Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

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CharlieOneSix
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Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#1 Post by CharlieOneSix » Tue Jun 23, 2020 4:22 pm

Rather than thread drift the WOE thread, in reply to UP's post there...
Undried Plum wrote:
Tue Jun 23, 2020 3:27 pm
New guess: Jock Dalgleish. Outstanding member of me old flying club (Embra); and formerly personal pilot to a fellow member of said club: HM King Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom.
I met Jock Dalgleish in the mid 70's in the bar of the Royal Scot Hotel on Glasgow Road, Edinburgh - I think it's now a Marriott. I don't know how we got away with it even 45 years ago but we operated a Bolkow 105 out of the hotel car park, flying crew change flights lasting just a few minutes to the Wimpey Sealab near Inchkeith island. The helicopter was left overnight in the car park whilst we kipped at the hotel. We must have been mad! Jock of course saw the helicopter in the car park and he sought us out in the bar. An entertaining character I seem to remember.

King Hussein was mentioned by UP. I once had the privilege of flying him in a JetRanger into Battersea Heliport. What a very pleasant and charming individual! The dual controls had been left in from an earlier training trip and when I tried to usher him into the rear seats he asked if he could sit up front and perhaps have a few minutes flying the helicopter. I probably shouldn't have done it but it's difficult to say no to a King!
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#2 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Tue Jul 28, 2020 11:29 pm

Speaking of Nostalgia ??

Many retired airline pilots have written books chronicling their flying experiences, but a recent publication takes a different approach.

Phil Hogge, who flew for BOAC and British Airways as a line pilot, navigator and instructor, and who also held various management positions prior to retirement, has taken a different approach. He has used his experiences flying on Britannias, VC10s, 707s and 747s to write "Sky Talk", a collection of short stories based on actual flying incidents experienced not only by himself but also by his many colleagues. He has changed names, dates and locations to protect the innocent (!) and has spun interesting fictional tales that accurately describe the airline life he knew, with each event becoming a complete short story in itself.

This is a book that can be picked up and put down at will to suit your mood and available time, I can highly recommend it.

The book is available from the publishers https://www.burntash.eu/books-1

Any royalties that may be due to Phil will be given to the HCAP Air Pilots Trust to help aspiring young airmen.

ExS.

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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#3 Post by CharlieOneSix » Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:10 am

I've just read the 'Look Inside' excerpt and that is extremely well written. Quite tense - and the unexpected punchline at the end capped a good story. Think I'll have to order the book now...
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#4 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:37 am

Just purchased that book. Looks like it will be a great read! Thanks for pointing it out!.
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#5 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:34 am

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:37 am
Just purchased that book. Looks like it will be a great read! Thanks for pointing it out!.
Started reading this book and am really enjoying the nostalgic approach, vide. the fascinating evocation of the glamour of flying as evoked by stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the film The VIPs. Brought to mind the toy VC10 resplendent in Boac colours that the boy Goblin used to play with. Great approach and I expect a good landing.
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Your destination remains
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#6 Post by ian16th » Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:38 pm

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:34 am
TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:37 am
Just purchased that book. Looks like it will be a great read! Thanks for pointing it out!.
Started reading this book and am really enjoying the nostalgic approach, vide. the fascinating evocation of the glamour of flying as evoked by stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the film The VIPs. Brought to mind the toy VC10 resplendent in Boac colours that the boy Goblin used to play with. Great approach and I expect a good landing.
Maggie Smith stole that movie!
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#7 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:47 pm

ian16th wrote:
Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:38 pm
Maggie Smith stole that movie!
In a decade when barely one per cent of the world’s population had ever flown, airports were thought to be the epitome of sophistication.

The VIPs, written by Terrence Rattigan and directed by Anthony Asquith, cleverly mirrored the lives of its stars. Elizabeth Taylor played a famous model attempting to leave her husband for her lover, and Richard Burton played her millionaire husband. With an all-star cast and a huge budget, the producer and director needed a suitably glamorous location. In a different era, such a film might have been set on the Côte d’Azur or in a Venetian palazzo, but in the early 1960s the public’s view of glamour was altogether different. The VIPs was set almost entirely in what is now the departure lounge of Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport. Most of the filming was actually done at the MGM-British Studios in Borehamwood where a huge replica of Terminal 3 had been constructed. At the time it was the largest film set ever built in the UK.
I wonder what Woody might think of the latter fact?

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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#8 Post by ian16th » Thu Jul 30, 2020 1:16 pm

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:47 pm
In a decade when barely one per cent of the world’s population had ever flown, airports were thought to be the epitome of sophistication.
SM's 1st ever flight was in 1962, our 'Families/Trooping Charter', with BUA, Stansted to Nicosia.

The experience instantly killed off glamoures images of the Jet Set life.
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#9 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Fri Jul 31, 2020 7:13 am

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:47 pm

In a decade when barely one per cent of the world’s population had ever flown, airports were thought to be the epitome of sophistication.
And the helicopter minded would have noticed that the millionaire roue boyfriend of the lovely Elizabeth Taylor was flown into Heathrow in a helicopter, naturally... :)

Now is that a Bell? No doubt somebody will enlighten me.

VIP Helicopter.JPG
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#10 Post by G-CPTN » Fri Jul 31, 2020 7:21 am

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Fri Jul 31, 2020 7:13 am
Now is that a Bellicopter?
Fixed it for you.

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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#11 Post by CharlieOneSix » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:05 am

Well it's definitely a Hiller UH-12 but because I can't see the whole bubble it's either a UH-12E or a UH12-E4. I'd have to scroll through the film to find out. I think it's a 12E. EDIT: found it in the trailer - I now think it's a 12-E4 and the last reg letter is 'Z' so maybe it's the one in my first photo. There were not many E4's around in the UK.
UH-12E4 below
12e4.jpg
...and the UH-12E
12e.jpg
The 12e is wot l learned on....
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#12 Post by larsssnowpharter » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:17 am

First overseas journey was on a BOAC Argonaut from London to Singapore when less than a year old. About four days.

Later, many flights to different bastions of the decaying Empire. Somewhere I still have my 'Junior Jet Club' logbook and badge!

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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#13 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:35 am

CharlieOneSix wrote:
Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:05 am
Well it's definitely a Hiller UH-12 but because I can't see the whole bubble it's either a UH-12E or a UH12-E4. I'd have to scroll through the film to find out. I think it's a 12E. EDIT: found it in the trailer - I now think it's a 12-E4 and the last reg letter is 'Z' so maybe it's the one in my first photo. There were not many E4's around in the UK.

The 12e is wot l learned on....
Thanks C16. I assume the UH12-E4 could carry 3 passengers, 1 up front and two in the back?

Lovely looking machine.

Edited to say, did the aircraft actually have the power to transport 4 people
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#14 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:02 am

Not knowing much about Hiller helicopters I was looking at the type's history.

The contra rotating rotor Hiller UH-4 was a most interesting aircraft.

Hiller Commuter.JPG
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Your destination remains
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#15 Post by CharlieOneSix » Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:03 am

TGG - it was one pilot up front and three pax behind - the same as the J2 model of the Bell 47. Looking at the trailer again you can see that the last two letters are in fact "AZ" so that must be G-ASAZ as it's the only E4 match in G-INFO. There's a walkround video of the 12-E4, skip to 10:29 to see the cabin layout:


The Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 was a dream engine, pushing out 305hp, more than enough for the basic 12E so I presume still lively enough for the E4.
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#16 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:05 am

CharlieOneSix wrote:
Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:03 am
TGG - it was one pilot up front and three pax behind - the same as the J2 model of the Bell 47. Looking at the trailer again you can see that the last two letters are in fact "AZ" so that must be G-ASAZ as it's the only E4 match in G-INFO. There's a walkround video of the 12-E4, skip to 10:29 to see the cabin layout:

The Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 was a dream engine, pushing out 305hp, more than enough for the basic 12E.
Thank you for all those answers C16. Including my question about power. Same engine as the Robinson R44 save for the fact that the R44 runs the Lycoming IO-540 derated to 245 for takeoff and 205 continuous due to the different transmission (as noted in that excellent video walkaround). All in all it seems that the Hiller E4 has more grunt than the R44.
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Your destination remains
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#17 Post by CharlieOneSix » Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:20 am

Unverified but I have found a reference to G-ASAZ flying in "Goldfinger". As late as 2004 AZ was flying in the UK in Royal Navy colours as XS165. Totally fictitious as the RN never operated E4s. AZ was owned by Rent-a-Copter from 1962-68. XS165 was a basic 12E at that time - in fact my fourth solo in July 64 was on XS165 and it definitely wasn't a 12-E4!!

EDIT: It did fly in the Goldfinger film with Pussy Galore flying it. https://hieldsaviation.co.uk/flying-wit ... sy-galore/
honor-blackman-goldfinger-1.jpg
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I expect you to die Mr Bond...

#18 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:24 am

She was a very beautiful woman. RIP. Here's to her and her cat suited Piper flying squadron in Goldfinger. In the film the Hiller was Goldfinger's personal helicopter. Like an idiot I had always assumed it was a Bell.

Goldfinger Hiller.JPG
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Honor Blackman Helicopter.JPG
Honor Blackman Helicopter.JPG (31.5 KiB) Viewed 1427 times


On a more banal note I did work for the real Goldfinger, Charles Engelhard's company back in the early 90's. He was a significant benefactor to many organisations in South Africa.
Engelhard is reported by numerous sources, including Forbes and The New York Times, to have been the inspiration for the fictional character Auric Goldfinger in the Ian Fleming novel Goldfinger and the subsequent motion picture. According to the Times, Engelhard was a close acquaintance of Fleming and delighted in the characterization.
Here is another gratuitous helicopter scene in a later Bond film. How to surprise Barbara Bach... :x

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Your destination remains
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#19 Post by CharlieOneSix » Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:09 pm

The stunt pilot for that airborne chase scene was Marc Wolff. It was his first big break into stunt flying for films and the list of films that he flew for subsequent to 'The Spy Who Loved Me' is impressive : Marc Wolff's bio

I've mentioned somewhere here before but I flew a JetRanger into the Lotus factory at Hethel not long after the film was released. Can't remember who I took in there but it was a wait of several hours twiddling my thumbs. Someone took pity on me and asked if I'd like to drive one of the white James Bond Lotus Esprits round their test track on the airfield - only two road cars were used in the film, plus the submarine version and some body shells. That drive made my dull day really bright!
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Re: Ah, nostalgia - those were the days....

#20 Post by CharlieOneSix » Fri Jul 31, 2020 3:20 pm

Marc also did this superb flying sequence in 'For Your Eyes Only'. I have a few hours in Kilo Sierra but never got to throw it around like he did!

Typical management statement :-
Don't concern yourself with the pilot, one of my less useful people
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