Brian, I'm sure you're correct on those dates, but am I imagining having briefly seen the first 130 at Thorney Island whilst on my Argosy OCU in Spring/Summer 1966? Probably in a pre-Marshalls shiny finish?

ICM,
the 'K' I saw at Colerne was indeed all silver and shiny. This would have been sometime in 1967 I think. I am sure gopher or one of the others can set us straight.

Here is XV176 when it arrived "naked" from Marietta but I am advised that it was preceded by XV179.




http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/...psg8kmaecx.jpg

Just been delving into a couple of books - the first Herc' for the RAF, XV176, made its maiden flight at Marietta ( the Lockheed plant ) on 19th Oct' 1966.
XV177 was the first handed over to the RAF in a brief ceremony at Marietta on 16th Dec' 1966. It was flown by an RAF crew ( Mel Bennett, Dave Wright as pilots, Cyril Loughheed Nav', Fred Pennycott Flt Eng and John Sutton as AQM ) to Marshalls at Cambridge on Dec' 19th in silver livery. After painting and fitting of more flight deck equipment, 177 went to Boscombe in Feb' '67 followed by 178 in March.
Thetford's 'Aircraft of the RAF' gives April as date of first delivery to 242 OCU at Thorney Island and Andy Muniandy's book 'Hercules - the RAF workhorse' gives the date as 3rd May.
Initially 6 were delivered to 242 and my logbook shows 5 of them as 176,179,182,183 and 189 for the first part of 4 Course with 180,185,186 and 187 being there in November. Maybe some swaps took place with Lyneham as 36 Sqn formed there in August.

AA62

Sorry, no more photos found.

Brian, Many thanks - so my C-130 at Thorney in early 1966 is a trick of memory after all.

The first time I did see one of they Hercules was in Muharraq in 67. Horrible things I thought. I'd much rather go on to Belfasts. Well what did I know.




http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/...psuupj5ccv.jpg

I notice a very natty chequer board finish to the rear fuselage, trials marking for drop evaluation perhaps? And look at the ironmongery in the background, the delicate shape of the Beverly, fins protruding above the skyline and the whistling wheelbarrow there as well, good old days! The old days with no GE, props not lined up, shocking!
As I mentioned way back on this thread I did in fact marshall the first OCU Herc in to Thorney and if the grey cell is working correctly it was 176, the rest following in numerical order.

As I recall the rear fuselage markings were for airdrop trials . My fallible memory tells me it was XV 179 that I first saw at Colerne.

I had a think about the number of airframes at Thorney; I guess what Andy's book gave, 6, was the initial delivery.
This would have been sufficient for the OCU staff to get to grips with them while No1 and then 2 Course were in ground school. Once the students started flying 6 would not have been enough and a few more would have been delivered - hence why I flew in 9 in the 10 week flying stage.

Doug: A once familiar background in that photo. And the Belfast turned out not too badly - some of us had to do it!

Having seen the posts on the early days of Fat Albert I couldn't resist a little look in the RAF Form 414 and would you believe it, 50 years ago tomorrow (26th April) I was Co-Jo to Skipper Vic Blake and I think Charlie Hartridge Eng, Pete Thompson (?) Nav and no doubt various screen crew as this was our first "solo" delivering XV187 to Marshalls of Cambridge via Kindley AFB (Bermuda) and Lajes. Pass the Sanatogen!

aeroid
 

Vic and Chas were both on 48 went it formed. I have a vague recollection that Vic ended up with Dan Air.

That would be correct my Dad was Fred Pennycott. I'll dig out a photo of them standing on the apron in the States taking delivery of the first Herc, for the hand over. They were also presented with a copy of the order placed by our Govt showing the value. I had the pleasure of attending the 1,000,000th flying hour celebration and 25th year celebrations, meeting the guys of that crew. Happy memories....

Scrumblehalf
 

Hello, Welcome aboard.

In the early 70s I used to take my kids for swimming lessons at the indoor pool in Cirencester and Fred was often there at the same time with his little one - can't remember if there was more than one child with him. Was that you?

Having been a dad at 22 it always struck me , that Fred seemed quite old to be a dad; I knew he had served in WW2 and guess he was about 50 then. These days being a dad at 22 is unusual and 50 much more common!

I remember Fred as an affable and pleasant chap, so different from lots of the 'trappers' in those days who seemed aloof and very unapproachable - particularly a couple of the navs.

Have you followed him into the RAF?

Ian Harvey, an RAF Hercules air engineer, explains how the Hercules fleet supported British forces in the Gulf in 1990 and 1991, flying vital supplies between the UK and bases in the Middle East.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnHzaLUSV68

A Long Time Ago
 

First flew Fat Albert in July 1968 at Thorney with Bill Tucker as instructor. First flew XV292 in March 72, so probably not an original Lyneham Herc.

extruck,
welcome to the thread. Our starter of this thread, the late much missed Coffman, would have been delighted to 'see' a new face. Have you any tales pics etc that you could share ? What Sqn were you posted to after Thorney ?

History
 

Joined 36, then 24 (briefly) followed by 48, 47, STS (or whatever it was called then!) 47SF, STS again, Upavon, STANEVAL. Enough clues? Stories too numerous to tell. A brilliant period to be in the RAF. Not so sure about today.

extruck,
we must surely be acquainted each other. If you look back at some of the early posts I can be identified. There can never be 'too many tales to tell' or too many pics to see. As you rightly say great times to be in and on the 'K' fleet.

I have flown out of Lynham a few times. Two videos, one going back to the 1960's and one as the base looks now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyN713M0rqw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho6SmV5pHvg