Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules
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48 Sqn Reunion
Sorry to interrupt all the holiday snaps but for anyone interested 48 Sqn are having a reunion in April 2016 to celebrate their centenary. Over 100 ex members have already indicated their intention to attend. PM me and I will pass on contact details or try [email protected]
Never lacked a strip of sand, shale or gravel to land on in 90/91. Not sure if I've told the tale before, but will happily recount a memory of some serious Pilot/GE interface (as they say today) and a positive result.
An SF Det circa October 1990, during the build up to GW1, when Saddam had already done his dirty deed. Smudge and fellow GE Kev are deployed to Minhad in support of a crew from "the flight" captained by a chap known as "stingray". The det followed its usual course of MFF, infil/exfil, NVG and FARP training. As always with such detachments, for the GEs a high workload, but one that could usually be accommodated by one flying, the other meeting the aircraft on the ground on return, ensuring both GEs were available on every landing.
On the day in question, I was the "flyer" and Kev was the greeter. Off we set for a meeting with OC Hereford at a shale strip "somewhere" in the desert (as a minor player, yea, a hangar on, I had no "need to know"). Having landed, and being the ever consistent GE, I bimbled around the aircraft, as a sort of informal "turn round". I was drawn to the hissing emanating from the RH MLG bay, and, on my own initiative (I was only a Ch Tech
) raised the MLG Door and stuck my head in. What a surprise, stereo hissing, both RH gear Mainwheels punctured, and visibly deflating. The Captain was busy talking to His Herefordshireness, so I was loathe to interrupt, but did anyway, and directed his attention to the rather flatter RH Mainwheels than the LH side.
We had spare Mainwheels back at Minhad, but for some curious reason, Lyneham Eng wing had failed to foresee our using them, and therefore had not sent out a jack, necessary to do a tyre change. We headed back to Minhad "tout de suite" sending a message ahead to Kev to prepare for a double mainwheel change. On landing, the Captain not only kept the weight off the RH side, but his fast taxy back to our parking slot, with the RH wheels clear of the ground must have raised a few eyebrows in ATC and the F16 dets we passed. We got to our "Bay" and Kev and myself got down to replacing the wheels. Kev had been to the F16 det on the next parking area and borrowed a bottle Jack that "looked OK" for doing the job, Kev was a trade based fairy GE, and to him, a jack was a jack. We gave it a try, but, as the weight of one bogey came on, the relief valve on the jack functioned and refused to lift the wheel. With nothing bigger (jack wise) available, we offered the boss (stingray) an option to re inflate the RH mains, and fly to the nearest C130 det (who would have the required ground equipment) to replace our RH mainwheels. It was accepted, we borrowed some N2 and overinflated the RH mains and flew to a USAF C130 det in Saudi, where they had all we needed. Unless you were there, you could never appreciate the quality of flying that ensured that the aircraft was "nurtured" to an eventual fix, it's an enduring memory of mine of the fast taxy with the RH wheels off the ground, serious ability.
Sorry for the long post, I hope it might jog a memory or two. Meanwhile let's have some more of your fantastic pictures R4H, serious competition for Chickenlover now I think ! Though I hope Chickenlover is holding his cards tight, and has a few more to offer.
Smudge
An SF Det circa October 1990, during the build up to GW1, when Saddam had already done his dirty deed. Smudge and fellow GE Kev are deployed to Minhad in support of a crew from "the flight" captained by a chap known as "stingray". The det followed its usual course of MFF, infil/exfil, NVG and FARP training. As always with such detachments, for the GEs a high workload, but one that could usually be accommodated by one flying, the other meeting the aircraft on the ground on return, ensuring both GEs were available on every landing.
On the day in question, I was the "flyer" and Kev was the greeter. Off we set for a meeting with OC Hereford at a shale strip "somewhere" in the desert (as a minor player, yea, a hangar on, I had no "need to know"). Having landed, and being the ever consistent GE, I bimbled around the aircraft, as a sort of informal "turn round". I was drawn to the hissing emanating from the RH MLG bay, and, on my own initiative (I was only a Ch Tech
) raised the MLG Door and stuck my head in. What a surprise, stereo hissing, both RH gear Mainwheels punctured, and visibly deflating. The Captain was busy talking to His Herefordshireness, so I was loathe to interrupt, but did anyway, and directed his attention to the rather flatter RH Mainwheels than the LH side. We had spare Mainwheels back at Minhad, but for some curious reason, Lyneham Eng wing had failed to foresee our using them, and therefore had not sent out a jack, necessary to do a tyre change. We headed back to Minhad "tout de suite" sending a message ahead to Kev to prepare for a double mainwheel change. On landing, the Captain not only kept the weight off the RH side, but his fast taxy back to our parking slot, with the RH wheels clear of the ground must have raised a few eyebrows in ATC and the F16 dets we passed. We got to our "Bay" and Kev and myself got down to replacing the wheels. Kev had been to the F16 det on the next parking area and borrowed a bottle Jack that "looked OK" for doing the job, Kev was a trade based fairy GE, and to him, a jack was a jack. We gave it a try, but, as the weight of one bogey came on, the relief valve on the jack functioned and refused to lift the wheel. With nothing bigger (jack wise) available, we offered the boss (stingray) an option to re inflate the RH mains, and fly to the nearest C130 det (who would have the required ground equipment) to replace our RH mainwheels. It was accepted, we borrowed some N2 and overinflated the RH mains and flew to a USAF C130 det in Saudi, where they had all we needed. Unless you were there, you could never appreciate the quality of flying that ensured that the aircraft was "nurtured" to an eventual fix, it's an enduring memory of mine of the fast taxy with the RH wheels off the ground, serious ability.
Sorry for the long post, I hope it might jog a memory or two. Meanwhile let's have some more of your fantastic pictures R4H, serious competition for Chickenlover now I think ! Though I hope Chickenlover is holding his cards tight, and has a few more to offer.
Smudge
Last edited by smujsmith; 9th Jul 2015 at 22:08.
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R4H :
I was the Ground Eng on that one. Never really sure if Helmut saved my life, or endangered it in the first place! I was at the Stbd para door looking for baddies and the tail strike happened right below my feet.
We were using a dried up lake bed way out west. It had a hard crusty surface, but soft sand underneath. Albert was determined to stay on the ground and we were still ploughing furrows 100m + beyond the end of the strip. Someone on "the flight" will know how far forward the SFSG bloke does his point duty beyond the end of the strip - well, we ran over his Bergen.
Shat myself.
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.
We were using a dried up lake bed way out west. It had a hard crusty surface, but soft sand underneath. Albert was determined to stay on the ground and we were still ploughing furrows 100m + beyond the end of the strip. Someone on "the flight" will know how far forward the SFSG bloke does his point duty beyond the end of the strip - well, we ran over his Bergen.
Shat myself.
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Many thanks R4H ... great pics again
Sorry I didn't reply earlier ... took Mrs Coff to Wimbledon yesterday (clear chit for another twelve months)
Am I right in thinking that the MOD Bombing Range at Pembrey has been active since 1964, but it wasn't until around 2004/2005 that the final "spikes" in the sand, preventing aircraft landing, were removed thus allowing C-130 K & J sand trials ?
If it's OK with everyone ... it might be interesting to hear a little about how the trials were conducted ... was it simply recording V's at various loads/flap settings etc and plotting take-off distance ? Or did you have a few 'specialists' working out sand/gravel drag coefficients, pavement hardness and other such fun stuff ? Seems a lot of variables to play with ...
Best ...
Coff.
Sorry I didn't reply earlier ... took Mrs Coff to Wimbledon yesterday (clear chit for another twelve months)
Am I right in thinking that the MOD Bombing Range at Pembrey has been active since 1964, but it wasn't until around 2004/2005 that the final "spikes" in the sand, preventing aircraft landing, were removed thus allowing C-130 K & J sand trials ?
If it's OK with everyone ... it might be interesting to hear a little about how the trials were conducted ... was it simply recording V's at various loads/flap settings etc and plotting take-off distance ? Or did you have a few 'specialists' working out sand/gravel drag coefficients, pavement hardness and other such fun stuff ? Seems a lot of variables to play with ...
Best ...
Coff.
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Pembrey Range
The beach strip at Pembrey had been well swept for pointy bang before we got there. I don't know if anybody drops 25lb smoke and flash anymore. Last time was when I was on Canberras!
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Pembrey
The beach strips were prodded before we arrived. Except on one occasion when the turning circle at the end was omitted with exciting consequences. The downside was that after the sortie the aircraft had to go straight to the wash bay to get rid of all the salty sand.
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Not as exciting as the strip at Chetwynd Dougie, where the same was done (strip prodded but not turning at end) . Albert duly turned and stopped abruptly as wheels dug into the pretty grassy bits . Caused a tiny bit of consternation I seem to recall, as OC Chetwynd was concerned about his gliders and the newly plugged field left after they dug Albert out.
Last edited by ksimboy; 11th Jul 2015 at 19:14. Reason: old age and creeping senility, wrong airfield . Oops
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Saunton
Vague memory of Chetwynd problem. Didn't they end up digging holes to stop props touching ground on one side?
Dug nosewheel in myself on sand in Kuwait GW1. Turning at end a bit too tight and using too much nosewheel deflection. You could normally get out quite easily by rocking back and forwards but deflection made this a lot harder. (Not my day - had to shut one down just after rotate on departure).
Early C130 trials on sand they ended up taking main gear doors off to prevent damage. Pics of mainwheels up to hubs in the sand in book Herc, Hero of the Skies I think.
Air Traffic Control
Safety team on the beach
One of ground party watching before gps marking touchdown point.
Dug nosewheel in myself on sand in Kuwait GW1. Turning at end a bit too tight and using too much nosewheel deflection. You could normally get out quite easily by rocking back and forwards but deflection made this a lot harder. (Not my day - had to shut one down just after rotate on departure).
Early C130 trials on sand they ended up taking main gear doors off to prevent damage. Pics of mainwheels up to hubs in the sand in book Herc, Hero of the Skies I think.
Air Traffic Control
Safety team on the beach
One of ground party watching before gps marking touchdown point.
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Caused a tiny bit of consternation I seem to recall, as OC Chetwynd was concerned about his gliders and the newly plugged field left after they dug Albert out.
As Staish of Shawbury at the time - 2000-2001-ish? - I guess that made me "OC Chetwynd". The concern was over who was going to pay for the "making good" - 2 Group were initially reluctant to stump up - "costs lie where they fall" or some such ....... and it was quite expensive!
Having worked for the then AOC 2 Gp - K**** F***** in a previous existence, I wrote directly to him saying " Gp should pay as I had been brought up to understand that "gentlemen always replace their own divots".
Got a handwritten response: "We will replace our divots" and the bill was duly paid! Top bloke IMHO (but I also got in trouble with my own AOC!)
Shortage of runway
Running out of runway on a strip take off was not new, during our little sojurn in Rhodesia we did something similar in that we were tasked to drop off one person at a strip which had been surveyed and passed as suitable. On arrival at the strip a pass was flown to check it out and a twin piston was seen parked on a little area with the engines running but no sign of life. Calls were made on common frequencies and another pass made but no response so the captain, N--l S------t, decided we would land and so we did. As we taxied down to the turning area N--l remarked it was needing a fair bit of power to keep the frame moving at which the Loady, P---e T--S, may his memory live forever, looking out over the open ramp said seeing the size of the ruts we were making it was not suprising especially as he could see a groove where the aerials were touching the ground! N--l remarked that if the pax wanted off he could drop off the ramp as we were not stopping. So as we straightened up power was applied, the ramp and door closed and the take off run commenced without the usual sprightly acceleration expected even in Rhodesia. The ever increasing proximity of the scrub at the end of the strip was commented on by the flight deck as we progressed and I believe the eventual rotation and transition into flight took place at a rather low figure. Ground effect is a wonderful thing!
It appeared that the day before our landing there had been some heavy rain in the area which made a complete b-------s of the previous survey. The twin got out by using the edge of the strip to take off, the lack of response was due to the habit off leaving the engines running while doing other things in case they wouldn't start on the strip.
The actual point off take off was checked but was passed on as" you don't really want to know " but I gather quite a few bushes perished in the attempt!
And to Dougie, long live the Kentucky Hotel.
It appeared that the day before our landing there had been some heavy rain in the area which made a complete b-------s of the previous survey. The twin got out by using the edge of the strip to take off, the lack of response was due to the habit off leaving the engines running while doing other things in case they wouldn't start on the strip.
The actual point off take off was checked but was passed on as" you don't really want to know " but I gather quite a few bushes perished in the attempt!
And to Dougie, long live the Kentucky Hotel.
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The Kentucky Hote
If the walls could only talk. Gopher, I do believe your crew is having a wet debrief in this pic. After your Rhodie ploughing exercise I think your aircraft was named Miss Gwanda in honour. Ours was Flak Alice due to ground fire but I think that Budgie B******* was the most colourful due to the multi birdstrike! even made the papers. As to the hotel, we were moved to a hut in the grounds due to the attention of the Selous Scouts. Fond memories....
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Sloping strips
One of my biggest frights on a strip was in Somalia. Uphill slope to land then downhill for take-off with unload area and village at end of landing run. On this particular day there had been a lot of rain and strip was now very muddy with a new stream running across it near the landing point.
Landed over it, unloaded then lined up for take-off. Copilot, another Captain, and I weren't happy so taxied down to have a look. Surface had dried a bit but the stream and sea of mud beyond didn't look good if we had to abort. Quick check of numbers to allow for the slope and I took off uphill.
We had been doing strip limiting take-offs on various strips around Somalia for weeks and did just that!!! Rotate then see that the end of the strip and ground beyond is above the aircraft! Squeeze nose gently up to get somewhere towards 2/3 1/3 rule of thumb, don't even look at speed! Crawl up over the terrain.
Yes, it was in the book that a sloping strip could become an obstacle (we remembered that later), yes we were two experienced Captains. Yes an obstacle limiting take-off would have been perfect.Yes we were both instructors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Landed over it, unloaded then lined up for take-off. Copilot, another Captain, and I weren't happy so taxied down to have a look. Surface had dried a bit but the stream and sea of mud beyond didn't look good if we had to abort. Quick check of numbers to allow for the slope and I took off uphill.
We had been doing strip limiting take-offs on various strips around Somalia for weeks and did just that!!! Rotate then see that the end of the strip and ground beyond is above the aircraft! Squeeze nose gently up to get somewhere towards 2/3 1/3 rule of thumb, don't even look at speed! Crawl up over the terrain.
Yes, it was in the book that a sloping strip could become an obstacle (we remembered that later), yes we were two experienced Captains. Yes an obstacle limiting take-off would have been perfect.Yes we were both instructors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Rhodesia Strip Approaches
If there was an adjacent built up area I recall that we didn't do random approaches but a spiral descent from above SA7 range. They mostly looked like this. The bustline on a Rhodie bird we had on board gradually descended to her waist but as the captain remarked, there wasn't a line left on her face.
