Tornado zapped doing 673mph by Police

[madcap1961]

I think this is the correct place to post this thread - if not please accept my apoligies.
Can anyone comment on the authentisity of the story below - I read it in a newspaper and I am not too sure if its true.
A local policemen in the Highlands having little to occupy his time, was delighted when given a new type speed camera to play with, however he soon became bored with his new toy after he struggled to top 20mph as he repeatedly leapt out on the village high street gun outstretched.
But before he could say "your nicked" a Tornado made a dramatic entrance to the scene with a steep turn up the loch, heading straight towards the village. Raising the gun he took aim and pulled the trigger. To his surprise the Tornado immediately vertical. Assuming coincidence he went back to the nick very pleased with his 673mph reading.
A later brief from the Police Divisonal HQ reported that an aircraft on routine excercise in the area had experienced a lock and the aircraft auto systems had put the aircraft into a full evasive manoeuvre. The pilot had been quite shaken but suffered no ill effects.

[Navaleye]

One of these comes up every so often and belongs in the fiction category.

[oli,_the_original]

Would a radar gun work on a tornado, as you need to know the range and distance traveled in between readings to work out the speed.

[oncemorealoft]

The variation I heard was that the Tornado had a radar seeking missile which locked on to the radar gun. Again seems to be a myth - still hasn't stopped me telling it down the pub a few times. And thus are such myths promulgated:}

[BluntedAtBirth]

Traditionally, this is also accompanied by assertions that the Tornado/Harrier/Chipmunk 'locked-on' to the poor copper, with his hand-held threat emitter, with an (unspecified) missile. I am impressed with the 'aircraft auto systems (that) had put the aircraft into a full evasive manoeuvre' - when did we fit those?

However, I do think a few RAFP and USAF Sy Police have got interesting readings trying to nick speeders on peri tracks...

[It's Not Working]

Urban myth, allegedly. However it is absolutely true that I've no idea how to post a link
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/radar.asp
Edited to express my surprise that the link worked

[Beagle-eye]

Sorry, it's an "urban legend" and didn't happen. :8

More details here :

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/radar.asp

[Beeayeate]

Sorry, it's an "urban legend" and didn't happen.

No, but it should have.


:cool: :ok: :ok:

[Dogwatch]

If the story were true, more likely to have been a laser device than a radar unit.

http://www.teletrafficuk.com/

[Dogma]

The radar gun might produce a reading. But it would NOT cause the aircraft to automatically assume control and climb.

Funny story though!

[Zoom]

Hmmm....if true, that jet was doing 585 knots...over a village! Nick 'im!

[chiglet]

I like the "Sidewinder".......Air to Ground Missile :E :ok:
watp,iktch

[advocatusDIABOLI]

Oh Ye Of Little Faith! Ofcourse the Tornado has automatic defensive systems, which can lock onto and 'Disrupt' threat systems. They are thought controlled, and unfornuately, being precured from the French, all Tornado Pilots, now need to think in French.

I'm sure this is true, it must be, otherwise I dreamt it whilst at work...... Oops. :eek:

Advo

[AR1]

Most radar guns have limitations in the feild of detecting low flying military hardware..
Maximum speed for most (And I'm not aware of any that record higher - why would they) is 200-220 Mph, and maximum range is little more than a mile.

This was probably the basis of the technology used in Rapier Blindfire...:)

[Pontius Navigator]

The recorded speed also, I believe, exceeded the permitted low level speed as well - 583 k against 550 k.

[BEagle]

I sometimes wonder whether the origins of this urban myth come from the days when RAF Plod was trying to book folk for flying too low in the LFAs, using an ex-Argentinian SuperFledermaus radar.

Which, allegedly, was detected and jammed on several occasions....:E

[Mike Oxmels]

A good story but probably false.

One that is true however is the low level Chinny snapped by a Gatso camera - I last saw the evidence photograph under the Bunsters' ops desk. I guess the coppers have a sense of humour. I wish I had a copy. Can any Bunsters scan it and post it here?

[advocatusDIABOLI]

I have it on 'very' good authority that Sky Gaurd(ian) is up and well ! Works too! Although, it does suffer from the fact that front line jets have well programmed RHWR! 'Chaff, me? at low level? Never Sir!!........'

Top Training Guys, Keep it up! :ok:

Advo

[saudipc-9]

all Tornado Pilots, now need to think in French.

Ahh! So instead of turning to the beam they are now being taught to surrender!

[NURSE]

Have heard both versions of the tornado story in the past and had an ex RAF Plod officer say there was an effect on Radar Guns when they have tracked aircraft and they need resetting and recalibrating.
Also heard a version of the story happening Mount Pleasant with the RMP with the Radar guns and a RMP officer telling me of the interview without coffee he had with the Garrison commander over it.

[NURSE]

can anyone comment on the urban myth of harrier pilots driving the A1 in their cars at high speed without lights wearing NVG's?

[Mike Oxmels]

I think every one who has ever had to fly with NVGs has tried them out in their car at some time or other, if only on the peritrack.

I've certainly heard many tales of naughtier things than that!

[TheGorrilla]

The difference between a frenchman and a slice of toast is of course..... You can make a soldier our of a slice of toast.

The evasive move I suspect was the Oh f£ck pull 'ard computer between the pilots legs. Afterwards I'm sure the pilot was kicking himself that he had lost the chance to rid a village of it's idiot.

[stiknruda]

In a land far away......


two mates (A&B) decided to go for a pint.

A: I'll drive - we can try out these Soviet NVG's!

B: okay

10 mins later they arrive outside the pub.


3 hours and 6 pints later it is time to head back....


B: Heh - I wanna go with the NVG's.

A: OK - but your not insured.. I'll drive, you navigate


and they started


B: straight, faster, bend coming up LEFT, slow, slow, start the turn, keep turning - hold it there. Straighten up and speed up.

An amusing and scarey 10 mins I'm told!

[cornish-stormrider]

I did hear the one about the 25 sqn crew from Leeming busted by N yorks plod for this offence. Either it was very common or a tall tale or a twisting of someone/where else.

Always made me chortle

[FJJP]

And then there was the obnoxious OC Plod who acquired several radar guns for his merry men to wage war on everyone on base. However, he decided to ignore all the rules about registration of transmitting devices because it was police business [he was a VERY arrogant sod].

The first victim to be pulled over and lectured by supercilious plod was OC GRF, who, after listening patiently to ranting idiot, asked to see the clearance paperwork for the gun. Plod gave him an earful about police not needing trivial paperwork when there was real work to be done... You can see what's coming next-

OC Eng and OC Admin had an amicable discussion about how to proceed against said obnoxious OC Plod and his cavalier attitude to the rules. The radar guns were handed to GRF for safe storage; it took OC Plod several months of research to discover all the laws and rules pertaining to electronic devices used in the pursuit of law and order [including several re-writes of the paper he had to produce - he should have paid attention to his ISS tutor!]. Finally, he had to get clearance personally from OC Admin every time he wanted to do anything other than the most mundane of tasks.

As you can guess, he was not the most popular individual...

[Wader2]

I certainly saw two bored plods at Bawtry zap a Dominie.

The road from Finningley was very wide and potentially very fast. There was a spot where they could actually zap cars at long distance but then would become unsighted to the car. If you were zapped you could simply stop and go back :}

Also the other drivers were a very friendly lot and always exchanged greetings as they passed each other :}

I should have stopped ans asked them what speed the Dom was doing :)

[ExRAFRadar]

Used to work on that bit of kit at Spadeadam 83-86.

Was very effective but I seem to recall the Harrier boys used to give it a run for it's money. And the West German based Tornado's.

F4 Wild Weasels were a handful. While you were trying to track one of them his oppo would pop up behind a hill and let loose a simulated ARM.

When we had lock we used to radio the boys manning the SAM 'launcher' and they would pop one of those big fireworks off. Looked good from the ground. Wonder what the aircrew thought of them ?

Happy days. :)

[betty swallox]

So would he have got 3 points and a fixed penalty???

[cornish-stormrider]

at lossie we just used to tannoy that plod were out with toy radar around the bay. curiously our tannoy was loud enough for next door to hear and so on and so on........

Chinese whispers:p the plod gave up afetr everyone would drive past at the speed limit and wave :8

[ProfessionalStudent]

Was there ever any truth in the story of the 2 Herc pilots who only had one eye each and if they flew with each other, they had to occupy the seats such that each had his "serviceable" eye on the outboard side of the cockpit?

[F'Wx]

at lossie we just used to tannoy that plod were out with toy radar around the bay. curiously our tannoy was loud enough for next door to hear and so on and so on........


haha! I made those tannoys many a time... It always seeemed to be the OCU students that got caught though.... The rest of us knew better

[AHORSE]

Yes, there were two c130 pilots who had only one eye each, and they did fly together on occasions as they were both on the same sqn as Capt and co-pilot. The younger moved sqns when he became a Capt and I don't think they flew together after that.

[scroggs]

Was there ever any truth in the story of the 2 Herc pilots who only had one eye each and if they flew with each other, they had to occupy the seats such that each had his "serviceable" eye on the outboard side of the cockpit?

Yes, it is true that there were two monocular C130 pilots at the same time, on the same Squadron. However, I'm pretty sure that it was their inboard eyes that were serviceable. I'm also pretty sure that they did fly together at least once.

[Hempy]

:} Ha, thats as good as the story about the dissaffected aircraftman in the States who 5 fingered an F-16 ASPJ radar jammer, packed it into his Chevvy and proceded to blow ever police radar gun in a 300 mile radius. Like they say, never let the truth....