swift at Yeovilton

[coley chaos]

Had a couple of hours off today so drove up to yeovilton and was greeted with lots of gentlemen with binoculars, and there at the end of the runway was the Swift ready to get airbourne. Off it went for 3/4 hour and landed safely back, seemed to be lots of hand shakes all around after by pilot? Anyone know if it was back in the air after a rebuid or new to them airframe? Whatever it was nice to see slipping round the sky.

[Buc Driver]

I think you are talking about the Seahawk, great news, roll on Saturday.

[coley chaos]

Thanks, always knew I was a crap spotter!! Whats happening on the Saturday?

[gareth herts]

Airshow at Yeovilton I believe.

G

[Razor61]

It was up again today around the airfield with a Jet Provost on its wing getting ready for the airshow and taking a few photos no doubt.
Pity the Firefly isnt still with us...

Razor

[delta96]

Did the Seahawk see any active - ie shot at - service? The only thing of note that I remember is some film of 'Winkle' Brown pancaking one onto a wet condom. Some kind of gear-up recovery wheeze, I think.

[Bing]

A lot of Seahwk squadrons were involoved in Suez, which must count as active service. As for the wheels up recovery onto a rubberized (sp?) deck, I thought that was a Vampire?

[BEagle]

The idea was to save weight back when early jets were somewhat short of thrust. I understand that arrested landings onto the rubberised deck were very uncomfortable - but it was movement of the aircraft around the deck afte landing which was the main problem. They couldn't just taxy forward and fold their wings!

[blaireau]

Yes it was a Vampire and the test observer was Stan Chissman.

[delta96]

JFZ90

Thanks for that history of the Seahawk, I'm pleased that such a beautiful A/C (IMHO) wasn't just a time-server!
And thanks to others who identified the rubber deck arrivee as a Vampire/Venom. It didn't seem likely to me, them having a plywood nose.