Farnborough Recollections
Farnborough 1955.
About mid year, the RAF put together an aerobatic team based at Odiham not far from Farnborough. The team leader was a USAF pilot on exchange, Captain Immig. Flying Hunters, the team of four took off from Odiham one day in July and climbed above the usual lower cloud layers to fly some sequences which were to be filmed for TV showing. A Meteor 7 and a Vampire T11 having movie camera operators as passengers accompanied the formation and obtained some good coverage.
By the time all the aircraft had used a goodly proportion of their fuel and started heading for base the pilots found that the weather at low level was rapidly deteriorating. Odiham was equipped only with a VHF Direction Finding system. The Meteor managed to get into Odiham, using a VHF/DF let down. But the Hunters following soon found that Odiham had all but closed with a very low cloud base. By now the formation had broken up into two pairs for easier manoeuvring in cloud. The second pair of Hunters was advised to try for an approach into Farnborough. Farnborough tower had been advised by Odiham of the growing emergency for the Hunters but found it was already overloaded getting its own aircraft down in the worsening weather. Consequently when Blue Three called up with "May Day, May Day, May Day, This is Blue 3 with two diverting from Odiham, request immediate GCA, very low on fuel." Farnborough tower responded almost matter of factly with "Sorry cannot help you I'm afraid. Would you either call Tangmere on emergency or bail out please."
The use of please at the end of that transmission has become a classic in aviation history. Blue 3 responded with " Oh we haven't got enough fuel for that, going to Tangmere emergency channel."
A short while later during a slight break in Farnborough's activities Blue leader came up on Farnborough's frequency saying " Farnborough this is Blue Leader with two from Odiham, can you help us with an emergency GCA?" Farnborough responded with "Roger steer 290. But I may not be able to get you in."
Over the next five minutes Farnborough was able to talk those two down until they became visual and followed through with landings. As they were landing there were a few remarks of appreciation followed by "Blue 2 say after me,” My Father Who art in Heaven!" Blue 2 ran out of fuel taxying.
Blue 3 and 4 managed to get overhead Tangmere where both flamed out. Blue 4 then bailed out. Blue 3 did an engine out spiral descent overhead to break through cloud at about 500 feet. He landed wheels up across the airfield being unable to line up on a runway.
Extract from memoirs.