Andover or Argosy tales please
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Join Date: Oct 2005
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Andover or Argosy tales please
Learned contributors,
The Beverley Hastings thread has brought forth many fascinating recollections. Please would you consider sharing your Argosy or Andover exploits.
Thanks in anticipation.
David
The Beverley Hastings thread has brought forth many fascinating recollections. Please would you consider sharing your Argosy or Andover exploits.
Thanks in anticipation.
David
Join Date: Aug 2007
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In an effort to get something started may I say how much I enjoyed my Argosy experience. For an aircraft which really had marginal performance, but great fun to fly, the four main original squadrons covered an enormous part of the world. Even the Benson squadrons flew from Singapore to North America and the West Indies. The Benson squadrons were great outfits and included a great range of personalities . The culture off the then Transport Command was often shaken by those folks who were transferred from the Night Fighter Force (ex Javelin Pilots and Navs) - many a great dining-in night ensued.
Somewhere back in the Archive there must be a lengthy thread of Argosy stories that was developed some years ago - I've just had a look and went a bit cross-eyed going through the Index pages - so apologies that I can't find it.
That said, I heartily endorse what Onceacaptain (ex-267 Exchange, perhaps?) has to say. I certainly enjoyed my time with 105 and 267 Sqns and I look back fondly at those years learning the trade. Using it as a baby-Britannia on sectors like Aden - Bahrain or Aden-Nairobi in ISA +15 conditions showed its limitations but, in and around the UK and Europe, it could be a very useful aircraft indeed. In an AT Tasking job some years later, and after its relatively short time in the AT role had been ended, there were often occasions when I'd have found it useful to still have had some around.
That said, I heartily endorse what Onceacaptain (ex-267 Exchange, perhaps?) has to say. I certainly enjoyed my time with 105 and 267 Sqns and I look back fondly at those years learning the trade. Using it as a baby-Britannia on sectors like Aden - Bahrain or Aden-Nairobi in ISA +15 conditions showed its limitations but, in and around the UK and Europe, it could be a very useful aircraft indeed. In an AT Tasking job some years later, and after its relatively short time in the AT role had been ended, there were often occasions when I'd have found it useful to still have had some around.
Jack
Evertonian
Please forgive my indulgence David, but the IPEC Argosy Freighter regularly cut short the flight path into YMEN and over my house as a kid. I have many fond memories of running outside to get the registration for my Mum as she would then proceed to call the Tower to complain! 
The thread took me right back to those fun times!
The thread took me right back to those fun times!
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Hi
Whilst in the RAF my husband Victor Burt did a detachment to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates where he proved he was quite a formidable DJ playing music to the military personnel in his “downtime” and I still have the tape from one of his sessions if that is of interest
Jan
Whilst in the RAF my husband Victor Burt did a detachment to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates where he proved he was quite a formidable DJ playing music to the military personnel in his “downtime” and I still have the tape from one of his sessions if that is of interest
Jan
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Back in the late '70's'. An Andover CC2 (callsign 'Rainbow'), OK, for the newbies, HRH The Prince Philip, is flying back from the States via Goose, Sondrestrom and Reykjavik. During the refuel stop at Sondres, the Crew Chief (one M++++ M+++++++) spots a guy with a barrow full of large fish. On enquiry, M discovers they are Arctic Char, very much akin to Large Salmon. He promptly aquires two of the said Large Char and, in presenting them to the Flightdeck, is told to put them in the unpressurised freight compartment where they would happily freeze on the trog back to UK.
A day or so later, XS793, arrives back in UK, deposits HRH and heads back to Benson to go into a Third Line Service. (An extensive MOT). Crewchief M promptly goes on leave, forgetting something.
On the 4th or 5th day of being in a warm hangar, XS793 starts to pervade a slight odour which increased as the days went on. Eventually, the source of the odour was found, a certain Crewchief was recalled from leave to 'deal' with the odour and XS793 wasn't alloted to flights by HM The Queen for some time.
A day or so later, XS793, arrives back in UK, deposits HRH and heads back to Benson to go into a Third Line Service. (An extensive MOT). Crewchief M promptly goes on leave, forgetting something.
On the 4th or 5th day of being in a warm hangar, XS793 starts to pervade a slight odour which increased as the days went on. Eventually, the source of the odour was found, a certain Crewchief was recalled from leave to 'deal' with the odour and XS793 wasn't alloted to flights by HM The Queen for some time.
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Somewhere back in the Archive there must be a lengthy thread of Argosy stories that was developed some years ago - I've just had a look and went a bit cross-eyed going through the Index pages - so apologies that I can't find it.
That said, I heartily endorse what Onceacaptain (ex-267 Exchange, perhaps?) has to say. I certainly enjoyed my time with 105 and 267 Sqns and I look back fondly at those years learning the trade. Using it as a baby-Britannia on sectors like Aden - Bahrain or Aden-Nairobi in ISA +15 conditions showed its limitations but, in and around the UK and Europe, it could be a very useful aircraft indeed. In an AT Tasking job some years later, and after its relatively short time in the AT role had been ended, there were often occasions when I'd have found it useful to still have had some around.
That said, I heartily endorse what Onceacaptain (ex-267 Exchange, perhaps?) has to say. I certainly enjoyed my time with 105 and 267 Sqns and I look back fondly at those years learning the trade. Using it as a baby-Britannia on sectors like Aden - Bahrain or Aden-Nairobi in ISA +15 conditions showed its limitations but, in and around the UK and Europe, it could be a very useful aircraft indeed. In an AT Tasking job some years later, and after its relatively short time in the AT role had been ended, there were often occasions when I'd have found it useful to still have had some around.
