1970s Dock Strikes
I was ground handling at Leeds during the 1970s when we had at different times a strike by seamen and by dockworkers which led to some interesting loads. An Icelandic outfit (Frachtflug if I remember correctly) based 2 x DC7s for the duration of hostilities and kept them going almost 24 hours a day.
Ships were discharging in Antwerp so we got aircraft loads of shirts, slippers household stuff (pretty much everything we still import today). Memorably 649 cases of Australian Granny Smith Apples, when the man from the market came to collect he would only take 600 as that was his order, the balance were there for wastage. We were eating beautiful apples for weeks.
A ships prop shaft on a Sterling DC6 swing tail (do I remember that correctly? - long time ago) with no means of offloading it, so we came up with some sort of device with slings and pullys and a mobile crane, one end suspended from the crane (which could only lift half the weight) the other resting on a pallet dolly on 10 ton forklift that had to be weighed down with as many people as possible that climb on the back, all synchronised to move at the same time. Modern Health & Safety men would have loved it.
An Alaska Hercy to load Polo Mints, and late one Saturday afternoon a Constellation with horrible squeally brakes with a load of Refractory Bricks. The only one I ever saw flying and no camera!!.
Happy days.........