Dick,
Thanks for that, as I say strange things happen in accidents.
For interest ( ? ) my father was in charge of fitting the 'Arrows smoke pods - later for export customers we had many adventures, some surprisingly serious, trying to generate smoke 'on the cheap' by their request with the relatively cool running Adour.
As for the Cranwell accident - I am NOT a journo BTW, though would rather like to be, not least so I might present a sensible view of such things or not present at all, have done similar things in a past life.
The blatantly obvious question here is not even why did the crew get out - and I hope they are well - but rather why did the aircraft end up where it did - there, I who cannot be militarily b----d have said it.
There could be many perfectly good reasons of course, completely beyond the pilot's control.
I happened to know someone who ejected from a Hunter in trouble, thinking it was over wide clear fields - the thing managed to find a building to crash into, killing 3 people.
He never spoke of it ( I was briefed so did not mention it ) and as far as I know, though exonerated he never flew again, though did / does ( I should think retired now, and I hope happily ) perform a vital training support & much more.
Last edited by Double Zero; 8th Sep 2008 at 07:45.