Victor K2 very low with drogues winched out. Where was this photo taken?
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: UK East Anglia
Age: 66
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For those interested; the story of the exploding HDU is in Tony Blackman book Victor Boys with a photo attributed to Bob Tuxford on p141.
Enjoyed the donkey story BEagle
Enjoyed the donkey story BEagle
BEgs, saving myself is an occupational necessity. As you know.
Drag Artist, a quick link to an Amazon place or somewhere to find the book? I think I have heard of it. I'm planning a summer of reading and that might be a good one.
I'll swap you for this one,
Drag Artist, a quick link to an Amazon place or somewhere to find the book? I think I have heard of it. I'm planning a summer of reading and that might be a good one.
I'll swap you for this one,
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: WOOTTON BASSETT, WILTS
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The picture was almost definitely taken from Tacan Hill, but not necessarily at the top. VicDet Tents were located at the bottom of tacan hill as were HercDet.
Sad to see some kn#bs have desecrated the Victor sign made out in painted
stones which were made up in 82 and made it onto Google Earth. Shame really, alot of people passed thro' on Victors and Hercs, (did both). great place to be post conflict. I now live next door to the Retired Saints Police inspector and he loves to jaw about the place. made his day the 1st conversation we had after wife and I moved in.
Sad to see some kn#bs have desecrated the Victor sign made out in painted
stones which were made up in 82 and made it onto Google Earth. Shame really, alot of people passed thro' on Victors and Hercs, (did both). great place to be post conflict. I now live next door to the Retired Saints Police inspector and he loves to jaw about the place. made his day the 1st conversation we had after wife and I moved in.
Pbk, l agree entirely about the desecration of any legacy. Sorry to hear about it.
As for the picture, it must have been taken from well above Cat Hill. The horizon is well above the top of the hill behind the Victor.
The most important thing is that it is a great photo and it brings back wonderful memories.
As for the picture, it must have been taken from well above Cat Hill. The horizon is well above the top of the hill behind the Victor.
The most important thing is that it is a great photo and it brings back wonderful memories.
The HOT air drove a turbine rotating at lots of RPM ( TTN can probably tell you how many ).
I only experienced a "hard hose" on the centreline once, when doing a tanker - tanker slot out of Luqa. All was well when it trailed, but the receiver called a hard hose, and a quick glance showed the motor frequency fluctuating wildly. Fortunately we were able to wind the hose in and get the HDU raised, but this meant that we were now the receiver, and had to take over the long slot and get back to Malta several hours after the other guys
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Here you go Courtney
Hope the link works.
Tony B only appears to have collated the stories.
Interesting none the less and I certainly found it a good read.
Drag
Hope the link works.
Tony B only appears to have collated the stories.
Interesting none the less and I certainly found it a good read.
Drag
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Originally posted by Courtney Mil
Better still CM, why not come along to Wellesbourne Mountford on 21 June (Fathers Day) and meet Tony Blackman in person - he'll have all his 'Boys' books with him. You'll also have the delight of seeing Vulcan XM655 fast taxying and hopefully a whole lot more as well.
Plenty of 'Vulcan Boys' in attendance as well, maybe including BEagle....
Sorry for the thread drift.
Thanks very much for that, Drag. Purchased and in the library for poolside summer reading.
Plenty of 'Vulcan Boys' in attendance as well, maybe including BEagle....
Sorry for the thread drift.
Last edited by Ramshornvortex; 12th May 2015 at 21:58.
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Spent 6 very happy months As a Cpl in Tanker Ops on Asi Nov 82 to apr 83.
Scrounged a few 6th seat rides. On 16th April landed in XM717 with the HDU trailed. That was a Friday, flew again on the Monday in Xl162 and ended up coming back on a Pan with only 3 engines!
I was immediately banned from flying in Victors for life. Bit harsh as Andy Barrett was Captain on both occasions but was apparently allowed to fly again!
Scrounged a few 6th seat rides. On 16th April landed in XM717 with the HDU trailed. That was a Friday, flew again on the Monday in Xl162 and ended up coming back on a Pan with only 3 engines!
I was immediately banned from flying in Victors for life. Bit harsh as Andy Barrett was Captain on both occasions but was apparently allowed to fly again!
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Found it!
http://www.victorxm715.co.uk/index_htm_files/29263.jpg
was taken from
Profile of Mike Beer
http://www.victorxm715.co.uk/index_htm_files/29263.jpg
was taken from
Profile of Mike Beer
Farewell Wideawake, good bye airbridges!!! Mike with Paul Mulcahy flying
bids a spectacular farewell to Ascension Island after Mike completes his last
Hercules airbridge sortie on 26 March 1985 in Victor K2 XL163- 10 detachments
lasting 300 days.
bids a spectacular farewell to Ascension Island after Mike completes his last
Hercules airbridge sortie on 26 March 1985 in Victor K2 XL163- 10 detachments
lasting 300 days.
Last edited by Stratofreighter; 12th Jun 2015 at 08:26.
Nice one Stratofreighter. Interesting that you are from the Netherlands because I seem to remember that one of the pilots in this event;
XL 232 was burnt out on the runway at Marham in November 1982 when the No 3 engine failed on take off, on a Tansor scramble, and the turbine disc passed through the fuselage fuel tanks. No one was injured.
Was one of our 2 Dutch exchange officers.
XL 232 was burnt out on the runway at Marham in November 1982 when the No 3 engine failed on take off, on a Tansor scramble, and the turbine disc passed through the fuselage fuel tanks. No one was injured.
Was one of our 2 Dutch exchange officers.
The highlights were a couple of 3-month detachments to Lima, Peru to collect samples of the French atmospheric nuclear tests.
Small world!
Stratofreighter.
Both the Dutch officers flying with 55 Sqn at the time were pilots gaining
4 jet experience prior to forming the Dutch input to the, then, forthcoming NATO AWACS. Neither Maj Krauss or Capt Nieuwlands were allowed by their government to participate in the fun and games south of Ascension, but I believe that, apart from working their socks of in UK based flying, they were involved in ferrying Harriers and F4s to Ascension. They may also have been involved with C130 and Nimrod Deployments. The same restriction was applied to our USAF Exchange oficer to his intense annoyance.
Both the Dutch officers flying with 55 Sqn at the time were pilots gaining
4 jet experience prior to forming the Dutch input to the, then, forthcoming NATO AWACS. Neither Maj Krauss or Capt Nieuwlands were allowed by their government to participate in the fun and games south of Ascension, but I believe that, apart from working their socks of in UK based flying, they were involved in ferrying Harriers and F4s to Ascension. They may also have been involved with C130 and Nimrod Deployments. The same restriction was applied to our USAF Exchange oficer to his intense annoyance.
TT, once the USAF Exchange Officers discovered what a $hithole MPA was, they maintained the story that Uncle Spam wouldn't allow them to be deployed there....
....until one of them asked their attaché. Who checked with the Pentagon, only to find that there was no such restriction.
His successors were so happy.....
....until one of them asked their attaché. Who checked with the Pentagon, only to find that there was no such restriction.
His successors were so happy.....
The Oberon
I can not remember DP being at Ascension during the shooting war, but he may have arrived on a frame swap, and managed to grab a short slot while he was there. (Just like NO Brits flew with the Americans during the Vietnam War !!) Or he may have come down after the war. I can not remember any NATO Exchange officers on the C130, Nimrod or fighter dets either.
DP was certainly at Marham when I returned there on 8 July. I flew several times in UK with both the Dutch officers and DP between 13 and 29 July before I left to fly a different tanker (with a toilet and galley and NO Immersion Suits). My last two Victor flights were with DP.
BEagle
MPA was not built until 3 years after the war, so, I suppose the rules had changed.
I can not remember DP being at Ascension during the shooting war, but he may have arrived on a frame swap, and managed to grab a short slot while he was there. (Just like NO Brits flew with the Americans during the Vietnam War !!) Or he may have come down after the war. I can not remember any NATO Exchange officers on the C130, Nimrod or fighter dets either.
DP was certainly at Marham when I returned there on 8 July. I flew several times in UK with both the Dutch officers and DP between 13 and 29 July before I left to fly a different tanker (with a toilet and galley and NO Immersion Suits). My last two Victor flights were with DP.
BEagle
MPA was not built until 3 years after the war, so, I suppose the rules had changed.
I was one of the early C130 Airbridge pilots. Thanks to all the Victor crews for the service you provided, especially in the early, post war, two bracket sorties.
There seemed to be only two pilots providing my training on the UK towlines from 18 to 21 June 82. One I believe was OC Marham and the other was your USAF Exchange Officer, the DP you refer to I assume.
Much belated thanks also for the excellent grouper at your BBQ, late Jan/early Feb'83. Had some lovely grouper in Turkey last week which reminded me of your BBQ at ASI.
1066
BCBS, Radars will remember!
There seemed to be only two pilots providing my training on the UK towlines from 18 to 21 June 82. One I believe was OC Marham and the other was your USAF Exchange Officer, the DP you refer to I assume.
Much belated thanks also for the excellent grouper at your BBQ, late Jan/early Feb'83. Had some lovely grouper in Turkey last week which reminded me of your BBQ at ASI.
1066
BCBS, Radars will remember!