ExAscoteer wrote:
In reality I doubt that Albert would have been any real use at SAR except in good weather conditions (as in AA62's 'photo above).
Short version
Oct 1993 Russian Cargo Ship sinks 400 miles South of Tristan de Cunha. Albert scrambled from RAF Mount Pleasant. Sea State on scene total crap and very heavy, cloud base very low and rain. Survivors located, flare pattern dropped, ASRA dropped on target. Time on Scene approx 2 hours, time airborne 14:45. On return to MPA, second Albert gets airborne, this time with tanker support and does the same thing all over again. All written up in Air Clues at the time. Yes Nimrod would have been preferable, but just like now, nil stock Nimrod. So we made do with the best we had.