Snatch
Sorry to revisit posts a long time back. I've just got past page 100 before I joined in. Many smiles along the way. Thank you all.
There was a question re what was the "string" used for the snatch?
Glider tow rope is what I was told. I can claim to be the first "gash squadron pilot" to have carried out a snatch. On 9 June 1982 we were on the east strip at Deptford Down doing our day strip qual prior to fighter affil and AAR for deployment to ASI. JATE were on the west strip doing the snatch trials. They were concerned that they had become so used to flying the snatch that they were not sure how difficult it would be for "gash sqn pilots". Their exact words! When they came across to ask for one I was the one available. I hesitate to say selected or chosen. If you were used to free drop it wasn't too difficult as long as the pitch inputs were kept to a minimum and small as it was easy to set up an oscillation in the cable and the grappling hook would fly up and over the loop to be hooked.
The nylon ropes were only used for a limited number of snatches, three I think and I was given mine as a thanks for my contribution. It has proved to be a great tow rope for the car.
HTC