Piano Ceremony
I seem to recall that the Royal Navy dropped a piano from a great height above RAF Cosford in 1978...
,,,but it didn't catch fire! (apart from the smoke grenade inside it!)
,,,but it didn't catch fire! (apart from the smoke grenade inside it!)
There were also those British re-enactors who built a Trebuchet siege engine and used to fire old upright pianos (and Minis - sans engine) across the English landscape
I remember Scientific American put a picture on the front cover along with a detailed article on the science of the design
I remember Scientific American put a picture on the front cover along with a detailed article on the science of the design
Didn't a certain northern station used to have a piano-based competition on Tain Range in the 80s? ISTR that the target was attacked by the station's squadrons - Jags, Buccaneers, Hunters, Shackleton etc with various weaponry, but the winner was the Sea King crew that lowered their winchman equipped with axe to finish off the "target".
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Two memorable piano incidents were:
The RAF Coningsby piano burning behind the Officers Mess when a certain C4 drove a car onto the burning piano. Someone rang 999 instead of 222 and 5 local fire brigades were called out.
Made national press at the time.
Complete lack of involvement claimed by culprit who went on to become a 4*!!
The other was a Wildenrath v Bruggen challenge for Bruggen to destroy a piano in 30 minutes with practice bombs. The final 4 ship was armed with HE rounds to ensure a kill.
They achieved the task and Wildenrath hosted a memorable "Tactics Discussion" that the Bruggen Wing travelled to by train. The was a great picture of the padre covered in ash and soot playing the piano with a bomb through the middle.
Any pictures of either incident?
The RAF Coningsby piano burning behind the Officers Mess when a certain C4 drove a car onto the burning piano. Someone rang 999 instead of 222 and 5 local fire brigades were called out.
Made national press at the time.
Complete lack of involvement claimed by culprit who went on to become a 4*!!
The other was a Wildenrath v Bruggen challenge for Bruggen to destroy a piano in 30 minutes with practice bombs. The final 4 ship was armed with HE rounds to ensure a kill.
They achieved the task and Wildenrath hosted a memorable "Tactics Discussion" that the Bruggen Wing travelled to by train. The was a great picture of the padre covered in ash and soot playing the piano with a bomb through the middle.
Any pictures of either incident?
Avoid imitations
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The other was a Wildenrath v Bruggen challenge for Bruggen to destroy a piano in 30 minutes with practice bombs. The final 4 ship was armed with HE rounds to ensure a kill.
They achieved the task and Wildenrath hosted a memorable "Tactics Discussion" that the Bruggen Wing travelled to by train. The was a great picture of the padre covered in ash and soot playing the piano with a bomb through the middle.
Any pictures of either incident?
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ShyTorque
Not really a challenge. 1 mile 6 o'clock . Even a Mud Mover could have achieved a kill from that position.
Hats Off to the Jag Mates. A practice bomb through a piano is no mean feat. Personally I would have preferred to use SNEB rockets!
i thought it was a more interesting challenge to destroy a Jaguar with an air to air missile let go from an F-4...Oops....
Hats Off to the Jag Mates. A practice bomb through a piano is no mean feat. Personally I would have preferred to use SNEB rockets!
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But too much of a challenge to put the arm switch to safe....
As we well know there was a bit more to it than that.
One of the many amusing anecdotes around at the time , which I'm sure you know, was that there were ( allegedly) two GAF F 104s observing the encounter.
" Mein Gott!. and this is what these guys do on EXERCISES!!"
One of the many amusing anecdotes around at the time , which I'm sure you know, was that there were ( allegedly) two GAF F 104s observing the encounter.
" Mein Gott!. and this is what these guys do on EXERCISES!!"
I heard that at the Inquiry the German F104 pilot said that his thought after seeing the missile leave the rails, hit the Jaguar and then see the pilot eject was "Fritz, today the British are playing for real. I think I will go home"! The person who regaled this tale to me was the F4 Nav!
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They achieved the task and Wildenrath hosted a memorable "Tactics Discussion" that the Bruggen Wing travelled to by train.
Back to the piano
I believe it was a blindfolded Tiger T*m, on promo to Sqn Ldr, who dismantled the Chivenor piano with his empty barrel on the eve of airday. The mess potted plants were used to create a new, temporary flower bed to hide the burned lawn.
At Linton in 1970 we were banned from burning the mess piano at DiNs. Does anybody remember what was burned as an alternative and who was the benefactor?
Off to find a pic of the sooty padre....
Just had a pm. It was a car, possibly a Ford Prefect, donated by a Jordanian student.
I do remember that the patch of melted tarmac was quite extensive.
Last edited by Minnie Burner; 14th Dec 2019 at 21:57.
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Minnie Burner,
Well done for finding above article concerning the Wildenrath/Bruggen Piano Bombing Comp.
Don't suppose such enjoyment allowed today. Not quite the same doing "No Drop Bomb Scoring" against each other?
Don't suppose the Salmon Trophy would exist today either?
Well done for finding above article concerning the Wildenrath/Bruggen Piano Bombing Comp.
Don't suppose such enjoyment allowed today. Not quite the same doing "No Drop Bomb Scoring" against each other?
Don't suppose the Salmon Trophy would exist today either?