- Joined
- Oct 6, 1998
- Messages
- 957
Hi guys,
Yesterday I was very lucky to be invited for a very nice tour on a Dutch Airbase and we really got an inside tour, it pays of to have a target-shooting buddy who is a high ranking airforce officer .
The airbase houses F16 squadrons and these guys also seem to practice in Canada (forests) and in some desert region in the US so their survival equipment includes items for these regions.
After seeing the F16s and seeing them being serviced and having pushed every button in the cockpit
we went to the guys who maintain the ejection seats and the different parachutes attached to either seat or pilot and all the microcomputer controlled things in such a seat + the survival package stuffed in the seat.
We then got to see and handle the survival equipment these pilots sit on during their flight when they manage to crash their 15+ million Dollar plane they finally get a chance to make use of these survival items.
It was fun to handle each item that got packed in the survival bag.
It was really nice to see that the major part of the equipment is normally available to us private people and quality wise sometimes even below the quality a lot of us would chose because we have better alternatives.
Here is a long list and description of them:
I saw waterproof winter gloves covering almost your whole arms, keeping them dry, also a cold weather head/face cover (baklava) both from Helly Hansen, very lightweight and small pack-able and very warm when put on.
A pair of green simple snow goggles (face shield) to prevent snow blindness and protect eyes/part of face from harsh weather.
A nice simple zippered survival sleeping bag made of blaze orange rip stop plastic with silver lining + a light cotton sleeping bag liner.
A simple survival blanket to protect against heat or cold (silver and gold side).
A bush hat to protect against the sun.
A normal BIC throw away lighter which the officer in charge said never leaked even at the altitudes the F16 Pilots can climb to so no super torch lighter here.
A simple blaze orange match case that I dont think really was waterproof made by/for Fjallraven containing some normal but lacquered matches and about 15 lifeboat burn anywhere/anytime matches this was below my standard.
A simple mosquito net hat, some anti insect cream that didnt work on the black flies in Canada the guy said (the black flies seem to love it and happily scrape away skin and the anti mosquito stuff  ) but it made your colleagues go away he said so bad it smelled. Since they also fly in Canada they also carry a large mosquito net that goes over a complete sleeping bag.
Two three hour survival candles not made of eatable beef stearine, burn time 3 hours a piece, not really long they are the same size as used in the small candle lanterns (Uco).
A nice survival fishing kit with a selection of dry and wet flies this is not the US kit I have in the small aluminum box.
Also a small foldable metal stove to heat foot using small blocks of fuel we call Esbit this is a kind of solid alcohol blocks, this is standard Nato issue.
A foldable toothbrush with toothpaste in grip and also a small razor the one that when turning the handle retracts itself in the handle, the grip has a camouflage pattern.
Complimenting this a small tube liquid and concentrated soap that works even in salt water and works for body and hair.
The reason for these personal hygiene articles is easy, when a pilot get shot down in enemy country and tries to escape he will blend in better with the rest of the natives when he is not dirty, smells like a pig and is unshaven.
Also I saw a strong foldable water bladder/carrier that could hold about a gallon of water it had a strap to carry it over the shoulder.
Water sterilization tablets and some small plastic sealed bags of water (more when flying over Desert regions).
Big Recta plate compass with gas-tritium lights on the arrow + a small Recta # 27 size 1.5 by 1.5 compass.
A pen rocket launcher made of duraluminium by Erma Germany together with 9 or 12 small flares (red, green, white) this falls under the Dutch weapons law so it stays on the Pilot as he needs a permit for it.
A big 2 thick 6 long signal 1 side red flare 1 side green flare.
A bag of dye to make a yellow/orange signal cloud in water when the pilot drops into water.
A simple survival whistle, blaze orange plastic and when I tried it it came not even close to my ACME 2000 whistle.
A small signal mirror square 2x 2 with rope attached aiming spoon.
The new type stroboscope signal light, standard US issue, the one with the attached infrared filter and using standard AA batteries.
A standard locating beacon that automatically activates when he pilot ejects and a two way radio also standard US stuff, that works on 121 Mhz (I think) with spare batteries.
An aluminum butterbox, this had a close-able / lockable lid and held a load of the above small items so that they didnt get lost. One can use the butterbox without lid to cook its size is approx. 5 by 3.5 by 2.5.
A small First Aid kit that also contains potent antibiotics and some Morphine based painkillers (injections and pills) that fall under Dutch Narcotics laws, this First Aid box is carried personal ON the pilot as he received an permit for it.
Further I saw small survival manuals for Desert, Sea and Arctic survival and a separate waterproof sheath with all international survival signals (hand, ground signals + Morse alphabet ).
Small foldable plastic drinking cup (pilots requested this  ).
Some sunbloc in stick form.
Knife wise they included 3:
1. a SAK medium sized with scissors etc.
2. a harnass cutting knife in leather sheath with homemade orange colored piece of hard foam su that it floats when dropped in the water.
3. and as last knife a big English Military survival knife with a very thick spine and blunt blade (7"+ ) in leather sheath. The knives has the wooden grip plates attached with 3 crude rivits.
A small sharpening stone ½ by ½ by 4 (not ceramic) which one most surely needs to get the above knife sharpened.
The ShortKutt survival chainsaw (with the bi-directional teeths) in a small round tin really is nice and
further they included a rather big ice-saw with round wooden grip and a special long snow-saw.
The whole set is completed by a small rucksack and a survival belt that can store a lot of the smaller items.
Some items were screaming at me to be taken to a good home (mine
) but there was no chance to do so I only got hold of the matchbox with matches.
Best scouting wishes from Holland,
Bagheera
Yesterday I was very lucky to be invited for a very nice tour on a Dutch Airbase and we really got an inside tour, it pays of to have a target-shooting buddy who is a high ranking airforce officer .
The airbase houses F16 squadrons and these guys also seem to practice in Canada (forests) and in some desert region in the US so their survival equipment includes items for these regions.
After seeing the F16s and seeing them being serviced and having pushed every button in the cockpit
We then got to see and handle the survival equipment these pilots sit on during their flight when they manage to crash their 15+ million Dollar plane they finally get a chance to make use of these survival items.
It was fun to handle each item that got packed in the survival bag.
It was really nice to see that the major part of the equipment is normally available to us private people and quality wise sometimes even below the quality a lot of us would chose because we have better alternatives.
Here is a long list and description of them:
I saw waterproof winter gloves covering almost your whole arms, keeping them dry, also a cold weather head/face cover (baklava) both from Helly Hansen, very lightweight and small pack-able and very warm when put on.
A pair of green simple snow goggles (face shield) to prevent snow blindness and protect eyes/part of face from harsh weather.
A nice simple zippered survival sleeping bag made of blaze orange rip stop plastic with silver lining + a light cotton sleeping bag liner.
A simple survival blanket to protect against heat or cold (silver and gold side).
A bush hat to protect against the sun.
A normal BIC throw away lighter which the officer in charge said never leaked even at the altitudes the F16 Pilots can climb to so no super torch lighter here.
A simple blaze orange match case that I dont think really was waterproof made by/for Fjallraven containing some normal but lacquered matches and about 15 lifeboat burn anywhere/anytime matches this was below my standard.
A simple mosquito net hat, some anti insect cream that didnt work on the black flies in Canada the guy said (the black flies seem to love it and happily scrape away skin and the anti mosquito stuff  ) but it made your colleagues go away he said so bad it smelled. Since they also fly in Canada they also carry a large mosquito net that goes over a complete sleeping bag.
Two three hour survival candles not made of eatable beef stearine, burn time 3 hours a piece, not really long they are the same size as used in the small candle lanterns (Uco).
A nice survival fishing kit with a selection of dry and wet flies this is not the US kit I have in the small aluminum box.
Also a small foldable metal stove to heat foot using small blocks of fuel we call Esbit this is a kind of solid alcohol blocks, this is standard Nato issue.
A foldable toothbrush with toothpaste in grip and also a small razor the one that when turning the handle retracts itself in the handle, the grip has a camouflage pattern.
Complimenting this a small tube liquid and concentrated soap that works even in salt water and works for body and hair.
The reason for these personal hygiene articles is easy, when a pilot get shot down in enemy country and tries to escape he will blend in better with the rest of the natives when he is not dirty, smells like a pig and is unshaven.
Also I saw a strong foldable water bladder/carrier that could hold about a gallon of water it had a strap to carry it over the shoulder.
Water sterilization tablets and some small plastic sealed bags of water (more when flying over Desert regions).
Big Recta plate compass with gas-tritium lights on the arrow + a small Recta # 27 size 1.5 by 1.5 compass.
A pen rocket launcher made of duraluminium by Erma Germany together with 9 or 12 small flares (red, green, white) this falls under the Dutch weapons law so it stays on the Pilot as he needs a permit for it.
A big 2 thick 6 long signal 1 side red flare 1 side green flare.
A bag of dye to make a yellow/orange signal cloud in water when the pilot drops into water.
A simple survival whistle, blaze orange plastic and when I tried it it came not even close to my ACME 2000 whistle.
A small signal mirror square 2x 2 with rope attached aiming spoon.
The new type stroboscope signal light, standard US issue, the one with the attached infrared filter and using standard AA batteries.
A standard locating beacon that automatically activates when he pilot ejects and a two way radio also standard US stuff, that works on 121 Mhz (I think) with spare batteries.
An aluminum butterbox, this had a close-able / lockable lid and held a load of the above small items so that they didnt get lost. One can use the butterbox without lid to cook its size is approx. 5 by 3.5 by 2.5.
A small First Aid kit that also contains potent antibiotics and some Morphine based painkillers (injections and pills) that fall under Dutch Narcotics laws, this First Aid box is carried personal ON the pilot as he received an permit for it.
Further I saw small survival manuals for Desert, Sea and Arctic survival and a separate waterproof sheath with all international survival signals (hand, ground signals + Morse alphabet ).
Small foldable plastic drinking cup (pilots requested this  ).
Some sunbloc in stick form.
Knife wise they included 3:
1. a SAK medium sized with scissors etc.
2. a harnass cutting knife in leather sheath with homemade orange colored piece of hard foam su that it floats when dropped in the water.
3. and as last knife a big English Military survival knife with a very thick spine and blunt blade (7"+ ) in leather sheath. The knives has the wooden grip plates attached with 3 crude rivits.
A small sharpening stone ½ by ½ by 4 (not ceramic) which one most surely needs to get the above knife sharpened.
The ShortKutt survival chainsaw (with the bi-directional teeths) in a small round tin really is nice and
further they included a rather big ice-saw with round wooden grip and a special long snow-saw.
The whole set is completed by a small rucksack and a survival belt that can store a lot of the smaller items.
Some items were screaming at me to be taken to a good home (mine
Best scouting wishes from Holland,
Bagheera
