Puffer jet lobs empty tank at cyclist and misses

[jayteeto]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4587796.stm
We have got some pritt sticks in the cupboard, might stay on a bit longer!!

[air pig]

Will the pilot be arrested for littering ???

[airborne_artist]

on BBCi here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4589508.stm)

"A cyclist said he thought he was going to die after an auxiliary fuel tank from an RAF Harrier jet fell and missed him by inches in Devon on Friday, 6 Jan 2005"

Discuss ...

[Nantucket Sleighride]

Cyclists - bombings too good for them

[The Rocket]

Hopefully this isn't the same Harrier pilot who was "surprised" twice by his tanks falling off, once on the approach to Lajes, the other transiting over France, en route to Cyprus. :rolleyes:

Twice in one posting if I'm not mistaken:ugh:

[hobie]

Cyclists - bombings too good for them
Now it's many years since I relied on Bycycles to get me around but a few months ago I decided that 16 miles a day on a Bike would do me good :confused: .... and do you know that since last march I've lost 2 1/2 stone :eek:
Now I can't say I've ever been attacked by empty Aircraft tanks but there is one particular crew who fly a AN124 at such a low altitude (well after takeoff) that it would 'Wake the dead' :{ ..... my personal theory is the Skipper involved has a girlfriend tucked away in a cottage out in the countryside and it's just his way of saying 'See you later alligator' ...... :p

[Wycombe]

"An RAF spokesman said the pilot would be interviewed"

Don't forget your hat!

[Onan the Clumsy]

...should have used a Guided Tank :*

[higthepig]

Didn't realise they flew on Fridays, is this a change for the New Year?

[HOODED]

Only Frday mornings since the Navy took over. Used to fly till 1500 or even 1600 on the OCU until the Navy arrived. It was against their religion aparently to work past 1200 on a Friday.:D

[AHQHI656SQN]

A few years ago I was up at EGOM waiting to depart the range, a pair of GR7's ran through, as I was watching the pair the No2 lost a aux tank, oops I thought, let OM ops know what happened the GR7's departed. The tank was found right next to a guard hut, one very shocked guard inside. Crab@saavn I recall I was flying with you that day.

[jindabyne]

" ---- the pilot would be interviewed"

Of course, but why the hell do they (RAF spokes-tw*t or BBC edi-tw*t) have to make such an obvious and pointed comment - especially at the end of the piece, thereby giving the layman (sorry, layperson, laydown or whatever) the impression that the driver could well be at fault. And if anything has to be said, then to convey a more open-minded approach, shouldn't the spokes-tw*t really say - 'the pilot, engineering officer and design authority will all be interviewed'.

Grrrr

[Epsilon minus]

An RAF spokesman said the pilot would be interviewed
Probably by Virgin Atlantic !

[Shackman]

Probably by Virgin Atlantic !
Why? What are they planning to lob at cyclists (and will their aim be any better)?

[SirToppamHat]

Jindabyne

Or better still, 'There will be a full investigation.'

Epsilon Minus

Nice one - tee hee!:)
STH

[skua]

that would be "littering from Wittering"?.....

[hobie]

Probably by Virgin Atlantic !
Epsilon .... I like it :p

[Brian Abraham]

Practice for the next Tour de France????? :E

[[email protected]]

AHQHI - well remembered - I was telling a kitchen fitter that story only yesterday - he comes from Winkleigh where the recent fuel tank was dropped and was full of the details - suddenly the whole village claims to have 'just been missed' by the errant drop tank - they don't get out much but they can spell compensation.

[FJJP]

GENTLEMEN, MARK THIS DAY DOWN IN THE HISTORY OF AVIATION.

There was no mention of the primary school that mysteriously appears every time a piece of military hardware smites the ground.

Nor was there an eye-witness reporting that the object exploded in mid-air before impact.

Nor was there comment from a local spokesman [sod PC] that they knew it was only a matter of time before someone was killed (cyclist was within inches of death)...

FJJP

[Stafford]

That's what happens when the FJ Jump Jockey looks down for the Cyclic ! :E

[Shackman]

:uhoh: Surely this could be the thin end of the wedge. Now we know the hazards fast jets pose to innocent cyclists who are only out for a little bit of exercise. Perhaps we ought to set up a hot line to Low Flying Ops so that cyclists can check if any tank carrying FJs are booked to operate in their local area, and maybe set up a series of FJTAs (along the lines of HTAs). Oh and don't forget to ask all cyclists to wear bright yellow jackets so as to make them more visible (an easier target?). Then have a big presentation in front of suitably interested politicians and the press, and finally publicise it in Bicycle Weekly or similar.:rolleyes:
PS How many hits so far on the horse rider hot line?

[scroggs]

As a keen cyclist, I shall be checking my CTC insurance to see if I am covered against stray external tanks - and whether I'm in the compensation catchment for wherever this one came down! ;)

If the pilot does get interviewed by us (Virgin), he's done his case no good at all... :E

[[email protected]]

Nice one Shackman:ok:

[hobie]

and don't forget to ask all cyclists to wear bright yellow jackets so as to make them more visible (an easier target?).
Blimey!!!! ..... I always wear a 'Flouro waist coast' !!! :{

[Widger]

They had better apply all those things Shackman states to the golfers on Taunton Golf Course as well!:E :E :E

[TD&H]

Couldn't help being amused after reading this thread to then see in Flight International the headline:

'UK demonstrates low-cost ability to strike moving targets':E

[ORAC]

I´m sure the frag said hit a tank, not with a tank. Mind you, if you check the USMTF list of target types you´ll find cyclists on the list. Honest to god.....

[BN Boy]

Of course, Shackman/[email protected], the FJ boys will get a very expensive computer system to book/plan/print the FJTA trip for them.
On my sqn we've even rid ourselves of those lovely fine black pens from the German company I can't pronounce. The new ones though, are everything you would ever need/want: locally produced and cheap. Too bad they don't work.

[GeeRam]

Mind you, if you check the USMTF list of target types you´ll find cyclists on the list. Honest to god.....

I just recently saw posted on the web, some US WW2 gun camera footage that clearly showed ground strafing against both horse&carts and cyclists amongst the usual train and mil.truck targets.....:sad:

[BEagle]

Sure it wasn't Viet Nam?

"What about the women and kids?"
"Ya jus' lead 'em a little less...."

[teeteringhead]

ground strafing against both horse&carts and cyclists .... not to mention camels in Dhofar....:E

[GeeRam]

Sure it wasn't Viet Nam?
"What about the women and kids?"
"Ya jus' lead 'em a little less...."
Could have been......:confused:
Did the Skyraiders used in Vietnam have lots of .50's in the wings, as the convergance indicated multiple wing mounted MG or possibly cannon....:confused:
If it was the footage had been well mixed up with the usual WW2 stuff of low level strafing upon steam locos and convoys of Opel Blitz trucks...:)

[Archimedes]

Gee Ram - Skyraiders had 4 x 20mm cannon. IIRC, the only jets in VN with wing-mounted MGs would have been the first of the B-57Bs to be built: these had 8 x .5inch MGs, but this was changed to 4 x 20mm during production.

[brickhistory]

I think BEagle was a little tongue in cheek as, although I wasn't there, I don't imagine the Vietnamese used horses to pull their carts......something more water buffalo/oxen-ish I would think......