Thread: Lets See The Transport havn a Oops moment

Originally Posted by Ryan

I watched the NZ Air Force do a similar drop in Northland about 35 years ago onto our neighbors farm paddock. Dropped a Landrover 109 out of a Herc. Landrover was sitting on a pallet loaded up with cardboard crush cells to absorb the impact of hitting the ground. When loaded onto the crush cells the LR wheels were suspended in the air.

Plane did the drop. Everything was going well until the package hit the ground.
First problem was that there was a bit of wind blowing and the chutes didn't deflate on impact. In stead they dragged the LR through 3 of the cocky's fences before there was enough barbed wire around to entangle the chutes.
Second problem was the cardboard crush cells. They had worked well (sort of) at absorbing the impact, but now the LR was impeded into them and couldn't be driven off them. It was essentially 'bogged' in cardboard. Also, the cells under the engine had managed to punch the radiator upwards, lifting the bonnet, disconnecting all the pipework and loosing all the coolant.

Was a very interesting watch.