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Skyvan Lunacy
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 12:27 pm
by ryallm
Looking forward to jumping out a Skyvan in a couple of weeks, but I will be using the tailgate, unlike these guys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB6ZgYoD54Y
Re: Skyvan Lunacy
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:21 pm
by tut
We used the Skyvan in Oman Mark, along with the Bell 205.
tut
Re: Skyvan Lunacy
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:23 pm
by ryallm
Must be a strange plane for the pilot - kinda like flying a removal van I imagine.
Re: Skyvan Lunacy
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:45 pm
by tut
Looked just like that. It was our front line workhorse, great for putting troops into short improvised air strips and taking some of the workload from us.
Dug out this photo that my crewman took when we went in to pull out the pilot who had been shot up on landing.
tut
The Tawi Attair (White City) airstrip in the east sector of the Dhofar Region was a pilot's nightmare due to the rocky nature of the terrain and potential for 'adoo' attention. Tawi Attair was an SAS base with loyal Firqa forces and with a legendary well that supplied the surrounding tribesmen and their livestock with water. Eventually, this area proved to be a model 'hearts and minds' success story.
Taken from a helicopter, the distortion caused by heat from exhaust is apparent in top half of the photo.
Re: Skyvan Lunacy
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 1:48 pm
by ryallm
Fascinating stuff Tut
Re: Skyvan Lunacy
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 2:55 pm
by tut
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1c4-psnl ... re=related. It is in 5x10 minute parts and well worth watching.
I think this was shown on TV but I missed it. The battle of Mirbat in '72 was one of the turning points in the war. We had put 22 SAS Squadron into Mirbat which was one of our front line Fort positions, then almost at the end of their tour they were hit by the biggest Adoo attack of the war. The reason that Laba never received the VC, and Taq possibly as well, was because the SAS were never officially there, they were known as BATT(British Army Training Team). I had been working with these guys for four months, putting them into Recce positions before we mounted a new operation so that they could hopefully bring us into clear areas, and it hit me hard.
One of my worst times out there was flying in the next morning to bring out the bodies of Laba and Taq.
One of the most ironic things was after all that Major Mike Kealy the Squadron Commander, later died of exposure on exercise in the Brecon Beacons.
tut
Re: Skyvan Lunacy
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:03 pm
by lotustype116
I was expecting to see this
