Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
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Originally Posted by smujsmith
I'm sure others have had that "feeling" that made us have a good look that day..
Smudge
Smudge
Over 20 years ago the lady I was dating, her 3 kids, and I were just about to take off for a several-day trip to a gathering down in northern Arizona, when that "6th sense" kicked in.
Not just for me, but for her, her mother, and, as we learned when we canceled and returned my parent's Chevy Blazer we were borrowing for the trip, my parents.
There had been nothing amiss - no funny vehicle operation, twitches of the gauges or electrics - but a couple of days later the Blazer's alternator just quit working while the vehicle was being driven in town, and took the battery with it.
By the mileage between trip cancellation and the vehicle stopping all functions, if we had just carried on with the trip we would have been right in the middle of nowhere when it failed.
Our old friend 179 leaving Fiji. Last in the Fiji series. I think we should return to Changi for the next pic. Smudge ref your 'still small voice', anyone who has been around a/c for any length of time will have had that self same feeling at least once. As regards seeing the world, yes my 'K' generation was incredibly lucky in the almost infinite variety of places we went to.
You mentioned Belize, did you ever do one of the Belize to Patrick AFB Lox runs ?
Where is Brian the Nav ? Has he become 'uncertain of his position ' ?
I'm here!
Sorry AA62 I'm 'Hors de combat' temporarily - I was on the waiting list for a small op' on my foot and received a short notice call to attend hospital on Friday as they had a cancellation!
We are also getting ready to sell our house ( subject to planning approval for a new house for us in the garden), so once I'm sorted I ought to be able to locate my few slides
.
No cycling for a month
.
We are also getting ready to sell our house ( subject to planning approval for a new house for us in the garden), so once I'm sorted I ought to be able to locate my few slides
.No cycling for a month
.
Brian,
sorry to hear about your problems. I will attempt to keep the thread going until you are able to contribute once again. Hope the 48 Sqn pics are triggering pleasant memories and aiding your recovery from the op. There are a few more to come.
Best wishes
aa.
sorry to hear about your problems. I will attempt to keep the thread going until you are able to contribute once again. Hope the 48 Sqn pics are triggering pleasant memories and aiding your recovery from the op. There are a few more to come.
Best wishes
aa.
Brian48 - did you ever hear from John Annan? I am reminded of him today as I recall a discussion about snakes (he being familiar with the beasties from Rhodesia) and his advice generally was that snakes were more scared of humans than we of them, and the usually quickly made themselves scarce if threatened. Reason I recall that was because heard odd noise in the ceiling above the airing cupboard, I banged on the underside and shortly afterwards Mrs W saw a coulevrier coming down the wall and out under the back gate. I give the ceiling a tap every now and again to encourage it to go and frighten the @rseoff someone else. I hate snakes, even non-poisonous ones.
AA62,
Belize LOX run #382, crikey, you must be a mind reader. If I'm not devoid of my senses, a fellow poster, Fergineer, was the Eng. Here it goes.
A standard Belize LOX run, in to Homestead, fill up the LOX container and off we go. So, taxi out, line up, and thrunge levers forward, No2 decides it doesn't want to fly, and early enough for an abort. So we stay on the ground. Ambient temperature was high, and having used the brakes during the abort, it only took a little more to cause problems. As usual I followed the Loady down the crew steps as we parked. The LH brakes were spitting fire! I pointed it out to the Loady, and we duly abandoned Albert. The vent for the LOX container was right above the LH undercarriage! as you operates will know. The Lime Green firefighting machine that arrived seemed devoid of fear as they approached, and threatened to squirt their stuff on the wheels. I pointed out that it might create serious problems, so they monitored the situation, the fuse plug on both LH Mainwheels did their job, and duly deflated the mainwheels.
So, the engine prob turned out to be a valve housing change, the wheels and Brakes are self explanatory. We were broken, no Ranger pack aboard so I had no option but to request a recovery. The team would arrive in two days, meanwhile Homestead were having their annual air display, and asked if we would be available as a "static exhibit". No probs was our Captains reply, and we duly planned our sudden inclusion. ISTR that our Loady was a commisioned officer who managed to ensure that all the galley outlets fed Gin and Tonic, on the day, and we all took turns at showing visitors around, and generally had a great day (I certainly enjoyed a look around the F117 parked next to us, a new aircraft for most of us). The best part of the day was to come.
As the day came to an end the Captain took me aside and offered me a set of Flt Lt rank tabs, and explained that the crew had been invited to the "O's" mess for a post display do. I think it was only then that I realised that all of the crew were commisioned . Well, it still sits firmly in my memory as one if the best nights I spent down route. Not sure if Fergineer will remember my request for tomato ketchup to accompany the steaks (in the O's Mess), there was certainly some "joshing" at the time. I also remember some trepidation when the base commander asked me how many Commisioned Ground Engineers our fleet had, I assured him that I was one of several
we both knew the game was up, but he chose to accept the status quo. Anyway, another gift from Albert, to be treasured. Perhaps, if my memory is correct, Fergineer could remind me who our Captain was, certainly a brake burner, and most certainly someone who included all crew as part of the team.
Smudge
Belize LOX run #382, crikey, you must be a mind reader. If I'm not devoid of my senses, a fellow poster, Fergineer, was the Eng. Here it goes.
A standard Belize LOX run, in to Homestead, fill up the LOX container and off we go. So, taxi out, line up, and thrunge levers forward, No2 decides it doesn't want to fly, and early enough for an abort. So we stay on the ground. Ambient temperature was high, and having used the brakes during the abort, it only took a little more to cause problems. As usual I followed the Loady down the crew steps as we parked. The LH brakes were spitting fire! I pointed it out to the Loady, and we duly abandoned Albert. The vent for the LOX container was right above the LH undercarriage! as you operates will know. The Lime Green firefighting machine that arrived seemed devoid of fear as they approached, and threatened to squirt their stuff on the wheels. I pointed out that it might create serious problems, so they monitored the situation, the fuse plug on both LH Mainwheels did their job, and duly deflated the mainwheels.
So, the engine prob turned out to be a valve housing change, the wheels and Brakes are self explanatory. We were broken, no Ranger pack aboard so I had no option but to request a recovery. The team would arrive in two days, meanwhile Homestead were having their annual air display, and asked if we would be available as a "static exhibit". No probs was our Captains reply, and we duly planned our sudden inclusion. ISTR that our Loady was a commisioned officer who managed to ensure that all the galley outlets fed Gin and Tonic, on the day, and we all took turns at showing visitors around, and generally had a great day (I certainly enjoyed a look around the F117 parked next to us, a new aircraft for most of us). The best part of the day was to come.
As the day came to an end the Captain took me aside and offered me a set of Flt Lt rank tabs, and explained that the crew had been invited to the "O's" mess for a post display do. I think it was only then that I realised that all of the crew were commisioned . Well, it still sits firmly in my memory as one if the best nights I spent down route. Not sure if Fergineer will remember my request for tomato ketchup to accompany the steaks (in the O's Mess), there was certainly some "joshing" at the time. I also remember some trepidation when the base commander asked me how many Commisioned Ground Engineers our fleet had, I assured him that I was one of several
we both knew the game was up, but he chose to accept the status quo. Anyway, another gift from Albert, to be treasured. Perhaps, if my memory is correct, Fergineer could remind me who our Captain was, certainly a brake burner, and most certainly someone who included all crew as part of the team.Smudge
Last edited by smujsmith; 15th Jun 2014 at 22:00.
smudge,
not what you need a source of heat near the lox vent. Did a few Lox runs to Patrick and Homestead from Belize. On one, with a full 500 Lox container we had a fire under the flight deck. One of the TRU's if memory serves. Quickly put out and the Smoke and Fumes Drill carried out complete with para doors open. This caused some disquiet to the (strapped in ) movers on the a/c. Normally carriage of anyone but the basic crew plus G/E and Lox escort was verboten.
But Belize Lox runs were granted an exception so some of the movers could go to Florida and buy fruit and veg etc.
Originally Lox was only cleared in the large 500 containers for carriage in the Herc when rigged for airdrop. This was so we could safely jettison it in an emergency.
When the SSP platform it was normally carried on became obsolete Lox was then cleared for carriage on normal pallets. Getting rid of one in this configuration would have been 'interesting'.
not what you need a source of heat near the lox vent. Did a few Lox runs to Patrick and Homestead from Belize. On one, with a full 500 Lox container we had a fire under the flight deck. One of the TRU's if memory serves. Quickly put out and the Smoke and Fumes Drill carried out complete with para doors open. This caused some disquiet to the (strapped in ) movers on the a/c. Normally carriage of anyone but the basic crew plus G/E and Lox escort was verboten.
But Belize Lox runs were granted an exception so some of the movers could go to Florida and buy fruit and veg etc.
Originally Lox was only cleared in the large 500 containers for carriage in the Herc when rigged for airdrop. This was so we could safely jettison it in an emergency.
When the SSP platform it was normally carried on became obsolete Lox was then cleared for carriage on normal pallets. Getting rid of one in this configuration would have been 'interesting'.
This sight may be familiar to some. Annual dingy drill was very pleasant in FEAF due to the temperature of the air and water. Not quite the same at Mount Batten in the winter. On 48 we would be taken out to the exercise area on the ASR the MS26 dumped in ,upside down as usual, and in we would go. When the drills were finished we would be winched out by the Whirlwind (pics to follow) and dumped back on deck. Then to cleanse our mouths of the salt water we used that well known mouthwash ice cold Tiger as we motored back home.
Happy days.
Wander00 - No word from John Annan - but we weren't really mates, our teenage brides were. My Anne wonders if he is still with Pat?
Re your noises in the loft, could be fouines ( stone martens ) or loir/glis glis (edible dormice ), maybe the snake emerging was just a coincidence. I hate snakes too, we did see the odd one crawling into the stonework when we lived in Gers. Anne loves them and was always trying to pick them up
. She says Couleuvre verte et jaune ( western whip-snake ) isn't poisonous but frisky!!
AA62 - really enjoying the photos - 'dinghy drill', looks like John Cheshire on the right, Graham Finch in the middle?, maybe John Pilkington far left?
Talking of JP; after one dinghy drill we were all getting dressed on the launch and JP takes his trunks off to reveal this enormous donger. 'Look at the size of that thing' yells F/E Gren Balmforth, 'Yeah, it's always small when I'm cold and wet' says John!
SWMBO and I can't remember what we did to put photos on here, help!
Re your noises in the loft, could be fouines ( stone martens ) or loir/glis glis (edible dormice ), maybe the snake emerging was just a coincidence. I hate snakes too, we did see the odd one crawling into the stonework when we lived in Gers. Anne loves them and was always trying to pick them up
. She says Couleuvre verte et jaune ( western whip-snake ) isn't poisonous but frisky!!AA62 - really enjoying the photos - 'dinghy drill', looks like John Cheshire on the right, Graham Finch in the middle?, maybe John Pilkington far left?
Talking of JP; after one dinghy drill we were all getting dressed on the launch and JP takes his trunks off to reveal this enormous donger. 'Look at the size of that thing' yells F/E Gren Balmforth, 'Yeah, it's always small when I'm cold and wet' says John!
SWMBO and I can't remember what we did to put photos on here, help!
Brian,
I thought the pic might bring back memories. I think John Cheshire had left 48 by the time this pic was taken but you could well be correct.
Graham Finch I can positively ID. He was a Nav on 48 and later retrained as a pilot. I think he ran an MG TD or TF in Singapore.
I thought the pic might bring back memories. I think John Cheshire had left 48 by the time this pic was taken but you could well be correct.
Graham Finch I can positively ID. He was a Nav on 48 and later retrained as a pilot. I think he ran an MG TD or TF in Singapore.
AA62 - you're right Graham had a British Racing Green TD - mine was red and I sold it to an Indian guy down town when I left. Ed Viney, a co-pilot, had a TF and another co, Norman Hartnell, had a grey MGA which he sold on to Jim Clark. Jim brought it back to UK and used to keep it at the house he shared with MisMike ( Mike Wood the pilot RIP ) at Monk's Park, Malmesbury.
Graham's pilot story was quite interesting IIRC. After FTS he was posted to the FAA to fly either Phantoms or Buccs', the former I think, but was chopped cos' he couldn't hack deck landings. Their Airships in their wisdom told him he would have to revert back to navigator ( probably cos' he was too good-looking to be a driver) .
Graham quite rightly appealed and then got his MP on the case, and rejoined the Herc' fleet as a co-pilot. That sort of thing was so typical of the RAF.
Graham's pilot story was quite interesting IIRC. After FTS he was posted to the FAA to fly either Phantoms or Buccs', the former I think, but was chopped cos' he couldn't hack deck landings. Their Airships in their wisdom told him he would have to revert back to navigator ( probably cos' he was too good-looking to be a driver
) .Graham quite rightly appealed and then got his MP on the case, and rejoined the Herc' fleet as a co-pilot. That sort of thing was so typical of the RAF.
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Originally Posted by Brian
SWMBO and I can't remember what we did to put photos on here, help!
You originally used TinyPic to host your pictures (I assume you made a note of your original sign-on credentials). Before you upload any image make sure you select the Resize option to Message Board 640x480 in the drop-down box. Note you must do this every time you upload an image.
When TinyPic provide the URL/Image Link copy this and then paste that URL/Link into the PPRuNe Image Insertion Tool ... this tool can be accessed via Reply or Edit (Go Advanced Edit) modes on PPRuNe. The tool icon looks like a picture of a mountain range with a yellow sky with a sun in the top right corner.
Standing by if you need further assistance
Best ...
Coff.
PS. If you open your original post @ #202 in Edit Mode on this Thread ... You will get further clues on how all this works
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 16th Jun 2014 at 15:58.
Have to say, I'm absolutely loving the fact that a thread about our humble little publication has spawned into this behemoth of stories and pictures about the good old K. Superb stuff! Please keep it coming! And Coffman, thanks for sharing the link to begin with!
And Coffman, thanks for sharing the link to begin with!
And so the Whirlwind picked us up one by one and returned us to the ASR launch. Nice to hear that people and still enjoying the pics and the anecdotes. Yes there are a good few still to come from me at least. The good thing about this site is that the pics and stories appear nowhere else!
I remember Graham telling me about his fight to keep his pilot wings after the Buccaneer OCU, but I had no idea about the RN bit.
Anecdote about JC. My secondary duty at Lyneham was as specialist officer for the station commissioning and airman aircrew boards.(I had done the PSO course at OASC) and when JC was the 'staish' at Lyneham he always chaired the boards as well. Some of the others would delegate to one of the W/C.
After one busy session, he said to me that it was only once he became the 'staish' that he realised how little control he had over what went on on his station !. Well all the tasking was external, and a team of workers had turned up at the gate to start building a new secure Comcen. No one higher up had thought it necessary to inform the station. Reminds me of von Runstetds (?)
remark that the only thing Hitler let him change was the guard on the gate !
Of course JC almost left the RAF after his tour at Lyneham came to an end. But that is another story.
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Sorry guys but am I allowed to look at the SAR airframe and say "Orgasmic"?
No I thought not, just a personal thought.
I'm up at Fort William tonight having just climbed, crawled, stumbled my way up Ben Nevis. A 55 year old chap 100mts in front of us collapsed and alas died but it meant 1:30 of CPR in front of his wife (hearts and mines job really to help his wife cope.)
The high point was reverting to role experience of my last 14 years of SAR (did I mention orgasmic) and getting totally involved having called in a SAR helicopter etc,etc,etc
Yep OK, I'll get my coat.
No I thought not, just a personal thought.
I'm up at Fort William tonight having just climbed, crawled, stumbled my way up Ben Nevis. A 55 year old chap 100mts in front of us collapsed and alas died but it meant 1:30 of CPR in front of his wife (hearts and mines job really to help his wife cope.)
The high point was reverting to role experience of my last 14 years of SAR (did I mention orgasmic) and getting totally involved having called in a SAR helicopter etc,etc,etc
Yep OK, I'll get my coat.
Upgently,
reviving memories (hopefully pleasant) is one of the things this forum is about. So here is another one (with one more to come) to bring some joy to your day, after your experience with the unfortunate chap on the mountain. Knowing you as I do (from 'K' days) he could not have had more skilled attention.
Upgently,
I am sure that the Coff, the originator of this thread, does not mind some of this 'SAR c**p as it is related to the 'K', and the fact that some of my pics and tales may be slightly 'off piste'. I will stop posting if the 'readership' are bored. Just let me know. Any way this is the last in the dingy drill series .
It could be a pic from the 'how close would you like me files' and if only upgently approves that will do for me.