gary1701 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Hi all, Here's a couple of pics from a few minutes spent catching some of the last sorties back to Wattisham from the early evening during the last couple of days. The first two airframes are the first I've photographed in use (rather than in a hangar) with the new, ungraded M-TADS configuration, even if they're not showing it off to well! Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Hi Gary, nice pic's ! Just for Your info/Should You care: The helo in the last pic's has been on a "Track & Balance" flight. If You look very closely You'll see a small additional device on the L/H EFAB, "tight up" to an orange cable that lead's into the front cockpit ("CPG-Position"). Short Explanation: "Track & Balance" is normaly done whenever the rotor blades have been taken off during maintenance. After they have been put on a FCF ("Functional Check Flight") has to be made during which the blades are balanced in order to eliminate/minimize vibrations. The small device on the EFAB is a strobescope which is used to determine the blade-position. This stroboscope is only attached during "T&B"-flight's. It feed's blade-position info to a special additional computer which is also temporarely build into the CPG-position for TB-purposes only. Since this additional equipment isn't normaly carried by the Apache, all electrical wires have an orange colour to make sure they are highly visible and that all the additional stuff is removed again after the TB-Flight's. It goes without saying that the adjustments to the blades are made in-between flight's. Therefore You will often see these bird's fly numerous short sorties, especialy when thing don't go all that smooth... By the look's of it, the Apache in the third pic is also equiped with the additional TB-equipment. If You look closely some orange coloured wires can be seen in the front office. Possibly it's the same bird...? Thought You (and/or fellow ARC-ers) might find this piece of info interresting... "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gary1701 Posted April 29, 2009 Author Share Posted April 29, 2009 (edited) Hi Spooky, Thanks for the info, the more the merrier. The orange cable that randomly appears on various airframes had intrigued me before so I have asked the local guys in the past what it was, and they had said more or less the same. You're spot on about the flight as well, as the fourth picture was callsign 'Army Air 465' who went out on a brief 30 minute air test with that airframe this afternoon and are photographed doing a handling check on the runway after their return. It might be the same cab as in the third pic which was shot around the same time yesterday; same callsign/crew but where as I could read the serial off yesterdays image (ZJ175) I can't read it on any of todays shots and yesterday they only presented the righthand side of the aircraft to the camera. Need a little more training by photographers I think...! Gary Edited April 29, 2009 by gary1701 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Hi Spooky,Thanks for the info, the more the merrier. The orange cable that randomly appears on various airframes had intrigued me before so I have asked the local guys in the past what it was, and they had said more or less the same. You're spot on about the flight as well, as the fourth picture was callsign 'Army Air 465' who went out on a brief 30 minute air test with that airframe this afternoon and are photographed doing a handling check on the runway after their return. It might be the same cab as in the third pic which was shot around the same time yesterday; same callsign/crew but where as I could read the serial off yesterdays image (ZJ175) I can't read it on any of todays shots and yesterday they only presented the righthand side of the aircraft to the camera. Need a little more training by photographers I think...! Gary Hi Gary, You're welcome regarding the info (allthough You already had the "picture"). TB-flight's can sometimes be real big fun. We once had a bird which took some 2 hrs before she finaly cohered to the "outher limits" (a real nasty bird with quite a reputation, if You catch my drift...). Fortunately the weather was great: CAVOC, approx. 25C. Don't wanna do the same trick during winter-time with some drizzle or snow and temp's aroud zero or even lower. Take in account the "chill-factor"... Seen the Brit's operate their Delta's in A'stan. --> :wacko: To me, the most impressive was their attitude: "Everything is possible untill proven otherwise..." If You like I can look up some pic's and include them within this post. Just let me know & I'll see what I can do. "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gary1701 Posted April 30, 2009 Author Share Posted April 30, 2009 (edited) Hi again, Spooky, if you're got some pics, specially from intheatre I'd love to see them, please, post away! I went back into the archives and found another one from a few years ago where I first noticed that odd cord and piece of kit sticking up besides the cockpit. Oddly, if I remember correctly this was the same airframe again - maybe it's a 'duff' one! Mind you from several years of photographing these beasts at the local I've noticed that I seem to photograph the same dozen or so airframes all the time - which is a little odd considering we bought 67 and the vast majority are based here. I sometimes wonder if the rumours of many being stored for parts are accurate afterall. Gary Edited April 30, 2009 by gary1701 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Hi Gary, excellent shot showing the stroboscope on the L/H EFAB (Extended Forward Avionix Bay). As for zapping the same bird's most of the time: Yes, it is true that the Brit's aren't able to fly more bird's due to storage. When they bought the AH-64 they had some issues with Boeing regarding getting the core-software info which they needed to incorporate all there British equipment (allthough it was part of the deal !!!). Therefore they weren't able to introduce their new due according to shedule & were forced to put them in storage. In the end they settled thing's with Boeing. However, the "in service date" was extended with quite some time. When they finaly were able to bring the bird into service, the A'stan conflict came knocking at the door. This forced them to rush the bird's & aircrew's into service. Currently they only have a handfull on the intended crew's to fly the bird's. Due to the strain which is place on these crew's due to the A'stan conflict, the training of more crew's is also delayed... I guess it will still take some time before all airframes can be manned & rought into service. Never-the-less, the bird's that do fly are flown by extremely skillfull crew's. As mentioned before the Brit's have earned my respect for the way they operate... I've (hastely) put together a small selction of pic's which I shot in A'stan during my tour. The pic's have been shot at Tarin Kowt. I took the liberty to also include some other types. Thought You wouldn't mind... Hope You like them. "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Whoops.... (Might be handy...) 01) AH-64D AAC 02) AH-64D AAC 03) AH-64D RNLAF 04) AH-64D RNLAF 05) AH-64D USArmy 06) CH-47 RAF 07) Lynx AAC 08) Lynx AAC 09) HH-60 USAF 10) AH-64D USArmy "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gary1701 Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 Hi again, There's some lovely images there Spooky, and some varied types and operators. If you have even more, I for one, would love to see them. Gary Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Hi again,There's some lovely images there Spooky, and some varied types and operators. If you have even more, I for one, would love to see them. Gary Hi Gary, good to read You like the pic's. Got some more posted in another thread: OSAN Air Show 2008, which can also be found in this forum. As for even more pic's: well, I've got some 15.000 digital shot's & some 25.000 negative-slip's..... Guess it would become a bit borring if I would post them all on ARC. "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Nice pics Gary. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richter111 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 not boring in the least, post away my friend! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 not boring in the least, post away my friend! Thanx Richter111. (Well, I assume Your comment was/is to my address...) I'll see if I can cook up some stuff in the near future... In the meantime You might wanna have a look at one of my other post's "OSAN Air Show 2008". (Should be here somewhere...) Former mentioned post will give You an idea of the Air Show that was held at Osan AB in South Korea last year. Furthermore I travelled through the entire country & was also lucky enough to shoot some pic's at other S-K air bases. Unfortenately "fence checking" (or "spotting") is a bit tricky in S-K due to it's "situation" with it's northern neighbour. This resulted in the fact that I had to be pretty carefull. Besides, the weather wasn't perfect either. Fortunately I had quite some luck at Daegu AB & was able to zapp quite some F-4D's. Furthermore I also enclosed some pic's from Taiwanese Mir.2000's, shot during my visit to Taiwan in the same period I visited S-K. Hope You'll enjoy them in the meantime. Hopefuly "Gary1701" will also post some more of his stuff in the future. Without a doubt an equal joy to behold his pic's...!!! "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gary1701 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 (edited) Hi again guys, I'll do my best with the pics, just have to be careful not to repeat some familiar one's from previous postings. Haven't had a lot of luck Apache hunting since I took those at the begining of the post, although it hasn't been through lack of trying, as the weather here hasn't been too bad in the last week or so but it's now turned back to your usual British summer conditions - overcast and wet! These are a couple I have got in the last week. Both birds have the new sight fitted. I think the crews were a little suprised to see me as in both cases I was not standing somewhere they would expect to see someone. Staying at Wattisham, but leaving Apache's for a while these shots from last week were the result of one of the bases RAF SAR crews coming over to the fence for some pics. The AAC are hosting another visit next week so, depending on what access is given, might have some more stuff then. Gary Edited May 14, 2009 by gary1701 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Excellent stuff my friend :) ! Wouldn't be too sure about those guy's "not having You seen". I see they have their TADS out. You won't believe the image it produces untill You've seen it Yourself !!! (Worked with it so I just might know a thing or two about it...) Not even to mention the new PNVS... Love the shot's of "Tweety" !!! Looking forward to see some more stuff in the future. "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 P.S. Nice detail; in the second Apache shot You can clearly see that the TADS is slaved to the pilot's helmet ("back-seater"). Compare the "attitude" of the TADS-Turret (lower) with that of the pilot's head. Normaly the CPG (front-seater) operate's the TADS & the Pilot operate's the PNVS (Top-Turret). It should be pointed out (to those which are less familiar with the Apache) that each crew-member can operate each seperate system, as the picture clearly show's in this case... "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gary1701 Posted May 16, 2009 Author Share Posted May 16, 2009 (edited) Hi again, That's certainly quite possible Spooky, as I've often noticed when I get the pics back home and look more closely that the TADS and PNVS are often tracking me. Although Wattisham airfield is quite accessible nobody really goes and tries to photograph these things very much from the outside, it's certainly not on the enthusiasts lists much, and has a rather undeserved reputation for being very unfriendly to photographers/spotters. I've certainly not had any problems for years. So I think the crews tend to be a bit suprised when they see someone with a camera along the fence somewhere, away from the road. The PNVS always seems to be skewed to the extreme left hand side when they're recovering - would this be a default position when not in use? A couple of pics from the last 48 hours, including what I believe is a first. ZJ168 recovering to the field at the end of flying yesterday afternoon (friday). Note another new M-TADS fitted bird and the rather peculiar distortion in the drab paint scheme just under the gunners cockpit, on the side of the Avonics bay (EFAB I think you call them). Well, today (saturday) was a families day for 3 Regiment, AAC, one of the two Apache regiments based here. Local Enthusiasts not invited unfortunately, so these were shot through the fence at some distance and against the sun I'm afraid. The same airframe was used for a solo display and has gained a dedication, just 24 hours on. The first non-standard insignia to be applied to any AAC Apache I believe. A rather poor blown up version. After a little googling I found what I think it refers too. Captain Bertram Dickson from the Royal Regiment of Artillery was the very first British military aviator, having flown in 1910. A Lynx AH7 was previously named 'Dickson Pioneer II 1873-1913' apparently, I don't know what the first was though. Hoepfully, they'll be more to follow. Gary Edited May 16, 2009 by gary1701 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spooky 01 Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Hi Gary, once again some nice shot's You've got there. :D (And that's coming from a guy that doesn't even like Helo's... ) The PNVS always seems to be skewed to the extreme left hand side when they're recovering - would this be a default position when not in use? You're quite right regarding this comment. Whenever the PNVS is not in use it's placed in the "stowed" position (facing to the extreme left hand side). This is done to somewhat protect the glass of the PNVS-System. Same goes for the TADS. Whenever the system is not in use, the TADS-turret is placed in the stowed position with it's "window's" facing inward. In that position You'll (obiously) will see the back-side of the TADS-turret, showing two plates attached to it. These plates are counter-weight's in order to balance the mass. It's always impressive to see that these fairly heavy turret's are able to follow the operator's head-movement at real time speed. Only at extreme fast head-movement, the system tend's to lag behind a bit... Note another new M-TADS fitted bird and the rather peculiar distortion in the drab paint scheme just under the gunners cockpit, on the side of the Avonics bay (EFAB I think you call them). The Avionix bay is indeed reffered to as EFAB (Extended Forward Avionics Bay). Don't know what You mean by "the rather peculiar distortion in the paint scheme" though... All I can detect is a "bulge" on the EFAB. If that's what You're reffering to: Within the R/H EFAB You'll find part of the "feeder-belt" of the gun-system. Behind the buldge there is a motor-system which stick's out quite a bit, thus explaining the bulge in the EFAB-cover. Whenever the EFAB-door is opened, the weapons-specialist is able to operate the motor-system and load up the round's into the feeder-belt. The first non-standard insignia to be applied to any AAC Apache I believe. Nice addiotional info regarding the "zapp". Sure is nice to see a splash of colour on these bird's. Hope to have been able to provide some additional info. Thanx for sharing. "Check Six....." Spooky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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