Droping tanks on the ground

I was based on 801 Sqd working as a bomb head out crew was very unlucky with the guys we had. One unfortunate day the team was carrying out jettison and release checks on a SHAR. We were embarked on the Ark Royal. The PO in charge was calling from the cockpit and the AEM(WL) was on the ground pressing the buttons when the PO released each station. The AEM in question was some what of a calamity, he had diligently gone to all the stations and removed the cartridges from the pylons. It was unfortunate for the PO that he only did the port side and not the Starboard side.
I still remember walking through the hangar listing to the PO:
PO - “Port outboardâ€
AEM – “OKâ€
PO - “Port inboardâ€
AEM – “OKâ€

Then as I approached the aircraft from behind

PO - “Clear wingâ€

I was then unlucky enough to hear the bang as the 190 Gallon drop tank poured its contents onto the hangar floor. I was also unlucky enough to be in the vicinity and thus linked by association to the whole episode.
The AEM finished with a comment that haunts me to this day:

AEM – “Fl**k Slake aother cock upâ€

 

Yes he is still in the RN here at RAF Cottesmore, luckily hes not on the navy strike wing and funny old thing hes soon going to be promoted to Chief.

He also managed to rip of a fuelling hose (under pressure) without closing the valve, therefore flooding the hangar with avcat and also managed to do that twice on the same trip.

Ahhh we love him really!!

 

I don't know who the guilty person was, but in the early 80s some clown hit the clear a/c button on a Belgian Mirage at Jever (Northern Germany). Proof that the button worked was delivered in the form of 2 x 1000 ltr tanks half hanging off the a/c and fuel p1ssing all over the place. German Air Force fire service not amused.

 

Saw a Killick greenie empty half a wing-tank onto the Hangar floor on 899. Drop-tanks de-fuelled, removed and ready to remove inboard pylon. Sh1t! Put it back on!

PMSL!

 

My Stbd ones gone to :thumright:

 

I was plane captain with forementioned 'f**k sake' and one late watch he bimbled into 899's hangar to carry out flexops in his zones.(flap lube etc.) little time later i went out into the hangar and nonone was around, so carried out my bit of servicing. After a while i noticed numbnuts doing his serving on a completely different aircraft.
Somehow went into hangar and decided that aircraft must be mine it's grey,sea harrier and has Royal Navy on it job done.

And he maybe a chief soon. God bless the RN

 

People in glass houses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

A very good point Joint Force Harrier, Clee, may have had his idiosyncracies and put Invincible at Emergency Stations within an hour of arriving onboard but at least he never set of a drogue gun. In fact he actually found a seat which had a fault with seat pan handle operating link during a BFS and was rightly commended for it.

 

I remember on 801 sqdn during Ocean Wave a certain Leading Wren dropping a CBLS on the skippers Jag. Wasn't her fault though it was.....................uhmmmmmm the chief 's as he should of been supervising :thumright:

We have all f**ked up sometime in our carears just poor *** 8O does it in style :dwarf:

 

Lets just leave the poor guy alone. He may have messed up a few times, havent we all. He is not a member of Rum Ration, so cannot defend himself.

Maybe a 'moderator' should have nipped this one in the bud.

 

I agree with JFH, glass house's and all that, positions of power, and impartiality!

As ever, always look at what you would of done in such circumstances, or what have you got away without discovery!

Still the aforementioned do provide some good dits

 

No names please gents.
NFN and Bisley please edit your posts to remove same.
Those who need to know all ready do, the rest of us don't need to.

 

I remember that one, nice dent in the roof and doors. If I remember correctly the Jag was only on loan for PR purposes. I would loved to have been there when it was handed back to them.