Hercules Boys
Thread Starter
Hercules Boys
Some of you may be aware that a 'Hercules Boys' book was planned by Grub Street in 2019 and that for various reasons it was never finished. Grub Street still really want to do the book and I have just agreed to take over the authorship with a target publication in 2024. As the previous author is no longer involved, I am starting again from square one, hence the long time needed to bring it to proper fruition.
Can I please ask for any past and present Hercules men and women, air and ground crew, who might like to contribute their stories to get in touch? There is plenty of time, but I am a great believer in sooner rather than later. Having already authored four of the 'Boys' series (with two more under way), I too am very keen on this one. Although my RAF service never included the Herk, I want to ensure its story gets the airing it deserves.
Thank you in anticipation!
Can I please ask for any past and present Hercules men and women, air and ground crew, who might like to contribute their stories to get in touch? There is plenty of time, but I am a great believer in sooner rather than later. Having already authored four of the 'Boys' series (with two more under way), I too am very keen on this one. Although my RAF service never included the Herk, I want to ensure its story gets the airing it deserves.
Thank you in anticipation!
Steve,
I suggest you amend the title to take into account the women who were involved as aircrew and groundcrew on the RAF C130K. If any of my tales on the 'Global Aviation Hercules ' thread are of interest you are welcome to use them. Same goes for the pictures.
I suggest you amend the title to take into account the women who were involved as aircrew and groundcrew on the RAF C130K. If any of my tales on the 'Global Aviation Hercules ' thread are of interest you are welcome to use them. Same goes for the pictures.
Thread Starter
Many thanks for that. As I said in my preamble, the book will most certainly include the ladies! The 'Boys' title is a long established series and the publisher is loath to change it.
John,
they were very successful ! I hosted a university team who had been tasked to investigate db and frequencies inside the a/c. The report made interesting reading but nothing was ever done. When i was with the HEART, we asked MOD about noise levels in the forthcoming 'J'. They eventually admitted that it would probably be even higher than the 'K' ! Thankfully I had retired by the time the much delayed 'J' entered service.
they were very successful ! I hosted a university team who had been tasked to investigate db and frequencies inside the a/c. The report made interesting reading but nothing was ever done. When i was with the HEART, we asked MOD about noise levels in the forthcoming 'J'. They eventually admitted that it would probably be even higher than the 'K' ! Thankfully I had retired by the time the much delayed 'J' entered service.
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From the front-Enders perspective the J was quieter as we were all issued with ANR headsets! It might have been marginally noisier down in the stalls but there was less vibration, possibly due to the slightly more modern synchrophaser.
I recall one occasion as a co trying to sort the imprest paperwork down the back of a K, I selected the seating forward of the landing gear, in line with the props, put my folder down as I sat, by the time I had settled and reached for it it had vibrated onto the floor. I placed it back on the seat and watched it as it immediately vibrated off again. I don’t recall whether the props were in need of a re-synchronising, which they did seem to do regularly. In the J in the unlikely event of needing one you just reset the FADECs as I recall.
I recall one occasion as a co trying to sort the imprest paperwork down the back of a K, I selected the seating forward of the landing gear, in line with the props, put my folder down as I sat, by the time I had settled and reached for it it had vibrated onto the floor. I placed it back on the seat and watched it as it immediately vibrated off again. I don’t recall whether the props were in need of a re-synchronising, which they did seem to do regularly. In the J in the unlikely event of needing one you just reset the FADECs as I recall.
Steve,
I suggest you amend the title to take into account the women who were involved as aircrew and groundcrew on the RAF C130K. If any of my tales on the 'Global Aviation Hercules ' thread are of interest you are welcome to use them. Same goes for the pictures.
I suggest you amend the title to take into account the women who were involved as aircrew and groundcrew on the RAF C130K. If any of my tales on the 'Global Aviation Hercules ' thread are of interest you are welcome to use them. Same goes for the pictures.
The 'Boys' series of books has coped long enough not to be drawn into that type of weird social engineering. The women who flew and worked on Albert can be considered honorary 'boys'.
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John,
they were very successful ! I hosted a university team who had been tasked to investigate db and frequencies inside the a/c. The report made interesting reading but nothing was ever done. When i was with the HEART, we asked MOD about noise levels in the forthcoming 'J'. They eventually admitted that it would probably be even higher than the 'K' ! Thankfully I had retired by the time the much delayed 'J' entered service.
they were very successful ! I hosted a university team who had been tasked to investigate db and frequencies inside the a/c. The report made interesting reading but nothing was ever done. When i was with the HEART, we asked MOD about noise levels in the forthcoming 'J'. They eventually admitted that it would probably be even higher than the 'K' ! Thankfully I had retired by the time the much delayed 'J' entered service.
You obviously never flew in the A model Hercs with Aeroproducts three bladed props. We operated them here in the RAAF...
As the one who may have inadvertently set this particular hare running I will not comment further on the book title. What I can say is that in respect of female ALMs being posted to the RAF Hercules I do know a great deal. As the CALMI at Lyneham I attended several meetings where this subject was discussed. My take has always been if you can do the job, then irrespective of sex race colour or any other arbitrary distinctions then that is all that is required. It was finally agreed that two ex VC10 female loadmasters would be posted to do the Hercules OCU at Lyneham. During the discussions we always had a rep from D/WRAF who had obviously never even been in a Hercules much less flown in one ! I will not bore you with the sometimes arcane discussions we had.
Because the WRAF ALMs had never done the para course they would be posted to one of the two 'route' squadrons after graduation. Having done this course was mandatory before qualifying to dispatch paratroopers. So the first two came and of course everything was fine.
Fast forward a few years and I am now the ALM Leader on 30. I get a phone call from the posters asking for my thoughts on an ab initio female ALM coming straight to the Hercules.
I told him I could see no 'just impediment' as that was how most of the chaps arrived. So it was agreed and his parting shot was 'we will send her to you ' !
Billie 'M' duly arrived, and what she lacked in height she more than made up for in enthusiasm. One of my better decisions. I can honestly say that I had less problems, professional or personal with the girls than with one or two of the male ALMs.
Because the WRAF ALMs had never done the para course they would be posted to one of the two 'route' squadrons after graduation. Having done this course was mandatory before qualifying to dispatch paratroopers. So the first two came and of course everything was fine.
Fast forward a few years and I am now the ALM Leader on 30. I get a phone call from the posters asking for my thoughts on an ab initio female ALM coming straight to the Hercules.
I told him I could see no 'just impediment' as that was how most of the chaps arrived. So it was agreed and his parting shot was 'we will send her to you ' !
Billie 'M' duly arrived, and what she lacked in height she more than made up for in enthusiasm. One of my better decisions. I can honestly say that I had less problems, professional or personal with the girls than with one or two of the male ALMs.
I remember seeing the first USAF C130’s passing through Lajes at the end of 1957 when I was stuck there with a bent Hastings for three months. I was most impressed by them, but even more so with the odd C133 that came through while I was there. They made the Hastings look decrepid!
I was not going to nitpick about the spelling but then I discovered I was mistaken and thought I should confess.
"Decrepid was a common alternative spelling of decrepit until the first part of the 20th century, gradually declining in usage from around 1915-1920"
So it's all good.
"Decrepid was a common alternative spelling of decrepit until the first part of the 20th century, gradually declining in usage from around 1915-1920"
So it's all good.
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So it's 1066 rather than 10-4?
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Steve - how about Hercules Boys - and Girls.
Some of the best aviators I flew with were female, just change the title please.
Thread Starter
Can't change the title as I said - publisher's right. It is a long-running, well respected series and many collectors go for each new book to have the full set. However, sub-title will say "True tales from men and women air and ground crew...."
Many thanks to Chris U and the rest of her crew for keeping me safe during long, long hours over the South Atlantic.
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Thread Starter
Last word if I may, and can we please then move on from this? It is notable that not one of the many WRNS contributors to 'Fleet Air Arm Boys' complained about the title; indeed, one of them said "we are all one of the boys".
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Chief Bottle Washer
Some of you may be aware that a 'Hercules Boys' book was planned by Grub Street in 2019 and that for various reasons it was never finished. Grub Street still really want to do the book and I have just agreed to take over the authorship with a target publication in 2024. As the previous author is no longer involved, I am starting again from square one, hence the long time needed to bring it to proper fruition.
Can I please ask for any past and present Hercules men and women, air and ground crew, who might like to contribute their stories to get in touch? There is plenty of time, but I am a great believer in sooner rather than later. Having already authored four of the 'Boys' series (with two more under way), I too am very keen on this one. Although my RAF service never included the Herk, I want to ensure its story gets the airing it deserves.
Thank you in anticipation!
Can I please ask for any past and present Hercules men and women, air and ground crew, who might like to contribute their stories to get in touch? There is plenty of time, but I am a great believer in sooner rather than later. Having already authored four of the 'Boys' series (with two more under way), I too am very keen on this one. Although my RAF service never included the Herk, I want to ensure its story gets the airing it deserves.
Thank you in anticipation!
I would ask that in fairness to using PPRuNe as a source, you allow Mil Forum members' dits to be posted here for others to enjoy and expand upon 😎
Thanks