97 IOT Fly past

[chinny]

:p Was wondering if anyone out there had access to the great flypast video(the complete version) of my 97 IOT Graduation.:ok:

A memory jog for those that were around then-it involved 2xF4 at a good height and speed:D

If you have any info then please PM me-would love to get a copy of it.
Thanks Chinny;)

[propwash866]

That video's a legend... is it true that they knocked everyone's hats off on the parade square when they pulled up?

[chinny]

:D oh yea baby-was hard to just stand up for some guys.:rolleyes:

[Down 4 Reprogram]

I seem to remember that most of the 97 IOT mob had marched off into CHOM by the time of the fun bits. Some of us had to stand there and take the jet blast (sound of freedom apparently). One of my most abiding memories is all the tiny little stones on the parade square jumping up to head height and coming at us very very quickly.

On the subject of the video, I believe the boys at the Flying Authorisers Course are still using it as one of their examples/discussion points.

D4R

[BEagle]

Minimum assessed height was 72 ft a.g.l. ...........

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

and what exactly is it you do D4R:E ........sounds a little bitter there dude:ok:

all spelling mistakes are "df"alcohol induced

[rej]

I was on 101 IOT (the next D Sqn) and we arrived to learn of the legendary fly past and the rumours regarding the number of chops/recourses and reinstatements.
Oh those "wonderful" days !!!!

[Down 4 Reprogram]

ABIW,

Not bitter - I actually enjoyed it, well the first 2 passes anyway and we had a much better view of them than the crowd. The Reviewing Officer was very unimpressed though, especially when the dias shifted under him.

I seem to remember a later rumour that the F4 had to go reheat on the third pass to avoid bouncing in the middle of the parade square - perhaps someone can set my mind to rest on this one as I would have been squarely in ground zero.

As an aside, for the following grad we got a Nimrod at 2000ft with idle power set for our flypast and we never even heard it from inside the rotunda. Strange that - 97's was a very hard act to follow.

D4R

[Hueymeister]

Saw the vid on my Flight Safety Course...the F4 was in wing rock as he pulled right...according to F4 drivers this indicating that it was very close to departing!!!!!!!!! The College CO can be seen striding purposefully across the parade square toward the nearest 'phone. Wasn't one of rear-seater's sons on the parade square?

[MightyGem]

Not the one in question, but definately low, and reheat is definately on... (http://www.flyandfight.com/Amazing%20Pics%20&%20Vids.htm)

[samsonyte]

rej,

Yes - I was one of the Chopped :{ , and was disappointed not to see this at first hand - got to hear about it, though, within minutes of it happening - good grapevine at the time!

One of the bods on the same EOT as me claimed that he was a Jnr Tech Fairy on the sqn that did the flypast, and the first thing the pilot did on arrival was place the radalt u/s! :ok:

[Pontius Navigator]

The back seater was a 'stude' but also a wg cdr. He had been the radar leader on 35 in Cyprus then sucked his way up before being posted as OC Ops Leuchars.

I think he got a Rep but it didn't knock his career, at least not straight away. Never found out what happened to him after that.

[Down 4 Reprogram]

The Sqn Ldr flying pilot got given a "punishment tour" of OC JP Sqn at Finningley.

Anyone know what happened to him after that?

Oh, and back to the initial question - anyone got any pics or a copy of the video. I could do with a memory jog!

D4R

[DummyRun]

Rock on Tommy !!!

Still on the tatty ton ??:ok:

[stillin1]

driver last known to be at cranditz driving twin props:cool:

[Capt Niff Naff]

The pilot did not and does not fly twin props at CWL, however I worked with him prior to his retirement from the twin jet Sqn at CWL. If you can present credentials by PM, I can give you a bit more. Maybe even a lead to the said scratchy vid!
To the mate who said as a PA spiner that all his income was pensionable, you will only get SA pension plus the PA increment for the no of days on the spine (about £12-1500 extra per annum if you stay for the 5 year period).
Just make me redundant and I might enjoy the job more!!!

[Airbrake]

I was on support Sqn that day and clearly remember the wall of grit that swept across the Orange. Can somebody please post a link as I only ever saw it live!

[Down 4 Reprogram]

Mike Jenvey,

If you are the Mike Jenvey I remember, then yes we have met a few times. The first time if I recall was when you lectured us (98 IOTC) on Flight Safety – including your little mishap in Canada. Quite ironic really.

Now, for those who just like to remember, or the yoofs who do not what the f&ck we are on about – pull up a sandbag and think back to those heady days (must have been late November/early December 1986 but I'm sure someone will correct me on the exact date)…

You're standing on the parade square of CHOM in your brand spanking new No 1 as Support Sqn for the graduating course. Standing there to make the square look full once the graduates of 97 IOTC have done their thing and marched off. Hark, what is this you hear approaching – it must be the promised flypast.

Pass 1 (Fine and dandy). Two F4's whip past from left to right as you view it, with your back to CHOM. Nice and noisy – just what the crowd are expecting. Good that means things are almost over, time for the graduates to turn and start marching off into CHOM to trample all over that blasted carpet.

Just when you think things are going to plan you see the F4's appear again out of the corner of your eye to the right. They must have banked left and are now moving to reform over No 1 Mess…

Pass 2 (A surprise for the crowd). The Tooms form up line abreast and come directly at you and they seem quite a bit lower than the first pass. Over the road, over the gates, then the Orange, then over the crowd of family and friends – catching them unawares with the approach from behind. Hope there aren't any Grannies with weak hearts. Finally, the pair split and pass just over the roof of CHOM, one either side, and level with, the bell tower (as I'm reliably told because I obviously couldn't see that bit). The noise and blast breaks some of the glass in the bell tower windows.

Crikey thinks you – that was a bit of fun, but there is more to come…

Pass 3 (Hold onto your hats). Out of sight behind CHOM the Tooms bank left again and prepare for the finale pass – this time from right to left. One I think remains relatively high, but the other passes just over the roof of Whittle Hall and the line of trees next to it and then starts to sink. From the corner of your eye you can see all the detail of the underbelly, the F4 is very nose high and I believe the flaps were down as well. With the rate of sink it looks like it's coming straight at you and you are in the middle of the parade square – oh bu@@er. Then in kicks the afterburn and up it goes directly above you, starting from not very high. The noise, heat and jet blast are incredible. Hats are blasted off, one of the camera teams videoing the event is blown over, the dais lifts slightly into the air and then drops back to earth much to the surprise of the RO, and as mentioned previously the wall of stones peppers everything in sight. Above the racket you can here the Regiment FS's screaming "Stand steady!!!!".

Then it's all over, the noise dies, and it is just left for the last graduates to compose themselves and get inside CHOM and for the Reviewing Officer to rush off and make a very one sided telephone call to some poor unsuspecting Stn Cdr.


Some of the details may have dimmed through the years, but most of it remains clear. That do you for credentials CNN?

D4R

[chinny]

:p As i understood the lead F4 pilot had his brother on parade-more to the story than that but dont' know/cant remember all the facts.:confused: :confused: :confused:
Also heard that the reviewing officer was not that pi@@ed about it until he turned to his wife-the look on her face was the start of the slippery slope-:ugh: :ugh:
Felt sorry for the Nimrod boys in the "new AEW3"-probably thought they were the bees knees.Soz.:sad:

[allan907]

Finished instructing at IOT in early 85 on promotion but the 'grapevine mafia' was still working and managed to see a still photo of the said flypast. The pic was taken from the east wing of CHOM (nearest the church) from one of the top floor windows. It clearly showed the 'tooms fin below the level of the top floor windows on the west wing (nearest Whittle Hall)! Bloody impressive but I think that the pic formed part of the BOI! The pic might have been part of a video taken. Seemed a LOT lower than 72'.

At my current location it became a bit of thing to do an airfield beat up on return to base. All was fine and dandy until I took a pic of our chief engineer/pilot doing one. And by the simple process of measuring the wing against the height above the shadow on the ground I made it ELEVEN FEET. Sanity ruled after that! OK it was only a Cessna 182 RG but they still make good smoking holes in the ground particulary at 100+ kts!