DC3 TALES
Staionair8,
Loved it, already having plenty of tail wheel time made it easy, compared to the blokes who had never been near a piston engine, let alone a tailwheel.
I made the acquaintance of one chap in PNG who had accumulated something over 32,000 hours on Daks, went straight from RAAF basic to the then brand new aeroplanes, was still flying them right up to the time Air Nuigini ---- about 31,940 hours more than I managed at the time.
Actually got my hands on a DC-2 in US about 15 years ago, just a few circuits --- that one had Wright engine, also had some time lined up on a DST (model between the DC-2 and DC-3) but fate (aka Scheduling) stuffed the chance to be able to say I had flown all three.
Tootle pip!!
Loved it, already having plenty of tail wheel time made it easy, compared to the blokes who had never been near a piston engine, let alone a tailwheel.
I made the acquaintance of one chap in PNG who had accumulated something over 32,000 hours on Daks, went straight from RAAF basic to the then brand new aeroplanes, was still flying them right up to the time Air Nuigini ---- about 31,940 hours more than I managed at the time.
Actually got my hands on a DC-2 in US about 15 years ago, just a few circuits --- that one had Wright engine, also had some time lined up on a DST (model between the DC-2 and DC-3) but fate (aka Scheduling) stuffed the chance to be able to say I had flown all three.
Tootle pip!!
----or went straight to the 707 for 'computer' assistance
Tootle pip!!
Grandpa Aerotart
Puters in a 707!!! - one of the highlights of my teens was accompanying my father on a Mauritius trip in 1975 in EB something. From Perth to Mauritius, and return a week or so later, I spent almost the entire trip up the front...the Navigator, Gerry Geary, teaching me how to use the bubble sextant to reduce star shots. I was already a reasonable hand at an ordinary sextant and sun shots from the east coast ocean racing scene. Lovely man...and VERY funny out on the piss
Gerry had been Dad's bomb aimer on Lincolns, 1 Sqd, in the late 50s during the Malayan Emergency - bombing the fck out of the Malay Peninsular.
Quite a sight for your average 14 year old...your, hitherto, terribly 'square' father and an old mate ****faced on the floor of your room making low flying hands and singing 'The RAF were flying Lancasters at zero thousand feet...."
Gerry had been Dad's bomb aimer on Lincolns, 1 Sqd, in the late 50s during the Malayan Emergency - bombing the fck out of the Malay Peninsular.
Quite a sight for your average 14 year old...your, hitherto, terribly 'square' father and an old mate ****faced on the floor of your room making low flying hands and singing 'The RAF were flying Lancasters at zero thousand feet...."
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Lead slead ... who... Old Drama? He spent quite a few hours keeping in formation and bombing Germany in his early days and monstering F.Os in his latter days before he moved down to Oz.
relic,
Don't thinks so, this chap was home grown, spent his war in the western Pacific, and from about 1946 to retirement in PNG.
Lovely bloke, liked a cold beer on a warm day ---- has there ever been a cold day in the land of greenies and brownies ---- and where greenies have nothing to do with Bob Brown and his mob of watermelons*.
Tootle pip!!
* Green on the outside, red on the inside.
PS: Chimbu --- you must have experienced the ritual of waking up the Chinese store at Plain Magien at 4.00 am or so, to swap all the empties from the outgoing crew, for the tonsil tonic so necessary to re-hydrate the incoming crew.
Indian Ocean crossings then were always at night, not enough fix's in daylight.
The navs. were a tribe of their own, far more fun than Doppler or INS.
Don't thinks so, this chap was home grown, spent his war in the western Pacific, and from about 1946 to retirement in PNG.
Lovely bloke, liked a cold beer on a warm day ---- has there ever been a cold day in the land of greenies and brownies ---- and where greenies have nothing to do with Bob Brown and his mob of watermelons*.
Tootle pip!!
* Green on the outside, red on the inside.
PS: Chimbu --- you must have experienced the ritual of waking up the Chinese store at Plain Magien at 4.00 am or so, to swap all the empties from the outgoing crew, for the tonsil tonic so necessary to re-hydrate the incoming crew.
Indian Ocean crossings then were always at night, not enough fix's in daylight.
The navs. were a tribe of their own, far more fun than Doppler or INS.
Last edited by LeadSled; 13th Oct 2011 at 14:03.
Grandpa Aerotart
Yup - a little store on one of the old WW2 era taxiways that was now a road on the way to the Grande Hotel on Blue Bay(?) - where, from memory, 8-10 crates of empty Tiger Beer bottles (large) were exchanged for a like number of the icy cold variety.
I also remember going to a party at Curepipe at the house of a QF CSM based in Muaritius - Rick Warnicky?- and driving back, pissed, across unlit mountain roads in a rental Morris 1100...Gerry was driving...Dad and I dying just a little bit on every corner. There was a room party going on when we staggered into the hotel...well what to do
It were an eye opening trip - first time my disciplinarian and most assuredly uncool/square father (14 yr old's perception) let me drink - on a what happens down route stays down route basis - the next time I got drunk was on muck up day at the end of year 12..I got locked outa the house until I sobered up and cleaned up
I also remember going to a party at Curepipe at the house of a QF CSM based in Muaritius - Rick Warnicky?- and driving back, pissed, across unlit mountain roads in a rental Morris 1100...Gerry was driving...Dad and I dying just a little bit on every corner. There was a room party going on when we staggered into the hotel...well what to do
It were an eye opening trip - first time my disciplinarian and most assuredly uncool/square father (14 yr old's perception) let me drink - on a what happens down route stays down route basis - the next time I got drunk was on muck up day at the end of year 12..I got locked outa the house until I sobered up and cleaned up
Last edited by Chimbu chuckles; 13th Oct 2011 at 15:06.
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People don't believe me when I tell them my instrument rating included a single engine aural null homing on limited panel.
Sorry I will not reveal who took the mast of the yacht only that it wasn't me
Sorry I will not reveal who took the mast of the yacht only that it wasn't me
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An Aural Null, YES into Kalgorlie, always your Line Check.
Then there was the 11 sector day, 3 crew, Morawa, Yalgoo, Magnet, Cue, Meekatharra, Wiluna, Sandstone, Magnet, Yalgoo, Morawa, Perth.
As the F/O, worked the books, checked the mail, sold tickets, balanced the load sheet and if realy good got some fun flying.
Then there was Perth, Magnet, Meeka, ???, Newman, Roy Hil, Nullagine, Marble Bar, Hedland.
AND Geraldton, Carnarvon, Learmonth, Onslow, Barrow Island, Karatha, Roebourn, Hedland, up one day back the next.
Would do it again tomorrow if it was on.
Then there was the 11 sector day, 3 crew, Morawa, Yalgoo, Magnet, Cue, Meekatharra, Wiluna, Sandstone, Magnet, Yalgoo, Morawa, Perth.
As the F/O, worked the books, checked the mail, sold tickets, balanced the load sheet and if realy good got some fun flying.
Then there was Perth, Magnet, Meeka, ???, Newman, Roy Hil, Nullagine, Marble Bar, Hedland.
AND Geraldton, Carnarvon, Learmonth, Onslow, Barrow Island, Karatha, Roebourn, Hedland, up one day back the next.
Would do it again tomorrow if it was on.
Chimbu,
Good memory for a young lad. Must have been a rather abstemious crew if the order was only 10 crates.
Rick W finally retired about 9 years ago.
But how many of us can say we have done a letdown on an MF range, not that modern VAR thingey ---- and for me it was single engine and limited panel, because the conveyance only had a single engine and a "limited" panel.
At least where I was then, if it all turned to custard, we were never more than about 40 minutes from somewhere, where we could get a GCA to touchdown, CAT III with just a VHF radio. And all the fun and games when the A was switched out of the ADF, hand crank the loop.
Tootle pip!!
Good memory for a young lad. Must have been a rather abstemious crew if the order was only 10 crates.
Rick W finally retired about 9 years ago.
a single engine aural null homing on limited panel.
At least where I was then, if it all turned to custard, we were never more than about 40 minutes from somewhere, where we could get a GCA to touchdown, CAT III with just a VHF radio. And all the fun and games when the A was switched out of the ADF, hand crank the loop.
Tootle pip!!
Ah Chimbu,
How the memories flood back about Isle Maurice. Now, the hotel was Le Chaland and it was on Grande Bay and yes, the ride home from Curepipe with a suitable "lubricated" driver in a rented Morris 1100 was the stuff of nightmares when you sobered up. Calling into the Chinese store on the way in from PER for more beer was a no-brainer, the deposit on the beer bottles was expensive! I can't remember the brand but I'll bet it wasn't Tiger. There were usually 4 computers on a B707, we had one each about 7" in diameter.
I was a mere youf of a F/E and spent plenty of time on the run to SA via MRU. Speaking French was a distinct advantage. I used to keep the ski boat running for a couple of years but it was really dangerous with all the coral about. Having good mates based there as engineers meant that I could borrow a toolbox to get the boat sorted.
Flying with the Navs was an eye-opener. Most of them were very lightly connected to reality! Bob S and his sea serpents, the Digger and his cheap bars world wide, Lofty B, Dave-the-right-size, Racehorse Brown, the list goes on!! The laws of libel forbid further names!!
There's a very good chance I flew to MRU with your dad at least once. Damn, I loved the place because the locals were very friendly and it was such a laid back trip.
How the memories flood back about Isle Maurice. Now, the hotel was Le Chaland and it was on Grande Bay and yes, the ride home from Curepipe with a suitable "lubricated" driver in a rented Morris 1100 was the stuff of nightmares when you sobered up. Calling into the Chinese store on the way in from PER for more beer was a no-brainer, the deposit on the beer bottles was expensive! I can't remember the brand but I'll bet it wasn't Tiger. There were usually 4 computers on a B707, we had one each about 7" in diameter.
I was a mere youf of a F/E and spent plenty of time on the run to SA via MRU. Speaking French was a distinct advantage. I used to keep the ski boat running for a couple of years but it was really dangerous with all the coral about. Having good mates based there as engineers meant that I could borrow a toolbox to get the boat sorted.
Flying with the Navs was an eye-opener. Most of them were very lightly connected to reality! Bob S and his sea serpents, the Digger and his cheap bars world wide, Lofty B, Dave-the-right-size, Racehorse Brown, the list goes on!! The laws of libel forbid further names!!
There's a very good chance I flew to MRU with your dad at least once. Damn, I loved the place because the locals were very friendly and it was such a laid back trip.
Mustafa,
To keep the thread drift going!!
A slight correction, the pub was on Blue Bay, Grande Bay was further up the coast, past Mahebourg.
Grand Bay's claim to fame is that it wast the site of the last victory of the French Navy over the Royal Navy, back in the 18somethings. Both flotilla commanders were injured in the battle, and wound up in adjoining beds in the Dutch hospital in Mahebourg.
A story about the Little Digger: He was a nav on Mosquitoes for most of WWII, only once did a German aeroplane hit his ---- and Ray actually made the acquaintance of said Me110 pilot, by then a very senior Lufthansa Captain, at La Chaland.
We all wondered if we were going to see WWII, part II, but they became great friends --- giving a whole new meaning to swapping war stories.
Tootle pip!!
PS: Mustafa , any relation to Bunny Lee's two great mates in Bahrain, Mustafacrap and Mustafapee.
To keep the thread drift going!!
A slight correction, the pub was on Blue Bay, Grande Bay was further up the coast, past Mahebourg.
Grand Bay's claim to fame is that it wast the site of the last victory of the French Navy over the Royal Navy, back in the 18somethings. Both flotilla commanders were injured in the battle, and wound up in adjoining beds in the Dutch hospital in Mahebourg.
A story about the Little Digger: He was a nav on Mosquitoes for most of WWII, only once did a German aeroplane hit his ---- and Ray actually made the acquaintance of said Me110 pilot, by then a very senior Lufthansa Captain, at La Chaland.
We all wondered if we were going to see WWII, part II, but they became great friends --- giving a whole new meaning to swapping war stories.
Tootle pip!!
PS: Mustafa , any relation to Bunny Lee's two great mates in Bahrain, Mustafacrap and Mustafapee.
Oops!!
LeadSled is right, Blue Bay is the correct one. About Grande Bay though, I can't find it on my Caltex road map of MRU which I used often to roam about the place. There is a Grande Baie up near Trou au Biches, only on the opposite side of the island about as far away as you can get!
The memory obviously isn't what it used to be!
I flew with Bunny Lee quite a bit but my handle didn't come from his two "friends". Our Bunny certainly had lots of "couth", most of it "un"!! His words, not just mine.
LeadSled is right, Blue Bay is the correct one. About Grande Bay though, I can't find it on my Caltex road map of MRU which I used often to roam about the place. There is a Grande Baie up near Trou au Biches, only on the opposite side of the island about as far away as you can get!
The memory obviously isn't what it used to be!
I flew with Bunny Lee quite a bit but my handle didn't come from his two "friends". Our Bunny certainly had lots of "couth", most of it "un"!! His words, not just mine.
Thread Starter
tmbstory
Found the one you were wondering about -
Date: 12 DEC 1960
Type: Douglas C-47A-5-DK (DC-3C)
Operator: Airlines of New South Wales
Registration: VH-INI
C/n / msn: 12252
First flight: 1944
Crew: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Airplane damage: Written off
Aircraft fate: Written off
Location: off Sydney, NSW (Australia)
Phase: Unknown
Nature: Training
Departure airport: Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport, NSW
The DC-3C had departed Sydney for a pilot training flight, but failed to return. Some floating wreckage was found and recovered off Sydney.
Found the one you were wondering about -
Date: 12 DEC 1960
Type: Douglas C-47A-5-DK (DC-3C)
Operator: Airlines of New South Wales
Registration: VH-INI
C/n / msn: 12252
First flight: 1944
Crew: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Passengers: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Airplane damage: Written off
Aircraft fate: Written off
Location: off Sydney, NSW (Australia)
Phase: Unknown
Nature: Training
Departure airport: Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport, NSW
The DC-3C had departed Sydney for a pilot training flight, but failed to return. Some floating wreckage was found and recovered off Sydney.
