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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 6, 2006 18:52:41 GMT 12
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 9, 2006 14:12:09 GMT 12
Great stuff, Phil.
I have already downloaded the first part (although the video links don't seem to work for me - maybe I need to update my version of Acrobat?).
Anyway, there are some fantastic stories and pictures amongst all those pages - you should get it published.
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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 10, 2006 13:41:42 GMT 12
Craig, Thanks for your favourable comments. Yes the video clips embedded in the PDF pages are all .WMV files usually only playable with Windows Media Player 10. You may have to download the latest version recently become available from Ms download site. The popup Flash graphics .SWF files are another matter. These require the latest version of Adobe Reader to view. Otherwise (depending) you will see only a blank "popup". This issue has been an ongoing problem - it was fixed from Adobe Reader 7.0.7 onwards.
As for being published - no thanks. Getting permissions - fact checking etc. is beyond my resources. The PDF was made for viewing / interacting with on a computer screen. Some pages may be printed with good results but I don't have a colour printer to check. Mostly the pages are low quality graphics by design or necessity (because low resolution was all I had to use) so the quality of images can vary quite a bit.
This is one of the issues for web images - most could never be printed on a glossy page for example because their quality for this purpose is so low (not enough pixel resolution). The reason why there are many 'stamps' on pages is that they don't interfere with printing of the page if you choose to print them. Regards from Phil Thompson.
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 10, 2006 15:21:42 GMT 12
Phil,
Thanks for the tips about the videos: I'll upgrade today.
Anyway, love your work - I'll have to download Part 2 in the next few days. I'm waiting for a message from the IT guys asking why I'm downloading so much stuff at work! ;D
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Post by SEAN on Oct 11, 2006 5:53:38 GMT 12
Sinbad / Phil
As David Tua would say, that was awesome with and "O".
You have done a really good job, I have not been that entertained for ages, and I have only looked at the videos and some of the text. Well done.
I was part of the RNZAF team that collected all the spare parts from Nowra and a RAN stores warehouse in Sydney (can't remember the name) when we brought the A4G's off the RAN, and there was a real feeling of sadness at Nowra at that time. Some people where actually a little hostile towards us at the time, but as we all know, pretty much the same thing happened to the RNZAF with it's A4s. I still have my "end of and era" patch that the RAN presented us...
I really like what you have done, you should approach the RAN for sponsorship or something. Thanks very very much for shearing your efforts with us.
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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 12, 2006 10:51:15 GMT 12
Sean, Thanks for the positive comments. (Just as an aside: my tag has been changed now to match the new avatar "FlyNavy").
Not only the videos are fun - I hope you peruse the PDF for the pics also :-) [an old Playboy magazine joke]. Text is minimal to cut down on an otherwise 'overload' on some pages some of the time. These pages were designed to be separate if required from the main PDF. For sure the whole thing can be heavy going - from front to back. It can be dipped into at any point, the bookmark tab on the left of the page will keep you oriented in the separate 20 aircraft individual stories (I think 3 are missing from this online edition).
Sorry to hear about the hostility when you were first at Nowra picking up the A-4Gs. I think you can understand from a recent similar experience that people are upset when they entire work effort is so suddenly taken away, and in the case of RNZAF demeaned as "clapped out Skyhawks" which we know was NOT the case then.
I'm told that after an initial cold reception from some people that the RNZAF were warmly received at Nowra. I guess when that J58 roar was heard again around the base. :-)
Sean I'm interested in your "end of an era" patch. Would you be able to post a scan JPG image of it on this forum please or send it via e-mail please? Many thanks for your positive comments. Phil.
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 12, 2006 17:45:43 GMT 12
Phil, what was it like to be a RAN pilot during the early years of Skyhawk operations: any stories you can share?
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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 12, 2006 20:59:09 GMT 12
Craig, I guess the saga about making the PDF history scrapbook of the RAN A-4G Skyhawk era began when someone at www.adf-serials.com asked me to write something about my night ramp strike in late 1971. After a long time of not thinking about it as such; or having to explain it to anyone, it was odd to have it all so vivid again. Deciding to write a 'sensational' account for my non-pilot correspondent seems now a silly decision, as probably a low key explanation would have served just as well. Anyway to flesh out that text I gathered pics and videos and other material to end up with my first screen, interactive PDF that you see an example of now in the scrapbook PDF files. Soon the latest version of this rampstrike PDF will be uploaded to "RapidShare", in the meantime an older version is available at www.adf-serials.com (but it is difficult to find there perhaps). However there is now a direct link I see: www.adf-serials.com/research/ramp-strike.pdf (only 0.3Mb) _______________________________________ ______________________________________ The Skyhawk Study Group via A4-Alley is another source of other people's stories: www.gibstuff.net/a4_alley/a4s_RAN-2.htmlgroups.yahoo.com/group/skyhawkstudygroup/www.skyhawkstudygroup.a4skyhawk.org/stdygrpforum/index.phpPhil
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Post by corsair67 on Oct 13, 2006 13:37:54 GMT 12
Phil, sorry you had to bring that all up again. I'd seen the photos of the aftermath of that incident before, but I wasn't aware that you were the A-4 driver involved.
I noticed on your PDF that Errol Kavanagh is mentioned as CO of VF805 at one stage. His name rang a bell with me, and then I recalled that he was the pilot of the MiG-15 that crashed near Canberra Airport in the early 1990s. There is a park that is named after him near the crash site now.
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Post by SEAN on Oct 13, 2006 15:07:17 GMT 12
Phil As requested, here is the patch we were presented with when we collected all the spares and A4's from Nowra / Sydney. Measures 125mm x 70mm. Still in good condition to after all these years.
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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 13, 2006 22:25:25 GMT 12
Sean, Excellent. I have not seen that patch before, nor heard about. I have been away from the Navy since mid 1975 so I'm not aware of a lot of history after that time until catching up recently. Many thanks for that.
I see that I cannot e-mail you directly. Can I make an offer to swap a CDrom of my now 300Mb history for a larger copy of that patch and any photos you may have, especially of our A-4Gs before they were repainted etc. Anything is good. You can contact me if you like: lucyfer@msn.com.au BTW 'Lucifer' was my Navy callsign after "Sinbad" was reclaimed by its original owner. :-) Phil.
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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 13, 2006 22:32:54 GMT 12
Phil, sorry you had to bring that all up again. I'd seen the photos of the aftermath of that incident before, but I wasn't aware that you were the A-4 driver involved. I noticed on your PDF that Errol Kavanagh is mentioned as CO of VF805 at one stage. His name rang a bell with me, and then I recalled that he was the pilot of the MiG-15 that crashed near Canberra Airport in the early 1990s. There is a park that is named after him near the crash site now. Craig, Not a problem - at the time it was strange getting the details in some order after all that time. The memory was vivid but the words to describe such a vivid experience were a challenge. That is why I resorted to pictures and video clips and such. :-) Also trying to describe to a non-aviator the finer points of deck landing and all the rest of it in one e-mail was a challenge that I did not do well at. :-( Phil.
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Post by phil82 on Oct 14, 2006 8:20:57 GMT 12
Dunno about the RAN, but between 1974-76 I was in Singapore in the ANZUK organisation, and it was not uncommon to have a mix of officers from all three countries working alongside one another.I recall one particular guy, a RN pilot, who was the only survivor from his wings course, and that was peace-time flying!
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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 14, 2006 8:54:48 GMT 12
Phil, As a very 'general generalisation' the RN FAA making the transition from their WW2 era first jet aircraft to the much heavier, cantakerous jets of the 1960s was a difficult period for them apparently. That time was notorious for aircraft and crew losses. There is a great book available that gives first person accounts of flying in the RN FAA, it is called:
"FLY NAVY - The view from the cockpit, 1945-2000" (Full Title) edited by Lieutenant Commdander Charles K. Manning AFC, Royal Navy Published on behalf of the Fleet Air Arm Officers' Association Publishers: Leo Cooper First published 2000 LEO COOPER an imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS
ISBN 085052 732 5
Phil.
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Post by SEAN on Oct 17, 2006 5:45:32 GMT 12
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Post by SEAN on Oct 17, 2006 7:47:39 GMT 12
Phil
I got an email error trying to send my email to you at:
lucyfer@msn.co.au
I will try again...
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Post by phil82 on Oct 17, 2006 9:00:37 GMT 12
I made an official visit to Nowra [via a request from Canberra], in connection with the loss of a hangar caused by an arsonist. I had been sent a copy of the Court of Inquiry, and was asked to comment, and the powers that be decided it would be better if I did so in person!
The hangar held a variety of aircraft, mainly Grumman Trackers as I recall, and at least one HS748. Some disgruntled matelot had opened a number of fuel cocks on the Grummans, AVGAS of course, then disabled the hangar sprinkler sstem. He then lit a paper aeroplane, and launched it into the hangar with spectacular results! Some of the Trackers were destroyed and others severly damaged, and these were stored in the open for quite some time. I believe the RAN obtained a few replacements on loan from the USN. There was a party going on in the Officers Mess, and when the alarm was sounded, a couple of aircrew jumped into the 748 with the[good]intention of trying to taxy it out of the hangar, but they actually damaged the engines because the debris guards were still in place! There were other problems; the mains water supply was inadequate, which hampered the Base firemen, and of course the biggest single problem was that the sprinkler system had not been fitted with anti-interference devices, pretty standard practice in NZ. I think the culprit got quite a few years to think about it. There wasn't a lot to comment on really; the Inquiry had uncovered all the mistakes!
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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 17, 2006 22:11:41 GMT 12
[/img] [/img] [/quote] Sean, Many thanks for the pics. A close look at 876 as it taxiis away reveals the Kiwi Roundel is backwards. Was this an 'error done in haste' or a Navy joke? Also can you recall the day/date please? Thanks. Phil.
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Post by FlyNavy on Oct 17, 2006 22:18:56 GMT 12
I made an official visit to Nowra [via a request from Canberra], in connection with the loss of a hangar caused by an arsonist. I had been sent a copy of the Court of Inquiry, and was asked to comment, and the powers that be decided it would be better if I did so in person! The hangar held a variety of aircraft, mainly Grumman Trackers as I recall, and at least one HS748. Some disgruntled matelot had opened a number of fuel cocks on the Grummans, AVGAS of course, then disabled the hangar sprinkler sstem. He then lit a paper aeroplane, and launched it into the hangar with spectacular results! Some of the Trackers were destroyed and others severly damaged, and these were stored in the open for quite some time. I believe the RAN obtained a few replacements on loan from the USN. There was a party going on in the Officers Mess, and when the alarm was sounded, a couple of aircrew jumped into the 748 with the[good]intention of trying to taxy it out of the hangar, but they actually damaged the engines because the debris guards were still in place! There were other problems; the mains water supply was inadequate, which hampered the Base firemen, and of course the biggest single problem was that the sprinkler system had not been fitted with anti-interference devices, pretty standard practice in NZ. I think the culprit got quite a few years to think about it. There wasn't a lot to comment on really; the Inquiry had uncovered all the mistakes! Phil82, That hangar fire was infamous, after my time however. I know only some small bits of information from some who were there. The sailor in question had some physical lesions in his brain which apparently caused him to go nuts to the extent you describe. However I don't know more than that - apparently because of his medical condition he was released into his father's custody. His father happened to be a policeman I'm told. I have tried to follow up on the internet to find more about this incident without much success. I have only a few clippings from papers at the time if you are interested. Deliberate arson by a knowledgeable person is devasting as you saw. The Trackers were replaced by AMARC airframes within a year or two. Phil.
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Post by phil82 on Oct 18, 2006 12:53:20 GMT 12
FlyNavy, if you're keen enough, I imagine archives somewhere will have a copy of the investigation; they never throw stuff away. I had my own copy,which was classified at the time, but I don't have it now. I doubt you would have any problem getting hold of one. The investigation only looked at causes of course, and not subsequent action. It [the hangar] was just a heap of rubbish when I saw it,[1978?] but I recall Trackers with heat-distorted canopies parked on the airfield.
Just as an aside, I went into Nowra in an RNZAF Andover from Sydney, just a short hop as the crow flies, but we had to skirt a thunder storm and we were really rattling and rolling for a while, The Captain lowered flaps and undercarriage to roll with the punches so to speak, but we had a big fuel tank in the cabin and it was moving a bit! We had the NZ CNS and his wife on board, and it was hard for me to look nochalant while reading a book I can tell you! They were strong aircraft those Andovers!
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