We had mission...to a castle. The Afghans kinda lost control of a border checkpoint in scenic little hamlet, a wide, lush green valley next to the Turkmenistan border. The evil Taliban horde was too much for the Afghan Border Police...or they just gave up after the Taliban cut off the police chief's head. Either way, the Italians had to come slay the dragon and take back the castle. So they could give it back to the Afghans.
It was our job to resupply the Afghans after the Italians gave them their castle back. They were running low on supplies, it was our job to get them the supplies they needed...before they lost the castle again. (No one was sure how they went through two weeks of supplies in 4 days...they promised it wouldn't happen again...they promised not to sell everything in the town square?) The only problem was...well, the Afghans aircrews work less than the Spanish. They come to work from about 8:30...ish... give or take, and leave by 12:00. It's a tough schedule, I mean it's war after all. So we had the mission come down at 2 in the afternoon...no Afghans, just me and Stretch. And that was the other 'only' problem...we have to have two helicopters for any mission. Mutual support....in unlikely event of a water landing, means the wing man picks us up. Since the Afghans' work day is over around 12:00...we had to find a wingman.
The Italian Air Force 21 Squadron Tigre' said they'd be our wingman anytime. So we flew with Italian AB-212's...their version of the UH-1N, but way cooler.
That was the first time...oh yeah, the Afghan 'Crew Commander', was mad that we flew the helicopter without them...never mind the mission was approved by his commander, and the Afghan Border Police needed supplies. So we did it again....me and vegetable...single Mi-17, but this time with Italian Army guys...a single Mangusta. We flew up the river...'Nam style, oh yeah, now I can say I've been to Turkmenistan, I didn't get my passport stamped though. The 'Crew Commander' was really mad that time...but the Afghan Border Police that needed food seemed pretty happy that we delivered the goods with waiting for the Afghan aircrews to figure out that the rest of us work past lunch time everyday.
The castle is ancient...so was this Turkmenistan airplane patrolling the border. That is and Antonov An-2. We totally could have shot it down...Vegimatic was afraid the burning wreckage might fall on a goat or vegetable patch. So we let it go...this time.
This what the second 'most powerful' Mi-17 pilot looks like. In case you, the reader has forgotten, our genius Afghan 'Crew Commander' told us the guy built like a stalk of asparagus is the most powerful Mi-17 pilot...but I am in the captain's seat. I made him sit in the copilot's seat....because in this particular aircraft, the seat was really cramped, it was funny to see him all folded up in there and more importantly, I was comfortable.
If you look on the top of his right knee...that paper blowing around on his knee board from all the wind in the cockpit, is showing how when he flies...he's always out of trim, and HE's the most powerful Mi-17 pilot?
My office...and the tools of the trade. I can't read most of those gauges and switches...as it's all Cyrillic and I still have no idea what a kgf/cm2 is...
We made the usual gas stop in Qali Now...the kids are kinda cute. Make that...SUPER cute. They hang around the airport and talk with the Spanish soldiers....exchanging paella recipes.
Or....discussing the merits of a Remington versus Mossberg shotguns. Actually this kid is trying to sell arms to the Spanish. Okay, actually it's a toy gun that shoots plastic bb's.
So unlike the Dungeons and Dorks fantasy game, with warlocks and whatever...this is a real castle, not sure how old, all the buildings are made out of dirt anyway. We landed inside the castle walls where they used to grow wheat....at least I think that was what was blowing through the cockpit when we landed.
Though as old as the castle is...I'm pretty sure the Toyota Landcruiser buried in the wall at the left corner of the picture, isn't original architecture. We made the trip twice, me and Stretch...both trips were fun but the first one was the best, we saw camels swimming in the river, we flew with Huey's, saw the An-2 and the weirdest thing of all...we almost hit this flock of birds....
FRIGGIN PELICANS?!?!! are you joking?
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