Entertaining incident
In 1976, I attempted a M2.0+ flight in an F4M.
On the Auth sheets, it said IREX 10 with an experienced RAFG pilot undergoing his IRE training. For this flight he was flying from the rear seat, and unusually, the aircraft was “clean wing” since we were also conducting the ACT phase on one of the courses. Since the student was doing very well on his course, and since we had a clean a/c, I suggested the high speed thing to him. He readily agreed.
Out we went to the area off the North Norfolk coast and in the generally recommended manner, we went up and down several times in max power to achieve ever increasing speed, but slowly. Some thousands of pounds of Avtur later, we had about M1.85 on the clock and all was progressing well, when a very loud bang occurred associated with some airframe vibration. From my perspective in the front seat, there was a singular lack of Telelight captions, or indeed anything else. Some relief to be gained there, but no explanation of the aforesaid events. No great thrills, so no drills required, so out of burner, left hand down a bit, back towards Coningsby, and slow decelerating descent.
Conspiring not to mention speed to anyone we handled the aircraft at slow speed without event and entered the Coningsby circuit for a couple of touch-and-goes flown from the rear. Not a particularly easy exercise, but it was going well until the fullstop version which was smoothly and fairly accurately flown to a position quite close to the runway. A fast taxi, and we were all the way onto 08.
In dispersal, the groundcrew showed a fair amount of interest in the mud spattered Phantom with the missing panels. For that was what had occasioned the big bang and airframe vibration. Two large underside engine panels were gone. Missing. Never to be seen again.
I bought the beers since I allowed the student to err. He became known as “Threshhold” since this was not dissimilar to his real name, which, of course, remains anonymous. As does mine.