Mr-AEO
31st October 2007, 15:20
Post having a chat in the office, I recalled a memory I have of the Sandpit in Gulf War 1.
Whilst on sentry for a SH base near King Khalid Military City early one morning, I witnessed a vehicle appearing out of the heat haze in the bondu. Imagine my surprise when I saw it was towing a Tornado right past the camp and onwards into the haze to the south. Given the proximity of KKMC to the Iraq border, I suspect that's where it had come from. The tonka had both ejection seats out, indeed the primary cartridges (if that's what they are called) were extended. It appeared to be standing on it's own undercarriage, not a jury rig, and I couldn't see any damage.
I'm curious to know why an aircraft with both ejection seats fired, is in such a tidy condition. If this was a 0-0 ejection, presumably it was made because of the hazard to life, but the a/c looked fine. If it was landed in a hostile environment, I would have thought it would be destroyed. Anyone any ideas? It was about Feb '91.
Whilst on sentry for a SH base near King Khalid Military City early one morning, I witnessed a vehicle appearing out of the heat haze in the bondu. Imagine my surprise when I saw it was towing a Tornado right past the camp and onwards into the haze to the south. Given the proximity of KKMC to the Iraq border, I suspect that's where it had come from. The tonka had both ejection seats out, indeed the primary cartridges (if that's what they are called) were extended. It appeared to be standing on it's own undercarriage, not a jury rig, and I couldn't see any damage.
I'm curious to know why an aircraft with both ejection seats fired, is in such a tidy condition. If this was a 0-0 ejection, presumably it was made because of the hazard to life, but the a/c looked fine. If it was landed in a hostile environment, I would have thought it would be destroyed. Anyone any ideas? It was about Feb '91.