Ultra-low flyby of a DC-3!

**martybabe** · 3rd March 2012, 12:46

Originally Posted by James Deuce

There was one still operating near Dargaville in 1984. I know because it erupted over the edge of the road on the way from Dargaville to Opononi and then chandelled and dived back down the cliff face it had just flown up. I thought my car was broken. It got really loud all of a sudden, then *BAM* DC3 fills windshield. Closely followed by a stench normally associated with Mother's Rooms in malls.

Man can I relate: I've been involved in lots of scary shit in my life time, terrorist incidents, collapsing buildings, exploding petrol tankers and the like but the scariest of all these was after a particularly exhausting tramp in the North Wales mountains.

Walking/stumbling along the road about half a k from journeys end,wet and knackered , an RAF Harrier (I think) approached silently from behind me doing mega speed at an incredibly low altitude. I knew nothing at all about it's approach until it shot over my head with a roar and a blast something akin to Armageddon in full swing, I should imagine, it couldn't have been more than 50 metres above me. In total shock, believing it to be my last seconds on earth, I dived to the side (remember the road) a screech of brakes and an almighty thwack on my rucksack as the wing mirror of the white van sent me spiralling the the grass verge. Unharmed (apart from my dignity) I distinctly remember looking at the angry driver through the long grass and thinking, life's just too fecking hard sometimes, I wan't my Mom!

**ellipsis** · 3rd March 2012, 12:52

...very similar thing happened to me up in the Great Glen,RAF doing contour training out of Lossiemouth...laying on a flat rock in the sun with a hangover and one came through the gap in the hills and was gone in a flash...left me wondering if it was my heart that had just dropped through my arse or breakfast...

**Tigadee** · 3rd March 2012, 14:03

Originally Posted by CAMSec

...????????...

As in flying nap of earth like that and sneak up on Jerry...

**Pussy** · 3rd March 2012, 14:15

Originally Posted by James Deuce

There was one still operating near Dargaville in 1984. I know because it erupted over the edge of the road on the way from Dargaville to Opononi and then chandelled and dived back down the cliff face it had just flown up. I thought my car was broken. It got really loud all of a sudden, then *BAM* DC3 fills windshield. Closely followed by a stench normally associated with Mother's Rooms in malls.

Super smells like sulphuric acid, Jim!
You are quite correct... the last DC 3 actively topdressing was used up till about 1985. ZK BBJ, operated mostly out of Gisborne, by pilot Bruce Thompson.

**Zedder** · 3rd March 2012, 19:08

Originally Posted by nudemetalz

Flying in the cargo hold of a Herk ain't good for the ears either....

That's probably why people keep jumping out of the bloody things with parachutes on then.....

**boman** · 3rd March 2012, 21:38

We used to get the Hercules fly up a valley next to home near Waiuku. The would fly up the coast, then head inland up this valley.You would be mucking around outside, then with no warning a Herky bird would pop up out of nowhere. Scared the shit outa me more than once....

Mind you, I had a pair of Skyhawks do the same, one Morning. That made me sit down and catch my breath.....

**Pussy** · 3rd March 2012, 21:46

I was doing a topdressing job east of Tarata in 1995.
Just approaching the top of a ridge, and got confronted with a couple of landing lights.... with an Aermacchi attached to them! Got my undivided attention!!

**quickbuck** · 3rd March 2012, 22:14

Originally Posted by nudemetalz

Flying in the cargo hold of a Herk ain't good for the ears either....

What???........

**quickbuck** · 3rd March 2012, 22:19

Originally Posted by Pussy

I was doing a topdressing job east of Tarata in 1995.
Just approaching the top of a ridge, and got confronted with a couple of landing lights.... with an Aermacchi attached to them! Got my undivided attention!!

You mean an anti bird strike light, and a nose leg light?
I would have worked on that one

**Pussy** · 3rd March 2012, 22:23

Originally Posted by quickbuck

You mean an anti bird strike light, and a nose leg light?
I would have worked on that one

I didn't look that close.
A 400hp Fletcher at 85 knots with still about 800kg of fert onboard isn't that manouevreable! Not sure who got the biggest fright... him or me. The Macchi turned away pretty quick.

**quickbuck** · 3rd March 2012, 22:26

Originally Posted by Pussy

I didn't look that close.
A 400hp Fletcher at 85 knots with still about 800kg of fert onboard isn't that manouevreable! Not sure who got the biggest fright... him or me. The Macchi turned away pretty quick.

Yeah.... They could think pretty fast those boys.
I'm sure they got into more "stuff" than we ever heard about.... The reporting suystem is a lot more transparent these days.