Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
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Just for you Smudge - memories of Keevil....
Was in the 5 Bells this week with some old faces from Lyneham - should have a couple of interesting pics being scanned soon.
Was in the 5 Bells this week with some old faces from Lyneham - should have a couple of interesting pics being scanned soon.
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Welcome back AA62. Hope all is well.
CL- do you mean the 5 Bells at Broadwell? Spent a few evenings there when we used to go out on our bicycles from the mess at Brize. Often came back without lights having made way for one more.
Your pic of Keevil brought back memories. Did several drops there. Last C130 was the last of the last Adux to use them up. My last visit there was with Evalu8er in 2010 doing drops from something else. PPRuNe has brought us back together. Sorry no pics available.
Drag
CL- do you mean the 5 Bells at Broadwell? Spent a few evenings there when we used to go out on our bicycles from the mess at Brize. Often came back without lights having made way for one more.
Your pic of Keevil brought back memories. Did several drops there. Last C130 was the last of the last Adux to use them up. My last visit there was with Evalu8er in 2010 doing drops from something else. PPRuNe has brought us back together. Sorry no pics available.
Drag
THAT signal arrived soon enough. The minister would be supported by a team and there would be some media reps. They would fly to Nairobi on a VC10.
Then followed the itinerary.
Nairobi-Wajir-Nairobi (NS)-Baidoa-Mogadishu-Djibouti (NS)-Hargeisa-Nairobi.
The bombshell was that all transport was to be provided from 'in theatre resources'. A phrase I will never forget ! It meant that we would have to use one of our (two) a/c to do this task. Not only for the duration of the task but at least the day before to turn this sow's ear of a 'K' into something resembling a silk purse.
The boss then handed me the Socratic cup by designating me the project officer and Aircraft Commander. I was going to have to live with my errors and omissions for the whole task. He had the unenviable job of telling the USAF Commander. JO
Pic of Mogadishu.
TBC
Then followed the itinerary.
Nairobi-Wajir-Nairobi (NS)-Baidoa-Mogadishu-Djibouti (NS)-Hargeisa-Nairobi.
The bombshell was that all transport was to be provided from 'in theatre resources'. A phrase I will never forget ! It meant that we would have to use one of our (two) a/c to do this task. Not only for the duration of the task but at least the day before to turn this sow's ear of a 'K' into something resembling a silk purse.
The boss then handed me the Socratic cup by designating me the project officer and Aircraft Commander. I was going to have to live with my errors and omissions for the whole task. He had the unenviable job of telling the USAF Commander. JO
Pic of Mogadishu.
TBC
dragartist,
thank you apart from jet lag all is indeed well and I am picking up the thread of my Op Vigour saga. A pound for every time Keevil appears in my log books especially when I was an airdrop instructor on the OCU.
thank you apart from jet lag all is indeed well and I am picking up the thread of my Op Vigour saga. A pound for every time Keevil appears in my log books especially when I was an airdrop instructor on the OCU.
Chickenlover,
That's a fine picture. Fortunately, being of the GE variety, my visits there were infrequent. Unlike AA62 and the rest of you, who did the driving and dropping. I can't wait for the rest of the ministerial visit, it has potential
Smudge
That's a fine picture. Fortunately, being of the GE variety, my visits there were infrequent. Unlike AA62 and the rest of you, who did the driving and dropping. I can't wait for the rest of the ministerial visit, it has potential
Smudge
The boss nominated a 30 Sqn crew complete with their usual G/E. The make up of the rest of the team was left to me. An extra ALM, the lady MO (the sgt medic would cover in Mombasa) and four of the RAFP security team were the obvious choices. The four security chaps would not be sufficient to comply with their duty rules but they did their usual excellent job without complaint.
Attention now turned to the role equipment we would need for the task. We used to have a weekly resupply a/c visit the detachment and fortunately there was just time to catch the next one. The famous 10G loo, so well described by upgently, was requested as were some ex Beverley seats. Other odds and ends were added to the list. It was obvious from the itin that we would be carrying at least a pallet load of relief supplies into the LZs so that actual a/c role fit was defining itself.
Someone had suggested we ask for the VIP caravan but I vetoed that on space and comfort grounds ! It is an awful bit of kit.
Appointing me Aircraft Commander had set up potential friction between myself and the a/c captain. I sorted this by stressing that in the air he made all the decisions whilst I would take over on the ground. As we all know the irritation. exasperation and sheer b.....ation all occur on the ground. We usually experience a sense of karma once the wheels leave terra firma .
He was happy with this ! There are two tales of this trip that I will not relate in an open forum. However should you ever meet me and ply me with more than the recommended daily alcohol units then you may well get the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth !
TBC
Attention now turned to the role equipment we would need for the task. We used to have a weekly resupply a/c visit the detachment and fortunately there was just time to catch the next one. The famous 10G loo, so well described by upgently, was requested as were some ex Beverley seats. Other odds and ends were added to the list. It was obvious from the itin that we would be carrying at least a pallet load of relief supplies into the LZs so that actual a/c role fit was defining itself.
Someone had suggested we ask for the VIP caravan but I vetoed that on space and comfort grounds ! It is an awful bit of kit.
Appointing me Aircraft Commander had set up potential friction between myself and the a/c captain. I sorted this by stressing that in the air he made all the decisions whilst I would take over on the ground. As we all know the irritation. exasperation and sheer b.....ation all occur on the ground. We usually experience a sense of karma once the wheels leave terra firma .
He was happy with this ! There are two tales of this trip that I will not relate in an open forum. However should you ever meet me and ply me with more than the recommended daily alcohol units then you may well get the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth !
TBC
Typical offloading party at one of the strips on Op Vigour. It will not escape smudge's eagle eye that the 'no go' item is securely fitted just forward of the para door !
Read the first pages of this thread a few months ago, then thought nothing more of it - now I've got 80+ pages to get through!
Here's my starter for ten....
Hope the tinypic link works, if it does will hunt out some more.
As others have said - wish I had taken more photos at the time.
2P
Here's my starter for ten....
Hope the tinypic link works, if it does will hunt out some more.
As others have said - wish I had taken more photos at the time.
2P
2Port,
great pics of the view from the ALM 'office. Keep them coming. Not only did I not take enough pics but have carelessly lost a boxfull during one of the house moves. When were you with the 'K' ?
great pics of the view from the ALM 'office. Keep them coming. Not only did I not take enough pics but have carelessly lost a boxfull during one of the house moves. When were you with the 'K' ?
Smudge,
on Op Vigour the 'usual incumbent' did not have the chance to use the no go item. We just left it in situ as being the safest place to store it. Besides it was useful for stowing kit on.
Op Vigour.
The day before we were due to fly to Nairobi to pick up our pax all the crew went in to help role and clean up XV 187 as best we could in the circumstances. I went over to the USAF HQ to get an int brief. This was long on reassurances and short on facts. Nairobi and our usual strips were not the concern. Neither was Djibouti as I knew the French still used the place.
Hargeisa was the great unknown for me. Before the civil war it had been a busy place but now was bereft of ATC and any of the normal facilities. It was in the self proclaimed Republic of Northern Somalia which was not recognised by the UN.
Google will provide you with the background story.
Still group would not send an a/c, crew and a VIP to anywhere in harms way would they ? No option but to get on with it.
Approach to one of the strips used on Op Vigour. Sometimes a low LZ inspection was required to check for stray animals and people. Once or twice we seemed low enough to identify the type of ant inhabiting the area !
on Op Vigour the 'usual incumbent' did not have the chance to use the no go item. We just left it in situ as being the safest place to store it. Besides it was useful for stowing kit on.
Op Vigour.
The day before we were due to fly to Nairobi to pick up our pax all the crew went in to help role and clean up XV 187 as best we could in the circumstances. I went over to the USAF HQ to get an int brief. This was long on reassurances and short on facts. Nairobi and our usual strips were not the concern. Neither was Djibouti as I knew the French still used the place.
Hargeisa was the great unknown for me. Before the civil war it had been a busy place but now was bereft of ATC and any of the normal facilities. It was in the self proclaimed Republic of Northern Somalia which was not recognised by the UN.
Google will provide you with the background story.
Still group would not send an a/c, crew and a VIP to anywhere in harms way would they ? No option but to get on with it.
Approach to one of the strips used on Op Vigour. Sometimes a low LZ inspection was required to check for stray animals and people. Once or twice we seemed low enough to identify the type of ant inhabiting the area !
Last edited by ancientaviator62; 27th Oct 2014 at 08:41. Reason: spelling
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AA62 ... I hope you don't mind me dropping this in here 
Here's a little extra for AA62 and Dragartist ... I suddenly remembered that Episode 1 of the BBC Test Pilot series from 1986 covered a Test Drop with a 30 Ton load from the, then, new stretched C-130K C3
Starring Albert 223 with F/L Dave Carpenter TP ... Time Marks 1:56 Start 5:19 End ... but watch the lot if you like
Let's see if we can add a bit more background to the video clip if we can ...
Here's a little extra for AA62 and Dragartist ... I suddenly remembered that Episode 1 of the BBC Test Pilot series from 1986 covered a Test Drop with a 30 Ton load from the, then, new stretched C-130K C3
Starring Albert 223 with F/L Dave Carpenter TP ... Time Marks 1:56 Start 5:19 End ... but watch the lot if you like
Let's see if we can add a bit more background to the video clip if we can ...
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 27th Oct 2014 at 19:06.
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Thanks Coff, great find. back in 86 I was still playing with Andovers, Nimrods VC10 and helicopters various. Did not get into dropping stuff till 95 - finished in 2011. I certainly recall watching the series and discussing same.
VX275 would have been on the trials team back then. 30 tons! are you sure? HSP certainly with the load protection frame which we found in early 2000s that it always had been outside of the permitted envelope (No wash away) A slow extraction may have taken the tail out had the platform over-rotated.
I wonder if folks think the chutes had split up the side? They were made that way to be repaired by replacing modules . The design goes back to the early 50s I have a copy of an advert from Flight dated 1956 (the year before we were born) describing a 22,000 lb drop using those chutes from the Beverley. I will dig it out from the bowels of my computer.
A400M should be doing two 16 ton platforms by now. I note that they managed 24 single one tons a few weeks back (In Cazaux using our UK SC15 chutes- well done Pike!) Not sure what we can do from the J these days. Certainly not 16 tons or even the HSP. just goes to show how good the K was.
VX275 would have been on the trials team back then. 30 tons! are you sure? HSP certainly with the load protection frame which we found in early 2000s that it always had been outside of the permitted envelope (No wash away) A slow extraction may have taken the tail out had the platform over-rotated.
I wonder if folks think the chutes had split up the side? They were made that way to be repaired by replacing modules . The design goes back to the early 50s I have a copy of an advert from Flight dated 1956 (the year before we were born) describing a 22,000 lb drop using those chutes from the Beverley. I will dig it out from the bowels of my computer.
A400M should be doing two 16 ton platforms by now. I note that they managed 24 single one tons a few weeks back (In Cazaux using our UK SC15 chutes- well done Pike!) Not sure what we can do from the J these days. Certainly not 16 tons or even the HSP. just goes to show how good the K was.
The narrator said it was 30 tons,but Dave Carpenter said 30000lbs...
Don`t think the trim sheet would cover 30 tons,well outside MZFW/extra w/relief etc,but AA62 will correct...
Once got commandeered to be co-pilot on the B-D Beverly to handle the `engine-room`,and maintain about 10 ft.wheel height on a 30k ULLA drop on the Plain.....that was a `fun` few seconds.....
Don`t think the trim sheet would cover 30 tons,well outside MZFW/extra w/relief etc,but AA62 will correct...
Once got commandeered to be co-pilot on the B-D Beverly to handle the `engine-room`,and maintain about 10 ft.wheel height on a 30k ULLA drop on the Plain.....that was a `fun` few seconds.....