Snatch
Just HAD to put in my tuppence worth.
The Snatch ground to air retrieval system was initially request to recover mail from the fleet in the South Atlantic.
The ideas ranged from a loop suspended between parts of the superstructure of H.M. Ships to a lifting kite. Kites were successfully flown by the Chinese laundry staff but they only lifted string. A lifting parachute then arrived which was to be flown off the stern. Trials at Larkhill showed that the aircraft had to fly at the para securing line at 45 degrees due to the curtinary of the droop. The first attempt required a rapid return to Brize for a taxy round while I emerged from the deck escape hatch to sever the line round the starboard wing between the engines. When flown off the stern of HMS Arethusa the para ditched suddenly after hitting turbulence and became a very efficient sea anchor. The fish heads rapidly lost enthusiasm for the idea
The Loop pick up was practised at Brize and the retrieval height was determined at 40 feet after numerous furrows were ploughed along the south side of the runway.
Now the live Snatch could be trialled at Larkhill. Trouble was when we got it what did we do with it. The AD boys started with the "Heave Ho" method but that took too long and when it reached the aircraft it sponned the duck bill so M**** McL**** cut it free. The AD guys nearly despatched HIM.
An expert brought us an aerial erection winch from the Boer war so finally the aircrew demanded and got a Fulton recovery winch.
As for the morale boosting mail for the U.K. plan, the Navy never used it and the guys at Stanley thought it was a joke and sent up a sheeps head in the bag. All in all not one of the better ideas.