BogMonster Posted October 29, 2005 Share Posted October 29, 2005 Went on a bit of an expedition today to locate another relic of 1982, a crashed aircraft on Blue Mountain which none of us had been to before. Firstly, proof that Land Rovers really can walk on water: "Traction issues" - failed hillclimb... "more traction issues" "Even more traction issues". By the end of the day we had all decided that Gus's 'Mudstar' tyres were utterly, utterly sh*te! Going over the top of Blue Mountain heading west towards the crash site (lots of stone runs which are not at all LR friendly means you have to take some rather tortuous routes to get where you want to in this sort of terrain) Heading back down the other side looking for the crash site After a bit of hunting around (correction: I and the other sensible people had a beer and lunch while some of the rest clambered around hunting ) we found the site: part of the Argentine Pucara aircraft lies where it fell. Although they knew it had gone down, the wreckage wasn't discovered until four years after the war - weathered aluminium blends in rather too well with the quartzite boulders so you can hardly see it until you are right on top of it. The only way we like to see that particular flag round these parts Looking back up the valley, quite a nice view when the sun came out for a bit (as usual we managed to choose a bluddy awful day for taking photos, grey overcast and orrible ) Homeward bound: a view looking the other way Then we found the gold men on the move with their drilling rig: this is the sort of machine you need down here B) very cool bit of kit, will cross just about anything with those tracks! A good machine for the Rainforest Challenge I reckon Down through a stream on the way back A good day out, shame it wasn't better for photos as there are some wonderful views up around the stone runs but enjoyable anyway One of these days we'll get up there when it's actually sunny.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 Those are way cool shots Steve & thats just what I imagined the Falklands to look like, is that fairly typical? Be no good to a tree hugger would it? Thanks , Steve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted October 30, 2005 Author Share Posted October 30, 2005 Tree huggers are an extinct species here Yes, pretty typical landscapes, though it looks better when sunny! More pictures from Christmas 2004 and more mountain climbing from on the green forum a while ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 That look's like a nice day out ! Always nice to see crashed Argentinian aircraft Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cartman Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 I see you even suffer the 'purge' of the Pajero down there Steve Hendon have a whole Pucara. But due to history I can see why a dismembered one is far more preferable Good pics by the way. Cheers, Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minivin Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 I see you even suffer the 'purge' of the Pajero down there Steve Hendon have a whole Pucara. But due to history I can see why a dismembered one is far more preferable Good pics by the way. Cheers, Paul not quite this one but a sister of it: When tested at Boscombe Down the cannon was found to be a very nasty piece of work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Marshall Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 Was the Pucara designed to tow a caravan? We have a whole one too at IWM Duxford - it comes fitted with two 20-mm Hispano MS 804 cannon IIRC - meaty stuff. Truly excellent photographs. How much of the area is still mined? Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted October 30, 2005 Author Share Posted October 30, 2005 I saw the whole Pucara at the Imp War Museum (I think?) a couple of years ago. However I can vouch for the fact that if you fly one into a stone run at 300kts is quite a good way to disassemble one v quickly - the tail fin in my picture is the biggest recognisable bit left apart from the engines which were about 400m up the hill from where it hit, most of the bits were unrecognisable and you wouldn't have any idea what sort of aircraft it was if you didn't know! Neil, minefields are still all here but as a % of the land area almost nothing - about 0.1% or something I think. Just unfortunate that they are nearly all close to town so they spoil the amenity value of some of the nicest sand beaches etc and as they didn't keep any records of where/how many mines were sown, the demining process would be hideously expensive and involve destroying the entire landscape so they are just "there" - fenced off and out of bounds: All these beach areas pictured below are mined and therefore completely out of bounds Better weather when these pics were taken though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cols110 Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 Shame about the beaches, they look to nice to waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diesel_jim Posted October 30, 2005 Share Posted October 30, 2005 I see an answer..... the ramblers want their "right to roam" everywhere.... you have empty beaches...... two + two = a happy result.... no more ramblers, plus the beaches "de-mined"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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