming pins on the 2 fuses on each mine containing 600lbs of Torpex.
Inevitably with this cats cradle one of the despatchers, Pete E******* was carried over the ramp at 100ft over Kilderkin range. He was retrieved with no apparent distress, being as mad as a box of frogs anyway.
The Navy sent down divers to measure the distance between stores on the sea bed and declared that we could mine the Argie ports in three weeks.
This joyous news was received with dismay.