View Full Version : Easter Island/Falklands
ihoharv
7th Aug 2005, 04:36
Without having to shoot me, any truth to rumors of RAF C130 being based at Easter Island ready to take "the boys" into Argentina back in the early 80's?
MrBernoulli
7th Aug 2005, 13:08
Hmmmmmm ......................... not come across that one before. Where did this rumour originate?
Fg Off Bloggs
7th Aug 2005, 14:37
I think there might be closer and more robust FOBs than Easter Island which is over 2500 nm from Buenos Aires!
Can'y believe it myself!
IIRC Tristan Da Cunha was looked at as a forward base.
Pontius Navigator
7th Aug 2005, 17:32
Interesting proposition. Only 2600 st miles one-way. Presumably statge through Chile in which case why go to EI?
We certainly looked at getting the Shacklebomber down the back way but soon discounted it as it would take forever and a day. Not only that but the 'neutral friendly to Argentine' countries would have required too greater hop between 'neutral friendly to UK' countries.
engineer(retard)
7th Aug 2005, 19:49
Perhaps the boys took Easter eggs to the Falkland Islands, you know how chinese whispers are.
:)
Retard
16 blades
7th Aug 2005, 22:51
....there would've been alot of disappointed kids back at Naval bases when the Falklands bunny came round.....
:E
16B
highveldtdrifter
8th Aug 2005, 08:05
IHOHARV,
Easter Isle was an option, along with the grading of a strip on Tristan. Luckily, neither were required after AAR probes were fitted
mystic_meg
8th Aug 2005, 08:53
....there would've been alot of disappointed kids back at Naval bases when the Falklands bunny came round.....
..........errm...shouldn't that be Falklands benny ??:ok:
And that nickname is still doing the rounds......
Maple 01
8th Aug 2005, 09:20
And'ies supprised at that?
Solid Rust Twotter
8th Aug 2005, 19:06
Grading a strip on Tristan would have been pretty hard on the potato patches. Angry Tristanians waving Lee Enfield rifles may not be the ideal send off.
highveldtdrifter
9th Aug 2005, 17:36
Rusty,
After getting my old maps from the loft, it wasn't Tristan but 'nearby' Gough Island.
Jackonicko
10th Aug 2005, 20:00
Connected with Mikado, perhaps?
scroggs
10th Aug 2005, 21:37
There were a number of missions at the time to various out-of-the-way places, the purposes of which are no doubt still classified, but, AFAIK, there were no long term basings other than at Ascension - which I became a semi-permanent resident of, before moving further south. For some reason, it took a PVR to get me away from the South Atlantic, 16 years after I first encountered it!
Solid Rust Twotter
11th Aug 2005, 11:57
Drifter
Where would they have scraped the runway on Gough? 99% of the place is damned near vertical....:confused:
highveldtdrifter
11th Aug 2005, 18:21
Rusty,
Southern coastal plain looks good enough.
Solid Rust Twotter
11th Aug 2005, 18:40
Not a chance. Not that big, strange angles and boggy as a wet muddy, boggy thing.
It's also a nature reserve and therefore a protected site.