Mass Herc Flypast - 1980s?
Adrian Mole's memory serves him well. I just dragged out my old logbook and see that I flew XV184 on Ruby Signet on 16/18th Oct '72.
My memory may not be as accurate as his but I seem to recollect that when the full formation was assembled it was nearer to 60 than 36 strong.
My memory may not be as accurate as his but I seem to recollect that when the full formation was assembled it was nearer to 60 than 36 strong.
Last edited by Chugalug2; 31st Oct 2006 at 23:18.
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Green Barrows......RIP
Next summer there is a plan to commererate the 25th Anniv of Op Corporate.
A small team of volunteers is working very hard, with a bit(a lot) of private cash to get a Vulcan to fly over Buck Hse, followed by SHARS,GR1s, F4s, Victors, and C-130s from every Sqn involved. I guess the Victors won't show, the Shars can't (criminal), and the Hercs? Can we pull guys back from the airlines to guest for 'The Barrows' next summer?
There has not been a 'Barrows' flypast this year and probably rightly so because the servicable frames are all deployed on ops.
P.S. JM I'll fly 2 if you fly 3
PPS, BUNTA C130 pm me.
A small team of volunteers is working very hard, with a bit(a lot) of private cash to get a Vulcan to fly over Buck Hse, followed by SHARS,GR1s, F4s, Victors, and C-130s from every Sqn involved. I guess the Victors won't show, the Shars can't (criminal), and the Hercs? Can we pull guys back from the airlines to guest for 'The Barrows' next summer?
There has not been a 'Barrows' flypast this year and probably rightly so because the servicable frames are all deployed on ops.
P.S. JM I'll fly 2 if you fly 3
PPS, BUNTA C130 pm me.
Last edited by DummyRun; 1st Nov 2006 at 01:26. Reason: Sp
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I seem to remember way back in the dim and murky past doing DZ helivac cover for a mass para drop. There were between 12 - 15 Hercs in trail at extreme low level, they then popped up to drop height and then dropped again once they delivered the dead wood out of the doors.
Very impressive sight ! !
Very impressive sight ! !
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Ruby Signet
Adrian Mole's memory serves him well. I just dragged out my old logbook and see that I flew XV184 on Ruby Signet on 16/18th Oct '72.
My memory may not be as accurate as his but I seem to recollect that when the full formation was assembled it was nearer to 60 than 36 strong.
My memory may not be as accurate as his but I seem to recollect that when the full formation was assembled it was nearer to 60 than 36 strong.
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UK JATFOR (Joint Airborne Task Force).
You were right mate. UK JATFOR was a joint 16 Para Brigade/RAF force set up to reinforce NATO`s Northern flank should the Ruskies come trundling across BAOR as it was.
The Brigade was fully independent consisting of all 3 Para Battalions, Para Artillery (7 RHA), 63 Sqn RCT, 23 PFA, 9 Sqn Engineers plus Guards Pathfinders and an Armoured recce Group.
It was a cracking unit, until it was destroyed by the short sighted goons in the Labour Government. Nothing changes there then!
I`m not a man for numbers, I was 2 Para and just jumped out of the things but I think it was 36 A/craft of 41 Group RAF.
There was a v good training video of it operating and if anyone out there can tell me where I can get a copy of it I would be very grateful.
Cheers
The Brigade was fully independent consisting of all 3 Para Battalions, Para Artillery (7 RHA), 63 Sqn RCT, 23 PFA, 9 Sqn Engineers plus Guards Pathfinders and an Armoured recce Group.
It was a cracking unit, until it was destroyed by the short sighted goons in the Labour Government. Nothing changes there then!
I`m not a man for numbers, I was 2 Para and just jumped out of the things but I think it was 36 A/craft of 41 Group RAF.
There was a v good training video of it operating and if anyone out there can tell me where I can get a copy of it I would be very grateful.
Cheers
There was also a whopping serial take-off in the early 90's - Was on TV, in fact some footage of that was used in the 'Herc' tribute vid posted recently. Cant remember the numbers involved , but it was big.
Thinking about it, the Queen might have been there, or I could be rolling events into one - the memory does that from time to time.
XV 220, spent many an hour asleep on that.
Thinking about it, the Queen might have been there, or I could be rolling events into one - the memory does that from time to time.
XV 220, spent many an hour asleep on that.
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I remember seeing 22-23 coming low level over the severn estuary sometime in the 90s.. think they were practising for some event or other.
The noise and the sight - very impressive
The noise and the sight - very impressive
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Mass Launches wot I have seen/done
When I was a young ATCO, in the tower, at Lyneham in 1969, we had a mass launch, for a drop a Keevil. Despite the intervening years, I am sure that it involved 48 ac. The recovery plan was complicated to say the least.
Almost as impressive as the "Elephant Walk" at Waddington, something like 27 or so Vulcan B2's howling off into the Lincolnshire skies.
And also as impressive as the CLSP launch of 36 GR1's from Bruggen.
Happy Day's
3P
Almost as impressive as the "Elephant Walk" at Waddington, something like 27 or so Vulcan B2's howling off into the Lincolnshire skies.
And also as impressive as the CLSP launch of 36 GR1's from Bruggen.
Happy Day's
3P
(a bear of little brain)
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I remember driving up the Brue valley near Bruton one Saturday lunchtime, mid to late 80s. First thing that happened was a Swordfish flew overhead and (slowly) disappeared into the distance (must have been on it's way from Yeovilton to somewhere). Then about 5 minutes later 3 Hercules went overhead, low-level, about the same course and height as the stringbag and a lot faster. Then 3 more. Then 3 more.... I think there were 18 in total. I assumed they were heading for a drop on Salisbury plain - and the Swordfish pilot possibly got a bit of a surprise.
(I recall there was a big exercise on at the time, it got mentioned in the local paper after someone drove a tank through a house on a corner on a main road near here).
(I recall there was a big exercise on at the time, it got mentioned in the local paper after someone drove a tank through a house on a corner on a main road near here).
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[quote=Trooper72;3389933]I think it was 36 A/craft of 41 Group RAF./quote]
It was more likely 38 Gp. They were the tactical group which at one time also include the RAF FGR2 Phantoms.
The other group was 46 Gp that contained the shiney fleet - VC1-, Commet, Britania, Belsow etc.
Both groups were part of Air Support Command which had been spawned from Transport Command.
Well that is what I think anyway.
It was more likely 38 Gp. They were the tactical group which at one time also include the RAF FGR2 Phantoms.
The other group was 46 Gp that contained the shiney fleet - VC1-, Commet, Britania, Belsow etc.
Both groups were part of Air Support Command which had been spawned from Transport Command.
Well that is what I think anyway.
I am surprised there has been no mention of the infamous Ex Bold Guard, 36 ship night drop in 74? All crews were required to stay on base, first night mass brief then a 24 hour delay for weather, all crews to the messes, bar profits through the roof! Next night go, but there were a few things wrong with the plan, no one thought to close the Keil canal, some paras were drowned by ships running them over them, the position of the DZ's, proximity to the canal and the relationship between the para DZ and the stores DZ. I understand that the German General who planned this debacle commited suicide.
The plods at LA closed the access to the ramp so no inflight catering, it was five hours night LL, all we were going to get was the infamous AH box. The emergency water was drunk that night!
And we did get to do the infamous scatter plan on recovery, what a night!
Perhaps this excercise had more to do with the ending of the JATFOR concept than a penny pinching government.
Happy Days!
The plods at LA closed the access to the ramp so no inflight catering, it was five hours night LL, all we were going to get was the infamous AH box. The emergency water was drunk that night!
And we did get to do the infamous scatter plan on recovery, what a night!
Perhaps this excercise had more to do with the ending of the JATFOR concept than a penny pinching government.
Happy Days!
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Where was the DZ then? I know the Kiel area very well as I lived there for several years.
They must've been bloody unlucky to get run over by a ship cos there's not that much traffic on the Nord-Ostsee kanal.
They must've been bloody unlucky to get run over by a ship cos there's not that much traffic on the Nord-Ostsee kanal.
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I remember it well, I was one of the passengers at that time I was 21 and this would be my first excursion abroad. Landing on my arse in a turnip field in Denmark was not the most dignified way to start my travels and see the world, but it was a start. I remember the Hercs lined up at Lyneham and there appeared to be a fantastic number in one place at one time. A couple of interesting points. The DZ was full of small ponds and each pond had a rubber boat with people to help any para unfortunate enough to go in one. In fact only one person did our CO! The children ran onto the DZ as we were landing, they started battering for our ration pack sweets in exchange for pornographic magazines. Now if someone could tell me when we did the exercise in Turkey a year or two later and its name I would appreciate it. Also 2 Para (my battalion) got sent to the middle east around 73 or 4 and we did some parachuting there. so does anyone have any answers??
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In fact I believe it was the German Colonel who was in charge of keeping the canal shut. I was on that jump and although not near the water, I did land about 50 metres from some very tall trees. I believe the jump was initiated by the lights of ship in the canal as opposed to DZ lights. Anyone have any more information?
More bang for your buck
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there must have been about 800 paras lined up
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With this government they wouldn't be able to find enough chutes for even half that number today.
There are plenty of chutes, Airframes are the problems.
AFPSU and PEF have chutes coming out of the ying yang.
But f I look out of my window across the pans........... Nothing.
There are plenty of chutes, Airframes are the problems.
AFPSU and PEF have chutes coming out of the ying yang.
But f I look out of my window across the pans........... Nothing.
Red On, Green On
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However, the lack of airframes means that lots of recently Para-badged lads are not para-q'd, so they couldn't be thrown out of the back anyway, so the fact that there are no airframes doesn't really matter...
JATFOR was the 70s game and consisted of a 36-ship Herc formation with one aircraft 15 minutes ahead as weather ship (early elf'n'safety?). Initially the weather ship was an Andover until they were canned. The formation was sized to drop a fighting para battalion, with troops from the first 14-18 aircraft (about 800 in all) with the following dropping MSPs (L/Rvrs & Trlrs plus guns etc) and 1TN Containers with sundry stores. In all of this the 1Tn container aircraft were always the heaviest and right at the back of the formation - being heavy their drop speeds were always 5 to 10 Kts higher than the MSP ac just in front!!
This was during the days of 38 Gp and Air Support Command. 38Gp was the tactical part (in effect the rump of the old Army Co-operation force) and included the Harriers and other mudmovers plus the Hercs (and previously the Argosies etc and the the Andovers) whilst the Strat Fleet all belonged directly to ASC. Then ASC was disbanded and we all became part of Strike Command with 46 Gp forming at Upavon for all of the transport aircraft, by then VC10, Belfast and Herc.
There is a story about Freddie Yetman (then Stn Cdr LYE) and a JATFOR exercise. He was standing in Ops when the telephone rang. All the regular Ops staff were busy so Freddie answered. A very irate member of a local community somewhere in the SW proceeded to berate Freddie that one of his Hercs had just flown very low over his house.. Freddie listened politely for a moment or 2 then merely replied "In that case, Sir, I should just hang around a bit - there are another 36 behind it." and put the phone down.
This was during the days of 38 Gp and Air Support Command. 38Gp was the tactical part (in effect the rump of the old Army Co-operation force) and included the Harriers and other mudmovers plus the Hercs (and previously the Argosies etc and the the Andovers) whilst the Strat Fleet all belonged directly to ASC. Then ASC was disbanded and we all became part of Strike Command with 46 Gp forming at Upavon for all of the transport aircraft, by then VC10, Belfast and Herc.
There is a story about Freddie Yetman (then Stn Cdr LYE) and a JATFOR exercise. He was standing in Ops when the telephone rang. All the regular Ops staff were busy so Freddie answered. A very irate member of a local community somewhere in the SW proceeded to berate Freddie that one of his Hercs had just flown very low over his house.. Freddie listened politely for a moment or 2 then merely replied "In that case, Sir, I should just hang around a bit - there are another 36 behind it." and put the phone down.