Mr R ... I hope SAC Frostey was properly checked out on Marshalling Procedures :ok:

I heard that was Jon Snow visiting to interview Harry Staish. OK, I get the message :ouch: it's not taken at Lyneham is it?


Smudge:ok:

mr ripley,
TM was one of 5 OCs during my eight years as the ALM Leader so we will almost certainly know each other ! PM if you wish.

It was Halifax

Thanks Mr Ripley,

For some reason I thought Gander or Goose, very fitting for the time of year:rolleyes:

Smudge:ok:

Shall I, shan't I - hmmm. Oh what the heck:-

Surely not a LYN frame - the props aren't lined-up! :0




I know,I know; hat, coat, door...

Lyneham Lad,

Obviously they didn't have a GE with them:eek: or perhaps taken post B/F where the props will have been "pulled through". Thinking about my fellow GE's, I can't help wondering if I know that snowman.

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5a789535.jpg

See what you've started AA62, I'm waiting for a certain Gorilla to appear next.

A request for help !!!!!!!!!

Whilst being of the variety of airman endowed with the capacity to keep Albert moving, my ability to edit video is limited. I have a copy of a video made in 1991 that contains some seriously good flying sequences that many might find interesting. i have consulted with our admin and mods and have come to the opinion that the video is relevant to this thread, worthy for its content and is worth recording. I agree with those I have consulted that editing of the content might serve to protect the identities of some involved, as is PPRUNE policy. There's some good stuff in here, I just can't work out how to do the edit required, can anyone help ? I have the full vid on a Dropbox address, which I will supply to anyone who can help with editing to the required anonymity standards. Please PM me if you can help, the flying sequences are good value.

Smudge:ok:

smudge,
your slightest wish is my command. This of course is the famous gorilla who would accompany us on my of our overseas trips. He would empty our wallets trash the room and leave us with a headache, all in the name of a good night out. Mind you in this pic he looks a little worse for wear himself. Probably down to smudge or one of his G/E pals.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...psa11d7399.jpg

I hope that Gorilla had Nomex Fire Retardant fur :E

AA62,

Thanks for that, always a pleasure to see the rascal on tour. As for my wishes an ACC would go down nicely at the moment. Thinking of which, a story from the galley might make you chuckle. As we spent a lot of time away the GEs had a standard in flight meals selection which our boss would use when allocating us to a route. It was not unusual to arrive back from St Johns one night, and depart for Gander the next morning with a different crew. I was one of two GEs accompanying two aircraft through Tancos to Gibraltar returning to Lyneham, and it was around lunchtime as we arrived at Gib. My standard meals request of AA and an ACC was loaded, I had eaten breakfast outbound and was looking forward to the main meal on the way home. On landing, the other aircraft had an hydraulic snag, which, whilst not a stopper, could require a diversion if it developed and got worse. The other GE was an ex Avionics tradesman, and not comfortable with the thought of a "heavy trade" diversion, so suggested that we swap aircraft so that I would accompany the faulty aircraft back to Lyneham. It made sense, so we swapped. As there was some clean up to do, my original airframe and crew picked up the departure slot for the first aircraft, and duly taxied out. They lined up, slowly taxied down and returned to the parking slot. My mate the other GE jumped out, fuming. He had found out my meal was an ACC, which he hated, and convinced the crew to taxy back to parking to swap the meals. I have never seen before or since an aircraft abort a take off because of a Chicken Curry. On the Crimble Cards scene, this, by I believe Patricia Rielly is a cracker, I'm sure many will have a copy.

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/...ps79ea1e0a.jpg

Smudge:ok:

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...ps29906164.jpg

Last card I can find. I should have one by Mark Postlethwait the well known aviation artist. It was done for 30 Sqn. No doubt it is in my now long lost box of pics.
So a happy Christmas to all our readers and especially to Coffman who triggered this flood of tales and pics.

mildly surprised that no one has turned my gorilla pic into a caption competition !
I take it you all noticed the legs of the person trying to escape up into the nosewheel bay.

Fat Albert memories
 

Thanks ancientaviator62 for turning the clock back. Having checked the good old RAF Form 414 I see that I was co-jo on the ferry flight of XV 187 from Marietta in April '67 with Vic Blake, fresh off the conversion course at Sewart AFB. Any other old timers around of my vintage. [email protected] will find me.

aeroid,
my pleasure and welcome. If you were a Co on a ferry flight after your USAF OCU then I assume you were probably on Hastings (or Beverleys) before that. I was on 36 at Colerne when it disbanded to become the first RAF Herc squadron. I was well below the salt so did not do the 'States' course but did my OCU at the beginning of 1968 after seeing 24 Disband as a Hastings Squadron in Dec 1967.

AA62 ... You are too kind old chap ... It's me that is very grateful for your continued help and interest ... Happy Christmas :ok:

Welcome Aeroid, we are very pleased that you have joined our happy band of RAF Albert 'Threaders' ... Let us know if you'd like help posting any pics ... But please feel free to add to RAF Alberts service exploits :ok:

Best ...

Coff.

PS. I've just seen some pics of a RAF C-130J in Canada picking up the borrowed BBMF Lanc Merlin ... I bet that will be an interesting trip ;)

Here is the CWHM Twitter Link which has a number of RAF C-130J pics relating to the 'Merlin Pick-Up'

https://twitter.com/CWHM

Fat Albert lives on
 

Please to meet you AA62 and all the many other FA fans. Correct, Hastings to start off withon 36 then Fat Al on ferry flight, 24, 48, 24 and OCU. I guess I must have met most of you at one time or another. Was that the gorilla that used to meet you down the route and during the night throw all your clothes all over the room, empty your wallet and cr*p in your mouth whilst you were asleep?

aeroid,
given your units served with the 'K' and mine our paths will almost certainly have crossed at one time or another. My 'K' time was 242 (stude) 47, 48,(FEAF and UK) 242 (airdrop instructor) JATE, EU (as MACR) EU (commissioned) 242 (CALMI)and 30 as ALM Leader. Then as one of the two aircrew members of the HEART before I retired.
Yes that is the self same gorilla or should I say gorillas because there must have been more than one to have been in several places at once. Unless of course he was a 'quantum' gorilla !

Christmas
 

AA 62 you've done it again. I have just seen your post of the 16th. That was the crimble card I designed. Keep em coming!

A video for the Yuletide season !!!!
 

Gentlemen, I offer an insight into flying from the base known as Victor during GW1, with respect to the C130K and the crews and support crews of 47 Sqn SF Flight. I have, for various reasons a copy of a DVD entitled "The Gulf Boys 1991". I was told that it was made by the GEs attached to the flight for the duration of Desert Storm. I have had varied discussions with moderators and administrators of PPRUNE, regarding this video, which is an epic of over an hours length, and whether posting it infringes the posting rules. After many such discussions I decided that there is some relevance to this thread in posting the flying sequences used, and, whilst unable to completely anonymise personnel involved ask that my intent to ensure that the lads at Victor are recorded on this thread is seen as honourable, and appropriate. I have no doubt that the "authority" on this edited video would be our fellow poster Chickenlover, who probably has the full copy of the DVD as I do. It's Albert doing SF Ops in GW1, the quality is 1991 video tape, and apart from the star (Albert) has been edited to preserve anonymity for those involved. Apart from the general Low level type flying, the points that are really good to see are towards the end when the approach to Kuwait through the burning oilfields is recorded, and also the FARP operation at Kuwait Airport, which I believe may be the first aircraft, captained by AH, which kept many helicopters going. Brief but important records of the K's service. Sorry for the long preamble, I hope that what's left is of interest.

Credits are due to my former colleagues (GEs and Crews) who made the original. A thanks to the ex C130 admin for his input and also the advice of AA62 on how to go about it. Top thanks to PaulEMB, someone who follows the thread and is a wizard of video editing. He also has some good experience of Albert flying from Thorney as an ATC Cadet. I have managed to post this on YouTube for ease of viewing, I do not believe that it in anyway compromises either personal or operational security. I invite anyone who may take exception to my posting to PM me and I will certainly respect their opinion. It's not my video, I have credited what I believe is the maker. I was not there, though only by "accident". This is Albert, being operated in its natural environment by professionals, whose work should be recorded as part of this thread, I hope that some of this video is new to some, and worthy of the thread. Despite its being on YouTube, it is only accessible to those with the following link, assuming that only those with an interest lurk here, we should have no worries.


http://youtu.be/DfFA4wSXjh4

Enjoy, and Chickenlover, perhaps you could fill in on some of it. Finally, if you can link to Youtube on your biggest TV, it seems better quality.

Smudge:ok:

Nice one Smudge, well done mate.

Have a lot of respect for F Troop.