Memories of Rod Frederiksen
Thread Starter
Memories of Rod Frederiksen
There's a thread running on military aircrew marking the sad passing of Lt Cdr Rod 'Fred' Frederiksen, who died last week
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...kson-rn-2.html
Though perhaps best known as one of 800 Squadrons Sea Harrier pilots during the unpleasantness in the South Atlantic, Fred was also a TP.
I'm trying to put together the bare bones chronological details of his career for obituary purposes, and would appreciate any help with detail/dates and above all anecdotes.
Lt Cdr R (Rod) V Frederiksen
1947?-2009
Known as ‘Fred’?
Began his frontline career as a Sea Vixen pilot with 893 Squadron aboard the Hermes from February to July 1970, after conversion with 766 Squadron between September 1969 and February 1970. In August 1970 he transferred, with his Observer to 899 NAS embarking on Eagle in November 1970.
Fred moved on to fly the Phantom with 892 Squadron between 197? and 19??When? Dates?
Fred attended the Central Flying School at RAF Little Rissington in 1973, subsequently instructing on the ???? at ????. (What and where, and when?)
Fred was on 36 Fixed Wing Course at ETPS in 1977.
He then served as a test pilot on A squadron, A&AEE, until the late 1970s/early 1980s
Fred converted to the Sea Harrier in 19**. Date?
Fred served (as SPLOT???) with No.800 Squadron under Lt Cdr Andy Auld, which was embarked on HMS Hermes during the Falklands war, while Lieutenant Commander Nigel ‘Sharkey’ Ward’s 801 Squadron was embarked on HMS Invincible.
HMS Hermes sailed from Portsmouth for the Falkland Islands Total Exclusion Zone (TEZ) on 05.04.82. The Squadron’s five Sea Harriers were augmented by four SHARs from 899 NAS, which had in effect been absorbed into 800 NAS on 02.04.82. The original 800 NAS pilots were Lt Cdrs Andy Auld (CO), Mike Blissett and Rod Frederiksen, Lts Mike Hale, Simon Hargreaves, Andy McHarg, Clive Morrell, Dave Smith and Nick Taylor and Flt Lt Ted Ball. They were joined by Lt Cdrs Neil Thomas (CO), Tony Ogilvy and Gordon Batt, S/Lt Andy George, Flt Lts Dave Morgan and Robert ‘Bertie’ Penfold from 899 NAS.
On 16.05.82 Frederiksen (flying XZ460) provided top cover for Lt Mike Hale when he strafed the patrol vessel Rio Iguazu, causing it to be abandoned
On 21 May British forces landed on the Falklands, provoking a strong response from the Argentinian air forces. Sea Harriers were flying CAPs, but it was later calculated there was only a 25% chance that the aircraft would be in position to intercept any given raiding force. Despite this, the Sea Harriers downed nine enemy aircraft that day, and RF was responsible for one of these, downing a Dagger (C-409 of Grupo 6) with an AIM-9L Sidewinder. RF was Mentioned in Despatches.
Fred served on "A" Sqn at A&AEE for a second time in 1983-84. Fred completed the flight testing for the Sea Harrier FRS1 Phase 1 Update (which was developed at BAe Dunsfold 1986 -1990, and which included Sea Eagle capability (and also a NAVHARS that worked, among some other avionics bells & whistles e.g MADGE which was trialled on Ark Royal off Gib in her pre-commissioning work up).
Steve Thomas did a lot of the initial testing (DGS etc) but Fred did the Sea Eagle trials firing (XZ440) with a ramp launch then firing at some unfortunate 'scrap' frigate.
This was not the first firing - that The 1st live Sea Eagle firing was mid 1980's, by BAe TP Mike Snelling (using XZ440), taking off from Hatfield, refuelling at Valley (or Llanbedr) before transiting to the Aberporth range.
Sometime after that the FRS1 fleet was rewired and Fred made the first service firing from a SHar in about Jun or Jul 1984. Fred embarked (with XZ440) on board the HMS Illustrious for the firing. The target was HMS Devonshire, and with an inert warhead in the missile the ship's back was broken, and she was subsequently sunk by a Tigerfish torpedo.
Before his Sea Harrier Sea Eagle firing, he conducted the second Sea Eagle firing by a military crew, from a Buccaneer over the Hebrides Range. The first Buccaneer Sea Eagle firing was by Andy Sephton on 8 Oct 1984. Fred fired the second one on 15 Oct 84. The trials aircraft was XT288, operated on behalf of 31 Joint Trials Unit. Fred's Sea Harrier firing was a little after that date.
From May 1985 to January 1988 he was the Commanding Officer of 800 NAS.
Fred was recruited by BAE to replace Taylor Scott who was killed in a flying accident in October 1987. He served as a Test Pilot at Dunsfold from 1988 until circa 1994 (or until “at least 1996”), and used the callsign “Hawker Victor”, Hawker Foxtrot already being used by Heinz Frick.
He was project pilot for the Sea Harrier mid-life update (FRS2, later FA2), and may have fired the first AMRAAM from a Sea Harrier in trials at Eglin.
In the early FRS2 trials some flights were undertaken with the CG moved past its normal aft limit as a worst case. The aerodynamic analysis showed that the aircraft was actually unstable, but this didn’t seem to cause Fred any problems.
A Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, was gazetted in the London Gazette on 11 June 1994.
(Anyone know what this was awarded for?)
Fred went to be a Sea Harrier (Sim instructor or QFI?) Instructor at INS Dabolim, Goa, in India. Dates? From 1995?
By May-December 2003, Fred was a Sim Instructor at Valley? Was he previously a QFI on 208 Squadron at Valley? Dates?
At some unknown point in his career he was a QFI on RNEFTS? Dates?
See:
The Navy Net: Rum Ration Forums Royal Navy Branches The Fleet Air Arm A very sad Story Indeed
http://www.pprune.org/flight-testing...ederiksen.html
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...kson-rn-2.html
Though perhaps best known as one of 800 Squadrons Sea Harrier pilots during the unpleasantness in the South Atlantic, Fred was also a TP.
I'm trying to put together the bare bones chronological details of his career for obituary purposes, and would appreciate any help with detail/dates and above all anecdotes.
Lt Cdr R (Rod) V Frederiksen
1947?-2009
Known as ‘Fred’?
Began his frontline career as a Sea Vixen pilot with 893 Squadron aboard the Hermes from February to July 1970, after conversion with 766 Squadron between September 1969 and February 1970. In August 1970 he transferred, with his Observer to 899 NAS embarking on Eagle in November 1970.
Fred moved on to fly the Phantom with 892 Squadron between 197? and 19??When? Dates?
Fred attended the Central Flying School at RAF Little Rissington in 1973, subsequently instructing on the ???? at ????. (What and where, and when?)
Fred was on 36 Fixed Wing Course at ETPS in 1977.
He then served as a test pilot on A squadron, A&AEE, until the late 1970s/early 1980s
Fred converted to the Sea Harrier in 19**. Date?
Fred served (as SPLOT???) with No.800 Squadron under Lt Cdr Andy Auld, which was embarked on HMS Hermes during the Falklands war, while Lieutenant Commander Nigel ‘Sharkey’ Ward’s 801 Squadron was embarked on HMS Invincible.
HMS Hermes sailed from Portsmouth for the Falkland Islands Total Exclusion Zone (TEZ) on 05.04.82. The Squadron’s five Sea Harriers were augmented by four SHARs from 899 NAS, which had in effect been absorbed into 800 NAS on 02.04.82. The original 800 NAS pilots were Lt Cdrs Andy Auld (CO), Mike Blissett and Rod Frederiksen, Lts Mike Hale, Simon Hargreaves, Andy McHarg, Clive Morrell, Dave Smith and Nick Taylor and Flt Lt Ted Ball. They were joined by Lt Cdrs Neil Thomas (CO), Tony Ogilvy and Gordon Batt, S/Lt Andy George, Flt Lts Dave Morgan and Robert ‘Bertie’ Penfold from 899 NAS.
On 16.05.82 Frederiksen (flying XZ460) provided top cover for Lt Mike Hale when he strafed the patrol vessel Rio Iguazu, causing it to be abandoned
On 21 May British forces landed on the Falklands, provoking a strong response from the Argentinian air forces. Sea Harriers were flying CAPs, but it was later calculated there was only a 25% chance that the aircraft would be in position to intercept any given raiding force. Despite this, the Sea Harriers downed nine enemy aircraft that day, and RF was responsible for one of these, downing a Dagger (C-409 of Grupo 6) with an AIM-9L Sidewinder. RF was Mentioned in Despatches.
Fred served on "A" Sqn at A&AEE for a second time in 1983-84. Fred completed the flight testing for the Sea Harrier FRS1 Phase 1 Update (which was developed at BAe Dunsfold 1986 -1990, and which included Sea Eagle capability (and also a NAVHARS that worked, among some other avionics bells & whistles e.g MADGE which was trialled on Ark Royal off Gib in her pre-commissioning work up).
Steve Thomas did a lot of the initial testing (DGS etc) but Fred did the Sea Eagle trials firing (XZ440) with a ramp launch then firing at some unfortunate 'scrap' frigate.
This was not the first firing - that The 1st live Sea Eagle firing was mid 1980's, by BAe TP Mike Snelling (using XZ440), taking off from Hatfield, refuelling at Valley (or Llanbedr) before transiting to the Aberporth range.
Sometime after that the FRS1 fleet was rewired and Fred made the first service firing from a SHar in about Jun or Jul 1984. Fred embarked (with XZ440) on board the HMS Illustrious for the firing. The target was HMS Devonshire, and with an inert warhead in the missile the ship's back was broken, and she was subsequently sunk by a Tigerfish torpedo.
Before his Sea Harrier Sea Eagle firing, he conducted the second Sea Eagle firing by a military crew, from a Buccaneer over the Hebrides Range. The first Buccaneer Sea Eagle firing was by Andy Sephton on 8 Oct 1984. Fred fired the second one on 15 Oct 84. The trials aircraft was XT288, operated on behalf of 31 Joint Trials Unit. Fred's Sea Harrier firing was a little after that date.
From May 1985 to January 1988 he was the Commanding Officer of 800 NAS.
Fred was recruited by BAE to replace Taylor Scott who was killed in a flying accident in October 1987. He served as a Test Pilot at Dunsfold from 1988 until circa 1994 (or until “at least 1996”), and used the callsign “Hawker Victor”, Hawker Foxtrot already being used by Heinz Frick.
He was project pilot for the Sea Harrier mid-life update (FRS2, later FA2), and may have fired the first AMRAAM from a Sea Harrier in trials at Eglin.
In the early FRS2 trials some flights were undertaken with the CG moved past its normal aft limit as a worst case. The aerodynamic analysis showed that the aircraft was actually unstable, but this didn’t seem to cause Fred any problems.
A Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air, was gazetted in the London Gazette on 11 June 1994.
(Anyone know what this was awarded for?)
Fred went to be a Sea Harrier (Sim instructor or QFI?) Instructor at INS Dabolim, Goa, in India. Dates? From 1995?
By May-December 2003, Fred was a Sim Instructor at Valley? Was he previously a QFI on 208 Squadron at Valley? Dates?
At some unknown point in his career he was a QFI on RNEFTS? Dates?
See:
The Navy Net: Rum Ration Forums Royal Navy Branches The Fleet Air Arm A very sad Story Indeed
http://www.pprune.org/flight-testing...ederiksen.html
Last edited by Jackonicko; 8th Oct 2009 at 09:29.
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Burgess Hill
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm pretty certain that Fred completed the flight testing for Sea Harrier FRS1 Phase 1 Update (about 1991) while he was at A&AEE. Steve Thomas did a lot of the initial testing ( DGS etc ) but Fred did the Sea Eagle firing (XZ440) with a ramp launch then firing at some unfortunate 'scrap' frigate.
A really nice guy - very relaxed demeanour in any circumstances
RIP Fred.
A really nice guy - very relaxed demeanour in any circumstances
RIP Fred.
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Burgess Hill
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No - Sea Harrier Phase 1 Update was developed at BAe Dunsfold 1986 -1990 ('ish) - it included Sea Eagle capability (also a NAVHARS that worked ) among some other avionics bells & whistles e.g MADGE which we trialled on Ark Royal off Gib in her pre-commissioning work up. Steve Thomas did the A&AEE 'piloting' bit but if my memory serves me right it was Fred who did the ramp launch with a Sea Eagle on one side and a 190 on the other.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 1,771
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sea Eagle
Sorry this isn't directly related to Fred, but I can understand the confusion over dates.
The 1st live Sea Eagle firing was mid 1980's, by BAe TP Mike Snelling; again XZ440, ( with the same 6-camera cine pod made at Boscombe, which was my task to set up ) - took off from Hatfield, 1 missile 1 x 190, refuelled at Valley ( or possibly Llanbedr, memory fades ) then off to Aberporth range - where he nearly gave a wandering fishing boat a bad day, picking it up at first as the target - despite the dry run.
It took a lot of instrumentation wiring to set up for Sea Eagle trials; the 1st FRS1 to fly, John Farley August 1978 XZ450, had taken 13 months work to wire up for this, then when the Falklands happened that aircraft, like everything else suitable in Dunsfold Experimental Hangar, was grabbed by the Navy.
Rather short-sightedly, they used 450 on a standard iron bomb raid on Goose Green; it was the first Harrier shot down, by AAA, killing Lt. Nick Taylor. His widow has since made a thing about the a/c not having RWR, which sounds quite possible being a development jet, as to whether it might have made any difference is another matter.
John Farley made a comment*, probably trying to be kind, and of course underlining the significance of the Sea Harrier / Sea Eagle package, when the world thought the S.Etendard / Exocet must be the last word - ( Sea Eagle was / is a very intelligent bit of kit, and remind me why the 25 de Mayo couldn't even launch aircraft ?! ).
- *JF commented that one of the reasons the Argentine Navy stayed put was that the Argentinians found the missile control panel in the wreckage of XZ450, and thought " Christ, they've got Sea Eagle operational ! " - Obviously our subs were a factor too...
So, it was a fair bit later that XZ440 was used for the Sea Eagle trials firing - and a fair bit after then that the FRS1 fleet was rewired along with the other kit, and Freds' 1st Military firing carried out.
The 1st live Sea Eagle firing was mid 1980's, by BAe TP Mike Snelling; again XZ440, ( with the same 6-camera cine pod made at Boscombe, which was my task to set up ) - took off from Hatfield, 1 missile 1 x 190, refuelled at Valley ( or possibly Llanbedr, memory fades ) then off to Aberporth range - where he nearly gave a wandering fishing boat a bad day, picking it up at first as the target - despite the dry run.
It took a lot of instrumentation wiring to set up for Sea Eagle trials; the 1st FRS1 to fly, John Farley August 1978 XZ450, had taken 13 months work to wire up for this, then when the Falklands happened that aircraft, like everything else suitable in Dunsfold Experimental Hangar, was grabbed by the Navy.
Rather short-sightedly, they used 450 on a standard iron bomb raid on Goose Green; it was the first Harrier shot down, by AAA, killing Lt. Nick Taylor. His widow has since made a thing about the a/c not having RWR, which sounds quite possible being a development jet, as to whether it might have made any difference is another matter.
John Farley made a comment*, probably trying to be kind, and of course underlining the significance of the Sea Harrier / Sea Eagle package, when the world thought the S.Etendard / Exocet must be the last word - ( Sea Eagle was / is a very intelligent bit of kit, and remind me why the 25 de Mayo couldn't even launch aircraft ?! ).
- *JF commented that one of the reasons the Argentine Navy stayed put was that the Argentinians found the missile control panel in the wreckage of XZ450, and thought " Christ, they've got Sea Eagle operational ! " - Obviously our subs were a factor too...
So, it was a fair bit later that XZ440 was used for the Sea Eagle trials firing - and a fair bit after then that the FRS1 fleet was rewired along with the other kit, and Freds' 1st Military firing carried out.
Last edited by Double Zero; 8th Oct 2009 at 19:29.
Do a Hover - it avoids G
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Chichester West Sussex UK
Age: 91
Posts: 2,206
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jacko
I can confirm Rod was on 36FW course 1977
His time as a Dunsfold tp was after I had retired as CTP but I do remember he was recruited to replace Taylor Scott who was killed in Oct 87. Given the time to org such things he must have come to Duns in 1988.
I suspect he left circa 1994.
JF
I can confirm Rod was on 36FW course 1977
His time as a Dunsfold tp was after I had retired as CTP but I do remember he was recruited to replace Taylor Scott who was killed in Oct 87. Given the time to org such things he must have come to Duns in 1988.
I suspect he left circa 1994.
JF
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: brizzle
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On 20.10.95 I flew alongside Rod on his last sortie for BAE. It was at the handover of ZH796 the first new build FA2. Talking to him before the flight he said he was retiring after this flight. Tried to post a phot of the aircraft as it flew past the flight sheds at Dunsfold but couldn't get it on here. I was in the back seat of a T4 flown by Simon Hargreaves the then CO of 899 who had been invited to attend the ceremony. I served with Rod on 766/890 then 892 Phantoms and 800 1980-1982 and again during his command of 800 95/96. A great guy.
Join Date: May 2009
Location: N.Devon
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
He was also a member of 3 FTS Synchronised display team at Leeming in 1976
TwoBulldog T.1s of RNEFTS / No.3 FTS, Leeming, "TheBulldogsAerobatic Team".
FltLt R Fallis and Lt R VFrederiksenRN.
Theteam made its debut at the Shropshire Aero Club display at Sleap on23 May 1976 and subsequently appeared at 30 shows during the season.
DW
TwoBulldog T.1s of RNEFTS / No.3 FTS, Leeming, "TheBulldogsAerobatic Team".
FltLt R Fallis and Lt R VFrederiksenRN.
Theteam made its debut at the Shropshire Aero Club display at Sleap on23 May 1976 and subsequently appeared at 30 shows during the season.
DW
