Any Borneo Whirlwind veterans here?
Gentleman Aviator
O-D
many thanks as always. I'll send you a copy of an article I wrote on SOAF helicopters in the Dhofar War (thinks: there goes what remains of my tattered incognito!)
Teeters
many thanks as always. I'll send you a copy of an article I wrote on SOAF helicopters in the Dhofar War (thinks: there goes what remains of my tattered incognito!)
Teeters
But TTH, you already sent me a copy of same and were kind enough to annotate it with some info and explanations. In fact, I was reading it again only a few days ago.
Old Duffer
Old Duffer
Spot4, there were many `casevacs` during Confrontation,not only of injured/wounded troops but also of villagers/pregnant women,etc; in the civilian cases this was to help foster `hearts and minds` and keep the locals `on board`,especially where villages did not have access to nurses/doctors.There were of course `dispensaries` at some of the larger villages,and hospitals at the Divisional Capitals(towns).Military units/battalions ,of course had their own medics,and even a Doctor at their HQs,who would advise on the best course of action/treatment ,removal of patient to a local hospital for immediate treatment by helo /Pioneer etc,and then sent to Changi,or back to UK.Any helo crew could be tasked to do casevacs,depending on the situation.
I was flying one of the Intel flights. In Sabah we had an ex Colonial Office bod who was in Borneo before and during the 2nd WW. He could speak the local Murat language fluently and his job was to find out what was happening the other side of the border. On this occasion we went to a longhouse perched on the side of a hill overlooking the river about 5 miles short of the Indonesian border. There I shut down for the couple of hours that he required to get his information.
My attention was drawn to a young boy, about 9 years old, who had massive sores on his leg between the knee and the ankle. This was obviouly very serious and the Int officer gave his opinion that it was Yaws, a possible fatal disease. As he had time to spare I fired up, I was single pilot without a crewman, and flew to Pensiangan, the nearest village with any facilities. There I went to the WHO rep, a Taiwanese, and discussed the problem. He said that he could not give an opinion without seeing him so I bundled the WHO representitive and his assistant into my Whirlwind and flew them to the longhouse. He confirmed the Int Off opinion and declared that he would have to go to hospital in short order otherwise he was going to be in big trouble.
My decision was that when the Int Off had finished I would fly the boy to Jessleton (Kota Kinabalu) dropping the WHO party off at Pensiangan and the Int Off at Sepulot. Whilst we were waiting for the Int Off to finish the WHO chap had a long procession of sick Murats looking to be cured. There then came the problem of who was going to accompany the boy to Jessleton so one of his uncles was inveigled.
We took off, dropped the WHO party, and at Sepulot refuelled and picked up another pilot to help with the admin for the next trip. Our operators at Sepulot alerted the hospital at Jessleton and when we arrived the was an Ambulance awaiting to take him to hospital.
They would not get in the Ambulance.
They had never seen a vehicle with wheels on. Helicopters were OK, they saw them every day, but boxes that closed doors around you was not acceptable. The staff with the Ambulance did not speak Murat so eventually using sign language the ambulance drove off to the hospital with the boy and his uncle walking behind.
He was cured, in a manner of speaking and a civvy Twin Pin dropped him off at Sepulot. We would like to have flown him back home but we had nothing going that way so they walked.
Forty miles; a couple of days.
My attention was drawn to a young boy, about 9 years old, who had massive sores on his leg between the knee and the ankle. This was obviouly very serious and the Int officer gave his opinion that it was Yaws, a possible fatal disease. As he had time to spare I fired up, I was single pilot without a crewman, and flew to Pensiangan, the nearest village with any facilities. There I went to the WHO rep, a Taiwanese, and discussed the problem. He said that he could not give an opinion without seeing him so I bundled the WHO representitive and his assistant into my Whirlwind and flew them to the longhouse. He confirmed the Int Off opinion and declared that he would have to go to hospital in short order otherwise he was going to be in big trouble.
My decision was that when the Int Off had finished I would fly the boy to Jessleton (Kota Kinabalu) dropping the WHO party off at Pensiangan and the Int Off at Sepulot. Whilst we were waiting for the Int Off to finish the WHO chap had a long procession of sick Murats looking to be cured. There then came the problem of who was going to accompany the boy to Jessleton so one of his uncles was inveigled.
We took off, dropped the WHO party, and at Sepulot refuelled and picked up another pilot to help with the admin for the next trip. Our operators at Sepulot alerted the hospital at Jessleton and when we arrived the was an Ambulance awaiting to take him to hospital.
They would not get in the Ambulance.
They had never seen a vehicle with wheels on. Helicopters were OK, they saw them every day, but boxes that closed doors around you was not acceptable. The staff with the Ambulance did not speak Murat so eventually using sign language the ambulance drove off to the hospital with the boy and his uncle walking behind.
He was cured, in a manner of speaking and a civvy Twin Pin dropped him off at Sepulot. We would like to have flown him back home but we had nothing going that way so they walked.
Forty miles; a couple of days.
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 19th Jul 2012 at 15:32.
TTN,
Of course you're a youngun, it's not your fault that the memory buds are failing. Don't you recall we were discussing this the day I lent you £200 quid in used fivers, that you promised to repay within five days???!!!
O-D
Of course you're a youngun, it's not your fault that the memory buds are failing. Don't you recall we were discussing this the day I lent you £200 quid in used fivers, that you promised to repay within five days???!!!
O-D
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Sorry for the late reply - yes I am in Shropshire - Shifnal - we could meet - would look forward to it - and I don't mind travelling - let me know whatwould be best - cheers Graham
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Af/ BF and turnround did include oil level checks, the fuel refill cap was on the cabin door side just below and forward of the door, it was not usual to carry oils in the cab, as I found out ona an overnight stop at Long Jawi, we had to wait till a relief A/c came with the correct oil.
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110 Sqd did take over from the Navy at Nanga Gaat in September 1965, I flew down to Sibu with one of the first aircraft, piloted by John Badham, 230 replaced 103 at Labuan about 3 months earlier, when 103 went down to Kuching.
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The painting; whilst not yet finished, needs a "name". Does anyone with first hand experience of the location know of any words that are not too cheesy that would suit this image. Anyone remember what callsigns were used or did the camp have an NI type tag such as Red xyz? Sometimes months of graft with a paintbrush can pale into insignificance compared to choosing a title.
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Tiger mate hi - as far as I can remember, when I went to NG in Sept '65 there was no equipment to enable us to move the helicopters with, I left Dec '65 and during that period nothing was lifted in for that use, i am at the moment waiting for a reply from another of my colleagues who was there at the same time. Cheers Graham
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We seem to have forgotten....
Nobody seems to have mentioned the "Wobble Pump" which was mounted on the Main Gear Forward strut, Starboard side (of course).
Tiger mate: The picture is fine but "too tidy", the landing pads area was a mess..... the paths as I recall were not just paths on the ground they were rough board walks as mud was everywhere off the walks. The boards had a few nails sticking up which were perfect for tripping over too.... The view you have from ground level is almost the same lateral view as the colour picture I took from the air and which is displayed on the "Confrontation - know your enemy...." thread a couple of years back. There is another there also taken at ground level from the same aspect.
There was a small stream which cut across the pads area and the bridge over it had rough handrails, rather like the rails you have by the chopper at the Hangar.
You need to put the tanned guys in shorts and whatever shoes they were wearing (with socks rolled down) and the odd dog waiting for the chopper to land as they would be in the vicinity ready to service the beast once it shut down. A zwicky pump with a guy holding the nozzle.... A couple of zobbits leaning over the HQ railing, to the right of the "RAF Nanga Gaat" signboard....
A couple of hornbills (nearly always in pairs) flying over wouldn't go astray either.
Tie up a couple of longboats in the Sungei Gaat, put up the framed lizard display on the left hangar wall, then the ever present young Iban lad named "Bunsu" looking on eagerly and the deer with the piece of fur missing off their throats, and the.....
Dave Billings
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Tiger mate: The picture is fine but "too tidy", the landing pads area was a mess..... the paths as I recall were not just paths on the ground they were rough board walks as mud was everywhere off the walks. The boards had a few nails sticking up which were perfect for tripping over too.... The view you have from ground level is almost the same lateral view as the colour picture I took from the air and which is displayed on the "Confrontation - know your enemy...." thread a couple of years back. There is another there also taken at ground level from the same aspect.
There was a small stream which cut across the pads area and the bridge over it had rough handrails, rather like the rails you have by the chopper at the Hangar.
You need to put the tanned guys in shorts and whatever shoes they were wearing (with socks rolled down) and the odd dog waiting for the chopper to land as they would be in the vicinity ready to service the beast once it shut down. A zwicky pump with a guy holding the nozzle.... A couple of zobbits leaning over the HQ railing, to the right of the "RAF Nanga Gaat" signboard....
A couple of hornbills (nearly always in pairs) flying over wouldn't go astray either.
Tie up a couple of longboats in the Sungei Gaat, put up the framed lizard display on the left hangar wall, then the ever present young Iban lad named "Bunsu" looking on eagerly and the deer with the piece of fur missing off their throats, and the.....
Dave Billings
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We seem to have forgotten....
Nobody seems to have mentioned the "Wobble Pump" which was mounted on the Main Gear Forward strut, Starboard side (of course).
Tiger mate: The picture is fine but "too tidy", the landing pads area was a mess..... the paths as I recall were not just paths on the ground they were rough board walks as mud was everywhere off the walks. The boards had a few nails sticking up which were perfect for tripping over too.... The view you have from ground level is almost the same lateral view as the colour picture I took from the air and which is displayed on the "Confrontation - know your enemy...." thread a couple of years back. There is another there also taken at ground level from the same aspect.
There was a small stream which cut acrioss the pads area and the bridge over it had rough handrails, rather like the rails you have by the chopper at the Hangar.
You need to put the tanned guys in shorts and whatever shoes they were wearing (with socks rolled down) and the odd dog waiting for the chopper to land as they would be in the vicinity ready to service the beast once it shut down. A zwicky pump with a guy holding the nozzle.... A couple of zobbits leaning over the HQ railing, to the right of the "RAF Nanga Gaat" signboard....
A couple of hornbills (nearly always in pairs) flying over wouldn't go astray either.
Tie up a couple of longboats in the Sungei Gaat, put up the framed lizard display on the left hangar wall, then the ever present young Iban lad named "Bunsu" looking on eagerly and the deer with the piece of fur missing off their throats, and the.....
Dave Billings
www.electranewbritain.com
Tiger mate: The picture is fine but "too tidy", the landing pads area was a mess..... the paths as I recall were not just paths on the ground they were rough board walks as mud was everywhere off the walks. The boards had a few nails sticking up which were perfect for tripping over too.... The view you have from ground level is almost the same lateral view as the colour picture I took from the air and which is displayed on the "Confrontation - know your enemy...." thread a couple of years back. There is another there also taken at ground level from the same aspect.
There was a small stream which cut acrioss the pads area and the bridge over it had rough handrails, rather like the rails you have by the chopper at the Hangar.
You need to put the tanned guys in shorts and whatever shoes they were wearing (with socks rolled down) and the odd dog waiting for the chopper to land as they would be in the vicinity ready to service the beast once it shut down. A zwicky pump with a guy holding the nozzle.... A couple of zobbits leaning over the HQ railing, to the right of the "RAF Nanga Gaat" signboard....
A couple of hornbills (nearly always in pairs) flying over wouldn't go astray either.
Tie up a couple of longboats in the Sungei Gaat, put up the framed lizard display on the left hangar wall, then the ever present young Iban lad named "Bunsu" looking on eagerly and the deer with the piece of fur missing off their throats, and the.....
Dave Billings
www.electranewbritain.com
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Did they use 'swingfog' otherwise described as a hand held (as you would a strimmer) parafin burning motorised smoke generator to control mosquitoes? As that would add something to the image if it is appropriate.
I will get at least one dog in by the HQ.
I do know about the oleo mounted pumps but do not have any good reference photos that would translate to an accurate depiction. I understand it was yellow in colour so may be able to make a gesture in that direction.
Where the board-walks orientated on the direction of travel or 90` to it in the manner of railway sleepers?
I propose to hook up a trolley-ack to the static aircraft. Assuming such a device at that time would have been air-force blue in colour.
Where the wriggly tin buildings rusty?
I will get at least one dog in by the HQ.
I do know about the oleo mounted pumps but do not have any good reference photos that would translate to an accurate depiction. I understand it was yellow in colour so may be able to make a gesture in that direction.
Where the board-walks orientated on the direction of travel or 90` to it in the manner of railway sleepers?
I propose to hook up a trolley-ack to the static aircraft. Assuming such a device at that time would have been air-force blue in colour.
Where the wriggly tin buildings rusty?
Last edited by Tiger_mate; 23rd Jul 2012 at 22:35.
I see the Whirlwind in the foreground now has a number. XP332 was dropped in the oggin at Hong Kong in May 1969 after an engine rundown, having taken off in the rain for a troop lift. It was one of the original batch of six aircraft taken to H/K at the backend of '67 when 103/110 ran the detachment turn and turn about. 28 Sqn was formed in the Spring of '68 and took over. The question, therefore, is - did 332 ever do the Nanga Gaat bit? I suspect the answer is: Yes but does it really matter?
As to the Wobble Pump, my recollection was the handle which made it happen was stowed on the forward bulkhead and hence only deployed when needs must. Again, IIRC the preferred sequence went something like: bowser, Zwicky pump - if it would start - wobble pump. I can't remember doing a hand refuel by decanting from a 45 gallon drum but I expect it happened!
As Dave B says, most of these places were pretty scruffy with plenty of local 'involvement'. As to which way the planks lay, I can't say I ever noticed!
Old Duffer
As to the Wobble Pump, my recollection was the handle which made it happen was stowed on the forward bulkhead and hence only deployed when needs must. Again, IIRC the preferred sequence went something like: bowser, Zwicky pump - if it would start - wobble pump. I can't remember doing a hand refuel by decanting from a 45 gallon drum but I expect it happened!
As Dave B says, most of these places were pretty scruffy with plenty of local 'involvement'. As to which way the planks lay, I can't say I ever noticed!
Old Duffer
Posts 2 & 7 have pictures of the wobble pump in idle mode. Trolleyacc? Dunno about Nangs Gaat but there weren't any at Sepulot. It was aircraft or helistart Landrover.
In theory you could decant fuel straight into the tank from a 45 gall drum by harnessing it in a net. Starting the aircraft up and then lifting the drum with the winch so thay you could siphon the fuel into the tanks. Heard lots of stories about it being done; never found anybody who had done it or was there.
In theory you could decant fuel straight into the tank from a 45 gall drum by harnessing it in a net. Starting the aircraft up and then lifting the drum with the winch so thay you could siphon the fuel into the tanks. Heard lots of stories about it being done; never found anybody who had done it or was there.
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In the absence of any vehicles at Nanga Gaat, this Whirlwind now has a trolley-ack. The photo above automatically updates. I have started to make the place look a little untidy in response to feedback.
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More Nanga Gaat stuff...
Tiger Mate:
Hangar wriggly tin was brand new when I got there in Jan '66.
HQ Building wood was stained "Mission Brown". Most buildings and shacks were rough sawn timber, most of them that the Ibans used had atap roofing (the ones on the left in your painting).
The only two "permament" buildings were the HQ Building in your painting and the Airmen's Accomodation which was on "Main Street" closer to the Rajang River, these had exterior "weatherboard" siding.
Boardwalks had two laid pieces of timber (tree branches I recall) in the mud in the direction of travel and then short boards laid across them and nailed down.
The thread I mentioned (Confrontation, know your enemy - was it Soekarno ?) is, dare I say it.... on "Key Publishing - Historic Aviation". You have to search for it nowadays though.
It even shows me (when I was a young and spritely lad, handsome too I could mention !) standing by one of the beasts and shows the wobble pump on the leg which was black.
Yes, Old Duffer, we did refuel using the wobble pump on occasion. I well recall sweating my a@&$e off refuelling from a drum using the wobble pump while running and it barely kept up with the fuel usage...
XP332: Just looked through my Logbook and can't find 332 anywhere, at either Seletar, Kuching, Nanga Gaat, Labuan or Hong Kong..... I may be wrong but it doesn't seem to be a Seletar beast sent up to HK when the cordon work was being done there before 28 Squadron was re-formed. Sent out from UK when some of the Far East machines went back for heavy maintenance ?
I only have beasts in my log which had the big pig filter on the front, I can't recall beasts at NG (or elsewhere) without the pig snout.
Happy daubing !
Regards,
Dave Billings
www.electranewbritain.com
Hangar wriggly tin was brand new when I got there in Jan '66.
HQ Building wood was stained "Mission Brown". Most buildings and shacks were rough sawn timber, most of them that the Ibans used had atap roofing (the ones on the left in your painting).
The only two "permament" buildings were the HQ Building in your painting and the Airmen's Accomodation which was on "Main Street" closer to the Rajang River, these had exterior "weatherboard" siding.
Boardwalks had two laid pieces of timber (tree branches I recall) in the mud in the direction of travel and then short boards laid across them and nailed down.
The thread I mentioned (Confrontation, know your enemy - was it Soekarno ?) is, dare I say it.... on "Key Publishing - Historic Aviation". You have to search for it nowadays though.
It even shows me (when I was a young and spritely lad, handsome too I could mention !) standing by one of the beasts and shows the wobble pump on the leg which was black.
Yes, Old Duffer, we did refuel using the wobble pump on occasion. I well recall sweating my a@&$e off refuelling from a drum using the wobble pump while running and it barely kept up with the fuel usage...
XP332: Just looked through my Logbook and can't find 332 anywhere, at either Seletar, Kuching, Nanga Gaat, Labuan or Hong Kong..... I may be wrong but it doesn't seem to be a Seletar beast sent up to HK when the cordon work was being done there before 28 Squadron was re-formed. Sent out from UK when some of the Far East machines went back for heavy maintenance ?
I only have beasts in my log which had the big pig filter on the front, I can't recall beasts at NG (or elsewhere) without the pig snout.
Happy daubing !
Regards,
Dave Billings
www.electranewbritain.com
Last edited by David Billings; 25th Jul 2012 at 22:40.
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I have a photo of that particular Whirlwind at a Borneo site albeit a football pitch and the colour schemes appeared to be a variation of a them rather then a specific pattern. This is why this one was chosen for the scheme matches the airframe. The reference for the static aircraft was a 230 Sqn machine not photographed in Borneo which is why I am yet to give it a registration.. If someone can offer an authentic number plate and sqn code letter, i shall make it so. I have seen and saved Davids photo so am equipped to place a pump on the aircraft and may even include david and dog! Were the dogs std jungly scabby grey dogs or something a little more refined?