Post by capney on Sept 4, 2011 10:41:31 GMT
Spent some time this morning making short notes on some memories of my time in the far East.
Hope you make it to the end..
Flashbacks of memory during my tour of the Far East
The steak and egg for breakfast in the Aussie mess.
The door stop toast and Vegemite.
Laying on my bed when the roof was struck be lightning.
Starting one of the four engine of a Hercules aircraft with a long rope.
Hearing the cheers of the passengers inside when it started!
Suffering heat stroke on top of the wing of an all white Vulcan.
Watching a guy running down the runway stark naked and shouting for his mother.
Wondering whilst flying across the shark infested South China Sea why I did not check the engines gearbox oils during pre flight !
Watching a parachute candle on a low level drop of beer rations to our army lads at a jungle fort. Result was exploding beer cans on hitting the deck.
Listening to the shouts of abuse from the army lads during our next flyover.
Standing directly under a Vulcan after a shoot up of the airfield and him pulling up at max power right above our Squadron hut.
Watching the progress of the race to see you could fly from Changi to Butterworth the quickest. Royal Air Force, Australian Air Force and New Zealand Air Force.
Changing the wheel on a helicopter while is is hovering.
Winching from helicopter to old Jap airstrip.
Sitting up front carrying out an engine test run on a Lancaster.
Talking to the Quanta airline Boeing 707 engineer about the canvas cords showing on the aircraft tyres. His comment “No worries mate, They are good for a few landings yet”
Watching three visiting F105s taking off. One engine reheat did not kick in and the aircraft ended up of the end of the runway. Much to the embarrassment of the American crews.
Seeing and hearing the Avpin starters on the Javelin aircraft over speed on engine start and blow up.
Watching the guys legging it when this happens.
Watching the crew abandoning their aircraft during take off after one the engines blew, taken out the second one by its side. They where out and running before the aircraft stopped.
Finding there are only potatoes and bananas on the menu in the mess on Labuan island because the supple ship is delayed.
Watching a movie in the cinema on the wrong side on the screen.
Being annoyed about the white glare from the projector lamp while watching the movie on the wrong side of the screen.
Shouting “rat” in the club. This was followed by a torrent of empty tinnies across the room to chase them away.
Building a wall of empties over a window. Lining up some slippery tables and launching the birthday boy down the slippery tables towards the beer can covered window. Question is “Is the window open or closed?”
Picking up the pieces of whoever went through the cans and the open window. Sometimes with broken bones.
Avoiding snakes in the grass.
Slamming all the louvres shut when the mosquito sprayers came a visiting.
Air transporting a load a land mines to the Philippines Clark Field Us Air base.
Never forget seeing the injured and maimed Aussie troops coming in the from Vietnam to the base hospital and the lucky ones back to Australia.
Making sure the cooler was running at all times overnight on the coffin crate aircraft in transit from Vietnam to Australia.
Standing in awe at the size of the first Belfast aircraft that arrived with more helicopters in it's belly.
Reverse marshalling a giant Beverly aircraft from the sandy / dusty pan onto the main runway.
Checking out the red hot exhaust manifold of the Rolls Royce 8 cylinder during the very heavy current demand of the Belfast aircraft on engine start.
Standing in wheel bay behind the engine of a 18 cylinder radial engine hitting the booster pump with a hide faced hammer with the engine exhaust either side of my head belching flames.
Finding a rat had chewed a voltage regulator electric cable.
Finding that same rat after the aircraft was fumicated and it`s state being that of a blown up football. I can still smell it now..
Enjoying the company and the old 78 rpm records of the WVS lady.
Watching a movie amonst the palm trees with a sheet tied up across the trees, and enjoying the 45 gall BBQ of steaks n stuff.
Enjoying a beer at the pool when a prying mantis dropped from the trees for a drink into my glass.
Being very aware of sea snakes and Portuguese man of war.
Watching as a pilot operated the wrong hydraulic switch and raising the front undercarriage instead of the flaps.
Feeling sorry for the same pilot after one of my lot shorted out the main power fuse to a high pressure oxygen pipe. He had to fly all the way back home at low level as we could not fix it.
Watching some skilled piloting after the port undercarriage failed to come down and then the pilot made a superb landing with the port drop tank onto the grass verge with very little damage done.
Wondering why I was watching ***** (Male Chickens) fighting in Kuchin.
Removing the paper seal on a glass of coffee powder at 10,000 feet.
Being shot at during low level supply drops to the forward army forts.
Driving the David Brown no suspension tractor
Hope you make it to the end..
Flashbacks of memory during my tour of the Far East
The steak and egg for breakfast in the Aussie mess.
The door stop toast and Vegemite.
Laying on my bed when the roof was struck be lightning.
Starting one of the four engine of a Hercules aircraft with a long rope.
Hearing the cheers of the passengers inside when it started!
Suffering heat stroke on top of the wing of an all white Vulcan.
Watching a guy running down the runway stark naked and shouting for his mother.
Wondering whilst flying across the shark infested South China Sea why I did not check the engines gearbox oils during pre flight !
Watching a parachute candle on a low level drop of beer rations to our army lads at a jungle fort. Result was exploding beer cans on hitting the deck.
Listening to the shouts of abuse from the army lads during our next flyover.
Standing directly under a Vulcan after a shoot up of the airfield and him pulling up at max power right above our Squadron hut.
Watching the progress of the race to see you could fly from Changi to Butterworth the quickest. Royal Air Force, Australian Air Force and New Zealand Air Force.
Changing the wheel on a helicopter while is is hovering.
Winching from helicopter to old Jap airstrip.
Sitting up front carrying out an engine test run on a Lancaster.
Talking to the Quanta airline Boeing 707 engineer about the canvas cords showing on the aircraft tyres. His comment “No worries mate, They are good for a few landings yet”
Watching three visiting F105s taking off. One engine reheat did not kick in and the aircraft ended up of the end of the runway. Much to the embarrassment of the American crews.
Seeing and hearing the Avpin starters on the Javelin aircraft over speed on engine start and blow up.
Watching the guys legging it when this happens.
Watching the crew abandoning their aircraft during take off after one the engines blew, taken out the second one by its side. They where out and running before the aircraft stopped.
Finding there are only potatoes and bananas on the menu in the mess on Labuan island because the supple ship is delayed.
Watching a movie in the cinema on the wrong side on the screen.
Being annoyed about the white glare from the projector lamp while watching the movie on the wrong side of the screen.
Shouting “rat” in the club. This was followed by a torrent of empty tinnies across the room to chase them away.
Building a wall of empties over a window. Lining up some slippery tables and launching the birthday boy down the slippery tables towards the beer can covered window. Question is “Is the window open or closed?”
Picking up the pieces of whoever went through the cans and the open window. Sometimes with broken bones.
Avoiding snakes in the grass.
Slamming all the louvres shut when the mosquito sprayers came a visiting.
Air transporting a load a land mines to the Philippines Clark Field Us Air base.
Never forget seeing the injured and maimed Aussie troops coming in the from Vietnam to the base hospital and the lucky ones back to Australia.
Making sure the cooler was running at all times overnight on the coffin crate aircraft in transit from Vietnam to Australia.
Standing in awe at the size of the first Belfast aircraft that arrived with more helicopters in it's belly.
Reverse marshalling a giant Beverly aircraft from the sandy / dusty pan onto the main runway.
Checking out the red hot exhaust manifold of the Rolls Royce 8 cylinder during the very heavy current demand of the Belfast aircraft on engine start.
Standing in wheel bay behind the engine of a 18 cylinder radial engine hitting the booster pump with a hide faced hammer with the engine exhaust either side of my head belching flames.
Finding a rat had chewed a voltage regulator electric cable.
Finding that same rat after the aircraft was fumicated and it`s state being that of a blown up football. I can still smell it now..
Enjoying the company and the old 78 rpm records of the WVS lady.
Watching a movie amonst the palm trees with a sheet tied up across the trees, and enjoying the 45 gall BBQ of steaks n stuff.
Enjoying a beer at the pool when a prying mantis dropped from the trees for a drink into my glass.
Being very aware of sea snakes and Portuguese man of war.
Watching as a pilot operated the wrong hydraulic switch and raising the front undercarriage instead of the flaps.
Feeling sorry for the same pilot after one of my lot shorted out the main power fuse to a high pressure oxygen pipe. He had to fly all the way back home at low level as we could not fix it.
Watching some skilled piloting after the port undercarriage failed to come down and then the pilot made a superb landing with the port drop tank onto the grass verge with very little damage done.
Wondering why I was watching ***** (Male Chickens) fighting in Kuchin.
Removing the paper seal on a glass of coffee powder at 10,000 feet.
Being shot at during low level supply drops to the forward army forts.
Driving the David Brown no suspension tractor
