The 27 May 1957 incident took place during Fighter Commands Largest Air Defence Exercise, Execise Vigilant.
Reported in the press as below. Note the final paragraph.
SUCCESS OF FIGHTER DEFENCES -MANY INTERCEPTIONS IN AIR EXERCISE
From our aeronautical correspondent
FIGHTER COMMAND H.Q. May 27 1957
We have achieved a higher rate of interception than had seemed possible from previous experience,” said a senior officer of R.A.F. Fighter Command at the Command H.Q. at Stanmore, Middlesex, to-day in summarizing the results of Exercise Vigilant, the three-day air defence tests which ended this evening.
An analysis of the results achieved, he said, had shown that the fighter defences had done twice as well as in last year’s Exercise Stronghold. Not only had a higher percentage of raiders been intercepted than previously but they had been met farther out to sea—a vitally important matter in these days of nuclear bombs. Interceptions made over land were not counted; only those made out at sea were taken into account, he said.
BETTER ORGANIZATION
The main reasons for the more satisfactory results achieved were the improved operational organization of ‘Fighter Command and of the control and reporting system; a simplification of procedures; and the use of better aircraft. We now had exceedingly high-powered radar, coupled to another powerful radar early warning system on the Continent. This had meant that instead of fighters having to scramble off the ground in great haste they had been able to choose the right moment to take off.
During the exercise, said the spokesman, fighters had been used in the way in which guided missiles would be handled later— except that they had been guided by a man instead of electronically. Instead of sending several aircraft off to make an interception, an individual aircraft had been employed.
Although this was the biggest exercise yet staged by Fighter Command in such a short period, little sign of it was seen from the ground because the aircraft were operating above the altitude range at which aircraft make vapour trails.
Substantially more than 3,000 sorties were flown by the attacking forces alone— 1,300 of them to-day—and the fighters flew a greater number.
There were no fatalities during the three days, though a Javelin caught fire on the ground and was destroyed, and a Hunter was badly damaged while attempting to land.