phantom mid-air

[waveskimmer]

can anyone remember,or do they have gen on the midair collision between an F4 and pier pawnee over suffolk,circa 1973, thanks

[johnfairr]

It was the summer of 1974 and the pilot was the Station Commander of RAF Coningsby, G/C David Blucke, who co-incidentally gave me my first flight in the F4, Convex 1. A very sad loss. I believe it was a 41 Sqn aircraft and it happened in Norfolk, from memory. Crop-spraying Pawnee pulled up to wing-over for next run and hit the F4 which was on a low-level route transit. One of those Millions-to-One chances.

[BEagle]

See http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/9-1975%20G-ASVX%20and%20XV493.pdf

I understand that this accident led to the subsequent introduction of the CANP system.

[david parry]

W F-4_Phantom_RAF (http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Aircraft_by_Type/F-4_Phantom_RAF.htm)

[Old-Duffer]

The Phantom crew were: Gp Capt D R K Blucke 43 and Flt Lt Terry W Kirkland 28. The Pawnee G-ASVK was flown by Paul Hickmott .

The link from BEagle gives the official summary for this loss but on 29 Aug 91 there was a mid air between a Jaguar and guy in a civvy aircraft taking photos and on 21 Jan 99 it was the turn of a Tornado and another guy taking photos at low level. Additionally, a Tornado struck a helicopter doing a pylon check a few years ago in the Lake District. There are probably others if I devil into the memory buds but somebody out there will remember.

Anybody wants a few more details on the first two mentioned, I'll summarise them here.

O-D

[blaireau]

The unfortunate accident occurred a very short time before the planned wedding of Terry Kirkland to Annabel Reynolds.

[AARON O'DICKYDIDO]

I was on the Crash and Smash crew from 71MU RAF Bicester that was detailed to pick up the crashed aircraft (and more besides). The Gang Boss was the late C/T 'Scotty' Rose and his deputy was the late Sgt 'Speedy' Speed. It was a mess. There was little of the crop sprayer to identify. The Phantom had made a large hole in the ground and there had been much burning. The wreckage was contained in a smallish area for the most part. There were some large pieces of metal up to about 100 yards away. The field that the aircraft crashed in contained a potato crop.

As I recall on the day we arrived a 'missing man' formation of Phantoms flew overhead.

[waveskimmer]

Thanks chaps, for your response to my post,and to BEagle for the AIB report,had one myself,you know what it's like moving around stuff goes adrift,in my case including a couple of memsahibs. If any of ou wish to pm me,I have a few bits which I think woul be innaproprite to post on forum.
waveskimmer

[Pontius Navigator]

on 29 Aug 91 there was a mid air between a Jaguar and guy in a civvy aircraft taking photos

I had previously reported the civvie pilot as he had made several passes over out house in a small town at a height of about 150 feet. This was determined from photos and scalling shots. The CAA traced him but were unablle to prove that he had been the pilot in question although they were 90% sure.