Daily Mail Trans- Atlantic Air Race 1969

[WHBM]

Looking at the Flight link above, there were several prizes for the "most ingenious" method, not connected with time taken. Would be interesting to know what the winners of those actually did.

when a Royal Navy Whirlwind (piston engined version)descended onto a landing pad on the Thames next to us, disgorged one person who leapt onto a motorbike and sped off. It was from the Arc de Triomphe to Marble Arch

There was a later single attempt at this probably in the late 1960s when on the Saturday evening BBC teatime show they had someone do the same run, in a Hunter (and bits at both ends) within the duration of the program, which was probably one hour.


I don't recall the route, but do remember that to while away some of the time they had a guy who was going for the world record for the number of times he could jump into and out of a pair of underpants in two minutes, and one of the show presenters competed alongside him. Talk about trivialising the main subject matter.

[treadigraph]

Originally Posted by Wander00

Wasn't one of the trans-Atlantic Phantoms crewed by Alcock and Brown, each a descendent of one of the Vimy crew of 1919

There was an Alcock and Brown crewed Phantom with a special scheme at RIAT 79 (?), 60th anniversary of their crossing.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by treadigraph

There was an Alcock and Brown crewed Phantom with a special scheme at RIAT 79 (?), 60th anniversary of their crossing.

FGR.2 XV424, crewed by Sqn Ldr Tony Alcock (nephew of Sir John) and Flt Lt Norman Browne (no connection), 21st June 1979. Also on board was A&B's original 1919 toy black cat mascot "Twinkletoes".

[chevvron]

Originally Posted by WHBM

Looking at the Flight link above, there were several prizes for the "most ingenious" method, not connected with time taken. Would be interesting to know what the winners of those actually did.


There was a later single attempt at this probably in the late 1960s when on the Saturday evening BBC teatime show they had someone do the same run, in a Hunter (and bits at both ends) within the duration of the program, which was probably one hour.


I don't recall the route, but do remember that to while away some of the time they had a guy who was going for the world record for the number of times he could jump into and out of a pair of underpants in two minutes, and one of the show presenters competed alongside him. Talk about trivialising the main subject matter.

There was also one on Noel Edmond's 'Late Late Breakfast Show' in the '80s between Biggin and Beauvais or vice versa. One of the competitors was Niki Lauda in his Falcon 20.
Some of the civilian aircraft inbound to Biggin were doing letdowns in about 300ft cloud ceiling which might not be classed as legal nowadays.

[treadigraph]

Thanks Dave, I was going to suggest that RIAT '79 was also the Phantom's 25th anniversary but that seemed a bit early - it was, of course, the C-130's 25th! Phantom's was '83. Sorry for the drift...

[VentureGo]

Transatlantic Air Race 1969

Found this in the Archives section:

https://www.pprune.org/jet-blast/986...ce-1969-a.html

As next year will mark the 100th Anniversary wonder if there are any plans to commemorate in a similar fashion.
I have an interest in that my father was a guest of Crosse & Blackwell and other businessmen including Jack Cohen of Tesco. Crosse & Blackwell sponsored Stirling Moss and incentivised their key buyers for a place on the LGW yo JFK leg, visiting the Empire State Building and staying at The Roosevelt Hotel. Stirling Moss left the Post Office Tower to join the BUA VC10 waiting at Gatwick with guests on board, ready for an immediate take-off to race in that category. My father told me the take-off was very fast, and the sensation of speed was apparent on harsh/rapid deceleration ordered when entering JFK airspace!

Wonder if anyone can contribute? - Be interesting to know if Stirling Moss remembers and any photos of event?

From article:
" May 1969. The Daily Mail London - New York transatlantic air race, commemorating the 50th anniversary of Alcock anFrd Brown's crossing of the Atlantic, between the RAF and RN.

The RAF used a Harrier GR1 operating out of Northolt. Flown by Squadron Leader Tom Lecky-Thompson, the flight, in XV741, involved 4 air-to-air refuellings (Victor K1s) and took 6 hr 11 min 57 sec landing at at Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station. (Floyd Bennett is located in the southern part of Brooklyn between Flatbush Avenue and Jamaica Bay).

The RN provided a F-4K from 892 Sqn out of Yeovilton. Also supported by the K1s, they set a record flight time of 4 hours 46 minutes and 57 seconds.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by VentureGo

From article:

The RAF used a Harrier GR1 operating out of Northolt. Flown by Squadron Leader Tom Lecky-Thompson, the flight, in XV741, involved 4 air-to-air refuellings (Victor K1s) and took 6 hr 11 min 57 sec landing at at Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station. (Floyd Bennett is located in the southern part of Brooklyn between Flatbush Avenue and Jamaica Bay).

The Harrier's record flight actually landed at the end of E 25th St in downtown Manhattan, not at Floyd Bennett, having departed from a coal yard adjacent to St Pancras station.

[MacBoero]

British Movietone News - Between the Towers

You Tube

[NRU74]

(Thought I’d posted this before, but can’t find it)

I was on one of the several Tankertrash Victor crews operating out of Loring and Goose during the Air Race.
I have to say that the Fishheads organised an absolutely cracking pi$$up for the RAF and RN participants afterwards in
the Inigo Jones Banqueting Hall in Whitehall ( where we ‘stole’ the Celebratory cake to take to the RAF Club- but were apprehended by the RN Police in Whitehall with no further action taken).

[ICM]

Not mentioned thus far is the independent entry organised by 10 Squadron that won the subsonic New York to London section only to be disqualified on a technicality.

Sgt (W) Heather Robinson, then an Air Quartermaster, was selected as 'the runner' and arrangements were made around a VC 10 training flight. Outbound, she rode pillion on a RAF Police motorbike to a yard near St Pancras from where a Wessex took her to Wisley and a waiting aircraft. From JFK, a helicopter and sports car took her to the Empire State building - a total time of 7:17:52. Atlantic winds suggested a much better return time on 8 May. As things would turn out, the non-availability of the sports car to get to JFK would prove critical, and a motorbike was used instead. At JFK, she was unceremoniously hauled into the forward (Lower) freight door, to brace in the space as the aircraft took off. The Atlantic crossing went exceedingly well and she clocked-in at the GPO Tower in 6:29:11. This was the winning subsonic time until the intervention of a bearded celebrity (mentioned in that Movietone Newsreel, above) who pointed out that the rules required the same modes of transport both out and back, and Heather was disqualified. (Whilst rules are rules, there was a feeling that he was somewhat put out by the number of prizes going to the Services.)

Nonetheless, Rothmans, the tobacco company and sponsors of the subsonic category, subsequently recognised the 'win' by presenting a silver salver at a function at Brize Norton.

[pulse1]

I have to say that the Fishheads organised an absolutely cracking pi$$up........

They also organised a fantastic fly past (beat up) of the Flight Refuelling Ltd, Wimborne factory to thank them. After a sedate fly past of Sea Vixens and Phantoms they came back individually going very fast and extremely low. I swear I was looking down on some of them as they crossed the river bridge. I suspect that they made such a spectacular job to rub in the fact that the RAF had missed the factory by a long way on a previous occasion that year.

[bill fly]

And this year...

So now it is 2019 and 50 years since the Daily Mail race - and therefore 100 years since the epic flight.

By coincidence I was on the same RAF intake as Tony Alcock and later on was involved in the race while on 55 Squadron,from
which a couple of aircraft refueled the Royal Navy Phantoms Eastbound. The other Squadrons, 57 and 214, plus some 55 members
were involved with the Harriers Westbound. The US were interested in buying Harriers and the opportunity for some publicity was not lost
on the industry, as the "jump jet" could operate very close to the two towers and reduce ground transit. The Royal Navy then as now needed
no excuse for a little publicity - especially as "cuts" were very much in the news.

As the Harriers were not terribly fast in cruise, compared to the Phantoms, they were accompanied all the way across the pond
by the Victor K1A tankers. The Phantoms, on the other hand went full belt, which meant they had to fly as a pair and rendezvous a couple
of times with the 55 Squadron tankers - over the Canadian coast and also mid Atlantic. Our crew got "lumbered" for the latter role, which involved
carrying out an RV at an incredibly fast closing rate and then giving the Phantoms as quickly as possible their fuel. The Navy had positioned a ship
to provide some sort of radar coverage but the RV was carried out using air to air procedures available at that time (Tacan for DME ranging, VHF DF
for heaiding adjustment and finally the radar on the fighters for the final join up). We were lucky to have a very good cool navigator on the crew and the RVs worked out very well.

The Phantoms were faster every day (there were three pairs) and the last pair requested us to climb during the fuel transfer so they could reach cruise altitude quicker. This was unheard of as most receivers asked us to "toboggan" - descend - as their weight increased, Our Nav Radar, who was also the refueling operator on the periscope called out "They are using afterburner!" This was a playoff between fuel economy and speed and we gave them a fair bit more than planned - though we still had enough on board..

After refueling, the Phantoms shot off past us with long afterburner trails and on landing opened the rear hatch, so that the observer could be winched out by Wessex during the landing roll and whisked off to London. All great fun and the Daily Mail had a field day with the results. I still have some beaten up ante room copies which I , er, requesitioned.

The last crew got the record of 5 hours and 9 minutes. As has been noted above, a right royal party followed at the Banqueting Hall in London, where I recall, there was not too much to eat but plenty to drink - as befits crabs and fishes. DJ Simon Dee had been invited and the RN had contined to pull out all the stops till the end. All good, operational, book out of the window stuff.

Now... What is going to happen this year? Were you involved? If you were and you were on tankers please p.m. me so I can get tpgether a list of possible invitees if something comes up in May... No guarantees at this point...



.

[staircase]

bill fly, check your private messages

[bill fly]

Many thanks Staircase,

I have contacted you directly and have at least a few Victor drivers now who were involved.

PS to celebrate being able to post a url, here is the R Navy do back in 1969 at the Banqueting house...

[NRU74]

Blimey,
Alistair looks so young (suppose he was then) but what’s Larry Blake trying to look at ?
(I’ve a couple of photos from the Pi$$ up that I’ll try to find and upload)

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by bill fly

So now it is 2019 and 50 years since the Daily Mail race
.

50 years.......scary thought........only seems like yesterday that it was a sunny spring day and I was a 6 year old kid playing with the younger lad from next door on the open grassed area in front of our homes, about 2 miles south-east of RAF Northolt, when this almighty loud noise came from behind, and I looked up to see a Harrier streaking fast and very low over our heads heading north-west towards RAF Northolt. I can remember standing there thinking......oh wow, and hoping it would come back, as the young lad from next door ran screaming into his Mum

[bill fly]

Event at Brooklands

Well, thanks to Staircase and some others, we managed to get 5 ex 55 Sqn participants down to Brooklands on 8.May for the Great Air Race reception.
Nice to see the other participants from various categories - and to see the First and Fastest exhibit, with the Vickers Vimy replica and the beautifully restored Harrier, which was flown by Sqn Ldr Lecky Thompson.

We'll have to do it again in 50 years...

According to the Galway Daily, the statue of Alcock and Brown is temporarily in Cliften, Ireland (in the Abbeyglen Castle Hotel) as part of the 100 year anniversary of their flight in June 1919.

[bill fly]

Shots - courtesy of Old Fart

The Assembled Participants - Heather Robinson in red (see post 30)

The 55 Sqn Tanker Contingent

[staircase]

I was a bit surprised that it was not better attended, or that the 50th anniversary was not more widely publicised.

However, then my offspring did point out that no one under 50 was alive at the time, and that no one under 60 would have remembered the event.

But, good have been there and seen you all, and swap the stories, and well done to the staff at Brooklands for their efforts.

[BEagle]

staircase, give your offspring a smart cuff about the swede! Many of us old gits remember not just the 1969 race, but also the 1959 Marble Arch - Arc de Triomphe race. In which a French Air Force Vautour mistook Kenley for Biggin Hill and landed on the grass!

The race was won, of course, by an RAF Sqn Ldr in 40 min 44 sec.