Messages

31

Irish Air Corps / Dimensions of Spitfire Tr9

« on: December 07, 2006, 09:34:48 am »

GttC, you really are an aerosexual! How did you get all that information?
Yeehah1, I don't know what the history is between you and Tony, but I do remember during my time in the 'Don, back in the '70s and '80s, Tony was a regular visitor as a guest of Officers and ORs alike. If there's anything he doesn't know about Baldonnel and the Irish Air Corps-and the staff-it can't be worth knowing. He has helped many people out on this notice board over the last couple of years.

32

Irish Air Corps / Air Corps at Collins Bks.

« on: December 06, 2006, 02:16:23 pm »

Hi Tony, I took a group of Air Cadets to Hendon a couple of weeks ago, in some areas the lighting was low but only for effect. No problem taking photos. It was a great day out only spoiled because it is free to get in! The consequence of being free is that local mums treat it as a crech during school holidays-of course that's when the cadets are available to go.
One of the staff members told us that sometimes she's actually treated as a childminder-stopping kids from climbing over the exibits while their mums natter away, not caring what their kids are up to.
It's a bit strange the museum over there not allowing photos, though. Of course the Vampire isn't an Air Corps one though, is it!

33

Irish Air Corps / Irish Air Corps Calendar 2007

« on: December 06, 2006, 02:06:13 pm »

Thanks Frank. I was just getting around to ask you if there was a 2007 calander on the way!
I've been put as acting CO of my ATC unit and I'm looking forward to having photos of Air Corps aircraft on the wall behind my desk!
Should be a good conversation piece when the wing Commander pays a visit!

34

Irish Air Corps / Irish Air Corps losses

« on: December 06, 2006, 02:00:17 pm »

Hey Badger, what do you mean a good old fashioned witch hunt? I'm sure the pilots will get in serious trouble if they are found to be in any way responsible for the destruction of these historic aircraft.
That's if they're still serving officers in the Air Corps!
(btw, that was a joke as well!)
Don't take it so serious Alex! Donners and exers are a bunch of pi55 takers!
Personally, Badger, I thought your remark about a witchhunt was very funny!

35

Irish Air Corps / Dimensions of Spitfire Tr9

« on: December 06, 2006, 01:45:54 pm »

Hey yeehah1, you were a bit blunt with Tony there! He's a font of knowledge but you can't expect him to know the wingspan of every aircraft the Air Corps ever operated!

36

Irish Air Corps / New Helis at Baldonnel

« on: December 06, 2006, 01:37:53 pm »

pilatus if you check out any of the RAF/USAF stuff they have little sensor windows mounted around the aircraft looking out in all directions. Not Forward Looking Infra Red cameras-that's the sort of thing the police use, or for Night Vision Goggle use. No these sensors detect the 'spike' when a missile is launched toward the aircraft and a small screen in the flight deck shows the direction to the pilot so they can take evasive maneuvers/countermeasures.
As for the 'cha' club, P242, they'd have to take along the little green bread wagon we used to use! Especially kitted out as a mobile workshop! With tools, a workbench, a vice, a cooker!, rig up the camo net at the back and it becomes invisible! (Unless they've got infra red!)
I still think the Puma was the best though! love your avatar, John.

37

Irish Air Corps / New Helis at Baldonnel

« on: December 05, 2006, 03:26:34 pm »

Amen to that P242. It does look like a fantastic heli, and it's great to see the IAC at the forefront of helicopter operations with a new machine.
I still can't see any passive threat detectors on the fuselage though. Any aircraft going into high threat areasthese days has to be fitted with missile detectors, chaff/flare dispensers, etc. So I doubt if they'd be deployed anywhere dangerous, unlike the troops on the ground!
Do they let 'techies' go on UN duties yet?

38

Air Corps Apprentice Contact Page / Class reunion 1966

« on: October 05, 2006, 10:32:29 pm »

Sad to hear about Paul, Claudel. Just the mention of his name brings memories!
Didn't you have the pleasure of vacuuming the Axminster down No. 5? Or did I dream it!
Only Joking about the age thing William, I'm sure the basic training you did in the 'Don set you up for later years!

39

Air Corps Apprentice Contact Page / Class reunion 1966

« on: October 05, 2006, 10:30:32 pm »

Sad to hear about Paul, Claudel. Just the mention of his name brings memories!
Didn't you have the pleasure of vacuuming the Axminster down No. 5? Or did I dream it!
Only Joking about the age thing William, I'm sure the basic training you did in the 'Don set you up for later years!

40

Irish Air Corps / Air Corps receive first AW139

« on: October 01, 2006, 05:51:09 pm »

It's great to see the Air Corps keeping up to date, as always, with new helicopters, however, these AW139s don't seem to be bristling with any passive missile warning receivers, so there would be no point sending them to any Theatre of operations. Check out RAF Pumas/Chinooks/Merlins, they've got warning receivers looking in all directions-'cos they know about being in hostile skies!

41

Irish Air Corps / PC9 Air Firing

« on: September 19, 2006, 11:43:38 am »

Hey Tony, Fouga and Turkey, they were the Matra rocket pods the Cessnas used to fire, I think they held 6x2" rockets, similar to what we used to fit to the Fougas back in the late '70s. As far as I remember they were in a green pod on the Cessnas, one pod under each wing. I was up at Gormonston for something or other when this Cessna dived over the camp, out to sea, firing off two rockets at a time (one from each pod) I remember the crack as it went off and you could follow them down, it did seem to me as if the Cessna stood still for a second! The Fouga had the capability of firing single shot or salvo. All it was was a rotor arm like a distributor at the back of the pod that set off each rocket.
Didn't the SF260s carry rocket pods also?

42

Air Corps Apprentice Contact Page / Class reunion 1966

« on: September 19, 2006, 11:33:14 am »

Williamdj, we knew what it was like to have it rough! Have you ever tried to vacuum AND shampoo the carpet down No.5 corridor? All the time with a senior telling you that you were the "Gungiest Junior" he'd ever seen!
Who else was your crowd that I'd remember, I was there from '76-85.
I came over to BA at Heathrow then, I worked with a couple of 'Old Sweats', Ruby Wells, Ollie Egan, Pat Fortune, Brian O'Donaghue-all retired quite a while ago now. The next lads I know are from '71 and '72. Jim Mansfield, Declan Judge. They're still around.

43

Irish Air Corps / Air Corps on Nationwide, 18th September

« on: September 15, 2006, 11:38:28 pm »

Hey Frank, they didn't chart my 'successful career' did they?

44

Irish Air Corps / The Air Corps and U.F.O.'s

« on: September 15, 2006, 11:36:16 pm »

I was involved in an incident when I was a crewman! we were night flying in an Alouette 111 over the Naas area, we could see a train heading towards Kildare so the pilot (I really can't say who he was!) said "Lets have some fun!" there was a full moon so the ground was well lit and we could see features well enough, so he turned off the anti-col. and position lights and hovered behind a bridge about 50' back and 20' up. When the train appeared from under the bridge he turned on the landing light and swung it through it's arc! well I watched faces looking our way with mouths open, then he turned the landing light off and swung back out of sight of the train and put the normal lights on again. No doubt we were the talk of that train for the rest of the journey!

45

Irish Air Corps / PC9 Air Firing

« on: September 15, 2006, 11:26:47 pm »

A bit different to the Cessnas rocket firing, they used to go backwards for a second!