F-104 1 Gnat 0

[Krystal n chips]

I know it's been mentioned on here before, however, this is the first photo I've seen of this "up close and a bit too personal " meeting. Acknowledgements to a contributor on the RAF Valley FB page for the shot.

How the Gnat continued to defy gravity after this encounter is one of aviation's mysteries ......

https://scontent.fbhx4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/169281407_4015973415148666_1425826678271998300_n.jpg?_nc_cat =100&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=dbeb18&_nc_ohc=wba6MdQxIWMAX8eVz3l&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-2.fna&oh=ed4ef93130ccf839739c8529649763ec&oe=6092ADA8

[ORAC]

Bit of filler and duct tape and good as new....

[Less Hair]

Air-to-air pedicure for the Gnat-pilot?

[Kelly Hopper]

My two all time favorite aircraft decided to have a mid air snog!

[Hot 'n' High]

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=56500

1975! I like the fact it seems they flew a formation approach - maybe due to the fact that the ASI was showing a bit of an odd reading given where the pitot tube wasn't!!! :E

[ShyTorque]

I know it's been mentioned on here before, however, this is the first photo I've seen of this "up close and a bit too personal " meeting. Acknowledgements to a contributor on the RAF Valley FB page for the shot.

How the Gnat continued to defy gravity after this encounter is one of aviation's mysteries ......

https://scontent.fbhx4-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/169281407_4015973415148666_1425826678271998300_n.jpg?_nc_cat =100&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=dbeb18&_nc_ohc=wba6MdQxIWMAX8eVz3l&_nc_ht=scontent.fbhx4-2.fna&oh=ed4ef93130ccf839739c8529649763ec&oe=6092ADA8

The location of the photo is another mystery.

[Less Hair]

Leck air base, Germany.
https://images.app.goo.gl/WiyPHsHqs4fbG8oo8

[Krystal n chips]

The location of the photo is another mystery.

As indeed it was to the C/T who went up initially to inspect the damage....he had a "scenic tour " of N.Germany before he found it. Nice base actually.

[ShyTorque]

I know where Leck is - I was Germany based for three years.

What I meant was that there is no photo of the incident showing on my screen! :p

[Less Hair]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=105541489641757&set=a.105517989644107&type=3

[NutLoose]

That's just a scuff, I remember the Hawk where you could see the pilots feet and rudder pedals through the hole...

[DuncanDoenitz]

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=56500

1975! I like the fact it seems they flew a formation approach - maybe due to the fact that the ASI was showing a bit of an odd reading given where the pitot tube wasn't!!! :E
One imagines that airspeed would be proportional to the wind up his trouser leg.

[charliegolf]

One imagines that airspeed would be proportional to the wind up his trouser leg.

He wouldn't have noticed that, what with the wind going down his trouser leg!

CG

[Krystal n chips]

That's just a scuff, I remember the Hawk where you could see the pilots feet and rudder pedals through the hole...

OK. I'll swap your Hawk for a Harrier at Husum....the seagull came through the radome and then through the px bulkhead before finally stopping on the right rudder pedal. It was about 3-4 weeks before we got there to bring it back to Wildenrath on a low loader.......the deceased seagull remained in situ until that time

. " Fragrant " is not a word that springs to mind.

[ShyTorque]

Seen it now - Mystery now is that the photo shows on my phone but not on my PC!

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Shy, your PC (like mine) probably has defences and blockers to prevent the myriad of 'services' that try to climb on board any page you try to open - this one has at least 15 detected by my primary line of defence. I still can't see the picture, but I can't be bothered to go through each link and temporarily 'allow' them one-at-a-time to find out which one is actually hiding the picture. Just goes to show how many businesses have access to your phone, if it allows the page to load unhindered, eh?

[Hot 'n' High]

...... . " Fragrant " is not a word that springs to mind.

One Summer, a Sea King on Det in NI on fishery protection I believe (this being 1980 IIRC). On final departure a gift of a large crate of fresh fish was donated to the crew by some very grateful fishermen. Std transit back to Cu via Valley for lunch/fuel. Hot/CAVOK Wx + a nice toasty MRGB ensured cabin remained at "oven temperatures" for the duration of the transit.

Upon arrival at Cu, the A/C was unloaded and towed away from the Sqdn/Line and dumped on the grass - downwind of the Sqdn - whereupon all doors/windows were opened, emergency exit windows jettisoned etc. Thankfully, it was a nice spell of Cornish Summer - no rain to hinder the decontam process! Twice a day a "Team" were "specially selected" (ie ordered!) to approach the aircraft to ascertain it's condition.

Re-entry was finally achieved after something like 4 days. :uhoh:

[NutLoose]

I'll tell you a fish story, winter Olympics in Calgary, went to do an engine change on a Ten at Gander outside!
Anyway I was in some hotel bar listening some of the worst music known to man so I pooters off for a leak... standing there, this huge goliath of a man with a beard to match appears beside me, looks down and says are you British? I reply yes.. Ahh he says, in that funny language they speak, you wouldn't be interested in being my Agent in the UK for my fish would you.....
Now I must admit that's a first... but hey ho. what? I replied...he continues, I will send my catch through you and you will just need to sign the Customs paperwork etc for me and take a cut...
Thinking i need to get out of this madhouse I finish, decline his offer and leave.. relating it to the guys back at our hotel one of them goes ashen faced and asks did I get details, no I replied, he then tells me I just turned down a potential fortune and he had been looking for / trying to get such a deal for years. I was offered it on the first night lol.

Sorry thread drift.

[Cornish Jack]

For odorous aircraft, close to the 'top spot' would be dried shark meat in a Valetta (or any aircraft) - not left to 'improve', just carried! Needed a couple of weeks with the emergency windows open to approach normal. :yuk:
Certainly in the 'Top Ten', a whole Camembert, bought in Pnomh Penh and left in the Devon nose compartment, in the Bangkok heat for a weekend, would 'rank' quite 'high' !

[OldHunter]

Back at the Gnat. I remember speakling to the pilot afterwards. Apparently the F104 airbrakes are rather better than the Gnat's. After disengaging from the 104's jetpipe he could see the ground past his feet on the rudder padals. A bit draughty. Lost the pitot head and had no airspeed indication. A pairs approach and an ok landing.

[BEagle]

I remember seeing that Gnat sitting outside the Gaydon hangar at Valley - it looked rather sorry for itself! Quite amazing that the pilot was able to land it in that condition.

[Nick 1]

Was during the Tiger Meet 1975 at Leck Air Base , there was three italian F-104 from 21Gruppo of 53 Wing based in Cameri .
Due to past problems with dissimilar flying formation that year the USAF forbit the pilots to fly during the meeting , and the Head of German air Force banned evey mixed formation over the aiport during the airshow.
But the German commander one morning during the briefing asked for some volunteer to take off in separate formation , to be rejoned over the
airport of Husum where the spotters where waiting .
He manged to find 20 airplane , among them two of the 104 the other pilot prefer to decline , then they took off.
The leader was an AG52 R4F Phantom ,section leaders where G91 of 431 Group of Oldenburg ,the F-104 where in the penultimate ship formation , on the last one with the G91 two Gnat of 4 Training Wing of Kemble ,on the left Gnat there was an USAF instructor and a german navigator .
They set up the formation at 500ft and soon later the Leader announce they where close to Husum “Reduce engine “ he ordered , but right after from the back of the formation they saw planes starting to go scatteterd in order to try to maintain the formation despite the abrupt power reduction from the leader.
The F-104 radioed to his italian wingman “Airbrake out “ and after few second he reply “ I have been hit ! “, he saw the Gnat braking on the left and after a visul check of the F-104 some pieces of the trainer stucked in the F-104 afterburner.
He hit with the nose the cone of the F-104 passing for inch the aileron in the escape manuver and destroyed the fuel tank .
The legs of the Gnat pilot where visible from the others plane , the F-104 landed with pieces of Gnat hanging down from the tail .
The Gnat was chased on ground by an Indian pilot . The Starfighter was repaired with spare from German Navy , the Gnat was written off.
Later photo from the spotters confirmed that nobody left the formation in a dangerous way , the Gnat simply crashed into the Starfighter.


https://www.circolodel53.it/index.php/storia/la-storia-siamo-noi/ricordi-di-volo-collisione-a-leck