Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
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Who painted them that nasty green colour and why?
Seems to me that it takes a really dedicated committee to manage to always ensure the RAF Hercules was painted in the most inappropriate colours for its role for most of its life. This lot might have taken time out from the design of the camel as the prettiest animal in Nature.
Seems to me that it takes a really dedicated committee to manage to always ensure the RAF Hercules was painted in the most inappropriate colours for its role for most of its life. This lot might have taken time out from the design of the camel as the prettiest animal in Nature.
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Brian, the colour was created by scientists rather than a committee, and was optimised for the night environment in which the ac was mostly operated in its last decade and a bit. Looked an awful lot better than the light grey that it replaced.
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Great pics again R4H 
Perhaps you could give a little more background please ... would I be correct in assuming that these flights might have had something to do with Desert Landing Trials in the US ?
Keep them coming
Coff.
Perhaps you could give a little more background please ... would I be correct in assuming that these flights might have had something to do with Desert Landing Trials in the US ?
Keep them coming
Coff.
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Blown up a bit, it looks like Bumper Rowley (RIP) in the LHS.
Thanks Maximo, that makes sense. Reckon they should have left them Crud and Custard - then straight to Shyte Green.
Thanks Maximo, that makes sense. Reckon they should have left them Crud and Custard - then straight to Shyte Green.
R4H,
Re Coffs query on the Det, I think in my time Yuma sometimes replaced the MFF Det to El Centro. Seeing as 200 is in there too, my guess is it must be a "flight" det of some sort.
Smudge
Re Coffs query on the Det, I think in my time Yuma sometimes replaced the MFF Det to El Centro. Seeing as 200 is in there too, my guess is it must be a "flight" det of some sort.
Smudge
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It's the China Lake det. Also using Inyokern strip up the road.
Part of the TAC Trg Course. Hard work on the det, but the chance of a middle weekend of R&R in San Diego
edit: There was a Top Gear clip from the Inyokern strip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFF2bkiHNVQ
Part of the TAC Trg Course. Hard work on the det, but the chance of a middle weekend of R&R in San Diego
edit: There was a Top Gear clip from the Inyokern strip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFF2bkiHNVQ
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Pics
All out of China Lake. 2 separate trials. One of the bits stuck on front. Can't remember what the other one was. I'm LHS in pics. Took advantage of second ac and USN photog to get some different pics plus China Lake appreciated them.
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Great Pics R4H Thanks very much for posting-I have PM'd you. My vote is for GM in the cupola and 'Dad' behind the co. Do I recognise Les on the Ramp as well ?
Cudos to the USN photog for some great snaps.
Cudos to the USN photog for some great snaps.
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Great Pics R4H.
TCF I thought the chap in the cupola looked like that well known Civi ALM from Boscombe with a name like that songbird that sang in some square or other.
He used to wear a black grow bag, I think he nabbed it from 8 Flt AAC with his civi captain stripes and his RAF ALM Brevet.
Smudge, Yes MFF used to take place in El Centro. In later days we operated the ACE (Air Concentration Exercise) construct with one aircraft and a couple of crews serving a number of things going on at El Centro, YPG and China Lake. we may do an airdrop onto Coral DZ at YPG in the morning, a lift for a para trial or training at El Centro in the afternoon and then go to China lake for another trial the next day. Then come back and do it all again. We could not do high altitude O2 stuff two days running. I remember doing a role change on the way up from Laguna to CL. There was an awful lot of hurry up and waiting. The swimming pool attendants (PJIs) were in their elements. I think the detachments got too big with the QinetiQ, JATE, various other units and hangers on.
Managed a couple of weekends in San Diego and trips into the desert collecting pictures of strange plants. (OK we are all different!) I still have the bits of metal wood kicking around. Not forgetting the Beaver colony at the Green Door over the Mexican boarder.
I still miss the C&W karaoke at the Sage and Sands.
I am still waiting to hear the story of this C&W Band from El Centro
TCF I thought the chap in the cupola looked like that well known Civi ALM from Boscombe with a name like that songbird that sang in some square or other.
He used to wear a black grow bag, I think he nabbed it from 8 Flt AAC with his civi captain stripes and his RAF ALM Brevet.
Smudge, Yes MFF used to take place in El Centro. In later days we operated the ACE (Air Concentration Exercise) construct with one aircraft and a couple of crews serving a number of things going on at El Centro, YPG and China Lake. we may do an airdrop onto Coral DZ at YPG in the morning, a lift for a para trial or training at El Centro in the afternoon and then go to China lake for another trial the next day. Then come back and do it all again. We could not do high altitude O2 stuff two days running. I remember doing a role change on the way up from Laguna to CL. There was an awful lot of hurry up and waiting. The swimming pool attendants (PJIs) were in their elements. I think the detachments got too big with the QinetiQ, JATE, various other units and hangers on.
Managed a couple of weekends in San Diego and trips into the desert collecting pictures of strange plants. (OK we are all different!) I still have the bits of metal wood kicking around. Not forgetting the Beaver colony at the Green Door over the Mexican boarder.
I still miss the C&W karaoke at the Sage and Sands.
I am still waiting to hear the story of this C&W Band from El Centro
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Some pic info
Cupola is Mick Eth role equip. Dad directional consultant.
Desert landing trials were in Uk. DvHelmut bent ac in theatre on take off. BofI found he had done everything correctly but no factors given in ODM for sand or gravel. Initial data done at Pendine then a couple of good days on Saunton Sands. (Got pics of that as well, professional photog local paper) Couldn't find gravel strip in UK so, reluctantly, had to spend some time in Spain.
Desert landing trials were in Uk. DvHelmut bent ac in theatre on take off. BofI found he had done everything correctly but no factors given in ODM for sand or gravel. Initial data done at Pendine then a couple of good days on Saunton Sands. (Got pics of that as well, professional photog local paper) Couldn't find gravel strip in UK so, reluctantly, had to spend some time in Spain.
Mention of Saunton reminds me of a question in my mind whenever I go there - how on earth did they close off the beach to ensure no dog walkers, horse riders, people with BBQs got in the way. There are so many ways on from the land side, ,let alone boats getting to the beach
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Saunton Sands
During our trials there was a fire cover det on the beach plus our ground party and vehicles. The beach wasn't closed and our guys just patrolled the area. If someone came over and was interested our guys escorted them and let them have a closer look. After one landing one of the guys came over with ice cream cones - slight delay before next take-off while we enjoyed them. Marked strip was 2500 feet then turning area so only approx 3000 feet used out of beach several miles long. All take-offs were from hotel end and all landings towards hotel end as that was where we had our equipment and observers.
Video somewhere on youtube.
Was near Saunton recently and had coffee in café next to beach at hotel end. Aviation postcards there had one of a 30Sqn J on the beach.
Video somewhere on youtube.
Was near Saunton recently and had coffee in café next to beach at hotel end. Aviation postcards there had one of a 30Sqn J on the beach.
