1/72nd Italeri Hercules C.3P long fuselage conversion,.....RAF Lyneham Transport Wing 1980`s**FINISHED**.

[Aeronut]

Tony, are you doing your Mk 3 with the ramp up or down? I only ask because (and you probably know this) the K model had a different cargo floor to all other Hercules ever built.

IIRC you were a para on one of my Mk3 increased AUM para wedge trial at Boscombe, so I understand if you want to build it ramp up.

Speedy in post #52 mentioned Pete James as a Boscombe photographer. He was the ‘toggie’ In the chase Harvard when it flew through the parachutes of a JATE heavy drop; it was the loudest bang I’ve heard that didn’t involved explosives! I was on the range and watched it in horror, and in apparent slow motion.

Now for a gross recollection. At Boscombe we had a loadmaster with a ‘sick’ sense of humour. When we passengers in the cargo hold, he would get me to walk past the holding a ‘used’ sick bag which I’d hand to him. He’d open it, and after taking a tea spoon out of his flying suit he would start to eat. This would prompt the passengers to use previously unused sick bags for their intended purpose. (You paras use to pee into them as well). This excellent jape worked best when we used tinned cream of vegetable soup. 🤢🤮 😈🤪😇

[tonyot]

3 minutes ago, bzn20 said:

I must have missed it but when was that because I can see a red n white 115 Sqn  Andover ? To the left of the photo . looks a bit nose up like it's in Kneel mode too .

Airday 92 was around June/July 92 not long before we were disbanded. Pretty sure there was a kneeling Andover E.3, there was a Herk, F-14, Phantom FGR.2, a Galaxy (the lady pilot was stunning!!!), another US Navy carrier aircraft, maybe FA.18? and of course home based aircraft,...... a very good static. 

[bzn20]

2 minutes ago, Aeronut said:

a ‘used’ sick bag

It must be a service thing . Warm veg soup in a honk bag . Pretend to use it ,then hand the warm bag to the nearest Soldier ,usually . 99 and 511 Sqn Brits , 53 sqn Belfs and even shiny 10 Sqn Tens all of them did it . Standby for chain reaction ! We had to clear it all up after flight ! Get an extra 50p,then increased to a whole pound for Sanitary Duties or the usual forces' shortening to SANDU .

[bzn20]

3 minutes ago, tonyot said:

June/July 92

Explains it , I was on 2-3 month's sick leave .

[tonyot]

7 minutes ago, Aeronut said:

Tony, are you doing your Mk 3 with the ramp up or down? I only ask because (and you probably know this) the K model had a different cargo floor to all other Hercules ever built.

IIRC you were a para on one of my Mk3 increased AUM para wedge trial at Boscombe, so I understand if you want to build it ramp up.

Speedy in post #52 mentioned Pete James as a Boscombe photographer. He was the ‘toggie’ In the chase Harvard when it flew through the parachutes of a JATE heavy drop; it was the loudest bang I’ve heard that didn’t involved explosives! I was on the range and watched it in horror, and in apparent slow motion.

Now for a gross recollection. At Boscombe we had a loadmaster with a ‘sick’ sense of humour. When we passengers in the cargo hold, he would get me to walk past the holding a ‘used’ sick bag which I’d hand to him. He’d open it, and after taking a tea spoon out of his flying suit he would start to eat. This would prompt the passengers to use previously unused sick bags for their intended purpose. (You paras use to pee into them as well). This excellent jape worked best when we used tinned cream of vegetable soup. 🤢🤮 😈🤪😇

I`d like to have opened it up, with para doors slid up, para step deployed and top ramp door opened with a wedge in place,...... but the interior of the cargo hold will be a mess as the floor isn`t long enough for the added sections too,...... so I`ll paint it black and close it up. I did the AUM Para Wedge trial (we called them speed drop trials) onto Breakheart Bottom on Otterburn Training Area,..... but didn`t do the one into Denmark. It was like doing a round with Frank Bruno in that slipstream and we were all shaking our heads on the ground,.... one lad had a tear in his canopy!! 

Pete was lucky to survive the Harvard running into a parachute,.... crikey,.... I bet it was a bang too. 

I`m an ex Medic so I`ve probably done every vomit trick in the book,..... plus the pee and poo ones too LOL!! I used to gross the nurses out in A&E during the ambulance strike while handing them sick bags or pee bottles,..... then consuming the contents,.... which I`d planted in advance of course,....veg soup like you say and lager for pee which I`d froth up!! 

All the best

                  Tony 

[Pete in Lincs]

A great thread, Tony. It took me back too. Though I only ever marshalled a Herc at Odiham and then we had to shoehorn a Puma out of the back.

I too had heard of the sickbag trick. I think a Wessex loadie used to do it in front of the troops.

We really do need a Poppy in the 'like' selection. I'd have used one for your Arnhem mentions and for the '206 incident to name but two. Bless them all

[Brizeman]

Bzn20

       Air day 92. Probably the best air day we ever had. We had. USN F18 and F14 in the static and an F18 to fly. All of the warbirds that Tony is stood by were from the OFMC from Duxford. One of the captains on 10 Sqn was a co pilot on the B17 so he could get Duxford warbirds at a good rate.  Earlier on in his RAF career he had been a member of the Firebirds aerobatic team on Lightning’s but that is another story.

 

 John

[Rickoshea52]

I never did or saw the honk bag prank but sometimes used to urinate on the pan near a vent pipe and snigger like a child as the loadie/jockey (usually a 7sqn chock with an ego bigger than Lough Neagh) you despised rubbed his fingers in it to smell if it was fuel or oil on his pre-flight walkaround. Worse things were done to the mike stalks on their helmets if they were careless enough to leave them within thieving range of a liney, but the favourite was when they left weapons or ammunition behind on the cab - that could be expensive for them. 

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Along similar lines, never, ever leave your camera unattended anywhere near a bunch of sailors.  I left mine in the cockpit of the Lynx once (and never again) and came back to find that all bar one of the exposures had gone - a few weeks later (this is well pre-digital) back came 35 photographs of assorted bottoms and worse...

[Aeronut]

Quote

I did the AUM Para Wedge trial (we called them speed drop trials) onto Breakheart Bottom on Otterburn Training Area,....

My Log book says it was September 19 1988. Hercules Mk 1 XV191. Load was 58 (sim 29) Para with equipment, 2 x 1900lb Wedge plus 2 x 150 lb door bundles. Boscombe to Newcastle (via Otterburn DZ) 10:25 to 12:10 , 1:45 hrs. Pilot F/Lt Jackson. My duty was Flight Test Observer.

Ye Gods, was it really 31 years ago.

[tonyot]

3 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

A great thread, Tony. It took me back too. Though I only ever marshalled a Herc at Odiham and then we had to shoehorn a Puma out of the back.

I too had heard of the sickbag trick. I think a Wessex loadie used to do it in front of the troops.

We really do need a Poppy in the 'like' selection. I'd have used one for your Arnhem mentions and for the '206 incident to name but two. Bless them all

Cheers Pete,..... yeah I`m with you on the poppy mate! I`ve got a lot of time for the Puma Force,..... a 33 Sqn AMF Flight crew put me forward for my GOC`s Commendation after we did a medevac in Turkey,...... fantastic fliers. 

Cheers bud,

                  Tony

[tonyot]

2 hours ago, Aeronut said:

My Log book says it was September 19 1988. Hercules Mk 1 XV191. Load was 58 (sim 29) Para with equipment, 2 x 1900lb Wedge plus 2 x 150 lb door bundles. Boscombe to Newcastle (via Otterburn DZ) 10:25 to 12:10 , 1:45 hrs. Pilot F/Lt Jackson. My duty was Flight Test Observer.

Ye Gods, was it really 31 years ago.

I`ve actually checked my log (which isn`t very accurate) and it shows 2 jumps,....XV191, 19 and 20th September 1988, Corby Pike DZ, Otterburn (don`t know why I said Breakheart Bottom,..... thats Salisbury Plain isn`t it?) Speed Drop Trials,..... don`t remember ever jumping with door bundles, but I was probably too far back to see them. Small world eh!

Those lead weights that you dished out were back breaking by the way!!

 

Cheers

            Tony     

[tonyot]

2 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Along similar lines, never, ever leave your camera unattended anywhere near a bunch of sailors.  I left mine in the cockpit of the Lynx once (and never again) and came back to find that all bar one of the exposures had gone - a few weeks later (this is well pre-digital) back came 35 photographs of assorted bottoms and worse...

Same with the Army,..... especially if it is an officers camera! Some of the pics must have made the girls in the developing shop blush!!  

[Martian]

2 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

a few weeks later (this is well pre-digital) back came 35 photographs of assorted bottoms and worse...

Don't tell me that @general melchett was on them!

 

Worried of Mars 👽

[Martian]

8 minutes ago, tonyot said:

Same with the Army,..... especially if it is an officers camera! Some of the pics must have made the girls in the developing shop blush!!  

I bet the aforementioned General was on those!

 

Martian 👽

[tonyot]

2 hours ago, Rickoshea52 said:

I never did or saw the honk bag prank but sometimes used to urinate on the pan near a vent pipe and snigger like a child as the loadie/jockey (usually a 7sqn chock with an ego bigger than Lough Neagh) you despised rubbed his fingers in it to smell if it was fuel or oil on his pre-flight walkaround. Worse things were done to the mike stalks on their helmets if they were careless enough to leave them within thieving range of a liney, but the favourite was when they left weapons or ammunition behind on the cab - that could be expensive for them. 

Nice one,..... yeah did the same with radio mikes and waiting on in the mess was always a laugh when you had stroppy Sgt`s/Officers,....and their wives,.... because we did get our own back by rimming glasses, altering food etc,..... which is why I will NEVER send food back in a restaurant. I was once ordered to make the CO a brew on exercise with a "hey you,.....make me a cup of tea",..... well,.... red rag to a bull! I pee`ed into a metal cup, stuck in a tea bag,....boiled it,....added loads of sugar and milk and took it over,...... the CO had a good swill,..... passed it to the RSM,.... then the 2 i/c and it was passed around the entire head shed! They were all shaking their heads,....spitting it out and my mates were almost dying as they were laughing so much,..... me,.... I thought I was going to Colchester,.....especially when the Razz Man shouted "O`Toole,....get over here"!! The CO was apoplectic,.... and his voice went up a few octaves (it was already quite high) when he told me it was the worst brew he had ever tasted and had I "used salt rather than sugar"!!! Whew,.... yes sir,..... oh sorry sir,...... I went and made a superb brew (in the same cup) and the world was good again! I also set fire to the RSM`s Maroon beret and hid his SMG in the field shitter (I cocked it too!) but that is another story!! 

 

Cheers

          Tony 

[perdu]

Cocked it

 

 

Oooow...

 

A mate did that whilst we sat in a Bavarian forest observing an assortment of NATO's finest hunting us

 

He pondered his, er, oddness then decided to attempt to decock it with the bolt

 

We laughed

 

Later

 

Remind me not to take tea with Tony...

 

😱

[tonyot]

1 hour ago, perdu said:

Cocked it

 

 

Oooow...

 

A mate did that whilst we sat in a Bavarian forest observing an assortment of NATO's finest hunting us

 

He pondered his, er, oddness then decided to attempt to decock it with the bolt

 

We laughed

 

Later

 

Remind me not to take tea with Tony...

 

😱

You are OK if I like you,.... so don`t worry,...... and oh dear,..... de cocking an SMG,....with the magazine still attached I take it,...... I suppose NATO`s finest soon found you after that!!   

[perdu]

You kidding?

 

Only the one in the breech, the other guy wasn't that daft oh no... Quite

 

Just the one little pop

 

 

 

First flight in  a Wokka at endex, great fun in Bavaria on Reforger

[Paulaero]

On 24/11/2019 at 19:20, Aeronut said:

Tony, are you doing your Mk 3 with the ramp up or down? I only ask because (and you probably know this) the K model had a different cargo floor to all other Hercules ever built.

IIRC you were a para on one of my Mk3 increased AUM para wedge trial at Boscombe, so I understand if you want to build it ramp up.

Speedy in post #52 mentioned Pete James as a Boscombe photographer. He was the ‘toggie’ In the chase Harvard when it flew through the parachutes of a JATE heavy drop; it was the loudest bang I’ve heard that didn’t involved explosives! I was on the range and watched it in horror, and in apparent slow motion.

Now for a gross recollection. At Boscombe we had a loadmaster with a ‘sick’ sense of humour. When we passengers in the cargo hold, he would get me to walk past the holding a ‘used’ sick bag which I’d hand to him. He’d open it, and after taking a tea spoon out of his flying suit he would start to eat. This would prompt the passengers to use previously unused sick bags for their intended purpose. (You paras use to pee into them as well). This excellent jape worked best when we used tinned cream of vegetable soup. 🤢🤮 😈🤪😇

Love it !! , did exactly the same thing as an AEF staff cadet with my mate at Linton in 87 I think. Even the cook in the mess gave us a wink as we filled said sick bag with casserole, with extra carrots of course,

 

When we extricated first cadet of the afternoon we put said sick bag into the webbing of his chute and he went along with it by soaking his face with water. Suffice to say a number of cadets ran from the building as we tucked in , well it was still warm and it was a great way to ensure there was enough slots for us to get the last trip of the day...……..

 

[Paulaero]

On 24/11/2019 at 14:54, tonyot said:

Right then,...... a bit of modelling progress today!

 

First I marked out the lines to be cut,...... the rear one is along a panel line,..... the forward isn`t,..... but I chose to use a panel line as it wasn`t so far out;

 

After the cuts,.... the resin sections were removed from their formers. The mating edges had to be trimmed down quite a bit on the resin as the lip was not deep enough;

 

And then the parts were taped together and test fitted,..... it isn`t great to say the least,.... but there is at least something to work with;

 

Some close ups of the plugs,...... all dry fitted so far;

 

I`ll tackle the fuselage in a while,...... but while I had daylight for photography I assempled the wings and test fitted the two different resin engines to decide which to use,..... on the right is an Arma Models engine,...... and on the left a Heritage Aviation engine,...... as you can see the latter is far too narrow and was maybe intended for the ESCI/Ertl kit? 

 

So,.... I`ll be progressing with the Arma engines and propellers.

 

Thats all for now,...... but thank you all fo your help, advice and comments so far,....... seems we all love the old Herky Bird!!

 

Cheers

           Tony

Tony,

 

You have set off a cracking topic already with many memories both Good and bad that should serve to show some modelers  that the A/C were part of life .

 

I had the 'pleasure' of 2hrs of circuits and defiantly bumps in a VC 10, the day before my 16th birthday in 84 whilst on summer camp at Abingdon. It must have been the handling pilots first 'landing' as when he came back into the cabin for the first change over  remember the loadie giving him the line " Did we land off the first approach sir, or were we shot down"...….

 

Like those Arma engines, if its not too late I would make up each side with the plugs having been caught out with a similar stretch conversion. At least then the joint will be top and bottom and could be filled with some plastic card, but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that. 

 

keep up the good work and stories,

 

Paul

[tonyot]

2 hours ago, Paulaero said:

Tony,

 

You have set off a cracking topic already with many memories both Good and bad that should serve to show some modelers  that the A/C were part of life .

 

I had the 'pleasure' of 2hrs of circuits and defiantly bumps in a VC 10, the day before my 16th birthday in 84 whilst on summer camp at Abingdon. It must have been the handling pilots first 'landing' as when he came back into the cabin for the first change over  remember the loadie giving him the line " Did we land off the first approach sir, or were we shot down"...….

 

Like those Arma engines, if its not too late I would make up each side with the plugs having been caught out with a similar stretch conversion. At least then the joint will be top and bottom and could be filled with some plastic card, but I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that. 

 

keep up the good work and stories,

 

Paul

Cheers Paul,...... yeah you`ve read my mind about the plugs,...I`m building each fuselage half separately and then sorting the seams out,..... but cheers for the good advice anyway,..... nothing wrong with that mate. 

Love the Loadies,.... they certainly keep the pilots on their toes,..... well the experienced ones do anyway,... and their quips are straight from the hip and priceless.

I totally agree with what you say about the aircraft were part of life,.... without the human involvement they are simply inanimate objects and it is the people that make them. ...... and we have many happy memories and a few sad ones too,.....such is life.

All the best and cheers again,

                                                Tony    

[Romeo Alpha Yankee]

Nice start Tony,

 

Another thing You need to be a ware of is the engine mount, the prop arcs should be in line with each other. As is the outboards are about 2mm behind the inboards the way Italeri made the moulds. To fix this you need to file the inboard mount to be flush with the wing leading edge. None of the aftermarket engine manufacturers take this into account when the make their engines.

 

The other thing is that Italeri did make the mounts (and their engines) too wide, that is why the fit of the Heritage engines (and others) need tweaking. The mounts on the wings should be filed down too the width of the engine types. It looks like Attack Squadron made their engines the same width as the kit's

 

I have corrected the stagger and slimmed down the mounts on a couple of C-130s I am work on.

 

 

 

[tonyot]

On 11/26/2019 at 1:52 AM, Romeo Alpha Yankee said:

Nice start Tony,

 

Another thing You need to be a ware of is the engine mount, the prop arcs should be in line with each other. As is the outboards are about 2mm behind the inboards the way Italeri made the moulds. To fix this you need to file the inboard mount to be flush with the wing leading edge. None of the aftermarket engine manufacturers take this into account when the make their engines.

 

The other thing is that Italeri did make the mounts (and their engines) too wide, that is why the fit of the Heritage engines (and others) need tweaking. The mounts on the wings should be filed down too the width of the engine types. It looks like Attack Squadron made their engines the same width as the kit's

 

I have corrected the stagger and slimmed down the mounts on a couple of C-130s I am work on.

 

 

 

Thanks Ray and your Herks are very nice indeed,.... I look forward to seeing those finished. Yes I`m aware of the engine `saga',.... I`ll be tackling it soon when I get to that stage,..... some way to go yet! I`m aware of the Attack/Arma engines still being too wide,...... but the Heritage engines, although more correct looking,.... are just too narrow for the kit without a load of hastle,.... so I`ll stick with the former,....... although I am planning to make the props level. 

Cheers mate,

                    Tony 

[tonyot]

Hiya Folks,.... a bit more progress,.....

 

Last night I added the resin plug sections to the kit fuselage halves using super glue. The fit wasn`t brilliant and I suppose I should have warmed the resin in hot water first to make it more pliable,...... but we got there in the end,....... obviously I will have to do quite a bit of filling,..... hopefully not too much! The basic cockpit was also assembled and the cargo floor cut. There is a large gap underneath the forward resin plug that will have to be packed out and filled ;

 

I`ve also made a start on the wings,..... re scribing them and sanding off the raised detail;

 

So that is it for now,...... I`ll get on with painting the interior today,....... everything behind the cargo bay forward bulkhead will be black, the cockpit will be a mixture of Medium Sea Grey and Sky/Beige Green,..... with red seat cushions and orange head rests. The nav desk on the RAF Herks appears to be smaller than the one in the seat with only one crew seat,..... so I may have a look at this too.

 

Cheers for now,

                        Tony

 

Edited November 27, 2019 by tonyot