Macdrop anyone?
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Macdrop anyone?
Anyone remember Exercise(s) Macdrop, the inspiration of Col Joe Starling, CO of XV Para?
Mounting at RAF Turnhouse usually, various DZs but Earl's Hill at Cambusbarron with its great Decca mast to keep you company in the descent was one fave.
As long as you had logged two recent container descents Col Joe allowed the rest could be clean fatigue, Sqn Ldr Jock Fox as DZSO - red flares, anemometer?? Are ye a lassie? Col Joe even laid on heli training so you could take-off around mid-day, do the drills and ferry back while still daylight to where your second chute was waiting on the racks. No Bedfords for us.
The lads were XV Para, 131 RE from Grangemouth, D Sqn 23 SAS and RM Cdo from the Top End. Excellent low level flying stuff and the RAF boys went back to life under canvas at Machrihanish I believe.
Mid-week drops, one or two night drops on a Titled Lady's Estate, then at the w/e off to Barrybuddon and the balloon including a night drop, an extreme rarity that with the baggy blighter. At Barry there was further Wessex and Whirlwind training, the latter very easy to exit from because it was inherently small inside but quickly deemed unsafe somehow.
Paid to enjoy yourself, at least seven descents in seven days, aircrew front and rear tested then of course the bean counters stepped in, saved money at the expense of para injuries and and rusting flight SOPs
Grand-daughter Kayla in Oz would be happy to hear tall tales 'cos to her anyone over thirty is a dinosaur.. Strange as it may seem Kayla, we were all young and just as daft as you are now.
Mounting at RAF Turnhouse usually, various DZs but Earl's Hill at Cambusbarron with its great Decca mast to keep you company in the descent was one fave.
As long as you had logged two recent container descents Col Joe allowed the rest could be clean fatigue, Sqn Ldr Jock Fox as DZSO - red flares, anemometer?? Are ye a lassie? Col Joe even laid on heli training so you could take-off around mid-day, do the drills and ferry back while still daylight to where your second chute was waiting on the racks. No Bedfords for us.
The lads were XV Para, 131 RE from Grangemouth, D Sqn 23 SAS and RM Cdo from the Top End. Excellent low level flying stuff and the RAF boys went back to life under canvas at Machrihanish I believe.
Mid-week drops, one or two night drops on a Titled Lady's Estate, then at the w/e off to Barrybuddon and the balloon including a night drop, an extreme rarity that with the baggy blighter. At Barry there was further Wessex and Whirlwind training, the latter very easy to exit from because it was inherently small inside but quickly deemed unsafe somehow.
Paid to enjoy yourself, at least seven descents in seven days, aircrew front and rear tested then of course the bean counters stepped in, saved money at the expense of para injuries and and rusting flight SOPs
Grand-daughter Kayla in Oz would be happy to hear tall tales 'cos to her anyone over thirty is a dinosaur.. Strange as it may seem Kayla, we were all young and just as daft as you are now.
Strange as it may seem Kayla, were were all young and just as daft as you are now.
Kayla shall probably explain that to you in much detail when she reads your last statement!
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mostly andover
Macdrops were mostly Andover leavened by Hercules. Compared with the noisy and smelly Hercules the Andover was a gentleman's aircraft. Did waddle a bit at the back end but did have single door, single sticks so you were spared entanglements... though the door was narrow - so you might bounce between the door jambs which shaved the skin off. Ouch. Never did a rivet check, that was a function of the Hastings gone by '68.The smoothest ride was in the Argosy and like the Andover with the lovely sound of R-R Darts. Only time we used the Argosy was on Ex Seasplash into the oggin off St Peter Port in October. Sea lovely and warm, using up the older X-type chute rather than the the new PX-4.. Andover was two crew at the pointy end, did they navigate by Doppler? Sadly they couldn't carry much gear and had no range to speak of but were comfortable to occupy.
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I did a couple of Andover 'Macdrops' living in tents at Macrihanish, probably along with Jenkins - Hi to you P**.
Also did one a few years later with Hercules (30 Sqn). All great fun and on a fine day was a stunning low-level tour of Western Scotland. For the OP, the Andover did have a navigator up front and he was the guy doing the Red/Green calls. Ah, the memories!
Also did one a few years later with Hercules (30 Sqn). All great fun and on a fine day was a stunning low-level tour of Western Scotland. For the OP, the Andover did have a navigator up front and he was the guy doing the Red/Green calls. Ah, the memories!
You mentiomed Sqn Ldr Jock Fox - could that have been the (ex WO) Jock Fox, one time terror of Abingdon PTS?
Memories of 'fan' descents in the hangar with JF in one corner, giving the troops hell, while we were being 'babied' along by 'Nick' Nicolau. Nick's gentle encouragement inveigled 5 of us to join him at WotG at 'sparrow fart' to do the balloon jump ! No reserves, in those days, so a definite 'act of faith'. Remembered sufficiently well to guarantee no repetition !!
Memories of 'fan' descents in the hangar with JF in one corner, giving the troops hell, while we were being 'babied' along by 'Nick' Nicolau. Nick's gentle encouragement inveigled 5 of us to join him at WotG at 'sparrow fart' to do the balloon jump ! No reserves, in those days, so a definite 'act of faith'. Remembered sufficiently well to guarantee no repetition !!
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Ah youth, it's wasted on the young
I was very young back then, only started in the TA but made a regular career out of it later on in the RAAF. Joe Starling instigated the lo-level jumps. I believe he made a case for it through official channels citing the TA and Andovers to be the guinea pigs. However it was, we lived for Macdrops and if you worked away from home you always took your helmet and hooks, just in case.
Apart from the narrow door the Andover was lovely. You exited 'girly fashion' i.e. feet and knees tightly together so twists were rare. On one occasion at Earls Hill the run-in was up-hill, I bagged last man to ensure a clean exit without bunching. Did the usual drills only to see the TOP of the Decca mast above me. The rope on my container never went taut. Ooops, Went back to jumping from 800ft for a while. Never once hurt myself.
Joe Starling was right, notch up seven jumps per annum and thereafter you're jumping for the Queen. There was a great bond between parachutists and the aircrew. Incidentally, did either of you two do the re-supply to Applecross/Balmacara - a Hercules that one. Set up by Col.Rory Walker, can't remember the year though.
Tempus Fugit. Or a better way is "Non numero, nisi serenas" which is inscribed on many sundials - it means I count only happy hours. No not that kind of happy hour, you plonker, but since you're pouring I don't mind if I do
Apart from the narrow door the Andover was lovely. You exited 'girly fashion' i.e. feet and knees tightly together so twists were rare. On one occasion at Earls Hill the run-in was up-hill, I bagged last man to ensure a clean exit without bunching. Did the usual drills only to see the TOP of the Decca mast above me. The rope on my container never went taut. Ooops, Went back to jumping from 800ft for a while. Never once hurt myself.
Joe Starling was right, notch up seven jumps per annum and thereafter you're jumping for the Queen. There was a great bond between parachutists and the aircrew. Incidentally, did either of you two do the re-supply to Applecross/Balmacara - a Hercules that one. Set up by Col.Rory Walker, can't remember the year though.
Tempus Fugit. Or a better way is "Non numero, nisi serenas" which is inscribed on many sundials - it means I count only happy hours. No not that kind of happy hour, you plonker, but since you're pouring I don't mind if I do
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Jock Fox
Jack, Maaaaate!!!!
The legendary Jock Fox. Yup. He was Sqn Ldr as was then Flt Lt Cobb in time who gave me my wings. IIRC the PJI on balloons never wore a reserve to avoid catching on anything. By then the Beverley was gone so the hole in the floor was boarded up. We DID do night balloons, very very rarely, a couple of U2 batteries clipped by the door. There was fear of fire because the balloons were hydrogen filled.
Oh the lovely whine of the Fordson V-8 engine at at the call "Up 800 feet, four men jumping!"
On my first jump at WotG I looked down to see a seagull looking up at me. Magic.
Jock Fox. Holy Terror and partial to a tincture.
The legendary Jock Fox. Yup. He was Sqn Ldr as was then Flt Lt Cobb in time who gave me my wings. IIRC the PJI on balloons never wore a reserve to avoid catching on anything. By then the Beverley was gone so the hole in the floor was boarded up. We DID do night balloons, very very rarely, a couple of U2 batteries clipped by the door. There was fear of fire because the balloons were hydrogen filled.
Oh the lovely whine of the Fordson V-8 engine at at the call "Up 800 feet, four men jumping!"
On my first jump at WotG I looked down to see a seagull looking up at me. Magic.
Jock Fox. Holy Terror and partial to a tincture.
Last edited by enicalyth; 3rd Jul 2021 at 09:56. Reason: spelling punctuation
You mentiomed Sqn Ldr Jock Fox - could that have been the (ex WO) Jock Fox, one time terror of Abingdon PTS?
Memories of 'fan' descents in the hangar with JF in one corner, giving the troops hell, while we were being 'babied' along by 'Nick' Nicolau. Nick's gentle encouragement inveigled 5 of us to join him at WotG at 'sparrow fart' to do the balloon jump ! No reserves, in those days, so a definite 'act of faith'. Remembered sufficiently well to guarantee no repetition !!
Memories of 'fan' descents in the hangar with JF in one corner, giving the troops hell, while we were being 'babied' along by 'Nick' Nicolau. Nick's gentle encouragement inveigled 5 of us to join him at WotG at 'sparrow fart' to do the balloon jump ! No reserves, in those days, so a definite 'act of faith'. Remembered sufficiently well to guarantee no repetition !!
..and Brigitte Bardot was there at the same time making the film "Babette Goes to War "
Last edited by Warmtoast; 3rd Jul 2021 at 14:41. Reason: Insert correct photo
