Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
AA62,
Totally agree on your thoughts on the life rafts. I worked on White team AES at Colerne 71-73, where we did Base 3 Servicings. As an Airframe Fitter, I often got involved in the removal and refit of the life rafts, it was always a problem. Not sure what changed, but at the end of my career(Late 1990s) I was in charge of Blue Team AES at Lyneham, where, removal and fitment didn't seem to be such a challenge. Perhaps the lads had just got used to doing it.
I believe that the incident regarding the in flight deployment of the life raft happened in Canada and the aircraft was diverted to an airfield called Sept Isles. I knew the GE on board, who was asleep in his hammock at the time. After landing, with the crew inspecting the remnants of the life raft around the horizontal stabiliser, someone suggested the GE should have a look, its rumoured that they had to go and wake him up, he was still fast asleep in his hammock.
Smudge
Totally agree on your thoughts on the life rafts. I worked on White team AES at Colerne 71-73, where we did Base 3 Servicings. As an Airframe Fitter, I often got involved in the removal and refit of the life rafts, it was always a problem. Not sure what changed, but at the end of my career(Late 1990s) I was in charge of Blue Team AES at Lyneham, where, removal and fitment didn't seem to be such a challenge. Perhaps the lads had just got used to doing it.
I believe that the incident regarding the in flight deployment of the life raft happened in Canada and the aircraft was diverted to an airfield called Sept Isles. I knew the GE on board, who was asleep in his hammock at the time. After landing, with the crew inspecting the remnants of the life raft around the horizontal stabiliser, someone suggested the GE should have a look, its rumoured that they had to go and wake him up, he was still fast asleep in his hammock.
Smudge
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Many thanks to ExA and Xercules for your contributions
So RAF Albert's most Northerly (Wheels On) trip has been Thule AB Greenland @ 76°31'N and the most Southerly (Wheels On) Williams Field Antarctica @ 77°52'S. Which now begs the question ... Has RAF Albert made 90°N or 90°S whilst airborne ? I bet the probability is quite high ... but let's see
With ExA's (and many others I'm sure) circumnavigation, RAF Albert's Easterly and Westerly travels are a little more interesting to record ...
So ...
Flying West to East (crossing the IDL/Antemeridian) ... what's the furthest RAF Albert has been (Wheels On) ... Soma (172°30'W) or Hawaii (155°30'W) ?
Flying East to West ... again what's the furthest RAF Albert has been (Wheels On) ... Has he been down the Aleutian Island Chain ?
Coff.
PS. Brian ... Please do correct any Nav errors I may have made
So RAF Albert's most Northerly (Wheels On) trip has been Thule AB Greenland @ 76°31'N and the most Southerly (Wheels On) Williams Field Antarctica @ 77°52'S. Which now begs the question ... Has RAF Albert made 90°N or 90°S whilst airborne ? I bet the probability is quite high ... but let's see
With ExA's (and many others I'm sure) circumnavigation, RAF Albert's Easterly and Westerly travels are a little more interesting to record ...
So ...
Flying West to East (crossing the IDL/Antemeridian) ... what's the furthest RAF Albert has been (Wheels On) ... Soma (172°30'W) or Hawaii (155°30'W) ?
Flying East to West ... again what's the furthest RAF Albert has been (Wheels On) ... Has he been down the Aleutian Island Chain ?
Coff.
PS. Brian ... Please do correct any Nav errors I may have made
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 5th Jun 2014 at 12:47.
Coffman,
how could we mind ! You started all this and I for one appreciate your slightly detached input. Bersatu Padu, yes got that tick too as the next sequence of pics will hopefully show.
how could we mind ! You started all this and I for one appreciate your slightly detached input. Bersatu Padu, yes got that tick too as the next sequence of pics will hopefully show.
Albert's Travels
In answer to Coff's queries on Eastings and Westings:
My furthest East (wheels on) was Nadi, Fiji at 177 25 E. That is close to unbeatable, I would think although I am not claiming sole rights, unless anybody has flown into Gisborne, N Island, NZ at 178 01E.
Furthest West for me was Hickam but my guess is that Midway would qualify for the accolade. I do not know if anybody ever ventured down the Aleutian Chain.
Ref ExA's comment on dropping at Grytviken I would totally agree. East Cumberland Bay had 3 large glaciers flowing into it and the winds down these met at just the point you were supposed to do the drop. That said I was lucky with all my visits getting calm winds and clear skies, so much so that one one visit we went round into West CB and "attacked" Grytviken from the rear only chickening out when the slope ahead appeared to be steepening - it seemed a bit remote (with only 50 Gurkhas on hand in the garrison) to wind up attached the glacier ahead.
It always amazed me that the "Route" Squadrons were graciously allowed tasks to drop there but were apparently not up to the rigours of "normal" TS.
My furthest East (wheels on) was Nadi, Fiji at 177 25 E. That is close to unbeatable, I would think although I am not claiming sole rights, unless anybody has flown into Gisborne, N Island, NZ at 178 01E.
Furthest West for me was Hickam but my guess is that Midway would qualify for the accolade. I do not know if anybody ever ventured down the Aleutian Chain.
Ref ExA's comment on dropping at Grytviken I would totally agree. East Cumberland Bay had 3 large glaciers flowing into it and the winds down these met at just the point you were supposed to do the drop. That said I was lucky with all my visits getting calm winds and clear skies, so much so that one one visit we went round into West CB and "attacked" Grytviken from the rear only chickening out when the slope ahead appeared to be steepening - it seemed a bit remote (with only 50 Gurkhas on hand in the garrison) to wind up attached the glacier ahead.
It always amazed me that the "Route" Squadrons were graciously allowed tasks to drop there but were apparently not up to the rigours of "normal" TS.
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I have landed Midway, Guam, and Hickam.
WRT Grytviken, the problem was, as Xercules stated, the cold air descending off the glaciers.
What you did, as you ran in (into a blind bay note - no way out but to reverse course [Albert not being able to out climb the mountains]), was to watch the sea surface. If you saw a whirlpool forming (indicative of a major downdraught), was get the **** out of Dodge!
Said downdraughts could swat Albert out of the sky!
WRT Grytviken, the problem was, as Xercules stated, the cold air descending off the glaciers.
What you did, as you ran in (into a blind bay note - no way out but to reverse course [Albert not being able to out climb the mountains]), was to watch the sea surface. If you saw a whirlpool forming (indicative of a major downdraught), was get the **** out of Dodge!
Said downdraughts could swat Albert out of the sky!
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Having done my Co's tour on 30 and my Captain's tour on 47, I was always of the opinion that the idea that the 'Tac' Sqns were somehow better than the 'Route' Sqns was UTTER B/S!
Ex Ascoteer,
how true your remarks ref the route/ tac business. Mostly generated by the newly joined who had no knowledge of the time when we all did TS. We had all six Herc squadrons back at Lyneham at one time and all did TS. As an ex airdrop instructor/examiner and with a tour on trials and development I think I am qualified to 'pronounce' on the matter ! At least as far as the ALM branch.
how true your remarks ref the route/ tac business. Mostly generated by the newly joined who had no knowledge of the time when we all did TS. We had all six Herc squadrons back at Lyneham at one time and all did TS. As an ex airdrop instructor/examiner and with a tour on trials and development I think I am qualified to 'pronounce' on the matter ! At least as far as the ALM branch.
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Originally Posted by Upgently
Beginning to get mission drift ...
Anyway back to the fabulous pics and personal anecdotes
On the subject of Route/Tac on Albert, might I offer an opinion from the point of view of a non Aircrew participant of around 5000 flying hours experience over a six year period. As an Aircraft GE through the period 88-95, I flew routes with every one of the four main squadrons at Lyneham at that time, add to that HTS, the Flight Test crew etc and I think I saw a broad spectrum of crews and tasks. A Deci Schedule, with an SF crew was no drama, and unless something slipped my awareness, no different to a Deci Schedule with a 24 Squadron Crew. Likewise having spent extra time doing GW1, it should be noted that the crews who operated the last three Alberts out of Bahrain, after withdrawal of the rest of the AT fleet, were from 24 and 30 Squadrons, to my best recollection. Certainly the crew I was allocated to were from 30 Squadron, I will always remember the camaraderie we had. As a "non qualified" observer I would have to suggest that any suggestion that 47/70 as "Tac" Squadrons offered something that 24/30 could not is risible, and simple willy waving. I've absolutely no bias in this, I never belonged to any of these fine squadrons, but I flew with them all, and all were professional people, trained to the same standard and trusted by the likes of me with our pink bodies. Perhaps I'm just paying testimony to the Fleet training system, that ensured the competency, across the board of our crews. I honestly believe that, with the exception of recent posts, the question of Squadrons and competency never arose (perhaps unlike the WIWOL thread). The Hercules fleet was never in my mind a particularly Squadron oriented operation, with UKMAMS, Ground Engineers, ALSS/BLSS, 47 AD, In Flight Catering, Flight Planning etc, the Squadrons were just part of a team that always gave of their best when presented with a problem. Sorry to ramble, but the past few posts made me take a few moments to try and see some or any difference between crews, and their support, across the fleet in my own time. I only see a common aim, to do the job. If this post falls in to the category of "mission creep" I apologise. My intention was to show why we should all be proud of spending some of our service time on this incredible machine.
Smudge
Smudge
We want more piccies!!!! As my time during the fleet started during the no cameras down route period, I have very few 
. For that matter, we were not supposed to take the 'devils cloth' either, but more people ignored that one!!!
. For that matter, we were not supposed to take the 'devils cloth' either, but more people ignored that one!!!
DCThumb,
Happy to try and oblige. Try this one;
This was a bit south of Ascension on the way to MPA (Mount Pleasant). We had just finished the refuel, and it was our Captains birthday. T*** R**** is a cracking bloke so we all sent him birthday cards (evident above the instrument panel), and one from his wife was there as well. We all enjoyed a smashing birthday party heading South. Jelly, Ice cream, cakes, the Loady missed nothing. We had a second party after landing, but you wouldn't want to know about that.
Smudge
Happy to try and oblige. Try this one;
This was a bit south of Ascension on the way to MPA (Mount Pleasant). We had just finished the refuel, and it was our Captains birthday. T*** R**** is a cracking bloke so we all sent him birthday cards (evident above the instrument panel), and one from his wife was there as well. We all enjoyed a smashing birthday party heading South. Jelly, Ice cream, cakes, the Loady missed nothing. We had a second party after landing, but you wouldn't want to know about that.
Smudge
A quick anecdote before I'm sent to bed.
Rumour had it that SF (and others) required the prop blades to be painted black,perhaps to match their T shirts
. Anyway, after testing it was found that centripetal force meant that the black paint slid off the ends of the blades. A fix was found by applying red and white bands across the blade tips to prevent this slippage. At a later date, the Design Authority informed the RAF that painting them black put them outside of the operational integrity of the blades. End result, the blades reverted to natural finish, complete with highly visible tips. Much to the chagrin of some operators.
Always a nice sight at night though.
Smudge
Rumour had it that SF (and others) required the prop blades to be painted black,perhaps to match their T shirts
. Anyway, after testing it was found that centripetal force meant that the black paint slid off the ends of the blades. A fix was found by applying red and white bands across the blade tips to prevent this slippage. At a later date, the Design Authority informed the RAF that painting them black put them outside of the operational integrity of the blades. End result, the blades reverted to natural finish, complete with highly visible tips. Much to the chagrin of some operators.Always a nice sight at night though.
Smudge
As requested some more pics. I have postponed the sequence of Bersatu Padu pics as I have found a few more of 'South Pacific'. Bonriki International complete with reception committee.
Some may wonder why we went to these places. Fortunately my log book provides a clue for this one. We took Sir John Field, Governor of The Solomon islands on his annual inspection tour. Not exactly a VIP mode of conveyance especially as it was also loaded with cargo, but the only one for the job.
I recall also visting one of the remote islands with the kit for them to build a UK style loo. Bricks, mortar cisten pan etc. Why ? Prince Charles was due to visit and just in case he was caught short this unique monument to human frailty was built.
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Keep them coming AA62 ... I'm sure there are many here (even the lurkers) who look forward daily to these wonderful pics from you, Upgently, Brian and Smudge ...
Now I wonder if the Royal Loo still exists
Best ...
Coff.
Now I wonder if the Royal Loo still exists
Best ...
Coff.
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AA62 ...
The date certainly seems to tie up
If so ... It looks like there has been quite a bit of investment in the airport at Funafuti ...
Coff.
PS Xercules ... That's 179°11'E
The date certainly seems to tie up
The first royal visit to Tuvalu was back in 1959 by the Duke of Edinburgh, followed by a visit by Prince Charles in 1970. Princess Margaret visited Tuvalu in 1978, on Tuvalu’s independence from Great Britain.
Coff.
PS Xercules ... That's 179°11'E
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 6th Jun 2014 at 18:15.