One for Dakman.

[Tony B]

While we old fogies are staggering down memory lane. this is one of Intra's DC3 might even be NB, had a soft spot for the old >>>>> . Photo is dated on the back 1974. back when 2 star petrol in Jersey was 32 p per GALLON!

[Dakman]

That would be a year after I started with them then! If you look carefully, you can see a WWII "trolley-acc" (battery cart) under the nose to provide power during maintenance, and even during start if needs be, in the absence of a motorised ground-power unit or, more usually, the aircrafts own internal batteries. I also once had to use the geared handle that fitted in a bayonet holder under a zeuss-fastened panel at 8 o'clock as viewed from the front of the engine, which, after pulling a T-handle to lift the starter brushes away from the commutator, wound up the inertia starter flywheel, (2 men on handle), and when it was judged we could go no faster, we yelled "MESH!", whereupon the pilot would use whatever was left in the batteries to mesh the starter with the engine. It invariably turned it over much faster than by normal batteries alone, and woe betide any hapless pilot who hadnt primed enough or too much, or had forgotten to switch the magnetos on! You then had to start all over again....... And yes, in those days it didnt matter who you were, if you were around, you got roped in. Health & Safety would have a fit if they saw two men exerting themselves so close to the soon-to-be-whirling propeller. We only had 3 gearboxes and handles for the whole fleet, as not all engines were so fitted, and I count myself lucky to have been one of the few people ever to have had to do it in anger for the return leg of a day-trip from Jersey to Cardiff, cos smart-**** here suspected a dodgy starter motor at the outset, and took a handle and gearbox with him, just in case!

Just to gild the lily, we once had one where the fuel-priming system was also out of action, so we placed a ladder against the cowling in front of the wing, procured two china cups full of petrol, (it melts plastic), and at the moment when the guys had reached full speed on the handle, leaned across at the top of the ladder and threw both cup-fulls down the air intake, threw both cups away as far as possible in a safe direction, SLID down the ladder, pulled it away, shouted "MESH!", and the old darling sprung into life.

Not unlike running an old MV really!.........

[Tony B]

Ah those were the days, meet one aircraft pull all the boxes out into the next one so it could fly.Wasn't it poor old NB got impaled on the forklift? Do you remeber Aurignys old Mini van they turned over? God how did we live so long, I think half the time the old girls flew despite evrything. Can you imagine a 747 with Elsans? I've got to say for me at 16 going on 17 it was one hell of a playground.

[Mark]

That is something you cant do now, how many Dakota did they have or was it just the one.

[Dakman]

Intra/JEA had seven DC-3's, G-AMPY, G-AMPZ, G-AKNB, G-AMHJ, G-AMYJ, G-AMRA, G-AMPO. When Tony B says "pulled all the boxes out", he meant the serviceable RADIO boxes, swopped between aircraft as needed so they could fly!

Engine failures were common, (cracked cylinder heads, literally NOS with probably 3 or 4 engine lifes (1200 hours) on them already, ally gone crystalline), and made the front page of the Jersey Evening Post at least once a month.

And yes, at the age of 26 I was in charge of all the crew training, and enjoying every minute of it!

[Jessie The Jeep]

Before I start, I'll apologise for the quality of the pics, they were taken with a Halina 'Disc' camera, and by disc I mean the film was a circle of 12 x 10mm square negs!

 

I remember seeing G-AMPO at the last Sunderland Airport Airshow giving pleasure flights in 1982. Then again when I worked at Newcastle Airport after the aircraft had been impounded. It sat at the airport outside our hangar for at least a year before debts were cleared. At one point, the RAF came to visit Newcastle with six hawks. They were to be parked where the Dak was, so we taxied the aircraft down to the 'East Loop' out of the way. Eventually my boss and I gave it a quick look over before pilots from the 'Air Atlantique' company collected it, taking it back to North Weald.

 

I flew in G-AMPY at Cranfield in 1985, but I don't know if it is still in the UK.

 

G-AMYJ I believe is the aircraft now at Elvington.

http://www.wheelsandwings.co.uk/07wheelswings/aircraft/elvac1.jpg[/img]

 

I have no idea of the whereabouts of the other aircraft.

 

Steve

[Tony B]

Give the old girls their due they are still pretty. Nice to know they still fly. I was 16 going on 17 working for a summer before going to college on aircraft and marine radios at the airport at the time. Genral goffer really but boy it was fun.

[Mark]

Shame does anyone know where they are now, or if they have been scrapped

[Jessie The Jeep]

Just done some searching and got this.......

 

G-AMPY and G-AMRA are still registered with 'Air Atlantique' at Coventry, though only G-AMPY is shown on AA's website.

 

G-AMPO was de-registered in 2001 and was placed as a gateguard at RAF Lyneham in Sep01.

 

G-AMPZ was de-registered in 2003 and was transfered to Germany.

 

G-AKNB was de-registered in 1985 and was transfered to the USA.

 

G-AMHJ was de-registered in 2003 and permanently withdrawn from use.

 

G-AMYJ was de-registered in 2001 and went to Elvington.

 

Steve

[Tony B]

There worse than Dodges and Land Rovers, the old girls just refuse to die!! :-D Thanks Jessie, if those airframes could talk.