PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - 10 TRW RF-4C Crash at 1986 RAF Brawdy Airshow
Old 6th Nov 2003, 18:56
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hairyclameater
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Mmmmm..unfortunately remember it well.

Weather was pretty standard for Brawdy - bloody awful.
a/c took off, performed a "medium" speed run R-L ( South - North along 02/20) turned and flew a slow and dirty pass in opposite direction. Whilst cleaning up and turning on the crowd 45 to prepare for final high speed run, it was lost from sight behind one of Brawdy's many "humps". I was in extreme crowd right ( south end of display runway and still couldnt see the accident area (St Brides bay)

Recall that radio 1 reported the accident within the hour pronouncing two crew dead - incredibly quick news turnround considering the location.

Local tv news had the sad sight of the "AR" coded fin sticking out of the water like a beached shark.

Presume that there were hundreds of eye witnesses as the sands of the bay are a superb holiday location, even in such typical Pembrokeshire weather.Can only imagine the sight of a sick rhino crashing into the water just a few hundred feet from the beach.

I have some shots of the machine, including a couple taken during the slow pass, looking mighty impressive with streams of vapour off the wing tips. As a phantom phreak , I watched the aircraft intently and cant recall seeing anything fall off or indeed anything untoward with it.
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