SHFNI Stories!
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230 At Killymeal
No not really but it certainly assisted with the nav!
24th October 1994. 230 Sqn cab, though CV was a 33 code? Taken from the lh seat of XV728’A’ on the centre spot as ZA937 lifted from the south spot. No crew details recorded, so check your log books please! If the stories continue, I've plenty of photos.
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Very small world!!!
Just checked my log book... 1994 24 Oct Puma hc 1 ZA937, Pilot Flt Lt D****r M**le, crewman myself, aircraft is a 230 Sqn cab conducting Puma 5 tasking on a Province Nav Ex total 1.30 Hours
To delay the money shot..............
The vision of K** the LEEDS LEEDS LEEDS crewman having a crap out of the door whilst flying low down Cookstown high street - works every time!!!!!!!
Doing the FOLA 5 in Walter (even if the current boss only had boys....but QHIs wife gladly helped out........)
Pic of the 'Tube' still sends shivers down spine....thinking of playing with pedals and collective as you go:
3.2 all the way and no scarf!
90-93
Doing the FOLA 5 in Walter (even if the current boss only had boys....but QHIs wife gladly helped out........)
Pic of the 'Tube' still sends shivers down spine....thinking of playing with pedals and collective as you go:
3.2 all the way and no scarf!
90-93
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Not An FOB
Very small world!!!
Just checked my log book...
Just checked my log book...
Thanks for that DR. For the next view,
Belfast Harbour Commissioners’ car park became the temporary HLS for Princess Anne’s 25th July 1991 one-day visit to the Tall Ships event. An ARF escort was provided by XV726’J’, seen here about to depart with Queen’s Flight Wessex XV732. In this one I’m 99% certain of the date, though it could have been the 24th? Same request re log books please.
I'll need to confirm with my log book...I think it's me, the mad Ozzie Boss and Dave ? the very old looking loadie.
The nice thing about this piccy is that the nose door cover is off, as we'd started several times with it on, wondering why the PTIT was going off the clock each time
The nice thing about this piccy is that the nose door cover is off, as we'd started several times with it on, wondering why the PTIT was going off the clock each time
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The Helidet Goat & The Bullworker
Two I remember from my tours in NI
There was the Helidet Goat that lived around the Officer's Mess. It was tolerated until it developed the unsavoury habit of pi**ing on the heater intakes which caused a disgusting smell in the Portakabins. It was finally banished after it tried to roger a Rock Squadron Leader.
The Bullworker incident was when one of the Para Battalions was based at the Mill and a stick were being transported to one of the outstations. Being Paras they formed a human chain to pass their bergens into the mighty Wessex that was turning and burning on the pan. Unfortunately one of the Paras had put a compressed Bullworker in his bergen and as sods law would have it, this was the one that got dropped. As it hit the ground the Bullworker extended, jumped out of the bergen and went up into the main rotor disc. The pilot and crewman's faces were a picture. Two regrets: I didn't have my camera with me to capture the moment and I never saw the incident signal which must have been a masterpiece.
There was the Helidet Goat that lived around the Officer's Mess. It was tolerated until it developed the unsavoury habit of pi**ing on the heater intakes which caused a disgusting smell in the Portakabins. It was finally banished after it tried to roger a Rock Squadron Leader.
The Bullworker incident was when one of the Para Battalions was based at the Mill and a stick were being transported to one of the outstations. Being Paras they formed a human chain to pass their bergens into the mighty Wessex that was turning and burning on the pan. Unfortunately one of the Paras had put a compressed Bullworker in his bergen and as sods law would have it, this was the one that got dropped. As it hit the ground the Bullworker extended, jumped out of the bergen and went up into the main rotor disc. The pilot and crewman's faces were a picture. Two regrets: I didn't have my camera with me to capture the moment and I never saw the incident signal which must have been a masterpiece.
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SHDNI/SHFNI Veterans - Please Keep Posting
To all of you who have posted some wonderful photos here (especially PP) please do keep it up. I spent a long time on both SHDNI and then SHFNI (predominantly 72 Sqn, some AAC and 7 Sqn). I have many memories but very few pictures - you are all filling a digital void in my life.
Many thanks
Klingonbc
"32/balanced/brakes off"
Many thanks
Klingonbc
"32/balanced/brakes off"
Last edited by klingonbc; 10th Jan 2010 at 00:36.
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Can anyone relate the account of the rather large fellow from South Africa getting shot in the chest.....and uttering something along the lines of "Margaret isn't going to be amused about this!"
The dear fellow died a few years back at his home in France....I gave him a ride in a Huey which was his final helicopter flight ever.
The dear fellow died a few years back at his home in France....I gave him a ride in a Huey which was his final helicopter flight ever.
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Last Day Of The 1990s
Pic of the 'Tube' still sends shivers down spine....
Possibly not the worst-ever Bessbrook weather, but without a tripod this one couldn’t have been taken. Looking directly up the tube again as 72 Sqn XW236 replens on spot 5 in lashing rain. J** S******n, M*** S****e and I** B***y dry & warm! while the TSW refueller gets on with it as always. Note TWA’s G4 and L5 grounded. (I’ll be too if they read this!)
16.06 hrs 31st December 2009
With the demolitions and excavations, the original ground levels have changed, but I reckon this is as close as I can get to the spot where that original 1999 shot was taken.
And.......
More nostalgia, looking down the main helipad from the Buzzard tower site. The tank is on the former Chinook spot 8 and the 1k tree survives. 16.20, 31:12:2009.
Last edited by PhamousPhotographer; 2nd Jan 2010 at 14:53. Reason: Caption amended
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I remember a night spent with the Hueymeister carrying out VCPs on the west bank of the Foyle. We had to go to a disused base to pick up the RUC first and the Hueymeister needed to visit the loo - and not for a wee. Unfortunately the place had been flattened, but luckily the last building standing was the toilet block. So down he sits and vacates bowels only to discover no toilet paper! No problem, he spies a couple of sheets of newspaper on the floor and makes appropriate use of them.
Roll on a couple of hours and I notice that he's wriggling about in the RHS as we're tasking - 'what's wrong' - 'oh just a little sore down there'. After a few more hours of writhing around as he flew we got back to base and he shuffled off to examine his backside. It turned out that the paper had been covered in brickdust and the like, and a couple of hours flying had cut his backside to shreds and he was bleeding. Both me and the crewman refused his kind invite to check if he needed to go to the doctor!
Roll on a couple of hours and I notice that he's wriggling about in the RHS as we're tasking - 'what's wrong' - 'oh just a little sore down there'. After a few more hours of writhing around as he flew we got back to base and he shuffled off to examine his backside. It turned out that the paper had been covered in brickdust and the like, and a couple of hours flying had cut his backside to shreds and he was bleeding. Both me and the crewman refused his kind invite to check if he needed to go to the doctor!
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Hi...
Here's some pics I dug up of the various colour trials that took place in 1991...
This was taken at Sennelager in 1991, but it may well have been a 60 Sqn cab and not 72 Sqn.
Here's some pics I dug up of the various colour trials that took place in 1991...
This was taken at Sennelager in 1991, but it may well have been a 60 Sqn cab and not 72 Sqn.
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PP - With reference to your 'Last Day Of The 1990s' photo, I was one of the two TSW lads up at G40 that day.
I wasn't even supposed to be in NI on that det but, counter to advice I'd always been given, I threw my name in the hat when one of the lads out there had to be brought home for compassionate reasons.
I'll always treasure spending the turn of the millennium in a drafty Corrimec, nailed to a rain lashed peak in the a** end of South Armargh with a bunch of p***ed off guardsmen.
Well I was warned never to volunteer for anything......
BTW, thinking of who the other 6 TSW personnel based at R850 over the millennium were and their 'rotundness' I reckon the TSW chap in that photo could quite possibly be the one who was caught out in Split watching rather a rather specialist type of adult video.
I wasn't even supposed to be in NI on that det but, counter to advice I'd always been given, I threw my name in the hat when one of the lads out there had to be brought home for compassionate reasons.
I'll always treasure spending the turn of the millennium in a drafty Corrimec, nailed to a rain lashed peak in the a** end of South Armargh with a bunch of p***ed off guardsmen.
Well I was warned never to volunteer for anything......BTW, thinking of who the other 6 TSW personnel based at R850 over the millennium were and their 'rotundness' I reckon the TSW chap in that photo could quite possibly be the one who was caught out in Split watching rather a rather specialist type of adult video.
Last edited by The Helpful Stacker; 31st Dec 2009 at 13:31.
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Pilot Pacifier, It wouldn't have been a 60 Sqn cab in 91, the sqn didn't form until 92.
If anyone out in NI is living or has lived recently in 3 Duxford Drive, does it still have the patio made from hexagonal slabs. If so, they came from Bessbrook (Next to spot 5), I acquired them over a few BB Wessex overnights about 6 slabs per refuel early 89.
If anyone out in NI is living or has lived recently in 3 Duxford Drive, does it still have the patio made from hexagonal slabs. If so, they came from Bessbrook (Next to spot 5), I acquired them over a few BB Wessex overnights about 6 slabs per refuel early 89.
Last edited by WASALOADIE; 31st Dec 2009 at 13:28. Reason: spelling