Crocodiles, Hyenas and Wings

[DarkHelmet]

PastMaster, DarkHelmet, the Crocodile and the Hyena

You might be aware of DarkHelmet and the big reveal but this story goes beyond new wings, new kit and remade aeries.

PastMaster has a close friend that owns a farm close to Hoedspruit. The farm happens to be a game farm and it is a spot that has hunters streaming in from all over. The farm is 5x4km and has a runway longer than my home base, Aviators Paradise. The runway is approximately 1km and has progressed from a “tweespoorpaadjie” to a fully fledged runway. Those of you that own a legal copy of EasyPlan, go look up Meindorf. If you have a pirated version, look it up too!

I collected ZU-AXC from Jenya Saturday morning and flew her to Aviators Paradise. We were leaving for Meindorf on Tuesday morning. The plan was to trailer in, being hard at work has its disadvantages, but I need a lot of crap on the ground and trailoring 500km makes more sense than flying in.

Planning is key and de-rigging a trike the evening before you head out is not a good idea! My neighbour is retired and I was supposed to give a training session on Pastel accounting the day before we went to the bush. I anticipated the training to be finished by 11am. I left the client at 13:30!
Rushing to Builders Warehouse I realised how buggered I was! I need ratchet straps, I need a 6m stretch of wood, I need a standby torch, I need batteries for the GPS!

Neigbour helped me a few weeks before to weld and bend mounts for the wing to fit my Ford 2.5 TD Single Cab bakkie. I bought this pickup after the last trip to Hoedspruit, towed “My Precious” with a Fiesta RSi the last time!

Supporting the wing on two points is a bad idea, giving it a flat area to rest on is first prize!

After running through Builders Warehouse chasing down pricing for ratchet straps and swopping components I was on my way to pick up the two pine 6m length planks that was to take my wing to her next point of construction.

An age of waiting and anxious staring at the clock, I rushed up the sidewalk at neighbours house, he had a date with his wife at 17:30, I had a date with Flo at 16:30. I still needed to collect the trailer from Flo Momberg, we ferried Big D’s non-starting Gemini to Flo the week before and I needed the trailer to tow ZU-AXC to Hoedspruit.

Neighbour and I made haste welding new support struts and a centre support on top of the Ford. I call her the “Granada” but she will be getting a new name shortly! Ford? Granada? Get it?

By now it is 2 am and I am frantically packing to leave to meet PastMaster at 06:30. It is 06:30 and I cannot find my wallet! Lesson to be learnt? Plan and pack WELL in advance!

I call 5 minutes then I leave, ask the softness for the bank card and hit the road!

I hit the road at 06:45 and PastMaster has a lead, I catch up to them at Millies just outside Machadadorp. I arrive just as their plates are being taken away!

Without incident we arrive at the Meindorf gate. It was a long trek! The gate is locked and we are dumbfounded! It is locked and we cannot get in! I opt to hop over and and try from the other side.

Maybe the key is under the rock on the other side of the gate? As I start to scale the fence we hear the rumblings of a quad bike approaching. Big “kak” scaling the fence! I jump down and wait...

The gate is open and everyone needs relief and a Black Label. Cut, cut, slurp slurp, we are off to the airfield! Dagnabit, a cold beer never tasted so good!

We park ZU-BBT and ZU-AXC, BBT has her wing on the trailer and AXC’s wing was carried on the new mounts on the Ford. We hoist the wing of ZU-AXC from the Ford and place it “securely” next to the trailer for rigging the next morning.

Securely turns out to be a relative term, but more about security later!

After the “Big Unload” we head for Bateleur Camp, situated in the centre of the farm. We take a brief tour of the facilities and a scream echos as JP sees the rubber snake at the entrance of the camp!
Stepping back in time, we offloaded our most precious and we headed for the “swemgat”. PastMaster was first to drop his outers and opted to go slipping and sliding down the rock with a Black Label in hand.

Our first sight was one of a bottle doing a dance to stay upright! PastMaster slid down the rock and the next moment he was doing a jigga that no-one could describe! All of it with his beer facing upwards!

Meneer Krokodil took the stage like a bat out of hell! Pasty went up and krokkie went right!

Neef Sjert (aka Gert aka PastMaster) landed feet down on a Crocodile! I recall his flustered expression and I called him to exit over the rocks behind him.... We were lauging our asses off!

Come next morning!

I get up at the crack of dawn and everyone promises to come help rig the aerie!

Bombing the Ford onto the airfield I notice the wing has been moved to the rigging spot. Our host is Corne, blimey, browney points ouboet! You left camp and you are1 number 1! going to help me rig the aerie and you had the crew move the wing to the unfolding spot!

Wel gedaan”Ouboet”!

Next moment I see the drag marks and immediately I crucify Corne! First thing thru my head is Corne dragged it with the Quad. Corne! Serious nice gedagte but seriously AWEFUL idea!

Corne! Jou P dubbel O E ess!

I look to the left... There stands Mr/s Hyena! My mind runs and everything makes sense! No shit, I make a line for the Ford and Mr/s Hyena makes a b-line away from me! Corne is en-route with the Quad ! I sit shivering in the cab of the pickup until he arrives, I am shaken – and stirred!
I will post photos of the damage later, I misplaced the cable for the CAM, but ZU-AXC had a make-over and then a run-in with a Hyena! She will be patched up and we will have a reveal at Aviators shortly!

Thanks for the invitation to the bush PastMaster. I will not forget this, as I will not forget the last one!

Crocodiles, Hyenas HO!

Tsortsie Portsie Ouboet!, thanks vir 'n AWESOME naweek Pastytjie!

Oranje Blanje Blou!

Dooie Hyena P*&s!

[DarkHelmet]

The damage was hectic! I need to ordcer a cable to get it off the camera...

A hole the size of a fist between the leading edge and rest of the sail, the bugger had a field day!

Needless to say, his fur is on the back of the Ford. I thought to cover the front seat but the hair will come off I was told. I am thinking to register the trailer with customised plates = HYENA GP

Jenya will speak 4 letters when I offload the wing tomorrow! The first letter will be an F! He might start with "For"

[Aerosan]

if it was me that hyena would still be cleaning his fur and I would (as soon as Ive cleaned up) go right back and get my own back well see who`s laughing then

[The Agent]

Good story but that downhill dog I hate them scavergers like some things in this country.

[DarkHelmet]

I stood inspecting the damage, next moment Hyena was staring at me from about 100m. The bakkie was about 30m away. I ran like no Olympic sprinter ever could.

Fortunately Hyena ran the opposite way! Corne arrived on the quad with his .303 mounted on the front. He dissapeared into the bush while I waited in the van.

Bang!

The Hyena came for him and he gave it a slug in the chest.

I am taking the skin to the taxidermist today, was thinking to cover my front seat with it but Big D's fat ass will spoil the fur!

[Morph]

I think there is a handle in the making.....
Hyena...
Jaws....

The DH can stay, but change it to Dead Hyena

[DarkHelmet]

Some Pics

[DieselFan]

I think there is a handle in the making.....
Hyena...
Jaws....

The DH can stay, but change it to Dead Hyena

Gets my vote

DH thi$ $o $uck$ ! The hyena just wanted to fly...This should be added to the post of "Causes and concerns of bush airfields" done a while back.

[Morph]

Here you go

Shenzi, the crazy Hyena from the Lion King

[DarkHelmet]

More pics

[Big-D]

You leave the oke alone for a week and what do they do.....

- Jump on croc's (Not the plakkies)
- Get so wasted that Hyena's chew away at their trikes without anyone noticing
- Shoot the wrong Hyena - Or was it the right one? did he have brand new orange Dacron in his mouth?

Ahhh, sorry about your damage Shenzi - I will come along next time and make sure you okes don't make so much kak again

D

[DarkHelmet]

Went to the taxidermist today, the skin has gone vrot. all the hair is falling out!

[cobra]

What an experience , sorry DH but this a story for the Afican Skies mag

[Tailspin]

I really think DH needs a new nick out of this experience. Some suggestions from th Rietfontein naming committee are:....

Wild Thing
Hyena
Jaws
Spotty

Lets have all the suggestions and have an on-line naming again

Hyena definately gets my Vote

DH = Donerse Hyena is also an Idea

[DarkHelmet]

The wing is now with Jenya - so far the verdict is replacement leading edge and some patchwork to the upper and lower surfaces. Not looking forward to Jenya's quote...

Also suffered an engine mount breakage, the undercarriage is at Rainbow for the repair and a work-over after the hard trip on the trailer... Another quote I absolutely can wait to get!

As for the nick, I am DarkHelmet - Hyena Victim - DHHV!