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Post by capney on Nov 7, 2011 13:33:30 GMT
Dont forget DAG. Its not just the prop thats driven. Theres oil for the engine, the aux gearbox to drive the hydralics and generator. To be honest I dont recall what the engine speed was for cruising. I remember It was a great feeling when those throttles were opened to full power, What a sense of power. Mag drop test were interesting. Each cylinder has 2 spark plugs with two fully independant magnetos which had to be tested before tale off. Lets see if I can remember correctly. To start the engine. Prop pitch set. Fuel to full rich Push the fuel prime button for a second or two. While doing this push and hold the starter button. While you are doing these two things stab the ignition booster button. After a splutter and a cough and if you got it right you have one engine started. Now do the same with the other one. Now for the mag drop test. Idea is to ensure that both systems are workong up to spec. Engine up to full power with prop in corse pitch. Now turn one of the magnetos off which will turn off one of the plugs in each of the cylinders. All being well I seem to recall a 50 rpm drop was OK. If not ok., and the usual problem was water in the plug well on the top cylinder. So, with the engine on full power and suddenly one or more cylinders not firing there was backfiring like what you have never heard before. Along with flames and unhappy noises coming out the engine. Time to shut down, cure the problem and start again. Before we even get that far we must ensure theres some weight in the back of the aircraft. Usually a few ammo boxes filled with lead. The reason for this is the aircraft was a tail dragger, in other words it sat on its tail with a small wheel. During the testing also ensure that the control colomn was all the way back to your stomach. If not it was so easy for the aircraft power to lift the tail off the ground! Very scarry for the ground crew outside.
Seems like I have been going on a bit with this post. Hope you do not fined it boring. More later of my memories of the Far East. I have loads more to tell.
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Post by DAG on Nov 7, 2011 17:12:07 GMT
So having done the mag drop test on one magneto as stated above I assume you had to do it all over again with the other? ;D
Thanks for the info. Robert, I find it interesting and look forward to more but can't speak for the others.
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Post by nazimundo on Nov 7, 2011 23:16:27 GMT
I also find it very interesting Robert so keep it coming. Alfie
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Post by capney on Nov 8, 2011 14:13:31 GMT
This next chapter took part over the Malaysian / Indonesian border.
Located along the jungle border between Malaysia and Indonesia and to protect the border from incursions we had a lot of “Army Forts” Basically these were Army bases in the thick jungle from where the guys could patrol the border. One of our jobs was to supply them with all their needs via low level air drops. This was really fun low level flying. The DZ (drop Zone) was usually marked by a balloon on a string high enough to be seen above the tree line. The aircraft would fly in a oval circuit with the drop taking place on the downwind leg. The large doors on the side of the aircraft were removed for this operation. A square of plywood with handles on two corners was positioned over the opening. The idea was that the package to be dropped was all ready fitted with a chute and we had to hump this package onto the board, hook on the static line, wait for the green light, heave on the two handles and the load would slip down the wood into the slipstream with just enough height to deploy the chute. Next would come a high G turn 180 to run back the way we had come before doing another 180 for the next run. It was during the level run that the next load would be positioned on the board and hooked up ready for the next drop. It was just impossible to move any load during the turns. So. Things were going well with loads dropping on the DZ. Until, for some unknown reason this particular parachute did not open correctly and the load hit the ground far faster then it should have. The big problem was the load was the guys beer ration..! It sort of exploded all over the jungle ! I swear to this day that I could hear some foul abuse coming up at us on the next pass. Sorry guys, I really am.
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Post by capney on Nov 8, 2011 14:14:35 GMT
Next is the Vulcan fly-by.
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Post by nazimundo on Nov 9, 2011 9:29:14 GMT
Even if you couldn't hear the foul language Robert I bet there was plenty of it ;D ;D ;D
Alfie
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Post by DAG on Nov 9, 2011 10:44:28 GMT
;D Enemy fire - no problem, but no beer ration - that's too much! ;D
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Post by capney on Nov 9, 2011 11:45:47 GMT
The Vulcan.
There were many visiting aircraft during my stay at Butterworth. I had the pleasure to work on quite a few types from lots and different Air Forces and also civilian types. After 52 Squadron was disbanded in 1965 I moved over the SASS (Staging Aircraft Servicing Section) It turned out to be a very interesting time during my service career. Before any aircraft left us we would always ask the crew if they would give us a bit of a beat up. This often happened as the Air Force in the Far East at that time was a lot less health and safety conscious as they may be today. This Vulcan left us and seemed to vanish. But no, there he was, fast and at very low level coming in across the straits between the mainland and Penang Island. What an incredible site with this Vulcan bearing down on us and wondering if it would be a wise move to hit the deck or not. Over the airfield fence and finally pulling up right above our heads. Amazing. It was like an earthquake with the volume turned up.. The only time I did hit the deck was back in this country when myself and a mate were nearly run over by a Red Arrow when they were flying the Folland Gnat aircraft.
Next is...Wheel changing on a helicopter.
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Post by kedigato on Nov 9, 2011 13:04:06 GMT
I'm so glad nobody flicked a match or ciggie butt near you after you were drenched with kerosin, Robert. The thought is nightmarish! Your explanation in Reply #30 reminded me of the times when you had to pull the choke to get a car started. Some of those cars were very ornary. ;D Enemy fire - no problem, but no beer ration - that's too much! ;D - - - well said, DAG! Wouldn't fancy that last one, very bad for the ears - I have a bit of a problem without things like that!
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Post by nazimundo on Nov 9, 2011 20:42:01 GMT
Robert your Vulcan story reminds me of a friend of mine who was a crew member on a Vulcan, they had a problem with the plane and had to land on an American air base. During the time the repairs were being carried out he said they had to endure the Americans bragging about how good their pilots and planes were, they soon got a bit sick of this so the pilot said to the crew members to quietly remove every bit of weight they could from the plane, he then asked for the plane to have a 1/4 load of fuel so he could have a test flight. He took the plane to the end of the runway then held it on the brakes put it on full power released the brakes and as soon as he left the ground he upended it and went up like a rocket, according to my friend all the American service men stood there open mouthed. Result.............. no more bragging ;D ;D
Alfie
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Post by capney on Nov 11, 2011 13:23:48 GMT
There is a story going back to the 60s probable. That a Vulcan flew right across the USA without being detected with all their high tech kit they had at the time. That really embarrased them.
Another event from my stay in the far. We had three US air Force F105s passing through and as usual we ask the pilots to give us a show. All three lind up on the runway, full power with afterburners on. Problem was one burner did not light correctly and before you knew it he was off the end of the runway awaiting for us to reach hime with the recovery vehicles and drag him to a safe standing. That little mishap cost those US flyers dearly in the Officers mess that night.
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Post by capney on Nov 11, 2011 13:32:32 GMT
Wheel change..
This helicoptor had a flat tyre. There was no jacks available to jack and support it while the wheel was changed.
Answer...
Get the pilot to start up and hover the aircraft a foot or two off the ground while we change the wheel...
Sorted.
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Post by capney on Nov 11, 2011 14:03:19 GMT
Thread bare... Talking to the Quantas 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”
Quantas used the Boeing 707 to transport the Autralian troops from Aussy to Butterworth. From there they would head to Vietnam for their tour of duty. The Quantas crew were always good to us and saved us the best ice cream the had and the latest editions of girlie mags.
It`s remembrance day today and I wouild like to tell you about my memories of those who I witnessed suffering during the Vietnam conflict. I know they were Australians and Americans but they all form part of the global peackeepers. I dont think I have writen this down before, but I shall never forget. RAAF Butterworth had a large base hospital and often we would see a "casivac" (casulty evacuation) transport aircraft flying in from Vietnam. My vivid memories of these guys injured in Vietnam will never leave me. It was how you may imagine. Lots of dressings. Limbs missing and those that never suffered the trip. The other aircraft which was regular we called the "coffin crate" These would fly in from Vietnam with metal coffins for onwards repat to australia. First job was to connect a mobile aircarft cooler to it and then check that the coffins are all secure. All this was done under the cover of darkness.... Thank you for reading.
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Post by kedigato on Nov 11, 2011 15:00:02 GMT
..... and Thank You for posting, Robert. It is a day of remembrance, remembering how soldiers of all allied nations have fought to keep the peace so we could all live free. Countless died, many returned, all too many with missing limbs and all with the things they had seen and done engraved in their minds. Thank you soldiers. PS - love your changing the tire story, Robert, it goes well with the starting the propeller plane with a rope.
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Post by DAG on Nov 12, 2011 13:37:01 GMT
Thank you and keep it coming Robert, much appreciated!
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