Underslung Load 'Incidents'
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Situation - Fire Power demo at Warminster. Viewing galleries filled with senior officers. The Army's new 155mm gun is just entering service, and is going to be the star turn of the show.
Wokka noises from the East as our plucky Chinook crew fly into the drop area, in front of the galleries, with this behemoth of a gun as the USL. Ac staggers to the hover, and gently deposits the gun on the ground. It is on a slope and, as they release the slack, they realise that the handbrake (or whatever a gun has) has not been applied, and gun starts to trundle down the hill. It gains a bit of speed, and an awful lot of momemtum, and plucky Chinook pilot tries to stop the movement with opposite cyclic. Gun now accelerating well, and dragging the Chinook down the slope. Crew have now no option but to jettison load, and watch (along with hundreds in the galleries) as the gun trundles down the hill, drops into a ditch, and rolls over. A smattering of sarcastic applause is heard from the crowd, as the Army's first (and at that time, only) 155mm gun is out of action for a number of days.
Wokka noises from the East as our plucky Chinook crew fly into the drop area, in front of the galleries, with this behemoth of a gun as the USL. Ac staggers to the hover, and gently deposits the gun on the ground. It is on a slope and, as they release the slack, they realise that the handbrake (or whatever a gun has) has not been applied, and gun starts to trundle down the hill. It gains a bit of speed, and an awful lot of momemtum, and plucky Chinook pilot tries to stop the movement with opposite cyclic. Gun now accelerating well, and dragging the Chinook down the slope. Crew have now no option but to jettison load, and watch (along with hundreds in the galleries) as the gun trundles down the hill, drops into a ditch, and rolls over. A smattering of sarcastic applause is heard from the crowd, as the Army's first (and at that time, only) 155mm gun is out of action for a number of days.
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Firepower demos at Warminster were truly (and I use this word in its real meaning) awesome!
I hadn't been on MAOTs very long when I did an AMF exercise in Otterburn. 7 Sqn did a demo of a poorly slung load, and deliberately deposited a clapped out SWB Rover into the peat from a hundred feet or so. That was quite impressive.
I've got some stills somewhere from the the same exercise of a LR/trailer combo that resulted in a Wokka wheel-size dent in the roof of the Rover. Caused by the Wokka descending a little too far to release the tension in the strop.
I spent many, many hours on Everleigh DZ on night flying, watching Chinooks and Pumas carry the same concrete filled drums round and round. I think they lived at Odiham, so they'd have been brought from ODI to the Plain every night. I wonder if any ever got jettisoned on the way to SPTA? Those'd make a hell of a bomb. Might cause some improvements in Andover
I hadn't been on MAOTs very long when I did an AMF exercise in Otterburn. 7 Sqn did a demo of a poorly slung load, and deliberately deposited a clapped out SWB Rover into the peat from a hundred feet or so. That was quite impressive.
I've got some stills somewhere from the the same exercise of a LR/trailer combo that resulted in a Wokka wheel-size dent in the roof of the Rover. Caused by the Wokka descending a little too far to release the tension in the strop.
I spent many, many hours on Everleigh DZ on night flying, watching Chinooks and Pumas carry the same concrete filled drums round and round. I think they lived at Odiham, so they'd have been brought from ODI to the Plain every night. I wonder if any ever got jettisoned on the way to SPTA? Those'd make a hell of a bomb. Might cause some improvements in Andover
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Ahh sawing bits of the humber pig or saracen i think it was at Odiham because the Chinook was not yet cleared to carry them at full weight, bits were later I think welded back on.
Last edited by NutLoose; 19th Jun 2012 at 17:46.
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Those concrete 'barrels' lived on the south side of the airfield at Upavon at one time Roadster. There was an 8 tonne, 5 tonne and I think a 1 tonne (for the Puma guys).
KG86 I seem to remember it was not only the only FBG but the regimental one to boot. (FBG - F*****g Big Gun)
KG86 I seem to remember it was not only the only FBG but the regimental one to boot. (FBG - F*****g Big Gun)
Last edited by Motleycallsign; 19th Jun 2012 at 17:55.
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Motley,
I remember the numbers on the side as you say, but can't picture them at UPN. It would certainly make sense to leave them at UPN rather then schlep them from ODI every night (well Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays at any rate ).
Mind you, if they'd been at UPN, our troop staffy would have had us doing PT with them, and I certainly don't remember that
It was a while back, and I were but a lad.
I remember the numbers on the side as you say, but can't picture them at UPN. It would certainly make sense to leave them at UPN rather then schlep them from ODI every night (well Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays at any rate
).Mind you, if they'd been at UPN, our troop staffy would have had us doing PT with them, and I certainly don't remember that
It was a while back, and I were but a lad.
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Talking of guns, the Americans brought a detachment of Chinooks to Odiham in 1979 or '80, I think it was (before ours were delivered). They went over to Salisbury Plain to work with the army. They got tasked with underslinging the participating regiment's "number one" gun (the nice shiny engraved one, used for ceremonial purposes). Unfortunately the pilots forgot it was on a 100 foot strop and flew over a wood at less than 100 feet above the trees........
Didn't do the barrel much good but it made a nice new firebreak, anyway.
Didn't do the barrel much good but it made a nice new firebreak, anyway.
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I remember a certain Ex Policeman Pilot (EPP) on my basic rotary course at Shawbury practicing USLS in the Whirlwind, over in Area 2.
As was the drill, on finals the crewman said "Clear to cock the hook". As the EPP pressed the load release button to cock the hook, there was a loud "Bang!" and the 14 lb lead winch weight and hook fell off the cable, narrowly missing the crewman's head.
Load selector to CARGO, not WINCH (cable cutter) next time, please, EPP!
To be fair, the winch CB should have been pulled and tie-wrapped, but the G/C's hadn't been told to do it.
As was the drill, on finals the crewman said "Clear to cock the hook". As the EPP pressed the load release button to cock the hook, there was a loud "Bang!" and the 14 lb lead winch weight and hook fell off the cable, narrowly missing the crewman's head.
Load selector to CARGO, not WINCH (cable cutter) next time, please, EPP!
To be fair, the winch CB should have been pulled and tie-wrapped, but the G/C's hadn't been told to do it.
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Upavon USL's
I can confirm that the underslung loads were kept outside of the peri track on the south side of the airfield.
Running a week gliding course I was informed by one of the staff that there was a bit of a hole in the grass just off our run. On going to look it was about 2ft deep and 10ft diameter. We were told a helicopter, type unknown, had suffered an engine failure as it lifted the load and had jettisoned it the previous night. Someone else must have picked it up and put it back in its usual place as it was no longer on the airfield. A very impressive hole!
ACW
Running a week gliding course I was informed by one of the staff that there was a bit of a hole in the grass just off our run. On going to look it was about 2ft deep and 10ft diameter. We were told a helicopter, type unknown, had suffered an engine failure as it lifted the load and had jettisoned it the previous night. Someone else must have picked it up and put it back in its usual place as it was no longer on the airfield. A very impressive hole!
ACW
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Talking of guns, the Americans brought a detachment of Chinooks to Odiham in 1979 or '80, I think it was (before ours were delivered). They went over to Salisbury Plain to work with the army. They got tasked with underslinging the participating regiment's "number one" gun (the nice shiny engraved one, used for ceremonial purposes). Unfortunately the pilots forgot it was on a 100 foot strop and flew over a wood at less than 100 feet above the trees........
Didn't do the barrel much good but it made a nice new firebreak, anyway.
Didn't do the barrel much good but it made a nice new firebreak, anyway.
Yup three from Colman W Germany..
One had an oleo stuck at full extension, so sat at a weird angle. They had an American Chinook de-phase and the rotor slicing through the fuselage took out a crewman sadly and if I remember correctly, it was traced to a failed bolt on the shafts coming out of the combining box, they brought out a mod to increase the diameter of the bolt and a Boeing rep came out to fit the new bolts, he put the reamer in a windy drill and wrecked two boxes and shafts before being stopped, or that is what I was told at the time, hence they sat on the side of the taxy way for ages awaiting spares. I seem to remember the fault was traced to the fact that instead of turning the shaft until they aligned and popped in, they were getting them close then using a jacking handle on the shaft flange and the frame to force them in before fitting the bolt, that was under strain.
Last edited by NutLoose; 19th Jun 2012 at 21:10.
Where to start?????
Wessex from Palace Barracks to the top of the Divis Flats. USL was a mixture of sandbags (empty), wriggly tin and nefarious **** that didn't weigh much. You can see where this is going, can't you? The load wouldn't go faster than 20-30kts...we all felt terribly exposed, esp with people waving guns at us as we get to the top of the flats...load wobbling all over the place. Dropped in on the top, a paralleled the building sides on the way out. Lesson, if it doesn't fly right don't persist with it.
Wessex from Palace Barracks to the top of the Divis Flats. USL was a mixture of sandbags (empty), wriggly tin and nefarious **** that didn't weigh much. You can see where this is going, can't you? The load wouldn't go faster than 20-30kts...we all felt terribly exposed, esp with people waving guns at us as we get to the top of the flats...load wobbling all over the place. Dropped in on the top, a paralleled the building sides on the way out. Lesson, if it doesn't fly right don't persist with it.
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I can confirm that the underslung loads were kept outside of the peri track on the south side of the airfield.
Running a week gliding course I was informed by one of the staff that there was a bit of a hole in the grass just off our run. On going to look it was about 2ft deep and 10ft diameter. We were told a helicopter, type unknown, had suffered an engine failure as it lifted the load and had jettisoned it the previous night. Someone else must have picked it up and put it back in its usual place as it was no longer on the airfield. A very impressive hole!
ACW
Running a week gliding course I was informed by one of the staff that there was a bit of a hole in the grass just off our run. On going to look it was about 2ft deep and 10ft diameter. We were told a helicopter, type unknown, had suffered an engine failure as it lifted the load and had jettisoned it the previous night. Someone else must have picked it up and put it back in its usual place as it was no longer on the airfield. A very impressive hole!
ACW
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Huey:
Not questioning the veracity of your post but just wondering about the logic of someone who sends empty sandbags to the top of Divis Flats... Was there a desert up there that no-one knew about??? 
USL was a mixture of sandbags (empty),
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I remember another one from Alice in 1989, when the AR3D went pearshaped, longterm... the decision was taken to bring up the T259 from MPA, with one of the Eric's bringing up the control cabin and a chinook bringing up the genny and another box, cant quite remember what it was. Anyway.
the loads under the Chinook were, from what we understand, strung on different length strops. Which meant one of the loads was bashing against one of the strops during the transit flight from MPA to Alice and the strop either failed or got worn through.
Suffice it to say, the Chinook arrived at Alice minus the genny, which we were led to believe was dropped halfway across the sound with an almighty splosh.
I also remember another one from Kent in 1994. There was what appeared to be the business end/bucket of a big old dumper truck, which had been left next to a couple of rather huge boulders. Over a period of time and from what I understand following a tech refresh of the catwalk from accomodation to Ops, this dumper filled up with all manner of crap. I dont know what it weighed, but it was seriously heavy. One day, 78 came to pick it up with the wokka; wokka is duly attached to the load and strains like buggery to get the thing off the deck. As he does so and we manage to get clear air between the ground and the dumper, a godalmighty lateral gust of wind comes along and pushes the dumper and the attached wokka towards the rather huge boulders. Next thing, we all heard an almighty BANG all over the site as the wokka decided that it would be in the interests of flight safety to put the load back down again, which sent a lot of usin the direction of the accomodation to see the Chinook landing on Kent's helipad for a change of crew underwear...
the loads under the Chinook were, from what we understand, strung on different length strops. Which meant one of the loads was bashing against one of the strops during the transit flight from MPA to Alice and the strop either failed or got worn through.
Suffice it to say, the Chinook arrived at Alice minus the genny, which we were led to believe was dropped halfway across the sound with an almighty splosh.
I also remember another one from Kent in 1994. There was what appeared to be the business end/bucket of a big old dumper truck, which had been left next to a couple of rather huge boulders. Over a period of time and from what I understand following a tech refresh of the catwalk from accomodation to Ops, this dumper filled up with all manner of crap. I dont know what it weighed, but it was seriously heavy. One day, 78 came to pick it up with the wokka; wokka is duly attached to the load and strains like buggery to get the thing off the deck. As he does so and we manage to get clear air between the ground and the dumper, a godalmighty lateral gust of wind comes along and pushes the dumper and the attached wokka towards the rather huge boulders. Next thing, we all heard an almighty BANG all over the site as the wokka decided that it would be in the interests of flight safety to put the load back down again, which sent a lot of usin the direction of the accomodation to see the Chinook landing on Kent's helipad for a change of crew underwear...
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Of course you can have some fun with an USL. The Mills Rainmaker...................
Belize 1990
Wild fire on Baldy Beacon firing range. Bar-B-Que anyone?
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Anyone for a long strop G40 fuel bollock placement, at night, in the rain, on goggles, with 'not a lot' of millilux, and marginal power?
I remember once crabbing in slowly to the drop point approaching max pitch (Puma). In the overhead, the pilot (who had virtually no references) had to turn to offload the tail, until the load hopefully changed orientation so it could fit between the other bollocks...'! Down 5 - quickly!'
It's difficult to explain the sphincter twitching feeling of the moment, wavering between exhilaration and terror, as you do your little dance in the air as a crew to get the job done.
I remember once crabbing in slowly to the drop point approaching max pitch (Puma). In the overhead, the pilot (who had virtually no references) had to turn to offload the tail, until the load hopefully changed orientation so it could fit between the other bollocks...'! Down 5 - quickly!'
It's difficult to explain the sphincter twitching feeling of the moment, wavering between exhilaration and terror, as you do your little dance in the air as a crew to get the job done.
Last edited by seafuryfan; 20th Jun 2012 at 06:11.
Gentleman Aviator
Not really a USL dit (but neither was Shy's Night Stream 
) but did involve one of the few times I've pickled a load on purpose.
Salalah at the back end of Dhofar War. Resupply sortie in the Huey to the pickets on the Jebel to the north of the coastal plain. Underslung plastic burmails (barrels) of water. Could see the LS from the airfield, but had to carry 2nd pilot in LHS as it was to an "operational area". Aircraft was a new 205 from Agusta, with a mixed/botched military/civil spec .... which included car-type ashtrays and cigar lighters for both front seats!
Other pilot had not much (nothing really) to do, so had feet up on battery, having a crafty fag or three. "Car-type" cigar lighters were actually car parts, with a dropper resistor so that 28v wouldn't worry them. Until the dropper resistor went open-circuit .........
....... which (with 28v into 12v component) threatened to make cigar lighter a Huey lighter. Clouds of smoke, pickled load and landed on - fortunately still within airfield boundary. And cue my all-time favourite R/T call:
"Mayday mayday, Chopper 715 landing on - my co-pilot's cigar lighter is on fire!"
Shortly thereafter the lighters were disconnected .......
) but did involve one of the few times I've pickled a load on purpose.Salalah at the back end of Dhofar War. Resupply sortie in the Huey to the pickets on the Jebel to the north of the coastal plain. Underslung plastic burmails (barrels) of water. Could see the LS from the airfield, but had to carry 2nd pilot in LHS as it was to an "operational area". Aircraft was a new 205 from Agusta, with a mixed/botched military/civil spec .... which included car-type ashtrays and cigar lighters for both front seats!
Other pilot had not much (nothing really) to do, so had feet up on battery, having a crafty fag or three. "Car-type" cigar lighters were actually car parts, with a dropper resistor so that 28v wouldn't worry them. Until the dropper resistor went open-circuit .........
....... which (with 28v into 12v component) threatened to make cigar lighter a Huey lighter. Clouds of smoke, pickled load and landed on - fortunately still within airfield boundary. And cue my all-time favourite R/T call:
"Mayday mayday, Chopper 715 landing on - my co-pilot's cigar lighter is on fire!"
Shortly thereafter the lighters were disconnected .......