Caribou Replacement..

[Critical Reynolds No]

And do we really need to see that picture again?

[Trojan1981]

I'd like to see a King Air airdrop a jeep into a DZ!

I'd like to see a Caribou do that! The LR110 doesn't fit into a 'bou, hence the Sqn Suzukis. Bou was good for dropping A22 CDS, compacts compised of Ammo boxes, drums of water/fuel/whatever, Heli/Maxi boxes the od DZ bike and LAPES, but not Vehicles.

[FlexibleResponse]

Trojan, Well it use to do just that!

If you visit 38 Sqn and note a mounted buckled jeep steering wheel on the wall that was presented by Humpydoo, then you will have discovered fossilized evidence of an earlier era of very successful (and sometimes not so) Caribou Operations!

[ernestkgann]

I think the original Landies fit in the back as well as that cut down "cruiser the sqn used to have.

[Trojan1981]

Trojan, Well it use to do just that!

Yeah, they used to,fair enough, but the current LR110 doesn't fit. So not for the last 20 odd years I suppose. I have never seen it.

No doubt a WWII era Jeep would fit. Did the ROPS have to be taken off the old LRs to get them in? What about width?

[Disco Stu]

Both Short and Long wheelbase Landrovers were dropped from the 'Bou. Soft top removed and windscreen folded down.

The buckled steering wheel did come from a "Jeep" that was a training aid at AMTDU. It got all bent because a 38 Sqdn Loadmaster forgot about hooking up and checking the static lines to the parachute bags.

I'll see if I can find my 'before' and 'after' photo's.

Don't worry too much about the Chief of the Air Force's comments re the B200, he's an ex Knucklehead and only knows about jelly beans.

Disco Stu
ex AMTDU

[Trojan1981]

Both Short and Long wheelbase Landrovers were dropped from the 'Bou.

Are you refering to the LR model before the 110? The windscreen/door tops cannot be removed on the current model, only the ROPS can be unbolted. The LRPV (no top) weighs to much to go in a 'bou.
So when did they stop doing that? I never did it with 38, 176 or AMTDU. We were not trained to do it from a bou, nor saw it done. In fact we never even airlanded them. Granted, I only joined a little over ten years ago.

Apart from the issue of wether or not the vehicle will fit in the aircraft, the RAAF airdrop rigging manuals specify that the LR must be rigged on a type 5 platform, with an EFTC, which won't fit in a 'bou. It also has to sit on several stacks of honeycomb cardboard and have the parachute stowage board/parachutes and parachute release on top. All of this makes it too high to fit.

Now if you were going to LAPES a LR from a bou, that might be possible with a wooden CEP. Providing of course the vehicle fits.

[Gundog01]

Trojan,

Would the LR be overweight for a Lapes??

I wouldn't want to be flying with the type of CoG change you would expect with a LR coming out the back. it would have to be well over 2500lbs? Bad enough with someone taking a piss down the back .

[Trojan1981]

Gundog,

I have the LAPES weight limit at 4000lb in my old quick reference, but that may be outdated now.

You're right, even at that weight limit the LR would be over weight (approx 4800lb).

I'd love to see some old pics of vehicles going out the back of 'bous if anybody has them.

[YoDawg]

Here's some footage of lapes and the other usual Caribou airshow tricks.

[YoDawg]

Although an uninformed opinion, I would've thought the V-22 would make a good replacement for the Caribou. With the dollar the way it is, they should buy some while the buying's good.

[Obie]

So, wot's the difference between a "knucklehead" and a "non knucklehead"? Care to enlighten us, Stu?

[HamoAus]

Well the last flight has come and gone and the aircraft I started my career on (as a techo) is gone. I loved her and now she is gone.

Cheers

[CharlieLimaX-Ray]

Sad day, loved them round engines and short field displays!