Ark Royal traps
Red On, Green On
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Most of my Dartmouth intake had 'council house' twangs.....just like me
Awesome.........bloody awesome. Everyone in FLYCO a character from a Tugg Cartoon !!!
Last time I was near those wires was attending Colours in Malta (courtesy of the best SP there ever was) with half the Squadron for defaulting shareholders after the CTP !
Ark was a war canoe where you learned never to assume anything.
Last time I was near those wires was attending Colours in Malta (courtesy of the best SP there ever was) with half the Squadron for defaulting shareholders after the CTP !
Ark was a war canoe where you learned never to assume anything.
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PeterP
TUGG, what memories. Would you know if any of his cartoons ever hit the t'internet?
The one with the CPO showing his scars, from prop swinging, to the Chief Wren. Priceless (and so true).
TUGG, what memories. Would you know if any of his cartoons ever hit the t'internet?
The one with the CPO showing his scars, from prop swinging, to the Chief Wren. Priceless (and so true).
Originally Posted by engoal
I think the last pilot to get launched from the Ark in a Bucc is still about, albeit a reservist in a ground job.
Somewhere
I have a ltd edition print of a painting of the event and signed by DB.
Wonderful bit of footage, you can almost smell the Avcat 
ISTR that 142 was the last FW course, through Linton on Ouse in 1968. Des Worsley (Buccaneers) would have been the youngest, and he's about 60 years young now 
Although They did allow light blue drivers to play with our toys later into the 70's, so one or three may be in their mid 50's now
Into Fly 1: the lifts sort of got in the way of the next recovery 
Originally Posted by airborne_artist
The youngest pilot who was RN catapult/carrier-deck qual'd would now be about 55 years old, is my guess.
Although They did allow light blue drivers to play with our toys later into the 70's, so one or three may be in their mid 50's now
Originally Posted by Lyneham Lad
The recovery sequences were also impressive - down, hook-up, wings fold and onto the lift all in a few seconds.
Last edited by John Eacott; 13th Nov 2008 at 04:03. Reason: Avcat/Avtur: that's pingers for you!
I was an RAF ATCO at RAF Leuchars and had the privilage in taking part in the SPN35 radar trials in the workup to the "Sailor" comission. I was amazed to watch the Bucc Martel trials flown by test pilots from Boscombe Down. Assymetric stores load, out of trim, and all sorts of other anomalies, cat launches to push the envelope to the limit. Actually losing sight of aircraft while standing in flyco. Those guys were something else!!! The whole operation was so professional.
By all accounts the real debrief received by the Bucc pilot (AG) (from Keith Somerville-Jones (OC 809)) who had trouble getting on deck, was nothing like the one shown in the programme, which went along the lines of "no probs chap, glad you managed to get aboard!"
Great footage!
Great footage!
Red On, Green On
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Those were the days.
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you can almost smell the Avtur
Even speaking from the crab side, it was a sad day when we lost the capability to launch proper jets off proper carriers.
Sorry - yes, I didn't watch the full clip today and was working from memory which didn't serve me well!
I guess Capt Graham (Rear Admiral?) if he is still alive must be well into his 80's now. Is he still with us?
I guess Capt Graham (Rear Admiral?) if he is still alive must be well into his 80's now. Is he still with us?
Incredible stuff gents! To the uninitiated... it is amazing how fast a turnaround cycle this is till the next trap. At one point you see a Phantom just stopped and and raising hook, folding wings and then given a 'turn right' hand signal from the man on the deck and you can see another Phantom approaching at 90degrees from right to left in the background in the circuit apparently a mile or so from the ship and only seconds from trapping and he still hasn't turned onto finals! 
Last launch for the F-4K was by a chap called Murdo Macleod Flt Lt RAF, who flew Lightnings before that and Harriers after that and got a gong in the Falklands for landing an AAA-damaged GR3 on board Hermes. Now am I getting it wrong is the young Fg Off on the right in the pic below Murdo Macleod? (from his Lightning days):
29sqn17
Speaking of Dave Braithwaite I recalled the AWI school. Since someone mentioned Bob N******d is this the gent that is saying "if he bolters again we'll have to divert him"? Wasn't he a 764Sqn AWI (schol instructor) on the Bucc or something?
Big fan your FAA (a that includes SHARs now sadly!) even though I am Greek. Doug Macdonald used to pull my leg when I was a kid on my random visits to the FAAOA old offices at Piccadilly when they'd be flying a lone Greek flag for some reason and when I'd ask he'd say "well we've been execting you". Here's yet another interesting short article from Doug Macdonald on Topgun (scroll down to middle of page):
Mail buoy | Wings of Gold | Find Articles at BNET
Last launch for the F-4K was by a chap called Murdo Macleod Flt Lt RAF, who flew Lightnings before that and Harriers after that and got a gong in the Falklands for landing an AAA-damaged GR3 on board Hermes. Now am I getting it wrong is the young Fg Off on the right in the pic below Murdo Macleod? (from his Lightning days):
29sqn17
Speaking of Dave Braithwaite I recalled the AWI school. Since someone mentioned Bob N******d is this the gent that is saying "if he bolters again we'll have to divert him"? Wasn't he a 764Sqn AWI (schol instructor) on the Bucc or something?
Big fan your FAA (a that includes SHARs now sadly!) even though I am Greek. Doug Macdonald used to pull my leg when I was a kid on my random visits to the FAAOA old offices at Piccadilly when they'd be flying a lone Greek flag for some reason and when I'd ask he'd say "well we've been execting you". Here's yet another interesting short article from Doug Macdonald on Topgun (scroll down to middle of page):
Mail buoy | Wings of Gold | Find Articles at BNET
I guess Capt Graham (Rear Admiral?) if he is still alive must be well into his 80's now. Is he still with us?
Sadly, Captain, later Rear Admiral, W J (aka Wilf, aka Wid) is no longer with us.
Who is the Lt Cdr in the footage who tells the Bucc pilot that he might have to divert to St Mawgan?
It's the Lieutenant Commander (Flying), also known as "Little F", but I don't recall his name.
If you're referring to the Cdr (FLYCO), it's Bob N******d.
Who, when earlier appointed in command of a Tribal Class frigate as his first sea job for a long time and taking her to sea for the first time in rather unusual circumstances, uttered the magic words "Slow ahead Port, slow astern starboard". Dead silence for a few seconds, before the Navigating Officer diffidently said "Excuse me, Sir, but Tribals only have one propellor"!
Jack
Sadly, Captain, later Rear Admiral, W J (aka Wilf, aka Wid) is no longer with us.
Who is the Lt Cdr in the footage who tells the Bucc pilot that he might have to divert to St Mawgan?
It's the Lieutenant Commander (Flying), also known as "Little F", but I don't recall his name.
If you're referring to the Cdr (FLYCO), it's Bob N******d.
Who, when earlier appointed in command of a Tribal Class frigate as his first sea job for a long time and taking her to sea for the first time in rather unusual circumstances, uttered the magic words "Slow ahead Port, slow astern starboard". Dead silence for a few seconds, before the Navigating Officer diffidently said "Excuse me, Sir, but Tribals only have one propellor"!
Jack