JATFOR 2015?

[BEagle]

I see from the local rag that the C-130J force has been conducting a 'large military parachute drop' exercise again:
RAF Brize Norton takes part in largest military parachute drop in the UK for more than a decade (From Witney Gazette) (http://www.witneygazette.co.uk/news/14141989.RAF_Brize_Norton_takes_part_in_largest_military_par achute_drop_in_the_UK_for_more_than_a_decade/?ref=mr&lp=2)

Not quite in the league of JATFOR's mass meat-bombing sessions with 36 C-130Ks 40 years ago, but hopefully a 'capability' whose 'holiday' is now over?

[Dougie M]

From the link it appears that only 4 C130 Js were involved and some 200 troops dispatched. Rather than JATFOR it was more like LPAC. Limited Parachute Assault Capability. I don't think that we will ever blacken the skies over Salibury Plain again. It's good to see that they are getting current again though.

[Chugalug2]

In the very early 70's I was told that the reason why we had 66 Hercules was because of the need to be able to drop and resupply the Parachute Brigade, and the reason for retaining the Parachute Brigade was the RAF's MRT fleet of 66 Hercules. It all had a wonderfully symmetrical logic...

[CoffmanStarter]

BEagle ...

I know you don't venture into the Twittersphere ... But the Brize MCO output is worth a follow. More pics of that recent drop :ok:

https://mobile.twitter.com/brizenortonmco

[dragartist]

Spotter question alert:
Noted from the pic in the Witney rag the J had tanks.
Do they all now?
This would have a +ve effect so far as crossover is concerned.
When Q2 did the flight trials with the tanks did they check out crossover?
Genuinely interested but trying hard to put my past behind me these days.
Cheers
Drag

[CoffmanStarter]

Good to see you back Drag old chap ... :ok:

[ExAscoteer]

I would imagine that putting the EXT tanks on was done for wing bending relief.

[salad-dodger]

Drag

They don't all have the external tanks. Story here:

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/raf-hercules-get-extended-range-upgrade-410303/

S-D

[dragartist]

Thanks Coff. I've been here but the knob on my set snapped off in Rx mode. Tx now functioning as required.


Thanks for the link S-D. Talk about milk a job. Tanks were but a very small part of a programme. Then off, on, off on again. Then became a programme in it's own right. The first one was all very hush hush.


Just been reading the R-R magazine. Good article on Harvest Hawk. I think we had aspirations for such a machine in the early days but not the budget to match.


I would still wish to know out of curiosity if the assumptions we made on sim stick crossover were true and that tanks made all the difference.


Apologies for the thread drift.

[taxydual]

Amazing really that BEagles' local rag,'the Witney Gazette', has to remind it's readers that RAF Brize Norton is near Carterton.

Oh, how quickly people forget that we once had an Air Force.