I would be very careful about digging on any airfield in the UK. The discovery of ‘significant amounts’ of asbestos at RAF Woodvale recently has forced the famous Woodvale Rally to permanently relocate to Southport. RAF Barnham (coincidently administered from Honnington), was supposed to have been cleared of all chemical weapons in the 1960s. However, a mate of mine on 5131 BD Sqn suffered Mustard Gas Burns having been called into dispose of some shells dug up by contractors in the 1990s.

The correct way is vertical cross and usually with number one blade (marked with a black or yellow circle) at the top, especially if the aircraft is to be parked for more than a few hours or any length of time in cold weather conditions. This is to prevent oil getting past the Beta Feedback Shaft Seals. I am reasonably sure this is mentioned in Safety and Servicing Notes and the Prop AP/TOs and there was if I remember rightly a Lockheed Service News article about it.

The other very good reason for leaving them in + not x is that during your preflight walk around you check that the Prop Brake is working and also the prop and engine are free to rotate. If you leave them in X you have to get a ladder out to do the check. (There was a Flt Engineer known as Micro Eng who had to get a ladder out for the inboards but that is another story).

The Americans would often use the X though and the only explanation I ever got was it made the aeroplane look sexier.

My initial thought was dry bay lid but discounted it hence the cowardly ‘I think it is Lockheed’ statement.

I discounted it because it looks too new to be pre wing change; and it may be out there but I am struggling to find any reference to the lids being square even pre-modification. That isn’t to say of course that it isn’t a re-manufactured panel, but why would you make a new panel to fit a hole shape that no longer exists?

I toyed with the idea of J model but can’t find a good enough picture to tell. If the weather turns rubbish I may plough through my old copies of Lockheed Service News to see if there is anything C130 or even Galaxy/Starlifter.

Of course Albert has been changed many many times by just as many operators. There may still be some A models kicking about, although I think after the fire bomber tragedy they may have been withdrawn.

Griffen bimbling over today.

whats with the “rescue” on the door??

That is an 84 Sqn cab judging by the Union Flags and what looks a lot like the scorpion badge on the tail (the card suit symbol should be on the other side of the tail).

Used at Akrotiri for SAR, Under Slung Load, Water Bombing and support to the UN Peacekeepers.

Camouflage would be lovely, but surely that would mean the end of the name ‘Lusty Lindy’ as she was christened in ’91 whilst in the Gulf. Could Andy Price’s artwork be retained on a green and grey jet without it looking ‘a bit daft’ and attracting negative comments from the armchair warriors?

I remember the first Victors to be painted Hemp being referred to as the Flying T*rd because they were brown and pointed at each end by the paint finish purists. I dare say something similar happened when the Nimrod went Hemp. But that is the colour they ended their service in so that must count for something?

My view is crack on fellas, you do superb work and if you have the paint already it is a no brainer. It would be superb to have one in Hemp, one in Cam and one in White. But as long as it keeps the jet from corroding any colour is fine except pink……………..;).:diablo:

Per Ardua Ad Astra from a former Hole in the Wall Gang Spanner Monkey with a large Talisker about to be raised.