From: John Stewart-Smith (john_stewartsmith@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Mar 11 2002 - 17:09:52 PST
In the summer of 1982 we were practicing load slinging with the Jolly Green
Giants from 601 TASS, Sembach, Germany. The pilots were bragging about how
they could pick up a deuce with 30 minutes of fuel on board, so we rigged up
the slings to an empty deuce and put a no-striper in the bed to hook up the
ring when the Jolly came overhead. Of course he jumped as soon as it was
attached. We circled Pruem Air Station (in the Eifel-Ardenne mountains) at
5000 feet to show everybody what a Jolly was capable of.
It wasn't!
The pilot jettisoned the deuce when he realized he didn't have enough fuel.
Believe me, we took off like an express elevator when the hook released. We
estimated the deuce hit 200mph before taking out two dozen very expensive
pine trees!
After an emergency landing, and fresh underwear, we were okay, but the deuce
had nothing salvageable left.
Beat that speed!
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