Cornish Jack - XA897 was adequately equipped, the aircraft was under GCA control and was being flown by the captain, not the 3*, for its approach to London Airport. However, a poor talkdown from an inexperienced controller unfamiliar with the higher approach speed of the Vulcan, the fact that this was the captain's first EVER full GCA in a Vulcan and an unknown total altimeter error of 200 ft which only came to light months later all contributed to the demise of the aircraft and the 4 other crew members including the other co-pilot who was on the 6th seat in the lower crew compartment. In the press release the other co-pilot was referred to as a 'navigator' to avoid adverse comment about there being another fully qualified Vulcan pilot onboard whilst the 3* (fully qualified on type) was in the co-pilot's seat. However, the scandal of not equipping the Vulcan rear crew with ejector seats continued throughout the rest of the aircraft's time in service.
Schadenfreude - no, Bastard Bill had gone by the time of the demolition derby. The 'pink rabbit' was actually a piglet in an OCU T-shirt which was tipped into the dining room through a window by the 29(F) team during the OCU boss's speech. The piglet was given a helping boot up the bum and went nuts, charging around the dining-room. The PMC then demanded that the piglet was apprehended and chaos ensued. Finally 29(F) were ordered out of the room - so they got stuck into a few beers in the ante-room. Bastard Bill demanded that the whole thing was kept quiet and threatened no mercy for anyone who squealed. Hence it was known as a 'pink rabbit' for the remainder of Bastard Bill's time at Coningsby!!
[This message has been edited by BEagle (edited 08 June 2000).]