Thanks lads. Wow . . . judging by the above, I just hadn't realised how good I was . . .


On the journey, it snowed, sleeted, rained and we had some sunshine. I actually meant an RTA i.e. engagement with another vehicle as opposed to CFIT.


Bang on, so to speak

What's the MPA-Stanley road got to do with anything?

The were driving back from Darwin!
Now that is a challenge on a very dark night without the added hazard of suicidal sheep running out in front of you! And that's when you know the route!!:ooh:

They do anything for a date apparently.......alledgedly.

Stanley to MPA is largely the same road surface as the Darwin / Goose Green road when you discount tarmac sections, it's mainly gravel or loose stone so comparison is relevant. Granted, bits of the Darwin road (particularly near to MPA) get even worse in bad weather and there are some really silly bits especially on the dark cinder surfaces in that first 2 or 3 miles. Do we know where he came a cropper?

Will he get a fixed penalty? Or just a free kick :O

Ossie Ardiles in Falklands car crash - Mirror Online
Ossie Ardiles Falklands car crash: Watch exclusive video footage of the crash scene - Mirror Online

Looks like a very lucky escape.Not quite as funny as some people might like to think.
Well done to 1564 for turning out and getting him and his crew to Stanley

Blimey, I hope he had damage waiver on his hire car insurance

And well done to the guys and girls of JSPSU. Often first on scene for anything south of MPA, and no exception here.

The way I heard the story (from a senior PSA guy) was that the design authority for the road (yes, PSA) read the rainfall figures, which were in millimetres, as inches.


Certainly in April 89 the MT yard at MP was full of wrecked vehicles that had met their fate in the drainage ditches and MT was desperate for replacements.

Still more wrecked vehicles in 91-92.

V8
 

I was in the FI in 90. One of the primary cause of accidents at that time was in the introduction of V8 L/Rs. As has been already stated there is only limited tarmac roads. Young inexperienced drivers, poor road surface and too much power equals accidents, irrespective of the time spent spelling out the dangers when you arrive.

Yhey did the same at Odiham many moons ago and built a shelter outside Ground Equip for the powersets, they mixed up Feet and Metres resulting in a shed that was about the depth of a powerset, but you could put a fully raised safety raiser under and still not reach the roof.

"And well done to the guys and girls of JSPSU. Often first on scene for anything south of MPA, and no exception here."

not surprising as there is no-one else out there :ok:

STATIONARY RTA
 

You don't even have to be moving on the Stanley Rd to come a cropper. A few years ago Mrs J_J and myself were following a Suzuki Jeep fro MPA to Stanley. Road was open but marginal. On the way the wind became so severe that the Suzuki driver stopped, we pulled up behind in our Disco. We then watched in disbelief as the 'Jeep' was blown sideways across the 'marbles' until it reached the edge of the road and then rolled onto it's side in the ditch. Fortunately we were able to rescue the (fortunately uninjured) occupants and complete the journey. Definitely not a road to be complacent of.

The Ardiles combat was an interesting one.
By all accounts he was on his own as his opposite number had gone u/s.
He was apparently flying a Mirage V with heat seeking missiles (Matra 550?) and 30mm cannon in the air defence role.
Two guys from our squadron were sent to intercept.
One will swear to his dying day that he was shot at by a front hemisphere missile and had to take violent evasive action.
I make absolutely no judgement here but the jettison of external fuel tanks could, apparently, give this same effect. (Sharky Ward mentioned in in his book, I seem to recall.)
The other got in behind and shot Ardiles down.
They both thought at least two enemy aircraft were in the area.
Of course there are many Argentinean corroborative accounts from the ground of what took place above 20,000 feet! (Bit like the hand of Madonna!)
I am not entirely sure where the combat took place. Perhaps Naval Eye can confirm?
I believe it was over the Falkland Sound and the wreckage of Ardiles' Mirage fell into the sea.
One of the few Mirage V combat air patrol missions perhaps.
I remember passing the guy who said he was shot at by the missile as he came down from the flight deck.
He had absolutely no doubt!
Perhaps this is what the Ardiles documentary and subsequent accident is all about?
ES

Nope, it is about football and the effect the '82 conflict had on 'their' careers and lives as a result. Film produced for ESPN (sports channel)

Perhaps the accident was caused by his knees going "all trembley" at the thought of playing football against the Brits again?....

yeah - it's not often you are onto a genuine 100% certain win in football

Harsh but fair

I was amazed when I was down there to see some bloke riding around Stanley on a CBR 900 Fireblade - a high performance road bike in a place with about 3 miles of tarmac, most of it in a 30 limit :hmm:

There was at least one rover crash every time I was down there and always half a dozen crumpled vehicles at the depot.