RAF attack Washinton DC

[You want it when?]

Many many years ago, YWIW senior used to sit in the back of Aunty Bettys bigger aircraft and tell them where to go, and when to drop their various bits of pointy (and not so pointy) metal.

YWIW senior (Mrs) was a controller at a not so secret bomber base in Linconshire in the early 60s. She used to tell of a story about a flight of two Vulcans that were despatched from a ranger to Goose Bay to go and get some piccies of Washington DC er.. without seeking permission.

Did this really ever happen? I've read "The Penetrators" by Anthony Gray which sort of tells the same story. But this was written in 1965 - so is my aged Mum getting fact and fiction mixed up or did the UK launch nuclear capable bombers at a friendly capital? Come on it's been almost 40 years, did it happen?

[tony draper]

Well there was a precedent, 1812, we did some work in Washington I believe. :rolleyes:

[Pom Pax]

Have read somewhere of a feint attack on Washington or somewhere in a joint exercise. 3 got intercepted as intended but no.4 got away as planned and flew to N.Y. unhintered.

[Groundgripper]

I seem to remember hearing a rumour many years ago that, during an exercise, a number of Vulcans were instructed to rendezvous over Washington County Durham (as it was then) but that the last bit was missed out in the transmission to the crew and at least one made it to overhead DC without being detected.
It always seemed so unlikely that I never really believed it but, then again.......

[tony draper]

Thank god for that, they would never have found there way out of Washington Co Durham.

[BEagle]

You're almost right.....

In 1961 8 Vulcans, 4 from 27 Sqn detached to Bermuda and 4 from 83 Sqn detached to Lossiemouth, took part in Ex Skyshield II together with a number of SAC bombers to test NORAD. Their ECM proved effective against the defenders who hadn’t sufficient fuel to reach the Vulcans up at 56000ft. The 4 from 27 Sqn put up a successful screen and whilst the defending F-102s turned their attention on 3 of them, the 4th broke off north and landed at Plattsburgh AFB completely unmolested by Uncle Spam’s fighters.....

Not something I’d care to try nowadays!

[PaperTiger]

Plattsburgh AFB - hope they weren't aiming for DC then -missed by about 500 miles. Close enough for a Blue Steel ?

[BEagle]

Correct. The 'Blue Steel' stand-off weapon, capable of flight at Mach 2 at 80 000ft, was in service from 1962-1969. It had the same megaton-range warhead as the contemporary Yellow Sun 2 free-fall weapon.

[You want it when?]

Good grief she is starting to remember correctly then - I'd better up her gin. :D

Thanks for the info.

[7x7]

I’m told the RN fishheads pulled off a similar stunt in the Sixties in an ‘O’ boat (Oberon Class diesel submarine, which was reputedly one of the quietest subs of all time.)

The RN O boat was scheduled to join the USN for an exercise on the US East coast. They Yanks knew it was coming, but The first they saw (or heard) of it was when it surfaced, undetected, a couple of hundred yards off the pier in New London(?) Harbor, the USN’s most secure nuclear sub base.

I believe the RN skipper got a kick in the pants for his efforts, but Their Lordships in the Admiralty were in fact, (unofficially at least), highly pleased with him.

[Iron City]

No need for a question mark, there really is a New London Connecticut (On the Thames River no less...why couldn't the colonials be a little more original on names, some unpronouncable native american or Welsh name maybe)

Actually, the submarine base and the Electric Boat yard are in Groton, on the other side of the river, which is not particularly big or wide or deep and open to the public to very close to the base.