Shackleton Photo
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Farnham, Surrey
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pottie
Rusty & Gainesy, I was idly flicking through the channel changer on Tuesday and came across the Wings channel showing the crash of Pelican 16. Rivetting stuff, and if I recall, that guy was the flight engineer on the crew. Couple of clips of him sitting by his panel talking through the crash. Amazing photos. When they were first discussing it I hadn't realised they'd come down in the desert, I missed the first part and thus was somewhat amazed to hear them say they all got together and recited the Lords Prayer. I had visions of a re-enactment of the band on the Titanic!
Having notched up 300 hours in the AEW2, I fully appreciate the intimacy of such a crew. They were carrying 19 guys apparently, what did they all do? We only carried 9, 2 pilots, 2 navs, eng, and 4 scopies
jf
Having notched up 300 hours in the AEW2, I fully appreciate the intimacy of such a crew. They were carrying 19 guys apparently, what did they all do? We only carried 9, 2 pilots, 2 navs, eng, and 4 scopies
jf
Yes, Him
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 2,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yers have a good eye and a long memory
John, Pelican 16 was enroute to UK for an airshow (RIAT?) so had extra crew/groundcrew/PR hangers-on etc.
I heard a story that the bomb bay was half full of slabs of Castle which they couldn't get at after the forced landing, so decided they might just as well set off the ELT straight away
Last edited by Gainesy; 6th Oct 2006 at 08:20.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Shack Songs
Come on then, ye really old and bold well over 50s, apart from 'Shackletons Don't Bother Me', what other songs are there in the old sod's operatic society's song book to complement our ageing mugshots?
One to start off with (someone please fill in the blanks/errors) I heard a few times from one Dave G^$$on, to the tune of Lilli Marlene after more beer than was good for any of us:
Rolling down the runway throttles open wide
Goes the mighty Shackleton, she sways from side to side.....
(lots of dah, dah, dah-ing here)
We are the air sea rescue, we come from down your way...
One to start off with (someone please fill in the blanks/errors) I heard a few times from one Dave G^$$on, to the tune of Lilli Marlene after more beer than was good for any of us:
Rolling down the runway throttles open wide
Goes the mighty Shackleton, she sways from side to side.....
(lots of dah, dah, dah-ing here)
We are the air sea rescue, we come from down your way...
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: N. Spain
Age: 80
Posts: 1,311
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Come on then, ye really old and bold well over 50s, apart from 'Shackletons Don't Bother Me', what other songs are there in the old sod's operatic society's song book to complement our ageing mugshots?
One to start off with (someone please fill in the blanks/errors) I heard a few times from one Dave G^$$on, to the tune of Lilli Marlene after more beer than was good for any of us:
Rolling down the runway throttles open wide
Goes the mighty Shackleton, she sways from side to side.....
(lots of dah, dah, dah-ing here)
We are the air sea rescue, we come from down your way...
One to start off with (someone please fill in the blanks/errors) I heard a few times from one Dave G^$$on, to the tune of Lilli Marlene after more beer than was good for any of us:
Rolling down the runway throttles open wide
Goes the mighty Shackleton, she sways from side to side.....
(lots of dah, dah, dah-ing here)
We are the air sea rescue, we come from down your way...
206 Calypso (circa 1964)
We are the ground crew of two o six
The aircrew think that we are thick
We service the aircraft on the ground
After/pres and some turnrounds
Shift stays on till after five
While aircrew fly around the skies
At half past eight they are still there
When sir comes down on emergency air
Next day the aircraft goes into the hangar
Looks like the riggers have dropped a clanger
But after lots of sweat and toil
They find there is no hydraulic oil
Not so very long ago
Foxtrot was flying far too low
Without the aid of a riggers spanner
Two Squadron Leaders lost the scanner
There were many more verses but the original was lost on a return visit to St Mawgan years later.
Cheers
S37
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mistaken Identity
Just to go back to the Photo……………
Fairly sure it must have been taken early1983 and was a final flight to a museum – or something like that. MB will know for sure.
That chap on the left – hmmmm – not so sure that it’s Gr*h*m H*ll**rd.
I remember G H being a little thinner, in fact quite athletic.
I think he was a few inches taller.
The chap in the photo also doesn’t look quite as handsome as far as I can recall.
I’m sure that he didn’t wear brown boots with green bag – they were for walking the dog!
There’s no ‘pipe’ bulge in the top pockets.
No, I’m absolutely certain it’s not me !!!!!!!!!!!
I do know who it is though, but I’ll give you a couple of days sleuthing before I post the answer.
Concur with GlosMikeP about Ginge H and Steve D – very good news indeed. I remember the two of them performing the ‘Old M’cDonald had a Farm’ routine in the Goat Pen (?) at Kef, and 2 of the females present literally wet themselves laughing!
Pontius Nav You flew with Dad on Ansons?
!!!!!
Wait till I tell him that someone from his era CAN use a computer. I’ve tried and tried to teach him but have finally admitted defeat! Would love to know who you are – give us another clue that I can pass on to the old man. Or PM me if you wish - same goes for anyone else!!
Cheers!
Fairly sure it must have been taken early1983 and was a final flight to a museum – or something like that. MB will know for sure.
That chap on the left – hmmmm – not so sure that it’s Gr*h*m H*ll**rd.
I remember G H being a little thinner, in fact quite athletic.
I think he was a few inches taller.
The chap in the photo also doesn’t look quite as handsome as far as I can recall.
I’m sure that he didn’t wear brown boots with green bag – they were for walking the dog!
There’s no ‘pipe’ bulge in the top pockets.
No, I’m absolutely certain it’s not me !!!!!!!!!!!
I do know who it is though, but I’ll give you a couple of days sleuthing before I post the answer.
Concur with GlosMikeP about Ginge H and Steve D – very good news indeed. I remember the two of them performing the ‘Old M’cDonald had a Farm’ routine in the Goat Pen (?) at Kef, and 2 of the females present literally wet themselves laughing!
Pontius Nav You flew with Dad on Ansons?
!!!!!Wait till I tell him that someone from his era CAN use a computer. I’ve tried and tried to teach him but have finally admitted defeat! Would love to know who you are – give us another clue that I can pass on to the old man. Or PM me if you wish - same goes for anyone else!!
Cheers!
This thread has brought back memories.The year? 1971. The Venue? RAF Kinloss. The mission? teach the Crabs how to do AEW.
What a shock to be Goon suited at Oh dark thirty, spend hours in the dark briefing, stumble around the beast trying to find a way in, do 8 hours or so throwing fighters at each other and then stumble out onto mother earth only to find it was still dark! All accomplished in what was it called? 60 thousand rivets in close formation!! remember getting airborne on a yacht search only for the dear old APS 20 to go T.U. .... 11 or 12 hours on a visual search Oh My! But we did become past masters at a certain stew, the name of which escapes me!!
What a shock to be Goon suited at Oh dark thirty, spend hours in the dark briefing, stumble around the beast trying to find a way in, do 8 hours or so throwing fighters at each other and then stumble out onto mother earth only to find it was still dark! All accomplished in what was it called? 60 thousand rivets in close formation!! remember getting airborne on a yacht search only for the dear old APS 20 to go T.U. .... 11 or 12 hours on a visual search Oh My! But we did become past masters at a certain stew, the name of which escapes me!!
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: South Coast
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You have to be over 75 etc.
Hi shack,
Well matey I reckon I meet your criteria
76 and a member of the fighting 206 Foot & Mouth,St Eval 1953 Shack MkI......Trouble is dementia is setting in 
cannot remember us doing much in the way of singing,too bl..dy tired walking all the way to the Sqn. round the peri track!! but Im sure I had a good time playing "chase the bitch" with old mates like Joe Seikerkowski and Ron Wilkes.Happy Days
Reguards
Well matey I reckon I meet your criteria
76 and a member of the fighting 206 Foot & Mouth,St Eval 1953 Shack MkI......Trouble is dementia is setting in cannot remember us doing much in the way of singing,too bl..dy tired walking all the way to the Sqn. round the peri track!! but Im sure I had a good time playing "chase the bitch" with old mates like Joe Seikerkowski and Ron Wilkes.Happy DaysReguards
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: France
Posts: 289
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You have to be over 75
Good Grief----somebody as old as me on Pprune!!! I note however that you joined a year after me, although my joining date 1947 was the year I started as a Brat at Halton. Aahh! St Eval, remember the mobile chippy that used to go around the patch so that when you were doing circuits and landed for a tyre check after 4 landings you could taxi round to get near the patch, toss a siggie out to get fish and chips and then pick him up after the next four and bog off out of the circuit to eat them in peace. Happy Days.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Rugby UK
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice to see i have jogged a few memories by posting the photo. I was at Coventry when the last 2 shacks were flown in from Lossie, if i remember one was flown in by Wg Co, C***S B***H ? Some where i have some photos so i will try to dig them out and post them. And yes it was a low flypast, just below the hangers if i remember. Super.
T99.
T99.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice to see i have jogged a few memories by posting the photo. I was at Coventry when the last 2 shacks were flown in from Lossie, if i remember one was flown in by Wg Co, C***S B***H ? Some where i have some photos so i will try to dig them out and post them. And yes it was a low flypast, just below the hangers if i remember. Super.
T99.
T99.
As a spoof, Crew 3 got a signal issued from (I think) 11Gp, saying the Air Force Board had decided to name the Nimrod the AEW Trout.
The spoof took hold and we were all up in arms of incredulity; which then passed to philosophical reflection on why Trout was appropriate (there were some very interesting theories of complete rot that came out); before finally Crew 3 put us all out of our misery.
We then went to the bar for much beer in celebration, further to be entertained by a full Crew 3 moon through the window.
[As a spoof, Crew 3 got a signal issued from (I think) 11Gp, saying the Air Force Board had decided to name the Nimrod the AEW Trout.]
I think the AEW "Flounder" would have been more appropriate..!
I think the AEW "Flounder" would have been more appropriate..!
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That might well have been one of the theories. IIRC you were at Boscombe by then...perhaps more a curse than a wish!
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Somewhere flat
Age: 68
Posts: 5,601
Likes: 0
Received 55 Likes
on
37 Posts
Nimrod AEW
I remember many a debate as to a suitable name for the Nimrod AEW. One semi-serious name was "Janus" after the Roman God looking both forwards and back. This was quickly changed to the "Jason" because we'd been fleeced for lots of gold.
I believe that "White Elephant" was most appropriate, and indeed, one was stencil painted next to the door when we took the aircraft up to Kinloss for an open day (or was it at Lossie? Age plays funny tricks). GEC were not amused.
Excuse for a knees-up... 20th aniversary of selecting E-3 over Nimrod comes up in December. (18th?) Now that was a party at Waddington although I don't remember the end......
I believe that "White Elephant" was most appropriate, and indeed, one was stencil painted next to the door when we took the aircraft up to Kinloss for an open day (or was it at Lossie? Age plays funny tricks). GEC were not amused.
Excuse for a knees-up... 20th aniversary of selecting E-3 over Nimrod comes up in December. (18th?) Now that was a party at Waddington although I don't remember the end......
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 403
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It should have been a wake. £1bn spent for nothing, 70% on the airframe and 30% on the mission system; a ludicrously bad ASR; awful contractor; naive customer....and so on and so forth.
It really was the classic example of the RAF not saying what it wanted in a way that was clear, unambiguous and testable; which meant PE didn't know what to buy and GEC didn't know what to deliver.
And the deficiencies of the E-3 were addressed.... where....?
We learnt a lot from that episode.
It really was the classic example of the RAF not saying what it wanted in a way that was clear, unambiguous and testable; which meant PE didn't know what to buy and GEC didn't know what to deliver.
And the deficiencies of the E-3 were addressed.... where....?
We learnt a lot from that episode.