ORAC/PN
Had a similar experience myself in transit as one of the first REMFs deployed to relieve the original TAC-ATC guys. Following arrival at ASI, courtesy Vickers Funbus, we happy band of miscellaneous brothers were packed into the transport Herc after it had been bulked-out with freight with the exhortation “find a place and lie in it – don’t recommend the ramp it gets f f f flaming cold there…” And so, off we sauntered. This where my memory is at odds with Pontius as I clearly recall the first 2 refuelling brackets were C130 to C130 and the long slot was a Victor.
Bracket 1 with a C-130 went fine as did Bracket 2 with another C-130. However, I managed to get onto the flight deck for Bracket 3 that was with the Victor at which point it was explained that one of the prop controls wasn’t doing its thing properly and the necessary control finesse probably wasn't available to toboggan with the Victor. I vividly recall viewing the dimples in the rivets at the back-end of the Victor and thinking "I prefer 3 or 5NMs/1000ft to this coat-of-paint separation standard!".
After 2 or 3 prodding tries, including one with the basket nearly bouncing on the cabin roof, it was “this one, or we’re back to ASI”…. Missed. About Turn – re-trog back to ASI. Land. “Right you lot – we’re doing a frame change; grab some kip in a tent somewhere – we’ll be off again in about 4 hrs”. So it was, scran, camp bed, no sleep, rise and shine and ‘seconds away, round 2’. Made it the second time, but by the time we got to Port Stanley’s 4,100ft – yet to be extended - runway our eyes were rotating like the Herc’s props. Still, “get some kip, you’ve got your PAR check-out and Local Knowledge examination tomorrow” re-orientated one’s priorities.
Later, once the runway had been extended to 6,100ft and the F4’s arrived, the based ac complement comprised 6(?) F4s, 8 GR3 Harriers, 2 Tanker/MPA Hercs, 2 SAR Kings, 4(?) Chinooks and usually 1 Herc Freighter rotating through on a turnaround. Routine Ops comprised PIs and ‘Presence’ sorties: 2 F4’s, 4 Harriers as MFF/close support trng, 1 C130 Tanker support. Recovered in the order: land Harriers between cables, taxi onto apron to hold while landing 1 x F4 into cable, taxi Harriers for pushback into HARDET while cable is being rewound, land second F4 into cable; instead of re-winding, de-rig cable so Herc Tanker can land, re-rig/rewind cable, when the Herc’s clear. The process was based on American carrier ‘Case’ recoveries; it worked very well especially when the Fire Crews got into their stride on the cable re-winds. The Harriers were always an incentive for the Fire Crews to get a ‘wiggle on’ as they waited (impatiently!) for the first F4 to be got out of the cable. It all slowed down unfortunately when the BAK-13s were ‘withdrawn from use’ as they could take something like 10 arrests an hour and re-wound semi-automatically, like a carriers’ wire. The RHAG was a much gentler arrest but was restricted to 4 arrests an hour and was a faff to re-wind.