Air Display 'C*ck Ups'
Weston-Super-Mud!
OK, its the summer of 93 (ish) and "Spotter" L****M takes me to the Helidays at W-S-M.
Overnight at Locking, 2 minute transit and a vertical onto the Seafront Lawns.
Very hot, sun hats on, well hosted.
Then the commentary starts:
"Welcome, packed programme etc, little Johnny has wet his pants and lost his Mum" etc etc! (To be fair that last bit was me!!)
"The highlight of this afternoons displays is the arrival of a U.S. Seahawk/Blackhawk who will abseil in a securing party before landing"
Blah Blah Blah......
"The Seahawk is on its way ladies and gents, it is flying in from Iceland, refuelling 3 times in the air and will cover 1100 miles"
(We are impressed, it would take the Wessex....!!?)
Blah Blah Blah...
"Here it is! Look to the right, it has flown from...etc etc"
THEN it all went very quiet as he missed WSM, went to the end of the bay,
became a very small speck indeed ,turned round, came back did his stuff and landed!
Well it amused us for a couple of hours anyway!
Cheers! lsh
Overnight at Locking, 2 minute transit and a vertical onto the Seafront Lawns.
Very hot, sun hats on, well hosted.
Then the commentary starts:
"Welcome, packed programme etc, little Johnny has wet his pants and lost his Mum" etc etc! (To be fair that last bit was me!!)
"The highlight of this afternoons displays is the arrival of a U.S. Seahawk/Blackhawk who will abseil in a securing party before landing"
Blah Blah Blah......
"The Seahawk is on its way ladies and gents, it is flying in from Iceland, refuelling 3 times in the air and will cover 1100 miles"
(We are impressed, it would take the Wessex....!!?)
Blah Blah Blah...
"Here it is! Look to the right, it has flown from...etc etc"
THEN it all went very quiet as he missed WSM, went to the end of the bay,
became a very small speck indeed ,turned round, came back did his stuff and landed!
Well it amused us for a couple of hours anyway!
Cheers! lsh
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Somerset
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AustralianMade
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Out in the weather!
Age: 54
Posts: 917
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ish:
You lost your Mum AND wet your pants ... not a good day for you at all Ish.
Airshows Downunder, Avalon Airport, cira 1999 or so, Bob Hoover well into his Shrike handling display (both engines, one engine, zero engines to landing. Very good display), Bob has just shutdown the second engine when ATC line up two RNZAF Skyhawks on the runway ...
Hoover, "Tower, I'm lining up for landing no engines!"
ATC, "Roger that, Skyhawks expedite."
Skyhawks immediately roll, Hoover lands very close behind and into their jet blast. Heard around the bar after wards that ATC "got a bit of a tune up from Hoover over that one."
Great thread, keep 'em coming.
Cheers,
ABX
has wet his pants and lost his Mum" etc etc! (To be fair that last bit was me!!)
Airshows Downunder, Avalon Airport, cira 1999 or so, Bob Hoover well into his Shrike handling display (both engines, one engine, zero engines to landing. Very good display), Bob has just shutdown the second engine when ATC line up two RNZAF Skyhawks on the runway ...
Hoover, "Tower, I'm lining up for landing no engines!"
ATC, "Roger that, Skyhawks expedite."
Skyhawks immediately roll, Hoover lands very close behind and into their jet blast. Heard around the bar after wards that ATC "got a bit of a tune up from Hoover over that one."
Great thread, keep 'em coming.
Cheers,
ABX
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: the right side of the R24
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Late 90's I recall, AFB Zwartkops, Pretoria, South Africa. It was an Airforce Museum airshow and the special forces boys were doing their 'capture an enemy airfield' routine. The C130 comes overhead and drops the Pathfinders who, aided by much blank ammo and many flashbangs, secure the strip for the Herc to land and disgorge the raiding party with their beachbuggys-on-steriods et al.
The snag was just after the Pathfinders left the Herc, it developed a problem and diverted to nearby (5min flying time) AFB Waterkloof for a precautionary.
Herc lands, comes to a stop and the guys in the back, not knowing they had diverted, scream out the back, guns blazing and shoot the c$%p out of the wrong airbase...
Needless to say the guys on guard duty needed to change their undies after that one
The snag was just after the Pathfinders left the Herc, it developed a problem and diverted to nearby (5min flying time) AFB Waterkloof for a precautionary.
Herc lands, comes to a stop and the guys in the back, not knowing they had diverted, scream out the back, guns blazing and shoot the c$%p out of the wrong airbase...
Needless to say the guys on guard duty needed to change their undies after that one
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I thought the earlier 'Typhoon Bufoon' stunt was an eye opener, until I saw 'Pierre' doing this in his Rafale! I don't think it's an air show, but it's a routine of some sorts.
Tell me, any operators out there, would this have been more difficult over the sea with reduced level of ground references?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ZBo8GRQr0
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 18,579
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To precis the story, an 'accomplished' sailor in his boat saw the synchro pair displaying beteen the piers at their normal height and decided it would be a jolly good idea to sail onto the actual display line for a better view, whereupon he ran into a Hawk. I count that a Hawk-strike.
The synchro pilots do not expect mobile obstructions to arrive between passes.
The synchro pilots do not expect mobile obstructions to arrive between passes.
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Somerset
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was in the Brighton branch of the 'Spacers' watching the display on Brighton sea-front when it happened.
I remember hearing a big bang as Steve Jones (I think that was his name?) decided to part company with his steed. I think they calculated afterwards that he'd struck the mast at 42' altitude and he was only slightly higher and at 135deg bank when he went out.
I think the seat had a gyro stabiliser 'coz it rotated him right-way-up after separation and he landed pretty soon after the 'chute opened.
A mate of mine had the quick-wits to run and grab a rowing boat and row out and get him.
The steed sailed over the Palace Pier upside-down with Gawd-knows how many people looking up and watching it go over.
It splashed down about 50' from the Pier.
All-in-all one display to remember.
The strange thing was Steve had actually been down on a special visit to Brighton Air Cadets only a few weeks before, so we'd actually met him before the display.
I remember hearing a big bang as Steve Jones (I think that was his name?) decided to part company with his steed. I think they calculated afterwards that he'd struck the mast at 42' altitude and he was only slightly higher and at 135deg bank when he went out.
I think the seat had a gyro stabiliser 'coz it rotated him right-way-up after separation and he landed pretty soon after the 'chute opened.
A mate of mine had the quick-wits to run and grab a rowing boat and row out and get him.
The steed sailed over the Palace Pier upside-down with Gawd-knows how many people looking up and watching it go over.
It splashed down about 50' from the Pier.
All-in-all one display to remember.
The strange thing was Steve had actually been down on a special visit to Brighton Air Cadets only a few weeks before, so we'd actually met him before the display.
I was in the Brighton branch of the 'Spacers' watching the display on Brighton sea-front when it happened.
I remember hearing a big bang as Steve Jones (I think that was his name?) decided to part company with his steed. I think they calculated afterwards that he'd struck the mast at 42' altitude and he was only slightly higher and at 135deg bank when he went out.
I remember hearing a big bang as Steve Jones (I think that was his name?) decided to part company with his steed. I think they calculated afterwards that he'd struck the mast at 42' altitude and he was only slightly higher and at 135deg bank when he went out.
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Hove
Age: 72
Posts: 1,026
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Several comments in her retirement card a few years later reminded her of that shout.
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Sale, Australia
Age: 80
Posts: 3,832
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Can you imagine the insurance claim. Dear Sir, I hit a plane with me boat. Damage to boat 2,000 quid, DOD's insurer claims I caused 5 million quids worth 'o dent in their plane.
Cool Mod
Join Date: Apr 1998
Location: 18nm N of LGW
Posts: 6,185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
His name is Steve Johnson, but you were close. The Reds were operating from Biggin and Steve returned there later the same day apparently none the worse for wear. Mind you, he may have had a bad head the following morning!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Who knows, she may have been correct <g>.