Anyone remember the Lightning *bang* over London?

[denis555]

Maybe my memory is playing tricks but I'm sure I remember that the government of the time (1967?) authorised a Lightning to break the sound barrier near London at about midday so that everyone could experience a sonic bang. ( presumably to put our fears at rest in advance of Concorde being developed).

I *think* I remember hearing it in the school playground.

Can anyone confirm my memory of this?

Denis

[spekesoftly]

The following link confirms your recollection:-

Sonic Boom Tests (Complaints) (Hansard, 17 December 1968) (http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1968/dec/17/sonic-boom-tests-complaints)

[denis555]

Thanks Spekesoftly - anyone actually remember it happening or was involved?

[henry crun]

It is quite possible that I am confusing this event with something else, but I have a feeling the pilot for those tests was Diana Rigg's brother.

Not that it makes any difference to the results. :)

[Fishtailed]

Why didn't 'they' just come up to Lancashire and ask us who had been used to it for ten years what we thought?:confused:

[WHBM]

What ? Value the word of someone who comes from the north ? Whitehall even look down their collective noses at staff who live in Watford !

[SpringHeeledJack]

Wow..... the old grey matter has been stirred!

I have vague recollections of this happening whilst at school and perhaps all the children being let out into the playground earlier than normal for lunch break so that they could hear the sonic boom. I imagine that none of us had any idea what it was apart from that it was loud and everyone was giddy with excitement. How easily we were entertained back then. :)

P.S could it have been that there was/were public information films about the exercise that were shown in schools ? Or maybe time plays tricks with the imagination and memory.


Regards

SHJ

[G-SPOTs Lost]

I recall a story about one of the Javelin TP's dropping a boom on fleet street after the daily mirror reported doubts about its supersonic ability.....

That would be in the 50's

[diesel addict]

4th. July 1954 - Wing-commander "Dicky" Martin suffered - er - let us call it "oxygen starvation" and "inadvertantly" exceeded Mach 1 over London.;)
Probably WT830, the fourth prototype.

[denis555]

Springheeledjack - I remember being in the playground at the time too, maybe we were all let out especially.

I don't remember a public information film - but I do remember cartoonists having a field day predicting London houses having all their windows broken!

[chevvron]

I'm sure some of these were carried out in about '69 by a Lightning from Farnborough. I heard one that year from my parents home in Chesham, Bucks although I didn't realise what it was(I thought it was thunder - mid august - we had hot sunny weather during the summers in those days - Labour have a lot to answer for) and only found out what it was from the newspapers next day. The supersonic run had apparently started from near Reading flying due east. I was told about this and other runs (by Honey Monster I think) when I arrived at Farnborough a few years later.

[denis555]

I only remember the one sonic bang - anyone know how far the noise of a bang travels generally?

[Warmtoast]

I only remember the one sonic bang - anyone know how far the noise of a bang travels generally?


A long way! See the last paragraph in the press cutting below.

The post above by diesel addict refers to the "inadvertant" breaking of the sound barrier by a Javelin over London on 4-5th July 1955. I was stationed at Biggin Hill at the time and it certainly work me up.
There was a degree of speculation as to what caused the bang - it was only when it was reported in the press a couple of days later that we knew what had happened as this contemporary press report shows.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r231/thawes/Javelinthroughthesoundbarrier-5thJu.jpg

The subject was raised in parliament as this extract from Hansard shows.

§ 31. Sir N. Hulbert asked the Minister of Supply if he will make a statement in regard to his contractor's aircraft which broke through the sound barrier over London on the night of 4th-5th July.

§ Mr. Maudling Yes, Sir. A Gloster Javelin flying from the contractor's airfield was on a routine night flight in connection with the Javelin development. The aircraft was cruising at a high altitude and near the speed of sound when the pilot's oxygen supply failed; during the ensuing confusion he inadvertently exceeded the speed of sound, causing the bang. A bang from such a height can be heard over a wide area and the aircraft was not in fact over Greater London when the bang was made. I would ask my hon. Friend to await the statement which I shall be making at the end of Questions about the effect of supersonic flying and the measures which I am taking to control it. I am satisfied that the incident was an exceptional one and the pilot has expressed his regret for the disturbance caused.