Towing Aircraft
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You can sheer the sheer pin when pushing, but you may not notice until the prime mover stops and the A/C continues
You could even be fancy and run a hydraulic sensor up the middle of it and when it pulls tight when the pin sheers it will ring a bell. If you put the cable over a pully it will sound the alarm when it breaks pushing and pulling.
Or would that just spoil the fun?
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Dan,
It would have been around '85, but can't be precise...I've slept since then. And, yes, I do believe the incoming Groupie was one of the participants...however, see clause one above.
Mad Jock,
Either or both of your ideas make perfect sense. I can't comment on the tow bars in use today, but I don't remember anything sensible like your ideas in use. Maybe there was but I was just in attentive.
Camlobe
It would have been around '85, but can't be precise...I've slept since then. And, yes, I do believe the incoming Groupie was one of the participants...however, see clause one above.
Mad Jock,
Either or both of your ideas make perfect sense. I can't comment on the tow bars in use today, but I don't remember anything sensible like your ideas in use. Maybe there was but I was just in attentive.
Camlobe
Avoid imitations
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You just reminded me we used to open the hangar doors at Coningsby by pushing them with a Land rover bumper. Lot easier than winding that bloody handle
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Another one #3
Shy's comment reminds me of the following.
Panic detachment to investigate and recover a Shack at Topcliffe. Linton (or was it Leeming) supplied and delivered a tractor and power set. We arrived after an eight hour trip in a four-speed Sherpa, no doubt the worst piece of MT ever.
At the time, Topcliffe was an army base with a small aviation contingent, JEFTS (Joint Elementary Flying Training Squadron), the starting point for RAF and RN pilots.
Linton had towed our Shack into JEFTS hangar, which was then filled up with their Bulldogs. Needless to say, our kite was at the end of the hangar with the hangar doors that hadn't been used for decades. Parked by the Shack was the tractor and power set.
Camlobe needs to get the Shack out and ground run the suspect engine to confirm his phone diagnosis. Problems are, the hangar doors are seized, the power set is huge and in the back of a Bedford 8-tonner, and the tractor is a Tug, and Linton Mt will take at least an hour to get to us.
The rules say, we can't use MT on hangar doors; I can't drive the 8-tonner as I don't have it specified on my RAF driving licence; and, although I am a towing instructor and examiner, I most definitely do not have Tug on my licence.
For the only time in my career, I issue a direct order...to my team to assist me and I state most clearly that it is my decision and my decision alone, and if it turns to a can of worms, I'll carry the can solo. To a man, they have no qualms about what was going to happen next, safe in the knowledge that their careers will be intact.
The Tug was used successfully to open and close the seized doors three times in total, and a considerable amount of paint was transferred from Tug to doors.
We had the aircraft back on line following an engine change, and everyone pleased with the result.
Except for OC MT at Linton.
Upon return to base, I went straight to SENGO's office and fully briefed him of events, warts and all. I emphasised the point that the team were merely following my direct orders, and no blame or fault should be attributed to them. When he asked why I made the decisions I did, I stated I was doing my best to ensure we could continue to meet our 'Q' commitment in the safest and quickest manner.
Over the next couple of weeks, SENGO would call and ask " so you had no licence for the tug?' 'No, sir'. 'And you used the tug for opening and closing the hangar doors?' 'Yes, sir'. 'And you knew that was wrong?' 'Yes, sir'. 'Hmmm'. In Cyprus a couple of weeks later. "Camlobe, SENGO on the phone". Questions once again same as above. Then silence. I never heard another thing again. I had expected a severe punishment for my serious transgressions, but nothing.
A year later, I was I/C Doomwatch. One of the lads found the Squadron Occurance folder that had been left on the debrief desk by mistake. "Hey, camlobe, you're in here". Who ME? Sure enough, the whole episode described above was in graphic detail. The Linton OC MT wanted my blood. Even Lossiemouth OC Eng Wing wanted my blood. And he gave SENGO a hard time.
SENGO backed me to the hilt without reservation. This was the first I knew. Mike Duguid, I still owe you many beers and fine malts for that one.
Camlobe
P.S. No one ever asked or fussed about me using the Tug to tow the Shack in and out of the hangar or driving the 8-tonner. Proof that paintwork is more important than rules???
Panic detachment to investigate and recover a Shack at Topcliffe. Linton (or was it Leeming) supplied and delivered a tractor and power set. We arrived after an eight hour trip in a four-speed Sherpa, no doubt the worst piece of MT ever.
At the time, Topcliffe was an army base with a small aviation contingent, JEFTS (Joint Elementary Flying Training Squadron), the starting point for RAF and RN pilots.
Linton had towed our Shack into JEFTS hangar, which was then filled up with their Bulldogs. Needless to say, our kite was at the end of the hangar with the hangar doors that hadn't been used for decades. Parked by the Shack was the tractor and power set.
Camlobe needs to get the Shack out and ground run the suspect engine to confirm his phone diagnosis. Problems are, the hangar doors are seized, the power set is huge and in the back of a Bedford 8-tonner, and the tractor is a Tug, and Linton Mt will take at least an hour to get to us.
The rules say, we can't use MT on hangar doors; I can't drive the 8-tonner as I don't have it specified on my RAF driving licence; and, although I am a towing instructor and examiner, I most definitely do not have Tug on my licence.
For the only time in my career, I issue a direct order...to my team to assist me and I state most clearly that it is my decision and my decision alone, and if it turns to a can of worms, I'll carry the can solo. To a man, they have no qualms about what was going to happen next, safe in the knowledge that their careers will be intact.
The Tug was used successfully to open and close the seized doors three times in total, and a considerable amount of paint was transferred from Tug to doors.
We had the aircraft back on line following an engine change, and everyone pleased with the result.
Except for OC MT at Linton.
Upon return to base, I went straight to SENGO's office and fully briefed him of events, warts and all. I emphasised the point that the team were merely following my direct orders, and no blame or fault should be attributed to them. When he asked why I made the decisions I did, I stated I was doing my best to ensure we could continue to meet our 'Q' commitment in the safest and quickest manner.
Over the next couple of weeks, SENGO would call and ask " so you had no licence for the tug?' 'No, sir'. 'And you used the tug for opening and closing the hangar doors?' 'Yes, sir'. 'And you knew that was wrong?' 'Yes, sir'. 'Hmmm'. In Cyprus a couple of weeks later. "Camlobe, SENGO on the phone". Questions once again same as above. Then silence. I never heard another thing again. I had expected a severe punishment for my serious transgressions, but nothing.
A year later, I was I/C Doomwatch. One of the lads found the Squadron Occurance folder that had been left on the debrief desk by mistake. "Hey, camlobe, you're in here". Who ME? Sure enough, the whole episode described above was in graphic detail. The Linton OC MT wanted my blood. Even Lossiemouth OC Eng Wing wanted my blood. And he gave SENGO a hard time.
SENGO backed me to the hilt without reservation. This was the first I knew. Mike Duguid, I still owe you many beers and fine malts for that one.
Camlobe
P.S. No one ever asked or fussed about me using the Tug to tow the Shack in and out of the hangar or driving the 8-tonner. Proof that paintwork is more important than rules???
Camlobe,
A classic if ever I read one. Sometimes the old "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men." Really rings true. Your SENGO obviously backed the correct horse, and good to know there was no comeback.
Smudge
A classic if ever I read one. Sometimes the old "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men." Really rings true. Your SENGO obviously backed the correct horse, and good to know there was no comeback.
Smudge
I know that this is supposed to be 'military' stories and anecdotes, but all my aviation experiences are from the civil world. A few 'towing' and 'pushback' events that I either witnessed, or was involved in (in a minor fashion) ...
Towing team detailed to move an airliner from a stand/gate at the terminal to remote parking as it won't be required for the rest of the day. Towing team tow the wrong aircraft ... two identical aircraft on adjacent stands, and they picked the wrong one! Red faces.
Notified of an aircraft arriving shortly and has indications of a hydraulic failure. The plan is, they will stop on the runway and a towing-team will connect the bar and tow the aircraft to the stand. The towing team are waiting near where I am working, so I spend some time chatting with them while they explain how it will all happen. Aircraft lands, and one of them says (checking his bit of paper) "that's the one we're here for". At which point I advise them that they've bought the wrong tow-bar for the aircraft. Red faces.
Sitting in our crew-room when there is a very loud and sudden 'b-o-o-o-m!' and the whole place suddenly goes quiet. Everybody does their best meerkat impression and heads for the nearest door to see what's happened. No smoke or visible signs of damage, but there is an aircraft half-way through its push-back which is now stopped mid-taxiway.
During pushback, just as they're about to start the turn, a tyre burst on the tug. A big 70-tonne brute, with tyres nearly 6-feet across. Not sure what tyre-pressure it was, but it was loud. I suspect that the ground engineer needed a change of under-crackers.
Towing team detailed to move an airliner from a stand/gate at the terminal to remote parking as it won't be required for the rest of the day. Towing team tow the wrong aircraft ... two identical aircraft on adjacent stands, and they picked the wrong one! Red faces.
Notified of an aircraft arriving shortly and has indications of a hydraulic failure. The plan is, they will stop on the runway and a towing-team will connect the bar and tow the aircraft to the stand. The towing team are waiting near where I am working, so I spend some time chatting with them while they explain how it will all happen. Aircraft lands, and one of them says (checking his bit of paper) "that's the one we're here for". At which point I advise them that they've bought the wrong tow-bar for the aircraft. Red faces.
Sitting in our crew-room when there is a very loud and sudden 'b-o-o-o-m!' and the whole place suddenly goes quiet. Everybody does their best meerkat impression and heads for the nearest door to see what's happened. No smoke or visible signs of damage, but there is an aircraft half-way through its push-back which is now stopped mid-taxiway.
During pushback, just as they're about to start the turn, a tyre burst on the tug. A big 70-tonne brute, with tyres nearly 6-feet across. Not sure what tyre-pressure it was, but it was loud. I suspect that the ground engineer needed a change of under-crackers.
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What the eye doesn't see......
camlobe,
In '56, as "Talkdown" on the old MPN-1 Radar, I regularly drove the 8-ton AEC "Matador" which carried the Lister generator set for the Radar truck, to which it was coupled and which it hauled round the airfield.
I had no instruction whatever in driving this vehicle, no HGV licence, so no endorsement on my RAF Driving Licence, (which would have been difficult in any case, as I didn't have one
). I had a civvie one, though, so I suppose that was all right so long as I wasn't on a public road. And everybody in ATC drove our landrover with or without a RAF Licence. Life was simple in those times.
So they wouldn't let me take it on the road ? (Wouldn't be too sure about that either !)
Your SENGO sounds the "Right Stuff". Pity we didn't have more like him (bet he was an old Fitter 1 (E) or (A)).
Happy Days..Danny.
In '56, as "Talkdown" on the old MPN-1 Radar, I regularly drove the 8-ton AEC "Matador" which carried the Lister generator set for the Radar truck, to which it was coupled and which it hauled round the airfield.
I had no instruction whatever in driving this vehicle, no HGV licence, so no endorsement on my RAF Driving Licence, (which would have been difficult in any case, as I didn't have one
). I had a civvie one, though, so I suppose that was all right so long as I wasn't on a public road. And everybody in ATC drove our landrover with or without a RAF Licence. Life was simple in those times.So they wouldn't let me take it on the road ? (Wouldn't be too sure about that either !)
Your SENGO sounds the "Right Stuff". Pity we didn't have more like him (bet he was an old Fitter 1 (E) or (A)).
Happy Days..Danny.
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Another one #4
The French trip
We land at a French Naval air station populated with Breguet Atlantique and Breguet Alize aircraft. Following ATC instructions, we taxy along a tree-lined taxyway watching our wingtips with great care as the trees don't look far enough away. Eventually, we are confronted by a marshaller. He brings us forward, stops us...and then gives the marshalling signal for...reverse. After a team laugh, the Crew Chief de-planes and has the most animated, hand-waving, same-words-with-raised-voice conversation with the marshaller. Crew Chief climbs back on board and advised the front end that the locals would like us to park in the very nice and pretty, tree-surrounded pan just to our right. The captain, the venerable and larger-than-life B###s H####n, decides he can manoeuvre us around and in. Most of us disagree, but as he outranks everyone else on board, round we go. The French welcoming committee is enlarging by the second, perhaps because none of them have ever seen a Shackleton before, or maybe waiting for les Anglaise to muck it up.
The Boss does an excellent job of getting us into the pan, but as we are now facing the wrong way, he does his best to swing us round the right way. Due to the closely bordering trees, we stop after loosing three static wicks, oh, and the wildly cross-arms waving of the Crew Chief. I hand down the undercarriage locks and climb down the ladder...to see the starboard mainwheel visably sinking into the Tarmac.
Without a moments pause, I climb on board and accost the boss. "Look Boss, the aircraft is sinking into the Tarmac. You speak fluent French! I need a tractor and towing arm RIGHT NOW". With all due credit, the Boss recovers from the shock of my rather forceful interruption, meets the head French fish head and requests tractor and towing arm and points to the disappearing mainwheel. The French are now embarrassed hosts, and with great rapidity organise both.
As most of us know, France wasn't part of NATO. When the combo turn up, the only available towing arm is for an Atlantique. Lightweight aluminium, short, and non-compatable with our home-grown NATO-compatable axle pin which slots through the middle of the tail wheels. The Crew Chief Al, the SGT rigger Del, and myself rapidly break down the towing arm, reverse a bit here, upside down a bit there, and voila, it will fit. Now for the tractor. And it is a tractor. An agricultural tractor. With twin rear wheels. I get the Boss to translate "I will tow". I don't think he translated the rest of my stressed message which went along the lines of "I'm not having some garlic-smelling foreigner ripping the tail wheel out of this aircraft in his enthusiasm to impress us with his Paris taxi driver antics". Well, I had seen him arrive with the Renault.
Del had placed a large chock in front of the mainwheel in an attempt to arrest the rate of sinkage. We all briefed what I was going to attempt. I would gently pull and ease back, then try and pull a bit more etc etc in order to try and rock the mainwheel out of its resting place. There was absolutely no room for any error on my part as there wasn't a sheer pin in the towing arm, and no tension spring, so all inputs from the tractor would be directed onto the tail wheel leg and surrounding structure.
In for a penny...feeling for the bite on the clutch and then take up load. Back off and try a bit more...then the tractor wheels spun. It just didn't have enough mass to pull the Shack. I explain the problem to the Boss who translates. Three minutes later, a small aircraft tug arrives. It was a similar size to the small American machines used to move F4's, about half the weight of our Shack. But it had to be better than the Renault. Problem was, this single-seater cab already had an occupant, and he wasn't going to get out. So I forced him into the corner, and we tried the rocking trick. This tug had an automatic gearbox which is fine for a smooth take-up, but lacked the precise feel needed in this situation. So, with the greatest trepidation, I started pulling, with my other foot resting on the brake to prevent any rollback. The tugs engine note increased, the tow bar creaked, the Shack groaned, and camlobe sweated. A bit more..."it's moved" from Del, who jams his chock in a bit further. A bit more rocking..."it's moved again". Al is concentrating on the tail wheel leg, and look, he's sweating too. I'm terrified I'm going to pull the leg out. Maybe I should ease off. Maybe there is another way. "It's moved again, it's going, it's going" and it's out. The feeling of relief was indescribable. I wasn't responsible for causing Cat 4 damage to one of her Majesty's aircraft. I straighten up the aircraft on the pan, give my towing 'partner' his tractor back, the French decide to leave the tow bar with us for the duration, and the Boss and crew leave to enjoy some French hospitality. Del does a most detailed inspection of the tail wheel leg and surrounding structure and proclaims everything in excellent health. Thank you Mr Chadwick, you built them well.
The reason why the mainwheel sank through the Tarmac was due to a culvert below that collapsed under the weight of half a Shack. The depression left by the mainwheel was around 6 inches deep.
That evening, we are gathered in the bar of the hotel drinking far more than is responsible. The bar closes, so the Boss insists we retire to his room and continue. After a few minutes of this, the porter knocks and quietly advises us the 90 year old lady next door is not amused. We move to another room and continue. The Boss and I are discussing the 'event' when he slurs " you know" he chuckles, " I did the same thing here 20 years ago in Mk III"
Happy daze.
Camlobe
We land at a French Naval air station populated with Breguet Atlantique and Breguet Alize aircraft. Following ATC instructions, we taxy along a tree-lined taxyway watching our wingtips with great care as the trees don't look far enough away. Eventually, we are confronted by a marshaller. He brings us forward, stops us...and then gives the marshalling signal for...reverse. After a team laugh, the Crew Chief de-planes and has the most animated, hand-waving, same-words-with-raised-voice conversation with the marshaller. Crew Chief climbs back on board and advised the front end that the locals would like us to park in the very nice and pretty, tree-surrounded pan just to our right. The captain, the venerable and larger-than-life B###s H####n, decides he can manoeuvre us around and in. Most of us disagree, but as he outranks everyone else on board, round we go. The French welcoming committee is enlarging by the second, perhaps because none of them have ever seen a Shackleton before, or maybe waiting for les Anglaise to muck it up.
The Boss does an excellent job of getting us into the pan, but as we are now facing the wrong way, he does his best to swing us round the right way. Due to the closely bordering trees, we stop after loosing three static wicks, oh, and the wildly cross-arms waving of the Crew Chief. I hand down the undercarriage locks and climb down the ladder...to see the starboard mainwheel visably sinking into the Tarmac.
Without a moments pause, I climb on board and accost the boss. "Look Boss, the aircraft is sinking into the Tarmac. You speak fluent French! I need a tractor and towing arm RIGHT NOW". With all due credit, the Boss recovers from the shock of my rather forceful interruption, meets the head French fish head and requests tractor and towing arm and points to the disappearing mainwheel. The French are now embarrassed hosts, and with great rapidity organise both.
As most of us know, France wasn't part of NATO. When the combo turn up, the only available towing arm is for an Atlantique. Lightweight aluminium, short, and non-compatable with our home-grown NATO-compatable axle pin which slots through the middle of the tail wheels. The Crew Chief Al, the SGT rigger Del, and myself rapidly break down the towing arm, reverse a bit here, upside down a bit there, and voila, it will fit. Now for the tractor. And it is a tractor. An agricultural tractor. With twin rear wheels. I get the Boss to translate "I will tow". I don't think he translated the rest of my stressed message which went along the lines of "I'm not having some garlic-smelling foreigner ripping the tail wheel out of this aircraft in his enthusiasm to impress us with his Paris taxi driver antics". Well, I had seen him arrive with the Renault.
Del had placed a large chock in front of the mainwheel in an attempt to arrest the rate of sinkage. We all briefed what I was going to attempt. I would gently pull and ease back, then try and pull a bit more etc etc in order to try and rock the mainwheel out of its resting place. There was absolutely no room for any error on my part as there wasn't a sheer pin in the towing arm, and no tension spring, so all inputs from the tractor would be directed onto the tail wheel leg and surrounding structure.
In for a penny...feeling for the bite on the clutch and then take up load. Back off and try a bit more...then the tractor wheels spun. It just didn't have enough mass to pull the Shack. I explain the problem to the Boss who translates. Three minutes later, a small aircraft tug arrives. It was a similar size to the small American machines used to move F4's, about half the weight of our Shack. But it had to be better than the Renault. Problem was, this single-seater cab already had an occupant, and he wasn't going to get out. So I forced him into the corner, and we tried the rocking trick. This tug had an automatic gearbox which is fine for a smooth take-up, but lacked the precise feel needed in this situation. So, with the greatest trepidation, I started pulling, with my other foot resting on the brake to prevent any rollback. The tugs engine note increased, the tow bar creaked, the Shack groaned, and camlobe sweated. A bit more..."it's moved" from Del, who jams his chock in a bit further. A bit more rocking..."it's moved again". Al is concentrating on the tail wheel leg, and look, he's sweating too. I'm terrified I'm going to pull the leg out. Maybe I should ease off. Maybe there is another way. "It's moved again, it's going, it's going" and it's out. The feeling of relief was indescribable. I wasn't responsible for causing Cat 4 damage to one of her Majesty's aircraft. I straighten up the aircraft on the pan, give my towing 'partner' his tractor back, the French decide to leave the tow bar with us for the duration, and the Boss and crew leave to enjoy some French hospitality. Del does a most detailed inspection of the tail wheel leg and surrounding structure and proclaims everything in excellent health. Thank you Mr Chadwick, you built them well.
The reason why the mainwheel sank through the Tarmac was due to a culvert below that collapsed under the weight of half a Shack. The depression left by the mainwheel was around 6 inches deep.
That evening, we are gathered in the bar of the hotel drinking far more than is responsible. The bar closes, so the Boss insists we retire to his room and continue. After a few minutes of this, the porter knocks and quietly advises us the 90 year old lady next door is not amused. We move to another room and continue. The Boss and I are discussing the 'event' when he slurs " you know" he chuckles, " I did the same thing here 20 years ago in Mk III"
Happy daze.
Camlobe
We arrived after an eight hour trip in a four-speed Sherpa, no doubt the worst piece of MT ever.
.Of course prior to that - the Austin J4 - then JU250 were pretty crap.
Just remembered - on the 3 speed CF - reverse was where first gear is normally on the gate...outstanding safety feature ...well done vauxhall
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The 3 speed Bedford CF took some beating LOL
Sherpas, we took one around the Banked track at Brooklands
hanging on for dear life..I remember going to Salisbury Plain in a Bedford RL, as we drove along at warp factor nought you could here this rattling chinking noise, we both looked at each other and shrugged, arriving and getting out my fearless driver found the noise was caused by all the coins in his combat trouser pockets falling out and dissapearing through a hole in the floor, he lost quite a bit of money lol.
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The discussion on shear pins brings back memories.
Late 70's bombing comp at Lossie. Laarbruch's folding wing bombers operating out of the navy hangar where the exit is immediately up an incline. At the hangar door threshold is a drainage channel where the grating is not level with either the hangar floor or the sloping taxiway. The navy have given us a tractor. Not your usual RAF line type but a Massey Ferguson original, probably made even before M & F actually met each other. The trick was to get enough speed on the tractor/Bucc combo to get up the slope but not so much as you jumped the nosewheel on the threshold.
One morning when I thought I'd really got the hang of it, first two aircraft out and two shearpins worked exactly as advertised. Navy chief takes pity and says "you'll never do it with one of those (insert derogatory adjective here) RAF towbars, use one of ours".
The navy towbar was exactly the same as ours, at the nosewheel end. Tractor end was different. Bolted welded and very, very solid. Given what had just happened I said I couldn't use that as the weak link was now the nose leg. Chiefy reminds me Blackburn milled their aircraft out of solid and pilots have been landing them on pitching carriers for years " so you aren't going to break it". And do you know what, he was right. Mind you for the rest of the det it was the most controlled and considered movement of aircraft I've ever done.
Lightning tales later.
Late 70's bombing comp at Lossie. Laarbruch's folding wing bombers operating out of the navy hangar where the exit is immediately up an incline. At the hangar door threshold is a drainage channel where the grating is not level with either the hangar floor or the sloping taxiway. The navy have given us a tractor. Not your usual RAF line type but a Massey Ferguson original, probably made even before M & F actually met each other. The trick was to get enough speed on the tractor/Bucc combo to get up the slope but not so much as you jumped the nosewheel on the threshold.
One morning when I thought I'd really got the hang of it, first two aircraft out and two shearpins worked exactly as advertised. Navy chief takes pity and says "you'll never do it with one of those (insert derogatory adjective here) RAF towbars, use one of ours".
The navy towbar was exactly the same as ours, at the nosewheel end. Tractor end was different. Bolted welded and very, very solid. Given what had just happened I said I couldn't use that as the weak link was now the nose leg. Chiefy reminds me Blackburn milled their aircraft out of solid and pilots have been landing them on pitching carriers for years " so you aren't going to break it". And do you know what, he was right. Mind you for the rest of the det it was the most controlled and considered movement of aircraft I've ever done.
Lightning tales later.
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Smudge and Danny,
Don't know if SENGO backed the correct horse, but he certainly had my back. What has made it the sweeter is, I never asked for his coverage, and I knew unquestionably that I had deliberately flaunted a long list of 'golden rules', especially the standard Engineering Wing Routine Order on every airfield in the RAF that thou shalt not use MT to move hangar doors. I didn't plan on setting myself up for the chop, but I did accept total responsibility for my decisions. I am guessing I must have convinced Mike Duguid that this was very much a one-off set of circumstances, and not my normal practice. Honest. Then again, we had known each other for some years, and he probably knew me better than I thought I did.
Danny,
In my day, MT would issue the licence (C if you didn't have a civil driving licence, B if you did) and after a test on each type, annotate them specifically on said licence. I had a 'B' with a 'C' attachment for our de-icing bowser before Her Majesty issued my HGV. Then everything was a 'B'. A 'C' licence was restricted to the station only i.e. not public roads.
But, it was Air Traffic that issued the airfield driving permits, and would charge anyone caught driving on "their turf" without it.
Poacher turned gamekeeper perhaps?
Old Age and Treachery,
"Will triumph over youth and spirit". Eight Squadron's best catchphrase. We probably know each other. I completely concur with your description of MD. He single-handedly steered the Great Eight's engineering forward during trying and difficult times, and had the natural gift of convincing everyone we were winning. And as for the Hindustani Granny, I have never before or since met anyone who could make up so many great lines on the go, even when rather tipsy.
Mike was a breath of fresh air to Eight, especially after the atrociously poor, spiteful and divisive J#hn Alt#n, who let the officer corp and the engineering branch down badly.
Camlobe
Don't know if SENGO backed the correct horse, but he certainly had my back. What has made it the sweeter is, I never asked for his coverage, and I knew unquestionably that I had deliberately flaunted a long list of 'golden rules', especially the standard Engineering Wing Routine Order on every airfield in the RAF that thou shalt not use MT to move hangar doors. I didn't plan on setting myself up for the chop, but I did accept total responsibility for my decisions. I am guessing I must have convinced Mike Duguid that this was very much a one-off set of circumstances, and not my normal practice. Honest. Then again, we had known each other for some years, and he probably knew me better than I thought I did.
Danny,
In my day, MT would issue the licence (C if you didn't have a civil driving licence, B if you did) and after a test on each type, annotate them specifically on said licence. I had a 'B' with a 'C' attachment for our de-icing bowser before Her Majesty issued my HGV. Then everything was a 'B'. A 'C' licence was restricted to the station only i.e. not public roads.
But, it was Air Traffic that issued the airfield driving permits, and would charge anyone caught driving on "their turf" without it.
Poacher turned gamekeeper perhaps?
Old Age and Treachery,
"Will triumph over youth and spirit". Eight Squadron's best catchphrase. We probably know each other. I completely concur with your description of MD. He single-handedly steered the Great Eight's engineering forward during trying and difficult times, and had the natural gift of convincing everyone we were winning. And as for the Hindustani Granny, I have never before or since met anyone who could make up so many great lines on the go, even when rather tipsy.
Mike was a breath of fresh air to Eight, especially after the atrociously poor, spiteful and divisive J#hn Alt#n, who let the officer corp and the engineering branch down badly.
Camlobe
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My first time on brakes.......
I arrived at a certain base in Rutland as a new liney and spent my first Friday afternoon towing some of the 28 ac from the line to the hangar. I get a brief from the Cpl i/c and get into the front cockpit. For reassurance, there is an experianced liney in the back to keep me company.
Just as we set off, I'm told that my passenger has just returned from the med centre after being on suicide watch due to girlfriend/wife/money issues. The canopy closes and the chap in the back starts moaning about life being poo and wanting to end it all. As we pass ATC, he passes me an ejection seat pin and tells me he's about to pull the handle to bang out.
Naturally, I tried getting out but, of course, the canopy wouldn't open! I was a jibbering wreck as we got to the hangar....but the towing team were pis#ing themselves laughing as it's revealed that my miserable pax did indeed have a spare ejection seat pin and the episode was part of my 'welcome'..........
Just as we set off, I'm told that my passenger has just returned from the med centre after being on suicide watch due to girlfriend/wife/money issues. The canopy closes and the chap in the back starts moaning about life being poo and wanting to end it all. As we pass ATC, he passes me an ejection seat pin and tells me he's about to pull the handle to bang out.
Naturally, I tried getting out but, of course, the canopy wouldn't open! I was a jibbering wreck as we got to the hangar....but the towing team were pis#ing themselves laughing as it's revealed that my miserable pax did indeed have a spare ejection seat pin and the episode was part of my 'welcome'..........
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Loosely associated with aircraft towing. Many years ago at a fighter base in Fife it was my turn for a week as a corporal I/c duty crew. The week went well until a 23 Sqn Jav went of the runway. Crash siren blasting around the base and panic in the duty crew room!! Now ,we were based in one of the ancient early wooden hangars that has numerous support pillars. In our panic, me driving the crash kit on the bomb trolley , taking a corner a little too soon, managed to jam said trolley between the pillars. Ten minutes now spent jacking the bomb trolley to free it from it,s prison ! Tower is now going berserk , where the hell is the crash crew? We dare not tell them! Finally freed, we went screaming through the partial open hangar doors ( wooden doors, but big ) when there was a rather loud bang, followed by a rather louder bang. What the hell was that was the cry?
No problem came back the reply just keep driving, we will try to put the hangar door back on later !! Not a good night, but we did get the Jav out of the mud.
No problem came back the reply just keep driving, we will try to put the hangar door back on later !! Not a good night, but we did get the Jav out of the mud.
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Damaging buildings, now I was good at that, I was temporarily assigned to an engine bay between squadrons for a month or so, I was responsible for shuffling about engine modules and their cases... Having to move a module I drove over and under it with the forks and started to lift it, blimey it was heavy, heavier than I remembered, but I persevered, forks straining to lift it then all of a sudden bang and it was up.. Stopping I looked behind the packing case to find I'd also lifted the cast iron heating pipe that ran the length of the building fracturing it... Oops, but good old PSA had drained the system for the summer... Thinks to self, own up and take the grief for a genuine accident or leave it for them to find in the winter... I do wonder when they found it.. 
newt
I have been away/busy/not interested.................................
And I come back to this!!
Have you no shame starting a thread such as this??
The Jaguar you so carelessly abandoned could have been easily towed to the threshold - with or without a shear pin - in no time at all!
I think you have been deliberately naughty!!
And I come back to this!!
Have you no shame starting a thread such as this??
The Jaguar you so carelessly abandoned could have been easily towed to the threshold - with or without a shear pin - in no time at all!
I think you have been deliberately naughty!!
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Belle and Sebastian
Than had me in stitches, brilliant. I was at Cottesmore mid 80's and heard about someone during the Friday afternoon rush getting "briefed" by ATC for towing 2 Tornado's one on the front pushing and the one on the back following, I don't know if it was true but I thought it was a good idea.
Peppermint Jam
We had the same thing happen at Marham in the early 90s I was in ASF and we got called out to lift it out, we had to wait till a crane arrived from Norwich though.
ExRigger
My story is also about Marham in the early 90s I was the ASF tower and we were collecting a Tornado from one of the squadrons, it was when some review was on and we had to do our servicing's on the other side of the airfield. We had collected the aircraft and stopped at the side of the runway and my Chief radioed ATC for clearance, then said Chief said "Go", off we trundled and when we had just hit the piano keys I pointed out to chief that there was a fin showing on the other end of the runway, apparently my mate Lenny on brakes could see the whole of the Andover heading at great speed towards us but could do nothing to let us know, Yikes forget the rules about not reversing a tractor pushing an aircraft we did just that and then sat on the taxiway waving to the pilots as they went past. Chiefy was told to report to ATC and bring his driver. They gave him a good talking to and even wanted to take my license off me, I told them where to go, I was doing what I was told, in the end only Chiefy lost his. Fond memories.
Than had me in stitches, brilliant. I was at Cottesmore mid 80's and heard about someone during the Friday afternoon rush getting "briefed" by ATC for towing 2 Tornado's one on the front pushing and the one on the back following, I don't know if it was true but I thought it was a good idea.
Peppermint Jam
We had the same thing happen at Marham in the early 90s I was in ASF and we got called out to lift it out, we had to wait till a crane arrived from Norwich though.
ExRigger
My story is also about Marham in the early 90s I was the ASF tower and we were collecting a Tornado from one of the squadrons, it was when some review was on and we had to do our servicing's on the other side of the airfield. We had collected the aircraft and stopped at the side of the runway and my Chief radioed ATC for clearance, then said Chief said "Go", off we trundled and when we had just hit the piano keys I pointed out to chief that there was a fin showing on the other end of the runway, apparently my mate Lenny on brakes could see the whole of the Andover heading at great speed towards us but could do nothing to let us know, Yikes forget the rules about not reversing a tractor pushing an aircraft we did just that and then sat on the taxiway waving to the pilots as they went past. Chiefy was told to report to ATC and bring his driver. They gave him a good talking to and even wanted to take my license off me, I told them where to go, I was doing what I was told, in the end only Chiefy lost his. Fond memories.
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clicker is sitting in a civvie herk at Grotwick, crew have the pushback clearance from ATC and so inform the pushback crew we are ready to go.
They come back with a "sorry can't do, the towbar has broken." A few more questions and we find that the only herk towbar at Grotwick is the one in front of us, spare is at Thiefrow. Umm problem, due to sked crew will be out of hours before that gets to us.
"Grotwick Ground, NxxxST, can we reverse off the stand please?
"Negative due night time noise restrictions"
"Cockpit to Tug, can you send your chief to speak to us please"
A little conversation and agreement reached and so pushback resumes. Well pushback was not quite the right word to use. We did a power run on four engines in reverse pitch.
Tug and broken towbar kindly escort us to the taxiway center line so we don't get lost. Grotwick Ground, NxxxST readly for taxi."
Always wondered if any noise complaints got recorded that night.
They come back with a "sorry can't do, the towbar has broken." A few more questions and we find that the only herk towbar at Grotwick is the one in front of us, spare is at Thiefrow. Umm problem, due to sked crew will be out of hours before that gets to us.
"Grotwick Ground, NxxxST, can we reverse off the stand please?
"Negative due night time noise restrictions"
"Cockpit to Tug, can you send your chief to speak to us please"
A little conversation and agreement reached and so pushback resumes. Well pushback was not quite the right word to use. We did a power run on four engines in reverse pitch.
Tug and broken towbar kindly escort us to the taxiway center line so we don't get lost. Grotwick Ground, NxxxST readly for taxi."
Always wondered if any noise complaints got recorded that night.
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I think the world record for towing must be held by a Puma, from near Micheldelver back to Odiham.