Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
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Many thanks Chickenlover ... you are a Gent 
We just need either Courtney or Geehovah to pop along now as they may recognise the crew in your last pic
We just need either Courtney or Geehovah to pop along now as they may recognise the crew in your last pic
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I think some may be prints and other negs that I scanned into Photoshop and let it do its magic. Just about scanned everything I have now. Colour just doesn't last but at least Photoshop will restore it.
Fi f4 photoshoots
Ah the great "F4through the hose receptacle window" photos. When I was down there in 86, 1312 must have been the best endowed unit in the Islands because there was almost nothing we could get in exchange for a ride in Albert. Tanking sorties were very popular closely followed by South Georgia runs (these were rarer so did have a more than certain value in the bartering market). Everybody who flew seemed to come back with "great/fantastic/marvellous"pictures of the F4s. The only ones who didn't were the Albert pilots (at least in my case as I wasn't going to let anybody rape my aircraft if I wasn't in the driving seat).
For those who flew them you will recall that the Loadie was your eyes during tanking giving a running commentary on the chicks and where they and what they were doing. During an actual prod this, in a calm voice, was supposed to go something like " he's in the stabilised position - moving forwards, 5 ft, 4 ft, 3 ft, contact, pushing in, holding steady ..." One day OC 23 ( A.. Mc...) was receiving and the commentary went more like "stabilised, moving forward....f... me that was fast" at a very high pitch. Nobody had told A.. Mc... that the reheat gate was loose.
As to trading, I think the currency we used was something like:
1312 Flt Albert print
1312 Flt Albert print signed by the crews
Albert sortie (tanking/S Georgia)
Strangely, MRR sorties were not so popular but we used to have the occasional die hard - I suppose 5 to 7 hours staring at grey sea and multiple jiggers was not everybody's idea of fun.
I assume by later years some fun detector discovered what was going on and passengers on tanking sorties were banned. It was good for morale but probably broke every elfensafety rule there was.
For those who flew them you will recall that the Loadie was your eyes during tanking giving a running commentary on the chicks and where they and what they were doing. During an actual prod this, in a calm voice, was supposed to go something like " he's in the stabilised position - moving forwards, 5 ft, 4 ft, 3 ft, contact, pushing in, holding steady ..." One day OC 23 ( A.. Mc...) was receiving and the commentary went more like "stabilised, moving forward....f... me that was fast" at a very high pitch. Nobody had told A.. Mc... that the reheat gate was loose.
As to trading, I think the currency we used was something like:
1312 Flt Albert print
1312 Flt Albert print signed by the crews
Albert sortie (tanking/S Georgia)
Strangely, MRR sorties were not so popular but we used to have the occasional die hard - I suppose 5 to 7 hours staring at grey sea and multiple jiggers was not everybody's idea of fun.
I assume by later years some fun detector discovered what was going on and passengers on tanking sorties were banned. It was good for morale but probably broke every elfensafety rule there was.
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I think some may be prints and other negs that I scanned into Photoshop and let it do its magic. Just about scanned everything I have now. Colour just doesn't last but at least Photoshop will restore it.
someone here posted that pic in a thread once
chickenlover,
many thanks for the Nimrod (and the other) pics. Reminds me of the time one 'chased' the basket as the bow wave pushed it up and away. By the time we showed him the red card my voice had risen an octave or two. I think the F4 must be the most photographed a/c through the letterbox.
Pic taken on an airbridge showing the RX before he is cleared in to tank about 5 hrs out from ASI.
many thanks for the Nimrod (and the other) pics. Reminds me of the time one 'chased' the basket as the bow wave pushed it up and away. By the time we showed him the red card my voice had risen an octave or two. I think the F4 must be the most photographed a/c through the letterbox.
Pic taken on an airbridge showing the RX before he is cleared in to tank about 5 hrs out from ASI.
DCThumb,
I remember the advert. Did you get any pics ?
I remember the advert. Did you get any pics ?
Xercules,
yes the fun detectors were ready to spoil everything. I always thought taking those who wanted to fly with us was a very good thing. It was always an eye opener for them especially on tanking and airdrop. Usually did us no harm in subsequent dealings with their various organisations.
I remember at Lyneham we were having a few problems with errors being made on the heavy drop role fit. I arranged with OC Role Equip for some of his workers to fly on the sorties. He came with me first. Everyone who saw a drop came back like Saul on his way to Damascus. The sheer speed, noise and violence of the load departing made them realise that we needed everything to be perfect.
Once took an Eng O on a tanking trip from ASI. It was only a little bit bumpy, but he took to the top bunk and did not stagger down till we back at ASI ! Missed the very thing he had come to watch, the view from my office.
yes the fun detectors were ready to spoil everything. I always thought taking those who wanted to fly with us was a very good thing. It was always an eye opener for them especially on tanking and airdrop. Usually did us no harm in subsequent dealings with their various organisations.
I remember at Lyneham we were having a few problems with errors being made on the heavy drop role fit. I arranged with OC Role Equip for some of his workers to fly on the sorties. He came with me first. Everyone who saw a drop came back like Saul on his way to Damascus. The sheer speed, noise and violence of the load departing made them realise that we needed everything to be perfect.
Once took an Eng O on a tanking trip from ASI. It was only a little bit bumpy, but he took to the top bunk and did not stagger down till we back at ASI ! Missed the very thing he had come to watch, the view from my office.
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"I arranged with OC Role Equip for some of his workers to fly on the sorties. He came with me first. Everyone who saw a drop came back like Saul on his way to Damascus. The sheer speed, noise and violence of the load departing made them realise that we needed everything to be perfect".
I worked the Role section 92-94 and must admit that whilst fitting a load of scrap metal into Albert was straight forward, some of it didn't`t make sense laid out on the floor until you did get airside and see what it all meant.
Got some fantastic routes back then, you couldn't`t beat a 10 day N American trail that required you to do a 10 minute role change at Calgary then spend the rest of the Route helping the GE & SVC out, good people happy times.
I worked the Role section 92-94 and must admit that whilst fitting a load of scrap metal into Albert was straight forward, some of it didn't`t make sense laid out on the floor until you did get airside and see what it all meant.
Got some fantastic routes back then, you couldn't`t beat a 10 day N American trail that required you to do a 10 minute role change at Calgary then spend the rest of the Route helping the GE & SVC out, good people happy times.
Bts70,
welcome to the ever expanding 'K' club. Did you ever fly on an airdrop ?
I used to send my newly qualified ALMs to work with Role Equip for a week to get some practical experience and to see the the problems from the other end of the telescope.
welcome to the ever expanding 'K' club. Did you ever fly on an airdrop ?
I used to send my newly qualified ALMs to work with Role Equip for a week to get some practical experience and to see the the problems from the other end of the telescope.
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Certainly did, always an eye opener to those who went up first time, especially on the drops when the load was slowly edged in and the realisation set in that that same load would exit the frame at considerably faster speeds in the air with minimal clearance.
When the J/K merge happened I instigated getting some lads up on the K to see the drops, the J lads always cursed the K role fits, the drops far more exiting than the standard J CDS at the time.
Way back then we did a trial fit (correct me if I am wrong) for "mine laying" when we seemed to fill the back end with roller, given the amount of 40 inch we put down there must of been only a small load given the weight of roller involved? we never saw the load as I think the frame went elsewhere to collect it.
When the J/K merge happened I instigated getting some lads up on the K to see the drops, the J lads always cursed the K role fits, the drops far more exiting than the standard J CDS at the time.
Way back then we did a trial fit (correct me if I am wrong) for "mine laying" when we seemed to fill the back end with roller, given the amount of 40 inch we put down there must of been only a small load given the weight of roller involved? we never saw the load as I think the frame went elsewhere to collect it.
Xercules - may well have flown with you then - finished my MPA/RAF Mt Pleasant tour on 9 May 86 and spent 7 & 8 May (after handover to FNG) in various helicopters and a Hercules. If so, many thanks
W
W
Bts70,
glad you enjoyed the sight of the heavy drop leaving the a/c. The mine laying role you refer to was if memory serves, 4G. For those not familiar with the 'K' we had 19 basic role fits but within those 19 was a whole range of sub roles, the 4G one above being an example. All these roles ment lots of toil for the workers. The mine laying role was invented for the 'K' (I know nothing about the 'J' at all) at the time of Op Corporate. The old WW2 bar mines with a restraint shackle welded on top were the ones selected for use. There was so much roller conveyor and side guidance in the fit that the seats could not be fitted and the Air Despatchers 'sat' where they could.
I never did fly on any of the trials but did see the complete installation. I think the idea was that if the Argentine carrier ever looked like leaving port then the harbour approaches would be mined. I leave you to contemplate what the crew would do after the drop !
glad you enjoyed the sight of the heavy drop leaving the a/c. The mine laying role you refer to was if memory serves, 4G. For those not familiar with the 'K' we had 19 basic role fits but within those 19 was a whole range of sub roles, the 4G one above being an example. All these roles ment lots of toil for the workers. The mine laying role was invented for the 'K' (I know nothing about the 'J' at all) at the time of Op Corporate. The old WW2 bar mines with a restraint shackle welded on top were the ones selected for use. There was so much roller conveyor and side guidance in the fit that the seats could not be fitted and the Air Despatchers 'sat' where they could.
I never did fly on any of the trials but did see the complete installation. I think the idea was that if the Argentine carrier ever looked like leaving port then the harbour approaches would be mined. I leave you to contemplate what the crew would do after the drop !
AA62 #794,
Totally agree on giving the workers a trip. My first experience of this was on my posting to Colerne in 71 when I was a lowly Jnr Tech A tech A on White team, doing Base 3 servicing. We had our own Air test crew who always looked for a couple of us who had "taken it apart" to accompany them, I was never slow in volunteering to go. As I recall the Captain (Sqn Ldr Welch ?) took great delight in doing a tactical take off to "see if you put the wing bolts back in correctly". At the time it sounded hairy as hell. ISTR seeing one MSP dispatch in my time at Lyneham, being impressed with the speed it all went out. I'm sure like many techies, the chance to see the beast at work was always welcomed, and appreciated.
Smudge
Totally agree on giving the workers a trip. My first experience of this was on my posting to Colerne in 71 when I was a lowly Jnr Tech A tech A on White team, doing Base 3 servicing. We had our own Air test crew who always looked for a couple of us who had "taken it apart" to accompany them, I was never slow in volunteering to go. As I recall the Captain (Sqn Ldr Welch ?) took great delight in doing a tactical take off to "see if you put the wing bolts back in correctly". At the time it sounded hairy as hell. ISTR seeing one MSP dispatch in my time at Lyneham, being impressed with the speed it all went out. I'm sure like many techies, the chance to see the beast at work was always welcomed, and appreciated.
Smudge
Last edited by smujsmith; 11th Jul 2014 at 20:13.