MM 2012 Cape-to-Cape Golden Age Lockheed 12 G-AGTL

[MM]

Heading out over "the land of thirst" toward Gao. Gulp.

[MM]

Long day flying over sand and more sand. 20kts headwinds for the first half caused some worry, but they abated after a couple of hours to some relief. Happy to see the Niger at last and then to cruise down to find Gao's airstrip. Safe.



http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...oMQuuxoh3zg8nc

[MM]

Then down the Niger to Niamey.

[MM]

Milk run down the Niger under clear skies. Safely into the checkpoint at Niamey.


http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...6UqsiyAEwIW4qY

[MM]

And now Lagos (DNMM). Will enjoy using these high-tech radio beacon detectors...

[Moses03]

Nice run so far M. Those twin Lockheeds seem to adapt to the sand rather well.

[MM]

Thanks. This Lockheed driver is happy to see the sand pass under the wings quickly enough...

Trip from Niamey down to Lagos showed a much more arid Nigeria than I expected. Interesting to have ones preconceptions corrected.

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...zY57XEjXpDaIsY

[PRB]

It's always good to have the sand passing under the wings. The sand, as we know, marks the edges of the air, and they are to be avoided whilst in flight...

[MM]

Leaving Lagos for Libreville over the Gulf of Guinea.

[MM]

Long flight over water interrupted by a few moments of dead silence. (Was listening to the ball game when the silence indicated a need for the tanks' being switched. The classic "audible warning system.")

Approaching the coast, the clouds started to build and boom and toss the Lockheed around in the air. On finals, we were greeted by a lively thunderstorm on the field at Libreville. Happily, the turbulence was not too severe and we walked away from another one...after a few moments of intense concentration. Thank goodness for the tough gear they make in Burbank.

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...6mm4VRVgBSlcpw

[MM]

Out of Libreville for Leopoldville in the Belgian Congo.

[MM]

Into Leopoldville safely enough after miles of trees and wetlands. Off to the Righini Bar and Garage for a lube job...

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...N4m6rEF9R6czHY

[MM]

Next, a morning dead reckoning flight along the Congo to Lisala.

[MM]

Scenic flight skirting along the Congo. Tossed around a bit by a few African thunderstorms en route. And then, the last half hour approaching Lisala was plagued by loud thunder and the driving rains of a ... North Carolina thunderstorm. Safely in before the local storms threatened the equipment (computer).

Kodaks show early morning departure, then several encounters with the Congo storms, including one over Coquihatville. In the end, it was a delight to find Lisala's gravel strip along the Congo's north bank.

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...UtOt0xWqdSXCy8

[MM]

On to Stanleyville (FZIA).

[MM]

Quick upriver leg completed to FZIA.

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...s4tqBj0yfUX3Qw

[MM]

Quick refueling and departure a half-hour ago (SOH server was being persnickety). Lure of the Rwenzori and Victoria...

[MM]

Great flight over miles and miles of dense jungle, the Virunga national park, the beauties of Lake Edward and Lake George, the cloud-covered Rwenzori peaks, and finally the thunderstorms over Lake Victoria.

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...tIS2S5YEIv2kgw

[MM]

Add a few photos...

Slipping into Simi-Simi; the jungle of the Congo is immense; Lake Edward and the historic Virunga National Park; clouds enshroud the peaks of the Rwenzori, the "Mountains of the Moon"; stormy skies and turbulence over Lake Victoria; and finally the tires squeak to signal a clean arrival at Kisumu's aerodrome.

[MM]

After a day boating on Lake Victoria, an early morning departure for Nairobi.

[MM]

Beautiful flight over the Kenyan highlands, threading between Lake Naivasha and Mount Suswa, to fly over Nairobi into Nairobi Aerodrome (Wilson). Watching the young boys running along the highland lanes makes one wonder if they must develop special athletic abilities to perform long distance work at altitude. (Cough, cough....of course in the 1930s we Euro-centrics don't believe that Africans have "the stuff" to be world-class athletes...ouch! Perhaps the 1936 Berlin Olympics gives one reason to wonder...)

http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...IDWBCEgMaxiQ5I

[MM]

A few snapshots on the way. First, the clear beauty of a bright morning over Kisumu; then encountering the ubiquitous Equatorial thunderstorms; country lanes in the highlands; a Great Rift Valley vista; and Mount Suswa with its double crater.

Access to the shield volcano Mount Suswa means negotiating with local Massai tribes who have established barricades to collect fees--it is advised to comply with local customs and hire a Massai guide! When crossing through the many Massai homesteads and grasslands, contacting the head of the family is highly recommended.

[MM]

An then the gold rush town of Mbeya in Tanganyika Territory. There must be "business opportunities" there.

[MM]

Entertaining flight over the "Big Sky" portion of Tanganyika. Big lakes, tall volcanoes, vast savannahs. Could almost see the lions and elephants and giraffes on the plain below. All a mile above sea level.

My only worry is that the instrument gauges indicated that the Lockheed had a tailwind for some of the journey. That just is not consistent with past experience...something must be wrong.

Some photos of Massai Country; Mt Maru and Mt Kilimanjaro in the distance; passing Mt Hanang; and then the short finals and softly landing on Mbeya's grass strip. Lovely flight.


http://fs-duenna.com/flights/ShowFli...98mYdQM2X6ZigE

[teson1]

Nice shots !
And Mount Suswa is a interesting geographical trivia. Thanks.