230 At Killymeal
 

Yes, forgot that. Both day and night with its red lamp. And some Navs certainly needed assistance! Who said OJ? In later years the comms mast was a fair landmark as well. If spared til New Year’s eve, I’ll post an anniversary one of Bessbrook weather at its worst on 31st December 1999. In the meantime ---
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...Phamphotog.jpg

24th October 1994. 230 Sqn cab, though CV was a 33 code? Taken from the lh seat of XV728’A’ on the centre spot as ZA937 lifted from the south spot. No crew details recorded, so check your log books please! If the stories continue, I've plenty of photos.

Very small world!!!
 

Just checked my log book... 1994 24 Oct Puma hc 1 ZA937, Pilot Flt Lt D****r M**le, crewman myself, aircraft is a 230 Sqn cab conducting Puma 5 tasking on a Province Nav Ex total 1.30 Hours;)

Bloody awful paint scheme...........I think this is one of the first extra buys to replace the ones we (33/230) crashed over the years...

To delay the money shot..............
 

The vision of K** the LEEDS LEEDS LEEDS crewman having a crap out of the door whilst flying low down Cookstown high street - works every time!!!!!!!

Doing the FOLA 5 in Walter (even if the current boss only had boys....but QHIs wife gladly helped out........)

Pic of the 'Tube' still sends shivers down spine....thinking of playing with pedals and collective as you go:
3.2 all the way and no scarf!
90-93

Not An FOB
 

Is there anywhere in the Province that wasnt a temporary HLS?

Any photos from Prince Andrews Province Golf Course Tour?

I'll need to confirm with my log book...I think it's me, the mad Ozzie Boss and Dave ? the very old looking loadie.

The nice thing about this piccy is that the nose door cover is off, as we'd started several times with it on, wondering why the PTIT was going off the clock each time:}:sad::\

The Helidet Goat & The Bullworker
 

Two I remember from my tours in NI

There was the Helidet Goat that lived around the Officer's Mess. It was tolerated until it developed the unsavoury habit of pi**ing on the heater intakes which caused a disgusting smell in the Portakabins. It was finally banished after it tried to roger a Rock Squadron Leader.

The Bullworker incident was when one of the Para Battalions was based at the Mill and a stick were being transported to one of the outstations. Being Paras they formed a human chain to pass their bergens into the mighty Wessex that was turning and burning on the pan. Unfortunately one of the Paras had put a compressed Bullworker in his bergen and as sods law would have it, this was the one that got dropped. As it hit the ground the Bullworker extended, jumped out of the bergen and went up into the main rotor disc. The pilot and crewman's faces were a picture. Two regrets: I didn't have my camera with me to capture the moment and I never saw the incident signal which must have been a masterpiece.

Hueymeister......
 

Disappointed in you; even if he was 'very old looking' he was a CREWMAN and not a 'loadie' - you should know that.....:E

SHDNI/SHFNI Veterans - Please Keep Posting
 

To all of you who have posted some wonderful photos here (especially PP) please do keep it up. I spent a long time on both SHDNI and then SHFNI (predominantly 72 Sqn, some AAC and 7 Sqn). I have many memories but very few pictures - you are all filling a digital void in my life.
Many thanks:D
Klingonbc
"32/balanced/brakes off"

Dundiggin.............
 

you'll have to excuse Hueymeister, he's now well and truely part of the fixed-wing world............

Nothing wrong with the fixed wing world :ok:

Can anyone relate the account of the rather large fellow from South Africa getting shot in the chest.....and uttering something along the lines of "Margaret isn't going to be amused about this!"

The dear fellow died a few years back at his home in France....I gave him a ride in a Huey which was his final helicopter flight ever.

Last Day Of The 1990s
 

31st December 1999
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...Phamphotog.jpg

Possibly not the worst-ever Bessbrook weather, but without a tripod this one couldn’t have been taken. Looking directly up the tube again as 72 Sqn XW236 replens on spot 5 in lashing rain. J** S******n, M*** S****e and I** B***y dry & warm! while the TSW refueller gets on with it as always. Note TWA’s G4 and L5 grounded. (I’ll be too if they read this!)

16.06 hrs 31st December 2009

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...Phamphotog.jpg

With the demolitions and excavations, the original ground levels have changed, but I reckon this is as close as I can get to the spot where that original 1999 shot was taken.

And.......

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...Phamphotog.jpg

More nostalgia, looking down the main helipad from the Buzzard tower site. The tank is on the former Chinook spot 8 and the 1k tree survives. 16.20, 31:12:2009.

I remember a night spent with the Hueymeister carrying out VCPs on the west bank of the Foyle. We had to go to a disused base to pick up the RUC first and the Hueymeister needed to visit the loo - and not for a wee. Unfortunately the place had been flattened, but luckily the last building standing was the toilet block. So down he sits and vacates bowels only to discover no toilet paper! No problem, he spies a couple of sheets of newspaper on the floor and makes appropriate use of them.
Roll on a couple of hours and I notice that he's wriggling about in the RHS as we're tasking - 'what's wrong' - 'oh just a little sore down there'. After a few more hours of writhing around as he flew we got back to base and he shuffled off to examine his backside. It turned out that the paper had been covered in brickdust and the like, and a couple of hours flying had cut his backside to shreds and he was bleeding. Both me and the crewman refused his kind invite to check if he needed to go to the doctor!:eek:

Hi...

Here's some pics I dug up of the various colour trials that took place in 1991...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...reyWessesx.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...BlueWessex.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...lackWessex.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...lackWessex.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...exHipCombo.jpg
This was taken at Sennelager in 1991, but it may well have been a 60 Sqn cab and not 72 Sqn.

Dits to come when I've stopped piising meself at all the others, but in the meantime... it's Mungo OBE. 'ck my old boots. What next? Sir Spoons?

Didn't you know that he is really important now??

PP - With reference to your 'Last Day Of The 1990s' photo, I was one of the two TSW lads up at G40 that day.

I wasn't even supposed to be in NI on that det but, counter to advice I'd always been given, I threw my name in the hat when one of the lads out there had to be brought home for compassionate reasons.

I'll always treasure spending the turn of the millennium in a drafty Corrimec, nailed to a rain lashed peak in the a** end of South Armargh with a bunch of p***ed off guardsmen.:* Well I was warned never to volunteer for anything......:}

BTW, thinking of who the other 6 TSW personnel based at R850 over the millennium were and their 'rotundness' I reckon the TSW chap in that photo could quite possibly be the one who was caught out in Split watching rather a rather specialist type of adult video.

Pilot Pacifier, It wouldn't have been a 60 Sqn cab in 91, the sqn didn't form until 92.

If anyone out in NI is living or has lived recently in 3 Duxford Drive, does it still have the patio made from hexagonal slabs. If so, they came from Bessbrook (Next to spot 5), I acquired them over a few BB Wessex overnights about 6 slabs per refuel early 89.

Yep, you're right. Just found my logbook, looks like it was June '92. I'll leave the picture up though as there can't be many of a Wessex and a Hip in the same frame!

Enjoyed tasking round province in the multi-coloured 'flying circus'

Have to admit - 'T' in black was my personal favourite:ok:

The 'Black Wessex' myth went around the players like wildfire!!!

Jayteeto - Who, Mungo or Spoons?

--------------

Those shots of BBK brought it all up, sorry back. I could almost hear 1GG's Buzzard (the one who recited Kipling on the air) shouting "I don't care if it is the Colonel. Tell him to get off my f--king helipad".

And.. "Despatcher, tell that c--t I said to F--k Off. Yes, I know it's the 2ic".

1 Royal Scot's Buzzard to a rather recalcitrant call-sign : "T20B, your drills are ****e. If ye dinna get your arse on the helo, yer oot there till f--king morning".

More Buzzard dits req'd.

AAC Door Gunners wearing NVGs in the Buzzard Hut and using TV remotes as lightsabres. Not sure of that one myself. Don't know many AAC who could spell NVG.


What scares me is the number of stories from the early 90s involving hooligans what are now grown ups. Please don't tell me the International Sh1t Magnet is now OC 7.

I would go into detail about the night two of us wing mongs and a squaddie ended up covered in some of the contents of one of the sh*t tanks whilst doing USL ops on G40 but its almost tea time and I wouldn't want to put you off your food.:eek:

I remember the light blue colour scheme as someone spray painted 'Merry Christmas' on the side in December. When they washed it off it took the blue paint with it so that airframe had 'Merry Christmas' on it until spring.:ugh:

The sh*t tanks were usually empty by the time they arrived at BBK anyway.
It is very fertile the landscape of South Armagh.

Interesting stories / memories. I wasn't in the military, but was a controller at EGAA from '75-'78. Lived 1mile north of the field just under route 3. Didn't take the drivers long to discover this and add a quick 360 to their route in the early morning :hmm:

Also remember well a Wessex landing about 30 yards away when the GF and I were out picking blackberries, and disgorging a number of well armed troops to check us out. Seems we were suspicious as we had no blackberries in the bucket... we were still looking for the bushes:O All ended well though and the pilot plied us with beer that night in the mess :ok:

Spent a lot of time in the Air Force mess, quite an eye-opener for a 22 year old civvy!!

ex-egll

Ten Years
 

No photos with this post, but if you go back to #134, there are a couple of 31:12:2009 additions.

The days of Willy Whitelaw.............
 

I think this happened about mid 70s. Willy was SofS and we used to Puma fly him and his Assistants from the airport to and from Stormont Castle several times a week. In those days we used to fit the Puma with VIP light blue covers on the front 8 seats but we used to be in the 16 seat or 12 seat fit so half of the cabin seats were normal grotty oil stained seats. We didn't have a 'bits box' then either and used to have the oils and covers secured by a net. On this Monday morning I was the Puma crewman to pick the VIPs up and take them to Stormont. 'Good morning Sir' I said to Willy. 'Good morning Sgt' and with that he started to step onto the Puma step, I pointed to the front part of the Puma where the VIP covers had been fitted and said 'These nice seats are for you Sir'. He said 'Thank you Sgt' and totally ignoring me went on down the back of the Puma in amongst the oil cans and the 'normal seats' (He was such a gent!). The entourage climbed on board and made for the nice light blue covers! Off we went and landed on the grass at Stormont Castle. Contrary to the SOPs :hmm: I stayed in the aircraft as they disembarked the RH door with the rotors running but I pointed for them to depart the rotor disc to the 2-oclock position. That was OK until Willy had untied himself from the black hole in the back and then disembarked with me still pointing in the area he should go but he ignored me (again!!), turned sharp right and started running towards the running tail rotor!! I ripped off my monkey harness, leapt out of the Puma, ran after him and saw that he was running straight for the end of the tailrotor; I pushed him out from the tail which was OK until he reached the tailrotor when he decided to stop and then run straight towards it!! I gave him a bloody great heave (he was a big bloke!) away and kept pushing him away until I noticed his head raise as if he was aware that someone was pushing him. I stopped pushing him and removed my helmet and said to him 'Do you realise what you nearly did then Sir?' 'No Sgt' 'You very nearly walked into that tail rotor' He looked up at the running tail rotor, went bright red and said 'Thank you Sgt'.
We kept that quiet...............But what a top bloke he was....:ok:

And later Patrick Mayhew
 

We had been on VIP tasking down in the 'Reds' (Bessbrook, Forkhill etc) late evening/night, when Walter decides it is not going to start for the final leg from BBK to drop Patrick Mayhew back at Hillsborough Castle. It's now somewhere around midnight, rest of the helicopter force has gone to bed but there is trusty Lynx 1 on the pad just about to do more tasking. Quick as a flash it's offered to take him to Hillsborough and us back to Aldergrove (ac requires lots of engineers) so in we get; Patrick gets the only seat (by the door) and we get to sit on the floor with those little 'safety straps'!

Now the seat is normally the crewman's, or in AAC parlance the door gunner's; having secured ourselves look around to see that PM has now discovered the GPMG and is busy playing with it and it is now pointing in to the cabin - at us! Also now aware that there is a belt of ammunition nicely loaded as well. The Door Gunner is hanging outside on the skid (wearing his harness) clearing the departure, so totally unaware of what is going on inside, and as we're not on intercom can't do much anyway. We now do a spirited vertical lift off the pad with the crewman still standing on the skid, when PM also taps the DG on the shoulder and offers him the other end of the harness which had been disconnected to allow him into the seat!

Very shaken individual now climbs very carefully into ac, slams door and (thankfully) retrieves GPMG and unloads. We then had a very pleasant and uneventful transit.

Ref my incident with Willie Whitelaw two posts up......what goes around comes around.
 

I stated at the end of that article that 'we kept the incident quiet'.
Well later that year I was on a tri-service SF Escape and Evasion exercise in southern France as an evader. Everyone was there, lots of hooligans including the Interrogation Cell! So if captured I was in for a spell on the one-legged stool! I decided I would remain uncaptured and duly completed the Exercise uncaptured. We then boarded a Brittania to go home and I'd bagged a window seat down the back. Then a mature, short, fat, be-spectacled male sat down beside me. I was rather 'shocked' to see a person of that particular physical ilk on this 'SF Excercise' :8. So I said 'Hello..... who are you?' He replied 'I'm one of the interrogators! :uhoh: who are you?' I said 'I'm Sgt @@@@ from Odiham' He said 'Aaagh you're the bloke who had that contretent with Willy Whitelaw earlier this year aren't you?' I was shocked by that as we had supposedly kept the incident quiet. 'How do you know about that?' He replied 'I have friends in the Special Branch!!' :cool:

Of course! - Willy always travelled with the SB and they had dobbed me in - gits!! :}

Ah Mungo - or 'Farmer Day' as PG nick-named him (something to do with operating farm machinery!!!). Not the most gifted with the old hand-eye, but he did keep his body well toned. Always best to get these people out of the cockpit and behind a big desk. (Only joking Mungo!)

Was it really that long ago? Must look back in my logbook to see who else was out there in those awesome times during the early 90s.

HNY.

More Memories
 

Yeah, those trials were 1992/'93. Wasn't the grey 'N' used for a PM visit in '92 or '93? Request received for another Killymeal view, so will post that next.

By Special Request From OJ In The 'Stan
 

Following a Swift replen, E***n G****, OJ (lh seat) & 'B*** S*****n take XT668’S’ out of Killymeal to resume ETB tasking. 26th November 1996.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...Phamphotog.jpg


The contemporary view taken on 7th April 2007

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...amphotog-1.jpg

OJ sends his regards to all you o&b who remember him.
.

101Boy...remember that night all to well...turned out it was also covered in fibreglass insulation dust too; knowing my luck it was probably infused with asbestos.

I wonder if Gp Capt T**iati will still do his Orville song on JJ's knee!!!!!:E:}

A blast from the past when Pumas and I looked a lot better than we do now. A Scout hitching a lift from Omagh to Aldergrove, mid seventies.

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...2-2010_001.jpg

Farmer Day
 

Merry Xmas 'til Spring....
 

Yep that was me...That 'duck egg blue' Wessy wasn't so beautifully painted after we sprayed 'Merry Xmas on the nose door and cabin door..it took all the paint off...I never got my lorry cab tree back the the 'gingers' wired into the cockpit lighting:suspect:

Still they let us screw optics into the cabin bulkhead and string fairy lights around the cabin door tho'!!!:}:ok::E

Vids
 

Slightly off thread: I think I posted this and this once before.

But has anyone got Trash Megawart's Walter vs Bon Jovi one? Or Jaffa's Puma one (the start of which woz my idea..).

Cue "who was doing the work while you were grandstanding?" banter. Answer: JT.

Careful, I'm on nights and its getting foggy. I quite like the idea of grandstanding these days. Doing all the work gets you absolutely nowhere!! I have to pack my bags here, only 5 weeks left, then on to glory!! Hopefully get on morning TV every day as a 'helicopter hero'. However, when I do my interviews on telly, I will take my helmet off. Classic moment with the only kiwi in Ulster being interviewed by the newshounds 'face hidden'. You should have put on that geordie accent Dunhovrin, they might have thought it was me........