Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules

[kilwhang]

WUB

I wonder if the B***N A****R incident you refer to, is the little bit of bother that C***S K**P and his crew got into in Central America.
I can't remember the exact details (1978/79?) but I'm sure that someone on here will.

[wub]

I recall that a mob tied to rush the aircraft hoping to be taken, from wherever they were, to wherever the aircraft was going and that, to dissuade them, B***n had to hurl tie-down equipment at them. Meanwhile the flight deck crew were trying to jump the chocks to get away. That's really all I can recall through the mists of time.

[November4]

Dogs.....one of the worst loads I ever loaded out of Lyneham was 2 pallets with 6 dog in kennels on each. The pallets were warped and took ages to lock into the side guidance.

I seem to remember it was to NI but it could have been the same flight as Alison Conway talks about. These dogs were definitely not sedated and were letting everyone know they were not happy.

And the smell.....

[Lyneham Lad]

Views from an Eng Wing Families Day flight, summer '85.
Our steed awaits:-


Heading SW:-


The Severn bridge:-


Castle Combe circuit:-


Run-in for the break:-

[wub]

Nice photos LL. My last working day in the RAF was spent in that control tower.

[Alison Conway]

Kilwhang wub,

Nicaragua as I recall

[WE992]

What sort of roller is that fitted to the ramp in the middle photo with the dog going up the toe ramp? It looks considerably wider than what I remember and looks more like that fitted to the Beverley. Perhaps AA62 knows?

[November4]

Originally Posted by kilwhang

I wonder if the B***N A****R incident you refer to, is the little bit of bother that C***S K**P and his crew got into in Central America.
I can't remember the exact details (1978/79?) but I'm sure that someone on here will.

From the RAF Movers web site

Relief Supplies - Nicaragua 13 Jul - 1 Aug 1979

Red Cross Specials. Flt Lt Ian Drake, Cpl Gus Cobb plus 1. Delivery of relief supplies to Nicaragua following the Nicaraguan Civil War. Whilst at Managua Airport the Nicaraguan National Guard attempted to hijack the aircraft. This attempt was foiled by the crew including Cpl Gus Cobb for which they were later made members of the RAF Escaping Society.

* * * * *

On 1 Jan this year (1980) Cpl Gus Cobb was awarded a Commendation by the AOC No 38 Group for his fine service to the Squadron and in particular for his part in the Managua incident last July. (Attempted Hercules Hijacking). Cpl Cobb is now serving in Belize.

[November4]

Originally Posted by WE992

What sort of roller is that fitted to the ramp in the middle photo with the dog going up the toe ramp? It looks considerably wider than what I remember and looks more like that fitted to the Beverley. Perhaps AA62 knows?

It does look like Bev roller. We used to occasionally use it to use it upside down to roll big items into position. I don't remember seeing it fitted like that though.

Looking a bit closer, I am not sure it is fitted, looks more like it has been laid on the floor to slide the items onto the ramp.

[Trumpet_trousers]

And the smell.....

....I'm sure the dogs got used to it after a while....

[ancientaviator62]

The roller referred to is almost certainly old Beverley roller. It was often used upside down(contrary to the infamous -11D) to move heavy items of cargo round the cargo compartment.
Coffman, if the dog had looked like getting loose then both the dog and the handler would have been sedated by that 'Swiss army knife ' of the 'K' a ten thousand pound tire down tensioner !

[ancientaviator62]

LL,
very nice pics. Did lots of family day flights but not that one.
I was due to do a MAMS one but when I arrived at Ops I was told that there was not an a/c. So I threw my cot at the Eng Controller and said had it been Eng Wing due to fly we would have been spoilt for choice.
A frame was grudgingly allocated but with the snide remark that it was clear floor and there were no Role equppers to fit the seats.
No problem says I for I have a Cerificate of Competence for role fits.
So the other ALM and myself with the enthustiatic support of some of the movers reroled the a/c. We were off on schedule and did a lot of lifts flying the route as shown in the LL pics.
One year during the 30 Sqn Family Day flying I manage to get my reluctant late father in law up for his first ever flight at the age of 74 ! Sat behind the captain on the Nav stool he enjoyed it so much he did not want to get off. We came back to Lyneham and flew down the high street of our village where the annual bowls festival was taking place. When I got home I was told that our flypast was the highlight of the day and the bowls event committee basked in the reflected glory of being able to organiise it !
Happy days,
The signed print the Sqn presented him with hangs in our hallway.

[wub]

Kilwhang wub,

Nicaragua as I recall

Thanks Alison, that rings a bell now.

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...dp3522nded.pdf

In 1979, a RAF C-130 crew was flying Red Cross supplies into Managua, Nicaragua, as part of an ongoing international disaster response. On landing, the aircraft was surrounded by a group of militia who cocked their weapons, withdrew the pins from hand grenades and demanded to be flown to Costa Rica. While the crew kept the engines turning and warned off other relief flights, they were lucky to have a Spanish speaking engineer on board who diffused the situation by bluffing that they had insufficient fuel and would have to land in Nicaragua again en route.

Article in Flight International:-
http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPD...20-%202754.PDF


I got the story direct from B***n A****r himself, but that doesn't mean it was accurate! We might have been drunk. His version included a trip to the tower (something to do with passports) to discover murdered Red Cross workers. Eventual escape by taxiing in a straight line from the parking, to the runway, first bump of many was the chocks. Possibly S** V**** in the r/h seat, but my memory's hazy

[chickenlover]

Found this gem of a collection of snaps whilst browsing Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/118903335@N07/
If the link doesn't work, go to Flickr and search for the photo stream of a gent called "quick shifter"
If you have plenty of time on your hands type 'low C130K' into the search bar and see where that leads you -then just enter any other terms-be warned you can lose days in there !
Have fun

[CoffmanStarter]

First class lead there Chickenlover

Also try 'RAF Hercules' as a search parameter ... But be warned ... Take a packed lunch along with a few beers as you could be gone for a while

[billynospares]

Found a few more in my filing system

[IMG][/IMG]
Yuma and possibly a part of New Orleans but memory has faded a bit.

[CoffmanStarter]

Great pics Billy ... Many thanks for sharing with us

[Mal Drop]

I also recall that S** V**** was involved in the tryjack story and had been given membership of the RAF Escaping Society afterwards. I think there was something up on the wall of 30 Sqn about it when I was on the unit.

[Kengineer-130]

Whatever happened to the RAF C-130k tribute video with U2 beautiful day music? That was a great video & I can't find it anywhere Does anyone have a link to it or a copy I could have please?