Any truth to this?
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I seem to remember reading a time recently where I believe this was done over Chivenor? During an AFI some years ago. Was it about Hunters ? Hunter Boys perhaps. However, having resided in west Cumbria for some years, this looks like a bit of a tanker racetrack pattern, with fighters circling in and out of contact. I'm sure the experts will be along to explain, I'm not one.
Smudge
Smudge
One possible explanation is a target aircraft flying out then back (larger loop), with the interceptor aircraft doing a stern conversion for a visual ident (smaller loop).
Hard to judge scale, but 180x4 mile offset or 180x8 mile for the interceptor used to be standard.
Standard AD training profile, useful for QRA scenarios.
A similar pattern would occur for aircraft joining a tanker, but I can't recall ever doing this in an airfield overhead.
A proper cock and balls could be done by the target aircraft doing an orbit at the end of the out-and-back run, whilst still in the trail layer. Not that I have ever done that. Over Skegness. Oh, no.
Hard to judge scale, but 180x4 mile offset or 180x8 mile for the interceptor used to be standard.
Standard AD training profile, useful for QRA scenarios.
A similar pattern would occur for aircraft joining a tanker, but I can't recall ever doing this in an airfield overhead.
A proper cock and balls could be done by the target aircraft doing an orbit at the end of the out-and-back run, whilst still in the trail layer. Not that I have ever done that. Over Skegness. Oh, no.
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Now if 43 were at Lossie.
Fox3, I was about to say that I once turned 180 to the right, but now I've read your totally unlikely explanation, I have decided that the Mirror has it right. She was just drawing a giant cock in the sky. And why not? The British tax payers get what they pay for.
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Ever since eyewitnesses spotted the bizarre sight and took pictures, speculation has spread that a pilot has been severely reprimanded by his bosses.
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speculation has spread that a pilot has been severely reprimanded by his bosses
Originally Posted by Typhoon93
Assuming that's true, isn't there a sense of humour any more?
-RP
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RP, perhaps I should have used a better word. *If that's true.....
I did laugh when thinking about the possible very one-sided conversation with his OC, if this shape was his intention....
I did laugh when thinking about the possible very one-sided conversation with his OC, if this shape was his intention....
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It was done at Lossie back in the 70's on AOC's day. 77or 78.
Why would you even assume it's true?
Sky willies aren't that new.
Back when we had an air force of a size worthy of the title, some weekend warrior of the RAuxAF drew an impressive one which gently drifted in the direction of Edinburgh.
Some local god-botherer rang the station to mention this obscene doodle heading towards the god-fearing population and demanded that Something Be Done.
So the RAuxAF squadron boss ordered a battle climb for his pilots, who formed in to line abreast and flew through the offending image. Then with some deft formation manoeuvring they flew through it again at 90° to the original track, before returning to base.
So instead of a slowly dissipating sky willy, which might not have been noticed by many, there was now a large crossed-out version which certainly would have been. The reaction of the god-botherer was not recorded!
During my time at Valley, I heard that the boss of the Hunter squadron had drawn an impressive sky willy during an SCT trip - which then headed off towards Manchester....
Back when we had an air force of a size worthy of the title, some weekend warrior of the RAuxAF drew an impressive one which gently drifted in the direction of Edinburgh.
Some local god-botherer rang the station to mention this obscene doodle heading towards the god-fearing population and demanded that Something Be Done.
So the RAuxAF squadron boss ordered a battle climb for his pilots, who formed in to line abreast and flew through the offending image. Then with some deft formation manoeuvring they flew through it again at 90° to the original track, before returning to base.
So instead of a slowly dissipating sky willy, which might not have been noticed by many, there was now a large crossed-out version which certainly would have been. The reaction of the god-botherer was not recorded!
During my time at Valley, I heard that the boss of the Hunter squadron had drawn an impressive sky willy during an SCT trip - which then headed off towards Manchester....