Boeing CH-47 Chinook North Fife

Over the last couple of days the distinctive sound of approaching Chinook helicopters has reverberated over North Fife, in this instance one booming a thrump thrump thrump at about 250rpm, 50 miles an hour 300ft above and turning to a few degrees of due East, skirting Normans Law heading for Leuchars Airfield 9 miles to touchdown as the crow flies. Alerted by the sound there was plenty of time to gather up camera and wander outside to wait.

Approaching Chinook at Flisk.

Boeing CH-47 Chinook passing overhead.

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h) is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s. It is one of the few aircraft of that era, such as the C-130 Hercules and the UH-1 Iroquois, that is still in production and front line service with over 1,179 built to date. Its primary roles include troop movement, artillery emplacement and battlefield resupply. It has a wide loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage and three external-cargo hooks.

Enlarge the image. to visibly see squaddies watching the ground unfurl beneath from the open cargo bay, one standing, the other reclining with feet overhanging, I imagine it to be a wonderful experience, one I would love,us all playing I-spy.