Leg 81: Dakar [GOOY] -->> Tenerife South [GCTS]

[mutley 4,493]

Sorry for the delay chaps we had a no show from AP1 :roll:

So hotfoot from the filmstage I have arrived with the star, the JF Lockheed P38J. This is Lt. C. Robert Anderson's P-38 Virginia Marie as it looked in late 1944 and has the addition of dive recovery flaps.

We find ourselves in Dakar, home of the famous Dakar rally, formally the Paris-Dakar.

Agent D.G.O.R was long gone, back to Norn Iron to carry on his studies, now that's was I call dedication :mrhappy:

The weather here in Dakar is a comfortable 26°C, humidity at 21% so very comfortable as I carry out my final pre-flight checks

Now starting the contra-rotating props bringing the 1325Hp to my command

Taxiing to the active, there's a Monarch just landed, no more due so we're off straight away.

Goodbye Léopold Sédar Senghor, named after the famous Senegalese poet.

There's a complicated SID to follow (not!) it's straight out to sea and keep going!

A lot of the P38's have some great nose-art, meet Virginia Marie :wub

There's a very detailed VC, the TrackIR is invaluable here, the canon button does work!

Climbing above the lower light clouds.

GOOY and the African mainland is behind us, Martyn will bring us back in leg 83.

Just passing the "jutty out bit" on the west coast of Mauritania. GQPP in the distance.

Now another 350 miles over the sea

Ok so you were bored, so was I! Here's our first view of Tenerife. Above the left prop you can see the dormant volcano Teide.

Being awestruck at the sight I snapped back to reality, just entering a dive, far better than a descent!

As you can see from the GPS this was literally direct from GOOY.

Turning onto final.

OK, it's go around, they have changed the runway.

You guessed it, a great opportunity to explore :dance:

[Wiki] At 3,718 metres (12,198 ft) above sea level, and approximately 7,500 metres (25,000 ft) above the adjacent sea bed, Teide is the highest mountain in Spain and the highest mountain in any Atlantic island.[/wiki]

There's a huge plateau and crater.

Downwind, sort of, there's my destination.

Brrr.. it's chilly but the views!

The summit, dormant since 1909. Isla de la Gomera in the distance, easy to see from up here.

Diving again.

Nose cam.

Yes I'm over-speed but having a great time.

Having bled the speed off the dive ready to turn final.

Gear coming down.

Trimmed up, ready to land.

Target in site.

Another wind farm, they've got bigger props than me (Just!)

Over the threshold, the aircraft in the distance will be the next one in.

Perfect conditions but as usual left of centre.

We're down, and just about ready for a Sangria! Hola Tenerife.

Parked up with engines off, just look at all those holiday aircraft!

Safely here, the baton is waiting Simi!

Cheers

[allardjd 1,853]

Wow! Spectacular aircraft and great scenery. Somehow I knew you'd like the one with all the blue on it, and the nose art didn't hurt either. Nice job, Mr. Mutley sir.

Isn't it a shame to realize that the real Virginia Marie is probably doddering away in a nursing home somewhere? ...and that the real aircraft is probably 10,000 beer cans. Not that I have anything against beer, but P-38s are better.

You should have turned on the cabin heat knob.

Thanks for being the substitute pilot too. It's a shame that it was necessary, but I can't fault the results.

John

[mutley 4,493]

You should have turned on the cabin heat knob.

John

I've only just found out she's got a foot warmer!

Thanks John it was a nice flight to do :mrhappy:

Cheers

[A320cap 0]

nice interesting flight

[reef 3]

Great scenery shots looking almost real. Interesting flight too, good job....

steve

[dgor 0]

A fantastic set of shots Joe, really brightened up my first day of exams It's freezing here, I'm starting to miss the pleasantly warm African winter weather :mrhappy:

Really beautiful aircraft and great scenery at both airports too - I loved the ones around Tenerife :-)

Dave

[ddavid 149]

I guess it's all been said, Joe - but thanks for Leg 81! Loved the dives - I expect you enjoyed making them too - sceneries excellent too. Thanks for the pointer to the dormant volcano bit - I'll Wiki that later - and thanks for standing in (Who's the trooper now? - Ed!)

Cheers - Dai. :mrhappy:

[TapA321 0]

A first class post there, Joe. Excellent scenery too. Really enjoyed the last 5 - 10minutes of viewing leg 80 + 81 :mrhappy:

Kind Regards,

Tap

[simi_av8r 0]

an excellent post ther mut, gotta love that P38, especially with nose-art like that!!

I'm on my way to the cockpit straight after typing this.... my number 1 says we're actually going to be in one of those holiday aircraft you passed on the ramp - o joy :mrhappy:

[hurricanemk1c 195]

Can't wait to get my hands on the aircraft!!!!!!!!

Kieran