This saved my mates life!!!!

[peter12213]

Just paying homage to the best attack helicopter ever created!
My friend is serving right now in Afghanistan and he phoned me just minutes ago and told me that his hide and that of his fellow soldiers has just been saved by one of these and that I wouldn't believe what he just saw!! (He couldn't say much but he certainly mentioned this beast)

These shots are for the real hero's serving in them and providing vital close air support for our friends, family, brothers and sisters or who ever is risking there lives for the freedom of the Afghan people and defence of our countries where ever you may be!!!

I beg of you guys who ever has this amazing helo post your shots here and lets pay homage to the men and women who fly them for real, risking everything so we can be here today posting shots from our comfy chairs he said "The Bas**rds never even heard it coming" ...... That one small mercy for the Taleban I suppose not they deserve it in anyway!!

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1812/200981542935796.png

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/2415/200981542834750.png

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4417/20098154321346.png

This is the Alphasim, Westland AH64D Apache Longbow if you didn't know or hadn't seen it before!

[crashaz]

Thats a great story Peter. Thanks for sharing it with us. We owe a lot to people like your mate.

[peter12213]

He's only just turned 20 too, just a kid, well no a hardened veteran now! He serves on an armoured vehicle called the Mastiff 2 in the Light Dragoon Guards, near a town called Gereshk at FOB Price, some where in the Helmand province, he's a true hero and I can't wait to see him when he gets home and he can't wait to be home lol still roll on September!!!

[Rich]

The Light Dragoons not the Light Dragoon Guards, the Guards bit makes them heavy cavalry. Actualy it was a amalgamation of something like 4 Hussar regiments in the last defence cuts

[Nick C]

I also have a mate out in Helmand Province with the Royal Marines, he's the hardest lump of niceness that I think I've ever met. I'd by lying if I said I wasn't slightly worried every time he goes out for another tour, especially as I was one of the people who helped him get into the Marines in the first place!

Have you served a tour out there as an RAF Pilot Peter, or are you based firmly in the UK?

[BananaBob]

Cool story!! I trained with Royal Marines in Sardenia, good group of guys, although we did often debate who was better, but that's expected because if you don't think you're the best, you're in the wrong place, LOL. :ernae:

[peter12213]

@ RICH!! Mate at the end of the day, he's their and were not, he is in the light Dragoons, guards or not thats what they do, "guard" and defent your and my freedom!! Heavy vehicles blown over, shot to pieces thats what they do, what ever, it was my simple stupid mistake, I train to fly in the RAF!! I know what he is, and what he's fighting for, i.e, you and me so don't worry your self over my silly mistake, try sending some support to our boys instead of correcting a pissed pilot from the Toon where ever you are at! has anyone you know gone to the fight??? Personally I can not wait to get over there to help those poor people regain some sort of normality to there innocent lives!!!

As my original post said say somthing positive towards our guys at the end of the day, do you want the Dragoons to read this message?

[peter12213]

Cool story!! I trained with Royal Marines in Sardenia, good group of guys, although we did often debate who was better, but that's expected because if you don't think you're the best, you're in the wrong place, LOL. :ernae:
Yeah me too Bob my lecurer was a Maj in the Royal Marines when I went to college, he was really small but as hard as nails lol, as an ex trainee Para myself, saying that I didn't pass the training lol, they are really tough guys and knowing you American marines there just solid having trained with them they absolutely killed us!! wish I could follow with a ..lol..but I remember the pain so I don't think its funny!! (One huge US marine dislocated my shoulder then called me a week limey sh*t) I will never forget that considering we picked the fight lol

[peter12213]

@ Nick C, hope you had a good night, I also have a mate in the RM, Lee he's called, I have no idea where he is now tho but he is also huge and as soft as anything to be with personnaly but I just know he could snap me in two lol. As a joke we always used to take the mick calling him a Moyal Ramine instead of a Royal Marine lol hahahahahha, as I was a Para hopefull then we always used to compete and I could always run faster haha lol (Happier days then)!! Anyway Happy B'day mate, you must be really drunk now I know I am haha, Have a good one up there in Cumbria!!

[calypsos]

There are two very good paperback books about the Brits that fly these out at the moment.
Apache by Ed Mmacy and Apache Dawn by Damian Lewis

The Brit AAC guys who fly them (back seaters) are often guys over 50! The young guys sit up front with all the electronic 'toys' and the guys with thousands of hours use their skills to fly the thing. I stopped operational helicopter flying years and years ago, but some of the backseaters are the same age as me!

All I can say is that the Apache does a good job, I just wish the MOD had used the same sense when buying other types of service helicopters over the past 40 years.

[djscoo]

A friend of the family is in Afghanistan with the Royal Marines right now as well. He served two tours in Iraq as a sniper in the Marine Corps. As I understand it he was recruited based on his reconnaissance training and now works for a private contractor flying UAVs. I can't even imagine what he must have been through, but he always stays positive.


These shots are for the real hero's serving in them and providing vital close air support for our friends, family, brothers and sisters or who ever is risking there lives for the freedom of the Afghan people and defence of our countries where ever you may be!!!
Here! Here! :ernae:

[Rich]

Sorry I mentioned it, I did 22 years in a Dragoon Guards regiment, the only one left off the last round of amalgamations, in fact the Regiment just returned from a tour in Afganistan less than a month ago, I think we lost 2 killed on that tour so a lecture on service is lost on me after I served in Aden in 60's odd bangs and things then and my son also served in the Gulf war in the same Regiment.

I have every admiration for the hard job they have and am not trying to depreciate anything.

look at my avtar and this the Pilot Martin Forde is a mate of mine and is fortunatly still alive today at least he was last week, I was in a different bit of Aden at the time non the less I was there and so was my brother.

http://www.flat222.org/gallery2/v/brian/army/Aden-Sharjah/Aden/Sgt+Martin+Forde_001.JPG.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

[peter12213]

Then Rich I humbally appologise SIR, why didn't you say so in the first place, I'm sorry, I'm just so highly strung and worried about him at the minute, he's like my brother, your right the guys killed were with one of the FSG patrol group's when they got hit, I just hate whats happening! plus I went to the pub before and had a drink so I meant no disepect to a fellow serviceman, all my family have served in the British army since before the boer war, my father flew the vulcan, my grandfather served in the border regement, my great great grandfather served in the capetown highlanders, as I said I appologise if I caused you any offence mate!!

[MenendezDiego]

My best bud from Canada was killed in Afghanistan, 2005.

I remember him telling me, "No one ever stays on one side for long"

Sadly the people he was there to help were the ones that ended his life.

For those still out there, be safe, be strong, our thoughts are with you, always and forever

Diego

[peter12213]

Mendez mate I'm really sorry to hear that, God bless our brothers serving still and those who have fallen!!

..... WE WILL REMEMBER THEM, ALWAYS!!!!!!

[Rich]

Sorry to twist the Topic

I was just trying to correct the Name of a non existant regiment to a existing regiment, I know we guarded or regimental title jealously and we still do,the press make so many boo boos on a unit name

We have a Regimental site where we old dodderers can keep in touch with old mates from 40 plus years ago on a daily basis we are also kept up to speed on the happenings of the current incumbants of our bit of history.

When I left the army there were something like 20 Royal Armoured Corps regiments now this is whats left


Royal Armoured Corps

1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards 1 DG. 2 DG.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) DG. 6 DG. 2 D.

The Royal Dragoon Guards 4 DG. 5 DG. 7 DG. 6 D.

The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish) 3 H. 4 H. 7 H. 8 H.

9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) 9 L. 12 L.

The King's Royal Hussars 10 H. 11 H. 14 H. 20 H.

The Light Dragoons 13 H. 15 H. 18 H. 19 H.

The Queen's Royal Lancers 5 L. 16 L. 17 L. 21 L.
1st and 2nd Royal Tank Regiments 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

The named titles are the existing regiments the numbers on the right were the old regiments before amalgamations since 1959 where there were 30 I think

The leter following a number denotes

DG = Dragoon Guards

D = Dragoons only one D listed 2D = Royal Scots Dragoons, 1D = Royal Dragoons lost in amalgamation with the Royal Horse Guards.

H = Hussars

L = Lancers

so currently only 9 regiments exist

I was in the top of the heap

[peter12213]

I feel quite embarresed that I don't know his exact regiment, I'll be sure to get it right next time Rich!!

[calypsos]

Not wishing to be disrespectful Peter, but for a trainee pilot in the RAF, I have to say your grammar and spelling fall some degree below those expected of us 30 years ago! Maybe the computer generation has no need of written communications in the 21st century.

However, although it may not be needed in the cockpit nowadays, I do hope you will take more care when writing out things such as annual assesments of any airmen/women under your future command.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p>


Old guy's rant now over, please continue on topic :icon_lol::icon_lol:

[yago9]

Not wishing to be disrespectful Peter, but for a trainee pilot in the RAF, I have to say your grammar and spelling fall some degree below those expected of us 30 years ago! Maybe the computer generation has no need of written communications in the 21st century.

However, although it may not be needed in the cockpit nowadays, I do hope you will take more care when writing out things such as annual assesments of any airmen/women under your future command.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>


Old guy's rant now over, please continue on topic :icon_lol::icon_lol:

ouch...

[Bjoern]

Not wishing to be disrespectful Peter, but for a trainee pilot in the RAF, I have to say your grammar and spelling fall some degree below those expected of us 30 years ago! Maybe the computer generation has no need of written communications in the 21st century.

However, although it may not be needed in the cockpit nowadays, I do hope you will take more care when writing out things such as annual assesments of any airmen/women under your future command.<o:p></o:p>


Old guy's rant now over, please continue on topic :icon_lol::icon_lol:

Seconded.


Other than that, it's quite embarassing that Eurabia needed about 32232 years to pump out a similar helo to the AH-64.

Yet personally, I'm still more of a fan of the Comanche. A dream to fly in "EECH" compared to the brick-like handling of the Apache.

[Bone]

I train to fly in the RAF!!

What stage of training are you in, and for what position (ie Pilot, Navigator, Flight Engineer, ect)? Since I have so much time in commercial aviation, military aviation has become much more interesting to me. That's what has drawn me to these flight sims. With the exception of my Razbam A-6 and Alphasim F-111, I rarely sim-fly anything that would have someone sitting next to me. Fighters and formation flying... lots of formation flying.

[Techy111]

Sounds like your dramatising things...? I too would be interested to hear where your training mate..?

Tony

[peter12213]

Bone I'm still at the basic officers training stage, although I've been off recently due to personal circumstances, I train at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire on the Grob Tutor.
As for grammer well I'm afraid you were right as a Geordie, English was never my strong point lol! I'm a computer generation person Calypsos and almost always rely on my spell check to correct me but it hasn't affected me yet lol! Thanks for the support too...NOT!

[Bone]

Bone I'm still at the basic officers training stage, although I've been off recently due to personal circumstances, I train at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire on the Grob Tutor.
As for grammer well I'm afraid you were right as a Geordie, English was never my strong point lol! I'm a computer generation person Calypsos and almost always rely on my spell check to correct me but it hasn't affected me yet lol! Thanks for the support too...NOT!


Well, good luck to you with the flight training. As far as your grammer is concerned, it most likely won't make a difference when it comes to talking on the radios....most of the chatter is either abbbreviated or truncated.

[MenendezDiego]

I never really took a persons grammer too seriously on message boards...that is unless they are being a donkey and you just want to give em a quick jab :icon_lol:

[BananaBob]

I never really took a persons grammer too seriously on message boards...that is unless they are being a donkey and you just want to give em a quick jab :icon_lol:

It's "grammar" - Quick jab. Sorry couldn't resist bro, LOL :ernae:

[peter12213]

Glad you guys got my mistake thanks Bob, some really smart people here, well spotted hahhahaha you see I'm testing all the time, not HAHA! (So glad you spotted that.) :icon29: Here's to you mate!!
I appreciate the support from Mendez and Bone means alot to me guys!! (plus guys you never heard how us geordies speak) LOL

[Bone]

I appreciate the support from Mendez and Bone means alot to me guys!! (plus guys you never heard how us geordies speak) LOL

I was married to a Bournemouth girl, who's sister was married to a Geordie. I never had a problem understanding him, until we started drinking...and that just made him funnier. He was pilot, too, so we had alot in common.

Now, my buddy from Glasgow...that was an accent that could be tough. Two shots of Drambui would have him talking in Glasweejan (spelling?).

[Bjoern]

Glasweejan (spelling?).

Glaswegian.


I have to be pedantic in the language department - I'm german after all. :icon_lol:

[Bone]

Glaswegian.


I have to be pedantic in the language department - I'm german after all. :icon_lol:

Thanks Bjoern.

[calypsos]

As for grammer well I'm afraid you were right as a Geordie, English was never my strong point lol! I'm a computer generation person Calypsos and almost always rely on my spell check to correct me but it hasn't affected me yet lol! Thanks for the support too...NOT!

Believe me Peter, I was trying to be supportive of your career.

As a guy who has 'been there, done that and got the tee-shirt' (which has long since faded and been eaten by moths), I was only pointing out something that any of your instructors would have done, you (having announced now, your true status) represent the Royal Air Force, computer generation or not. Without wishing to sound like a school teacher, I have noticed a distinct improvement in you grammar since I made the post.
Good luck with Cranwell, not somewhere I ever went to myself...too thick!!
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[peter12213]

I appreciate that Calypsos, and I don't think your thick at all!:ernae: