Very 70s, some of that kit was issued to me in 1986, in 1987.we received the L85A1 and the new helmet. I didn't use the kidney pouches and opted for water bottle pouches instead and sandwiched with poncho/NBC carriers and kept together with bungies. I ditched the back pack and bought the karrimor Jaguar S75 system, the boots were less than desirable so I invested in Danner goretex combat boots.
This will get the old timers thinking back when they could jump out of a Puma with full kit But have trouble today getting out of the car at ASDA age is cruel to all of us
I was in 2LI with the Gordon’s ,hemer as part of 6 airmobile ,they forget to tell you about the amount of tabbing you had todo😮, the kit carried was unbelievable thinking back ,get of a chinook and if you fell there was no way of getting up on your own ,but all in all loved my time in 6 airmobile
I love the way the narration @ 0:22 said Air Mobility was a “new” concept, for the British it might have been but it was not for other countries, most especially the USA who employed the air mobility in Vietnam for many years. I joined the RAF in 1979 and spent a lot of time in support of the aircraft (Puma and Chinook) throughout my career, I left in 2003 after 24 years and over 12+ years was on the rotary wing element of air mobility, the best time of all my service, only, thank goodness, 4 years on “plank trash” (Tonka Toys), fast jets, you can keep them. @ 11:55 the narration was telling porky pies, 1 (one) minute to refuel a Puma, I don’t think so, in fact I know so, even doing a RRR (Rotors Running Refuel) and only putting in a small top up to the fuel tanks takes considerably more than one minute, just because it is under operational conditions doesn’t mean you can ignore safety, just getting the hose to the aircraft, bonding the hose to the aircraft and removing the filler cap is twenty-thirty seconds and a minimum of 2-3 minutes putting the fuel in (more if they need a lot of fuel) and then the reverse procedure for the refuelling team to get clear so the aircraft could fly away safely, of course they could do a “in the hover” refuel but that was, to the best of my knowledge and experience, only ever done if an aircraft had an undercarriage malfunction and was seriously low on fuel, that gave us “Techies” time to try and sort the problem out and get the undercarriage down and locked, and if we failed in that the aircraft would have had to land on its belly, at an RAF station that would have involved landing on a pile of sandbags arranged to allow the radio/navigation aerials to not hit the ground and snap of but also to allow the pilot to cushion the landing slowly to avoid the aircraft rolling to either side and the rotor blades striking the ground which would be incredibly dangerous for the crew (if they hadn’t left just the pilot and maybe the loadmaster onboard) and anyone else in the vicinity, but in the field I would imagine (don’t know because it never happened to me) they would find the flattest and softest bit of land and just bring the aircraft down as gently as possible and maintain control for as long as possible or until the rotors/engines stopped, anyone left onboard might make a run for it whilst the rotors wound down, but they would have needed to run fast because the likelihood was that the aircraft would just tip sideways (lateral roll) and the blades would strike the ground very quickly spewing debris around and probably destroying the aircraft completely. Looking at this film now it makes me appreciate the Chinook even more than I already did, the whole reaction force, including light artillery, could have been moved forward with just two aircraft, depending on the size of the force off course. I have to admit that this film, being before I joined the SHF (Support Helicopter Force) seems very antiquated, just as my experiences will seem outdated, but it still makes me remember the good, and bad, times serving in the SHF and the RAF, best years of my life. Thanks for sharing this walk down memory lane (almost my era) very much appreciated. Per Ardua Ad Astra. 😀👍🇬🇧🏴🇺🇦🇮🇱🇨🇦. Had to laugh right at the end, the narration said about “good use of camouflage”, all I could see was equipment under camouflage nets, not a piece of the surrounding wooded area or terrain in sight, it looked awful and stood out like a dogs 🐕 you know what, fieldcraft?………what fieldcraft?. lol 😂 Sorry, I was just wondering why the Puma’s were flying so high, perhaps they had been told to fly that high so the film didn’t put Army and/or RAF recruits and trainee pilots off joining up.
It was a new concept for BAOR in quickly deploying light, airmobile infantry in defence against massed armoured breakthroughs or forward units under pressure, it clearly didn't mean sticking a soldier in a helicopter is new
Shiny new Pumas with no dust filters, vigilant anti tank missiles, Sioux for Recce, a rapier battery practically still with the cellophane wrapper on, Ferret with Swingfire, AND Bedford RLs. Couldn't be more 1974 if it tried!
@@stephen2429 I was in 6 Airmobile Brigade in the 80’s too. We were told it was a trial. I remember 1LI seeing how many people they could fit in a Chinook - I think they managed 90! It was all about moving MILAN around the battlefield - 48 posts per battalion instead of the normal 16 IIRC…
@bob_the_bomb4508 I was next door 1st Gordon Highlanders. Yes, we were mechanised, then the role changed, and we became a Milan heavy Air Mobile brigade for the rest of our tour.
Labours defence strategy latest communique: Due to the lack of helicopters because of defence spending cuts all units are to be issued with bmx bikes instead.
So essentially these were mobile suicide squads then? But even at that time weren't the Soviets adept at electronic warfare/surveillance - jamming/intercepting radio systems etc? All seems a bit WW2 with regard to communications, camouflage etc. Anyway I guess it was never put to the test.
Very 70s, some of that kit was issued to me in 1986, in 1987.we received the L85A1 and the new helmet. I didn't use the kidney pouches and opted for water bottle pouches instead and sandwiched with poncho/NBC carriers and kept together with bungies. I ditched the back pack and bought the karrimor Jaguar S75 system, the boots were less than desirable so I invested in Danner goretex combat boots.
This will get the old timers thinking back when they could jump out of a Puma with full kit But have trouble today getting out of the car at ASDA age is cruel to all of us
Oh so true and oh so sad!
How those officers speak is priceless
Great to see these old documentaries.
I remember these films so well memories!
Likewise, thanks for your service.
I was in 2LI with the Gordon’s ,hemer as part of 6 airmobile ,they forget to tell you about the amount of tabbing you had todo😮, the kit carried was unbelievable thinking back ,get of a chinook and if you fell there was no way of getting up on your own ,but all in all loved my time in 6 airmobile
I love the way the narration @ 0:22 said Air Mobility was a “new” concept, for the British it might have been but it was not for other countries, most especially the USA who employed the air mobility in Vietnam for many years. I joined the RAF in 1979 and spent a lot of time in support of the aircraft (Puma and Chinook) throughout my career, I left in 2003 after 24 years and over 12+ years was on the rotary wing element of air mobility, the best time of all my service, only, thank goodness, 4 years on “plank trash” (Tonka Toys), fast jets, you can keep them.
@ 11:55 the narration was telling porky pies, 1 (one) minute to refuel a Puma, I don’t think so, in fact I know so, even doing a RRR (Rotors Running Refuel) and only putting in a small top up to the fuel tanks takes considerably more than one minute, just because it is under operational conditions doesn’t mean you can ignore safety, just getting the hose to the aircraft, bonding the hose to the aircraft and removing the filler cap is twenty-thirty seconds and a minimum of 2-3 minutes putting the fuel in (more if they need a lot of fuel) and then the reverse procedure for the refuelling team to get clear so the aircraft could fly away safely, of course they could do a “in the hover” refuel but that was, to the best of my knowledge and experience, only ever done if an aircraft had an undercarriage malfunction and was seriously low on fuel, that gave us “Techies” time to try and sort the problem out and get the undercarriage down and locked, and if we failed in that the aircraft would have had to land on its belly, at an RAF station that would have involved landing on a pile of sandbags arranged to allow the radio/navigation aerials to not hit the ground and snap of but also to allow the pilot to cushion the landing slowly to avoid the aircraft rolling to either side and the rotor blades striking the ground which would be incredibly dangerous for the crew (if they hadn’t left just the pilot and maybe the loadmaster onboard) and anyone else in the vicinity, but in the field I would imagine (don’t know because it never happened to me) they would find the flattest and softest bit of land and just bring the aircraft down as gently as possible and maintain control for as long as possible or until the rotors/engines stopped, anyone left onboard might make a run for it whilst the rotors wound down, but they would have needed to run fast because the likelihood was that the aircraft would just tip sideways (lateral roll) and the blades would strike the ground very quickly spewing debris around and probably destroying the aircraft completely.
Looking at this film now it makes me appreciate the Chinook even more than I already did, the whole reaction force, including light artillery, could have been moved forward with just two aircraft, depending on the size of the force off course. I have to admit that this film, being before I joined the SHF (Support Helicopter Force) seems very antiquated, just as my experiences will seem outdated, but it still makes me remember the good, and bad, times serving in the SHF and the RAF, best years of my life.
Thanks for sharing this walk down memory lane (almost my era) very much appreciated. Per Ardua Ad Astra. 😀👍🇬🇧🏴🇺🇦🇮🇱🇨🇦.
Had to laugh right at the end, the narration said about “good use of camouflage”, all I could see was equipment under camouflage nets, not a piece of the surrounding wooded area or terrain in sight, it looked awful and stood out like a dogs 🐕 you know what, fieldcraft?………what fieldcraft?. lol 😂
Sorry, I was just wondering why the Puma’s were flying so high, perhaps they had been told to fly that high so the film didn’t put Army and/or RAF recruits and trainee pilots off joining up.
Boring. No one cares what your sort think.
It was a new concept for BAOR in quickly deploying light, airmobile infantry in defence against massed armoured breakthroughs or forward units under pressure, it clearly didn't mean sticking a soldier in a helicopter is new
The amount of equipment we had back then is incredibly compared to today.
Brilliant! End of my time 73_82
Not much has changed!
Granddaughter looking to join AAC in March 2025
Nice to see the county regiment in action too.
Airmobile Brigade film from 1974? I was in Singapore/ Malaysia back then. Later on, in the 80s, we became 6th Airmobile Brigade, Milan heavy.
Do you think 1974 is incorrect? Some of the info with dates on these old films seems to be off sometimes, grateful for input 👍
Shiny new Pumas with no dust filters, vigilant anti tank missiles, Sioux for Recce, a rapier battery practically still with the cellophane wrapper on, Ferret with Swingfire, AND Bedford RLs. Couldn't be more 1974 if it tried!
Cheers! If its not grey and floats I'm pretty clueless 👍
@@stephen2429 I was in 6 Airmobile Brigade in the 80’s too. We were told it was a trial.
I remember 1LI seeing how many people they could fit in a Chinook - I think they managed 90!
It was all about moving MILAN around the battlefield - 48 posts per battalion instead of the normal 16 IIRC…
@bob_the_bomb4508 I was next door 1st Gordon Highlanders. Yes, we were mechanised, then the role changed, and we became a Milan heavy Air Mobile brigade for the rest of our tour.
This all seems like a lifetime ago.
Labours defence strategy latest communique: Due to the lack of helicopters because of defence spending cuts all units are to be issued with bmx bikes instead.
It takes 34 Pumas to lift a battalion in one hit. Did we ever have 34 of them?
@clangerbasher Yes - the initial purchase was 48.
Imagine us having something called an 'armoured reserve'
Was this the British Army’s version of the US Air Cavalry units used in Vietnam?
Does 16 Air Aslt Bde (currently) have the same anti armour capabilities (quantity wise) and role?
It may be required
Did south africa and rhodesia not perfect this
How quaint - and not a drone in sight .... nor the enemy's airforce either.
So essentially these were mobile suicide squads then? But even at that time weren't the Soviets adept at electronic warfare/surveillance - jamming/intercepting radio systems etc? All seems a bit WW2 with regard to communications, camouflage etc. Anyway I guess it was never put to the test.
New one for me ....