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Old 6th Oct 2011, 08:11
  #260 (permalink)  
Archimedes
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Swindonshire
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There's two possibilities which spring to mind, which in some cases appear to have merged in the telling over the years.

The first was at Horsham during Ex Vigilant in May '57. Javelin taxying while two Hunters from 74 Sqn are, respectively, preparing to take off and on finals.

One of the mountings for one of the Javelin's 'bosom' tanks comes adrift, rear of tank falls to tarmac and scrapes along losing fuel as the Javelin goes along. The inevitable happens.

ATC then shouts "You're on fire!" forgetting that there are two Hunters about, both of whom assume they are on fire. Hunter taking off aborts take off rather late. Brakes haven't a chance to work. Overshoots runway, does a spot of topiary on a hedge at end of runway, ends up in a field. Hunter coming in to land is put down quickly by pilot - but a bit too quickly and lands very hard. Whereupon his seat fires and pings him out of the aircraft while his erstwhile steed conducts some interior design on an airmen's accommodation block.

Javelin crew, still tayxying, still burning look on aghast. Nav observes 'damned hot today', prompting pilot to turn head and see that there may be a reason for his nav's warmth. Crew abandon aircraft (nav bruising his heels as he lands in running position, allegedly). Javelin reduced to ashes.

The second that might fit the bill was in 1956 in which six Hunters crashed after running out of fuel. They were flying from West Raynham, but the weather deteriorated to the point where they were diverted to Marham, where they ran into fog.

There was considerable confusion and the end result was that the Hunters (all Mark 1s) were on fumes. One flew into the ground killing the pilot while on approach, one belly landed and four pilots ejected. The remaining two aircraft landed safely. Again from memory, one of the two that got down ran out of fuel before getting off the end of the runway.
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