A few times the name Jim Hacking has been mentioned in topics about the Middle East run. I met Jim for the 1st time at the airport of Minneapolis in 2004. We were there as part of a group of aviation enthusiasts (50% airplane spotters obsessed by a/c registrations, 50% enthusiasts) doing a tour along bases in the Northern states, where large piston engined aircraft were still active . When entering the country there was some delay, this turned out tb caused by Jim’s passport having Syrian entrystamps. From then on we stayed in contact. Mainly by exchanging letters (Jim was not into computers). I asked him to send me some pics of his ME-trips, that’s what he did and he added some eloborate descriptions (rather difficult to decipher). We met at Duxford Flying Legends on 2 or 3 occasions, and we visited him in 2008 in Horwich. He was proud to show/run his tractors (big US types from the fifites). With some friends he imported containers with tractors from the USA. Restored some to mint condition! Jim was doing parceldelivery for DHL with his 400.000 miles Vauxhall diesel and not happy at all with this work. Then he had that fatal accident in 2011.
One of his Middle East stories is about a trip to Ankara. Jim’s words: “In Hungary outbound for Ankara with steel pipes, the engine (F89 NJE776R, ex Murfitts,) developed a knock on nr6 big end journal. A friend of mine, Bob Hickson, brought bearings, torque wrench and other kit from England via BA. We chopped the sump and fitted new bearings to no 6 conrod/piston after a long time polishing the crank journal. Bob returned to England and I delivered the pipes to Ankara”
Not the end of the story, the same mishap occurred again in Greece, and Jim found it was caused by a hairline fracture in the crankshaft”. Jim fitted another engine “but it was never so sweet as the original”.
Jim’s only accident, as far as I know, in 25 years (or more) of trucking happened when driving trough Eastern Germany with his DAF2800. A Tatra car (not a truck) got on the wrong side of the road and hit Jim’s DAF head on. Both passengers were killed. Fortunately Jim did not get into trouble, according to the police the driver was drunk.
Jim loved dogs, when we were at his house, he had just bought a dog on one of his DHL trips at a delivery address. There he saw a dog on a heavy chain, being treated badly. Right on the spot he bought the dog from the owner. It was good to see Jim had a nice lady friend.
I have uploaded photos.of DAF2800 and his 1st F89. The blue Volvo was driven by John Williams (of Astran fame). The group photo in front of Douglas DC-6 was taken at Anchorage 2005, Jim 6th from the left.
I’m now compiling a book with his photos and text. If somebody has any photos of Jim and his trucks, please let me know. Would be appreciated very much
