Off to a new home
 

Retired.? I remember it when new. So glad she survived.

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford...ds-to-cosford/


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There is already space cleared for her.

I rather think BN is a bit like the old brush saga - two new handles and four new heads - but otherwise completely original.

The old girl has probably been updated at least two, possibly three times but it was always she who would be preserved, if possible.

I suspect that there might be a 'clear out' of the early Chinook cabs, now that the newer versions have been delivered or updated via Julius

Old Duffer

I have fond memories of serving on the 240th vertical pursuit ship school when BN arrived. Good times.

As for replacements. I believe the retirement of some nine of the original delivery platforms are to be phased out when the Block II (F) variants arrive, but alas, as is the way of defence, this has moved to the right.

I first met BN when it landed on HERMES after a timely airiest when ATLANTIC CONVEYOR was hit. I then saw it a few more times at Port San Carlos when it was doing a great job in support of land forces. It certainly deserves its place in aviation history.

But what about the crews who operated it and those who kept it flying in '82? Without their considerable efforts, it would have just been a lump of metal and rivets. I hope they get matching recognition for all that they did to start the legend that BN became.

Likewise, I remember her arriving on deck, being given some gas and daily codes and then fired off to the islands. There was a rumour that the F700 was rewritten from memory by the maintainers, who also fitted a cockpit door from an Arg Chinook after it was jettisoned (quite rightly!) by the co after they hit a lake at 90kts in the dark.

Nearly 40 years ago - and now Europe is ringing with the sound of clashing steel again.

Merde!

Mog

And all my mates that were on the Conveyor, some of whom were badly effected at the time. Hope they are all still doing well..

Mog, where was she parked while on Hermes? Understand she was only there for less than 24 hours before being flown ashore. I am sure Wings was happy to have the deck space freed up.

Does the Argy door still survive?

Ah, NutLoose, we both remember one of the very best - Brian Jopling. ISTR you knew him from 240 OCU too - so sad that he's been gone for 8 years now.

Memory a bit foggy, I am afraid but I think she might have been lashed down aft of the island and then flown off early the next morning. Not sure about the door.

mog

Thud and Blunder

Yes, I remember Brian from his initial Puma course, and then on Chinooks, we seemed to cross paths often over a period of approximately 15 years and got on well, I was posted from the rotary world onto Jags in Germany and sent on an exercise at Wegberg, who should turn up flying us "casualties" into Wegberg but Brian, he was as surprised to see me as I was to see him and we had a brief catch up on the short flight. Later I was posted to Brize on the VC10 and went out to get a 10 on the front ready for departure, I found Brian sitting in the dark as Loadmasters were oddly not allowed to put power on, we had a long chat and I would often see him and catch up until I left the RAF, such a loss and a better man you could not meet.

I thought the ships crew wanted to shove the Chinook over the side to free up room, hence it didn't stay long. BN's original door washed ashore some years later and was recovered I believe.

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Quite an innings

SD89 & Nut

To clarify a little.......

BN was parked at the rear end, starboard side of HERMES. It was pretty much the only ship that could take it, as INVINCIBLE was so much smaller and fully occupied by its SHARs and other helos. It arrived on HERMES fairly late in the evening.

In my opinion, the ship's crew were not the ones who wanted it pushed over the side...........

We were told by BN's crew that they had been told that if it was not off the ship in the morning, the Captain - who disliked the RAF intensely - would order his crew to push it over the side. We discussed with BN's crew how they might head ashore and what to do when they got there. It was new to all of us, but we made our suggestions, and early the next morning, they wokka'd off.

I have little doubt in my mind given the difficulties we (the RAF GR3s) had throughout with the hierarchy on HERMES, that the order to push it overboard would have been given, and the crew would have done so to avoid disobedience and time in the Brig. Thankfully, BN's crew were good enough and determined enough to head ashore without really knowing what awaited them when they got there.

The rest is history.

Can anyone confirm that the pilot at the time the Conveyor was hit was Bill Langworthy?

No, it would have been his brother Dick Langworthy if he was flying it at the time, I seem to remember it was up on an air test at the time, his Brother Bill was on Jags.

Yes, you're right of course about it being Dick if it was a Langworthy. The question still remains as to whether he was flying it at the time.

Not sure, you will find an interesting write up here, but read the replies for some more insight.

https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/the-atlantic-conveyor/

I was told lots of what happened from my mates that were on board but will not relate them for fear of getting them incorrect after such a long time.

BARG's Falklands:The Air War book quotes the crew at the time as being Flt Lt Kennedy, Flt Lt Tailby, MALM Savidge and Sgt Gibson.