Winter Weather...

[DelP]

Here's a tip for any squaddies out there in it. If you have to go in a warm tent or building, leave your weapon outside. Condensation will form on the working parts and then freeze when you go outside again and that is just asking for a stoppage.

You haven't been a squaddie, have you jonesy?

Your weapon is always securely attached to yourself and taken inside your bivvy bag at night, where it is tenderly hugged as you snuggle down to sleep

Derek ;-)

[jonesey2k]

Indeed, one would clean it before going out.
I was trying to be humorous by spouting a random fact but looks like I have failed since people here know better!

[DelP]

No worries jonesy

'If you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined'....

ATB,

Derek ;-)

[robbie]

Went to a new years eve party last night in Ontario, -18c but with the wind chill it was down to -30c, we had to dress warmly as the party was held outside for the most part, bloody good thing the bonfire was going well!!, beer was cold though!.
my horses spend their nights in the barn when it's cold like this, but they still had icicles hanging on their chins and it takes them ages to munch through their frozen carrots in the morning.

No joke if you forget and grab hold of anything metal here with bare hands, it does freeze to your skin immediately, damn painful, I wouldn't want to go to bed with a rifle!!!!. :o

Robbie.

[ChrisHunt]

My left hand did end up sticking to the barrel of an SMG once - it was a bit nippy out - took a little while to get it off as I wasn't keen on ripping the skin off! The only gloves available were those ridiculas woolen ones that once wet (and especially if frozen) were about as much good as a choccie fireguard.

Regards,
Chris

[airboatr]

Here's a tip for any squaddies out there in it. If you have to go in a warm tent or building, leave your weapon outside. Condensation will form on the working parts and then freeze when you go outside again and that is just asking for a stoppage.

Well... if you did have to Ice someone.... you'd be ready to go..

[Pringle]

..leave your weapon outside...

:o

No!

[forthbridge]

I was at Churchill yesterday, in Canada, on the edge of Hudson Bay...The temperature on the ground was -29C and I was contrailing while taxying in...I wondered if either of these things are abnormal for this time of the year in that region? :flying:

A good pal of mine from school days now lives in Kelowna, BC, and this is a relatively mild part of Canada - but a week or so ago his ceramic heater blasting away at the drywall failed to prevent his pipes starting to freeze so he had to cut a few holes in the wall and floor to get some heat going around!

Relatives in London, Ontario also report frequent cold and snow.

Many moons ago we lived on a farm in the Scottish borders - the winter of 1979 was about the worst I can remember - added to the fact that inpipes ran up the back of the houses - outside :o - it was literally a case of spending the night outside with an electric and paraffin heater against them to stop total pipe burst!!!!!!

We've not had a proper winter for about a generation now I'd say.
Plus, it shows. A flurry of snow here, and we get shut down.

[Nigel H-J]

Just a story to tell of one of the coldest winters we had, it was around 1987 when I was working for Tankfreight and had 18tons of liquid sugar to deliver in Wrexham, North Wales.

It was freezing fog and snow on the ground as I approached the top of the Pennines, on the hard shoulder many trucks had stopped due to diesel freezing the Traffic Police were operating a convoy system as visibility was right down. Just as I reached the top of the Pennines (Windy Ridge) the throttle linkage broke away in the engine compartment. I wheeled onto the hard shoulder at 05.00hrs and jacked the cab up. Gone it was, lying somewhere in lane one, the long bit that attaches to the fuel pump. Dropped the cab back down and then tried to start the engine. Fired up but would not hold the revs and promptly died. There was no way that the engine would tick over.

Made my way to the emergency box and called for assistance, the operator said they would contact my base and recovery would be made. Only had a winter coat, no engine, freezing fog on top of the snow, things were not looking very good. Sat there and waited......two hours passed and feeling very cold.......another call made......sorry, but were very busy, your depot is dealing with it :doho: .......another four hours and get the same response.......by now I was beginning to start to feel numb.....another four hours and another call.....different operator, we're very busy dealing with breakdowns, if your depot has been informed then we can't help any further :brick: .....by this time it had been ten hours since my breakdown and the temperature was dropping and I was becoming extremely annoyed....another four hours passed.......still no news. The Traffic Police by this time decided to stop and place me in their mobile to defrost, then chucked me out and went on their way only to come back two hours later and the ritual repeated itself.

At 04.00hrs, that is 23 hours after my breakdown, numbed fingers and toes, with me shaking so much one would have thought I was holding an invisible pheumatic drill The Police decided they would haul me off to the nearest Service Station. It was another four hours before anyone came to my aid. :@

Found out later that the depot in Manchester had taken the call for assistance but then forgot about it!! :@ :@

Had a few choice words to say when I eventually got back home as my wife had no idea of where I was and had kept ringing my depot.

Nigel.

[petermcleland]

Going into Yellowknife today...


You wouldn't think it was the middle of the day!


Visibility was down to 2 miles so I had to do an ILS onto runway 33.


Touching down on a very frosty surface.


After shutdown...The ToolTip at lower right says it all really :o


Parked for the night...I'll be on my way back to base tomorrow if the engine will start :flying: