Bambi Bucket: How Chinooks at RAF Akrotiri fight wildfires in heat of Cyprus summer
Chinook helicopters stationed at RAF Akrotiri are on standby to respond to the threat of wildfire in Cyprus.
1310 Flight from RAF Odiham declared Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for aerial firefighting inside the Sovereign Base Areas and in support of the Republic of Cyprus.
The Mediterranean island faces a severe risk of wildfire between May and October, the hottest months of the year.
27 Squadron will be ready to fly at short notice throughout the day with engineers on shift at night.
"From sunrise to sunset, we hold a readiness state of 60 minutes' notice," said Squadron Leader Joel Babbage, Officer Commanding 1310 Flight.
"What that means is that crews and engineers are all within about 10 minutes of their workplace in order to prep the bucket and get away from the airfield."
The CH-47 Chinooks are filling a gap between the incoming Jupiter H145 and retired Puma helicopters.
Chinooks can carry up to 55 troops or 10 tonnes of mixed cargo.
Last July 1310 Flight faced the worst wildfire for generations alongside the Republic of Cyprus and international aircraft.
The CH-47s from RAF Akrotiri dropped 450 tonnes of water on the fire.
Two people died trying to escape the flames, which were spread across both the Republic of Cyprus and Western Sovereign Base Area near Episkopi.
Sqnn Ldr Babbage remarked that colleagues who fought the fire said: "It was actually quite difficult flying."
"People think it’s straightforward, but when you’re in the thick of it with other assets airborne, it can be tough."
He added: "I was working in the headquarters, so I got to see everything on paper and all the sitreps.
"It's excellent to come out here and see it all for myself."
Mechanical and Avionic Engineers work rotating day and night shifts to maintain the helicopters.
"My main role is to get the bucket ready," said Air Specialist (Class 1) Technician Nathan Campbell.
"It's quite a strict window we work in. We've got to keep the aircraft ready to go at all times."
It's the 30-year-old from the Wirral's first time deploying to Cyprus for aerial firefighting.
The engineers use the Chinook's underslung load capability to attach a bright orange Bambi Bucket to the helicopter, which is primarily used for cargo and troop transportation.
"The first couple of days were a bit tough getting used to the new bucket technique," added AS1(T) Campbell.
"Once we got it in, it's smooth sailing. We're quite enjoying our time out here now."
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