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Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules

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Global Aviation Magazine : 60 Years of the Hercules

Old 15th May 2017, 15:27
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AA62 and Smuj

In today's papers a couple in Crudwell, Wilts ( Mr & Mrs Noel Cleave ) believe their prize winning wisteria had been wilfully destroyed.

When I lived in Crudwell March '70- October '72, Noel Cleave IIRC was the nav' on the Herc' test flight at Colerne. His cottage was, and is, virtually opposite the Plough Inn or whatever it's called now.

I think we mentioned Noel a couple of years ago on this thread.
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Old 15th May 2017, 18:35
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Reference Post No: 4571 for Aeroid.

I think I have identified you as 'Snoopy' from ' Snoopy and the Red Baron' days.

Your navigator was Len Davis (RIP) and not Pete Thompson. I preceded you by a couple of days, on 24 April 1967 with XV 188, with multiple screens who possibly had only one Atlantic crossing to justify their screening expertise. A case of the blind leading the blind!

i remember that our crew at the end of the USAF conversion course decided that we did not want to wait at Sewart to be formally released from the clutches of the USAF and boarded a civil flight for the fleshpots of Atlanta and Marietta. This caused a bit of a diplomatic incident as we had departed without 'Orders' from the USAF. The RAFLO gave us a minor bollicking for our sins. I think your crew were with us when we did the flit.

Happy Days


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Old 18th May 2017, 21:22
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Smudge

There is talk of a special edition Ground Engineer Watch

Is it true that you composed the Swahili motto?

Mi amimi mimi kazi, yangu ni fundi m'kuu

Can't guarantee it will be used, but quite a few votes in favour

SPHLC
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Old 19th May 2017, 20:53
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I have followed this thread with great interest since its inception, having a great bond with the Herky Bird as well as all aircraft types produced at Lockheed-Marietta. The connection started during the Great Depression when my paternal grandfather purchased several thousand rolling acres north of Atlanta. He was a gentleman farmer and had his eye on a substantial rise upon which he intended to build a rambling farmhouse. When the structure was completed in 1939, my grandfather and father planted twelve oaks on either side of the winding drive which led to the home. Their labors completed, granddad turned to dad and asked: "What shall we name this place?" My father responded: "It ain't nothin' but a windy hill!" The name stuck, and although most of the property is commercialized now, the house still stands as do those now mighty oaks. Windy Hill Road is a major thoroughfare in Marietta (pronounced May-retta by the locals).

In 1941, Uncle Sam decided to condemn 600 acres of Windy Hill and repurpose it as an extra 2,500 feet of main runway for Dobbins AFB. Bell Aircraft was going to build 668 B-29's under license from Boeing. My father, a Commander in the U.S. Navy and a naval architect who designed the hull of the Essex class carrier, said he loved coming home on leave to hear the thunderous thrumming of Superfortresses as they took off right over the house. Having been born in 1949, some of my earliest memories are of B-47 Stratojets screeching and smoking aloft. Then in 1954, Lockheed began to crank out the first of thousands of C-130's. I recall being impressed by their climb rate and maneuverability. Granddad sold the farm in 1956 and bought Windy Valley Farm which wasn't under the Dobbins pattern. I returned to the old farm frequently to watch the panoply of military aircraft come and go. In late June of 1968, my fiancée and I sat together, shaded under one of the oaks which my father and his father had planted thirty years before. We were there to witness the maiden flight of the C-5A Galaxy. The behemoth gathered speed and struggled aloft. It flew directly overhead at 400 feet and dipped a wing as if to salute us - we were some of the first to witness "the aluminum overcast"!

To this day, whenever I see military aircraft, especially C-130's, I smile to myself and think: "That craft took off from our old farm!"
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Old 19th May 2017, 23:05
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A very young looking Mitch Mitchell there.
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Old 21st May 2017, 10:21
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Ref: Post no 4583

Could SirPeterHardingsLoveChild give a translation to his swahili quote.

Google translate gives: 'Mi today believe I work, my mechanic m'kuu'.

Does 'Mkuu' mean dead?
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Old 21st May 2017, 11:21
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I'm told it's "Trust me, I'm a Ground Engineer"

Someone on the Facebook discussion has also done your google translate
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Old 1st Jun 2017, 21:56
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GE Motto

Hiya all,

My GE Badge, and motto. I was not favoured with some of the more "glamorous" trips as a GE. Banners, Deci sheds and Africa seemed the norm for me. Hey Ho, as they say, wherever I went was flying in Albert, and mainly in the company of some very splendid people. So, as we entertained 40 - 50 people at our married quarter, to celebrate my daughters 18th birthday, Joe Ion and myself headed for the terminal and a long flight to Dar Es Salaam, via Akronelli and a visit to my old mate Mike Libby. we had a detachment of around 12 Line tradesmen and 6 GEs, to support a flow in to Kigali in Mozambique, where various tribes were busy trying surgical techniques to enthuse their neighbours to their way of thinking.

The stop at Akrotiri was, as always when Libby was involved, a real pleasure, ensuring our transit to Tanzania was sleep ridden. The Hotel we were accommodated in was blooming good and despite sharing rooms, Joe and I soon found that a diet of "road kill" chicken and local Gin and Tonic would suffice. So, the det got underway, under the command from the ground crew point of view of a very junior JENGO from B line. A very nice young lady, but not of a practical bent when keeping Albert flying.

The planned flow of aircraft went quite well, with my job being to allocate a GE to each aircraft flying to Kigali and back. The line lads did the servicing as they landed and departed. in the middle of this I had a communication from our boss Eddie Botham (SAGE) who said that the section was having a competition for a new patch, and could I ask any GEs on the det, if they had any ideas. So I did, not many were too interested.

When I qualified as a GE I bought a world map, and dutifully plotted the routes I did. It didn't take long before I had a large spider striding the planet which gave the graphic for my entry. Following that, I needed a motto, and I decided that the easy, Latin way out, as used by many flying Squadrons would not meet requirements. I got in to a discussion, over a G & T that evening with an expat, who spoke Swahili. Well, we did all the Jambo, Hakuna Matata etc and then I asked if he could translate a sentence for me. Yes he said. So, remembering the old "trust me I'm a doctor" i asked him to translate " Trust me, I'm a Ground Engineer", the result "Mi amimi mimi kazi, yangu ni fundi mkuu" it literally means trust me, I'm a big chief engineer, which of course, all GEs truly were. needless to say I won the competition. I think first prize was to do all of the Banner trips over Christmas that year.

Back to the det. There was a sudden reluctance by the politicians to back this push, so it was being wound down rapidly. I needed to do a quick visit to Kigali to confirm a few suspicions. I had requested, before leaving Lyneham that we took an enhanced "Ranger pack" including spare main and nose wheels. This was denied by Eng Wing, who said that the USAF had done a full check of the airhead at Kigali, and it was "top notch" ! I went to Kigali as GE on one of the last trips. The pan we parked on was covered in shrapnel from grenades, mortars and other deformed sharp metal bits. I collected a large bag (about 5 lbs), and hoped our tyres would get us airborne. On return to Dar Es Salaam I find an Albert delayed northbound because the JENGO had snagged a tyre for wear. Had a look, and whilst it was borderline this tyre needed to survive one take off and landing, arriving at Akronelli where Mike Libby would change it. I spoke with the northbound Captain (Tim Flynn ?) who agreed he was happy to take it, if I signed the 'green'. Job done, aircraft went home. JENGO very embarrassed having to cancel her demand for a tyre on the next BA schedule. How she would have organised changing that tyre is beyond me.

Addendum.

I wrote an article for the Lyneham Globe within a few months of return. It was called Goldilocks and the Three bears, and was a humorous personal take on that detachment. I was informed that OC Admin thought I should be charged with gross insubordination. I was in fact invited to a one way interview with OC Eng, who gave me a lecture on military decorum. I enjoyed presenting him with a 5lb bag of assorted shrapnel, and a wish that my request for spare wheels had been considered properly.

Hope that explains the spider/Swahili patch. I still have one somewhere, and if I can I will find it and post it. Nice to find the thread still going after a few months off. Best to all, keep it going chaps.

Last edited by smujsmith; 1st Jun 2017 at 23:02.
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Old 6th Jun 2017, 16:18
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ref Post 4582

Spot on Deano! Still above the grass, warm, upright and occasionally sober.
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Old 25th Jun 2017, 16:07
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60 Years of the Hercules

Hi All

I need your help, I am writing a book on the Hercules in RAF service and need some information of missions and activities in Iraq and Afghanistan if you can share?
Also I have been following this thread and have to say there are some great photographs I would like to put in the book if allowed.

If anyone can assist me I would be very grateful, please contact me via email.

Many thanks

Clive Bennett
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Old 26th Jun 2017, 14:15
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Clive,
you may use any of my pics/tales as long as they are correctly acknowledged.
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Old 26th Jun 2017, 17:19
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Originally Posted by ancientaviator62
Clive,
you may use any of my pics/tales as long as they are correctly acknowledged.
Thanks Ancientaviator62, would it be possible to get some scanned at high resolution (300 dpi)? I will of course acknowledge accordingly.
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Old 27th Jun 2017, 09:28
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Clive,
the dark arts of scanning/uploading are a mystery to me. I could only cope previously with the very patient help of the much missed Coffman. All my pics are in a folder on my PC. The original slides no longer exist.
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Old 27th Jun 2017, 11:44
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I fully understand ancientaviator62, within your folder could you possible check the properties on some to determine what the resolution is, it will tell you the DPI per photo. Apologies for being the preverbal pain, but some of the 48 Sqd images are really impressive and I would definitely like to use within the book.
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Old 28th Jun 2017, 12:30
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Clive,
as far as I can make out they seem to be 96 dpi.
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Old 28th Jun 2017, 17:31
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Thanks Ancientaviator62, will speak with the publisher.
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Old 7th Jul 2017, 19:05
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Post 4594 48 Sqn

Clive B, Dare I ask when on 48
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Old 20th Sep 2017, 16:57
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I guess it's last one out turn off the lights, so it's goodnight from me and....
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Old 20th Sep 2017, 18:48
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Aeroid
There are countless tales and scurrilous anecdotes about the Herc fleet still lurking in dark places awaiting an unsuspecting contributor to trigger the replies. Also many photos but with the sad demise of Coffman the photobucket log jam has stymied the incriminating pictures to accompany the stories. Fear not. The thread has not yet run its course. There is another thread "Is it still fun" It may be, but there will never be a better time than was had on the "Classic".
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Old 21st Sep 2017, 08:42
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It's just unfortunate that most of my scurrilous anecdotes involve a few posters on this thread already.....I have a raft of less dodgy ones, in times when there was considerable (usually fairly juvenile) fun to be had.

There I was, out of Hawaii en-route to Guam, with just a single crew (plus extra skipper (Chickenlover) Loadie and Nav) on my one and only global.

Just reached TOC and was accelerating to the hugely impressive 205Kts or so cruise IAS when a request from the back to lower the nose came over the intercom. I duly dropped it by a couple of degrees for a few seconds, then raised it again (as requested from down the back). After getting back to level, the nose drop request was repeated....this time, I asked why.....expecting either news of drips from an elevator booster pack or a level drop in one of the reservoirs......

The reason for the attitude changes was a Chickenlover BX purchase. Our recently-emptied freight bay provided an excellent opportunity to test his new skateboard, but clearly he couldn't be bothered to use anything other than gravity to propell it...

Other than flying through Typhoon Gilbert between HK and Singapore, the rest of that route's flying was uneventful (although that was far less dodgy than anticipated); the nitestops were, as ever with a good crew, the highlights.... I think we had routed via Lajes on the way out, so the Class 6 had provided a fair few supplies for the Kitty.
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