Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
Fugazi,
was sat in the a/c waiting for the 'sharp end' to arrive. A/c is role 19a (clear floor) with side seats as we are going to Finningley to give the students a bit of Herc experience. Captain turns up says it has all been changed we are off to West Raynham to pick up a Bloodhound to take to Germany.
At this time they were transported on pallets so the role fit was full side guidance etc. I suggested to the Captain that he point this out to Ops. He does so only to be told basically 'get on with it'. So we get to Raynham and the fertiliser hits the rotating cooling device. We are of course not correctly roled for the task.
We, the crew, are also fireproof ! So back we go, empty. to Lyneham.
We never did get to Finningley.
was sat in the a/c waiting for the 'sharp end' to arrive. A/c is role 19a (clear floor) with side seats as we are going to Finningley to give the students a bit of Herc experience. Captain turns up says it has all been changed we are off to West Raynham to pick up a Bloodhound to take to Germany.
At this time they were transported on pallets so the role fit was full side guidance etc. I suggested to the Captain that he point this out to Ops. He does so only to be told basically 'get on with it'. So we get to Raynham and the fertiliser hits the rotating cooling device. We are of course not correctly roled for the task.
We, the crew, are also fireproof ! So back we go, empty. to Lyneham.
We never did get to Finningley.
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aa62,
Reading through the logbook - there seems to have been no shortage of Lyneham - West Raynham - RAFG trips throughout the '70s. I suspect an abortive attempt was no biggie.
I do see the Belfast getting in on the act too. More than a few Bloodhounds in one go?
Reading through the logbook - there seems to have been no shortage of Lyneham - West Raynham - RAFG trips throughout the '70s. I suspect an abortive attempt was no biggie.
I do see the Belfast getting in on the act too. More than a few Bloodhounds in one go?
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A quick side question if I may AA62 
With 65 Squadron based at RAF Seletar in the late 60's, was Albert used to rotate/service our Bloodhounds based out in the Far East ?
I guess pics of Albert with Bloodhound 'cargo' are going to be quite rare even these days.
Best ...
Coff.
With 65 Squadron based at RAF Seletar in the late 60's, was Albert used to rotate/service our Bloodhounds based out in the Far East ?
I guess pics of Albert with Bloodhound 'cargo' are going to be quite rare even these days.
Best ...
Coff.
Coffman,
my first Bloodhound rotation was in XV 213 on the 13 June 1968 from Butterworth to Lyneham. So you can see that from the outset the 'K' was doing these type of tasks.
Fugazi, I do not know if you served in the RAF but believe me cock ups like the one I described were not taken lightly and could generate a huge blame game.
Hence our call to Ops. Otherwise we could easily have been the fall guys.
my first Bloodhound rotation was in XV 213 on the 13 June 1968 from Butterworth to Lyneham. So you can see that from the outset the 'K' was doing these type of tasks.
Fugazi, I do not know if you served in the RAF but believe me cock ups like the one I described were not taken lightly and could generate a huge blame game.
Hence our call to Ops. Otherwise we could easily have been the fall guys.
Last edited by ancientaviator62; 17th Jan 2015 at 13:12. Reason: spelling
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Thanks AA62 ... Yet another example of the scale associated with military logistics and Albert's crucial role during the 60+ years we had the C-130K 
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aa62,
My Father served 25+ years, I never did, but spent 16 years as a Scaley Brat. I suppose the blame game happened further up the pole with the officers rather than NCOs and other ranks.
November4,
Thanks for the link - sadly my father has passed away, but I did find him on Advanced Course No. 3 - when still a corporal - and have just realised he must have finished the course and got the family's first Lyneham posting because that's when his logbook shows his first trip - Lyneham to West Raynham...
XV176 - The first delivery to the RAF of the Hercules? Who actually painted the aircraft? Lockheed factory or the RAF after receipt?
My Father served 25+ years, I never did, but spent 16 years as a Scaley Brat. I suppose the blame game happened further up the pole with the officers rather than NCOs and other ranks.
November4,
Thanks for the link - sadly my father has passed away, but I did find him on Advanced Course No. 3 - when still a corporal - and have just realised he must have finished the course and got the family's first Lyneham posting because that's when his logbook shows his first trip - Lyneham to West Raynham...
XV176 - The first delivery to the RAF of the Hercules? Who actually painted the aircraft? Lockheed factory or the RAF after receipt?
Claw,
Stunning shot of a naked Albert, is it allowed on prune ? Meanwhile 297 relaxes after its B/F while my fellow GE and myself attend to hydraulic problems on the Thai 747. A simple matter of tightening hydraulic unions on No3 engine pump. We were rewarded with packs of Thai Airways cards. I remember changing a brake unit on a civilian aircraft at Gander some months later, and receiving a more lucrative remuneration. Our crew enjoyed some time on board the big beast whilst we laboured. For those who worry, we departed on schedule, sober!
Smudge
Fugazi,
The aircraft were delivered "naked" and painted by Marshalls of Cambridge (the Lockheed designated Engineering authority). I'm sure AA62 might have seen an unpainted K.
Stunning shot of a naked Albert, is it allowed on prune ? Meanwhile 297 relaxes after its B/F while my fellow GE and myself attend to hydraulic problems on the Thai 747. A simple matter of tightening hydraulic unions on No3 engine pump. We were rewarded with packs of Thai Airways cards. I remember changing a brake unit on a civilian aircraft at Gander some months later, and receiving a more lucrative remuneration. Our crew enjoyed some time on board the big beast whilst we laboured. For those who worry, we departed on schedule, sober!
Smudge
Fugazi,
The aircraft were delivered "naked" and painted by Marshalls of Cambridge (the Lockheed designated Engineering authority). I'm sure AA62 might have seen an unpainted K.
Last edited by smujsmith; 17th Jan 2015 at 23:53.
Fugazi,
the 'system's' objective in the 'blame game' is to find a culprit as far down the food chain as possible. This would then keep the noses of those above clean.
Smudge,
yes saw several shiny new 'K' models, but my dim memory seems to recall XV 179 as the first one I saw when it arrived at Colerne. We Hastings chaps had a very good look over our future. For an AQM (as we were then) it was the great leap forward. Level floor (no more struggling to get vehicles in round the side cargo door) lots of tie down points and an electric cargo winch. And many other benefits.
the 'system's' objective in the 'blame game' is to find a culprit as far down the food chain as possible. This would then keep the noses of those above clean.
Smudge,
yes saw several shiny new 'K' models, but my dim memory seems to recall XV 179 as the first one I saw when it arrived at Colerne. We Hastings chaps had a very good look over our future. For an AQM (as we were then) it was the great leap forward. Level floor (no more struggling to get vehicles in round the side cargo door) lots of tie down points and an electric cargo winch. And many other benefits.
Does anyone know the crew of the first Hercules delivery to the RAF?
Back in the mid-1980's my ATC squadron enjoyed the services of Wing Commander Mel Bennett. He had flown Sunderland's and Beverly's in the Far East, and I seem to recall was involved with the K in the early days, possibly doing the first delivery flight?
DH
Back in the mid-1980's my ATC squadron enjoyed the services of Wing Commander Mel Bennett. He had flown Sunderland's and Beverly's in the Far East, and I seem to recall was involved with the K in the early days, possibly doing the first delivery flight?
DH
First crew
According to Andy Muniandy's book, Hercules The RAF Workhorse, Mel Bennett was the skipper with Dave Wright as co, Nav' Cyril Loughheed, Eng' Fred Pennycott and AQM John Sutton.
DH,
when I was on 47 Sqn at Faiford in 1968 Mel Bennett was OC Ops. He was the captain of the (in)famous Westabout flight that saw them get to McClellan AFB on day one AFTER a delay out of Fairford ! One of the Station MOs, Doc Cassidy, was on the crew. Terrific character was Doc, as amongst other things your Class One Medical cost a bottle of scotch.
when I was on 47 Sqn at Faiford in 1968 Mel Bennett was OC Ops. He was the captain of the (in)famous Westabout flight that saw them get to McClellan AFB on day one AFTER a delay out of Fairford ! One of the Station MOs, Doc Cassidy, was on the crew. Terrific character was Doc, as amongst other things your Class One Medical cost a bottle of scotch.
Brian,
I recall all of those chaps except the Navigator. I was too low on the totem pole to do the 'State's Course alas.
I recall all of those chaps except the Navigator. I was too low on the totem pole to do the 'State's Course alas.
Thanks AA62 and Brian....
Obviously I have no idea what Mel was like as a boss, but as a member of staff at our local ATC unit he was someone to really look up to. At that time he'd recently returned to the UK after flying the B707 for Royal Jordanian.
Sadly he passed away a few years ago, but I still have fond memories of doing aeros with him in an AEF Chipmunk over the Norfolk coast when we summer camped at Coltishall.
AA62, re the Westabout to McClellan - I guess flight time limitations in those days were more liberal in the late 1960's?
Obviously I have no idea what Mel was like as a boss, but as a member of staff at our local ATC unit he was someone to really look up to. At that time he'd recently returned to the UK after flying the B707 for Royal Jordanian.
Sadly he passed away a few years ago, but I still have fond memories of doing aeros with him in an AEF Chipmunk over the Norfolk coast when we summer camped at Coltishall.
AA62, re the Westabout to McClellan - I guess flight time limitations in those days were more liberal in the late 1960's?
AA62, re the Westabout to McClellan - I guess flight time limitations in those days were more liberal in the late 1960's?
