Old Lockheed "Starfighter" story
An old mate who flew Javelins told me they used to have fun in RAFG with 104s. High level (relatively) they would wait for the intercepting 104 to get close, and then turn hard. Much giggles as they watched the 104 try to follow and then ... depart! I doubt the 104 was designed to be a close-in dogfighter - just a high-speed mx transporter!
As Bader claimed, you can’t lose with a big wing. 😉
As Bader claimed, you can’t lose with a big wing. 😉
CG
Buccaneer's over Spade and Otterburn when Mallet Blow was active could always give us a decent "WTF was that".
As I was a real cabbage back in the days I was always angling for the dets out to Otterburn.
And of course being RAF we were on Rate 1's, unlike the PBI that had to put up tents in the field behind the pub.
As I was a real cabbage back in the days I was always angling for the dets out to Otterburn.
And of course being RAF we were on Rate 1's, unlike the PBI that had to put up tents in the field behind the pub.
I often wondered what would happen to the pilot after a slight misjudgement like that ??
"The Vikings"!
F104 display pair.
Near the end of the display, one does a gear down, slow-ish pass.
His mate "gooses" him at high speed and pulls up in front.
Fantastic stunt, as we were all watching the low & slow guy.
Happy Days in RAFG.
lsh
F104 display pair.
Near the end of the display, one does a gear down, slow-ish pass.
His mate "gooses" him at high speed and pulls up in front.
Fantastic stunt, as we were all watching the low & slow guy.
Happy Days in RAFG.
lsh
I once worked with an RCAF 104 pilot who was the reason Cold Lake had to make a rule about not going supersonic after takeoff.......
It was a really cold day and a light airplane. He kept it low and in burner and managed to go supersonic before the airfield boundary. The boom generated a lot of complaints which were all re-directed to the Squadron CO, who was none too pleased.........
Zero to 600kt in 2 miles?
Using V squared = U squared + 2aS, where V = 600, U=0 and S=2, the acceleration is 90,000 somethings per second per second.
My head hurts.
Using V squared = U squared + 2aS, where V = 600, U=0 and S=2, the acceleration is 90,000 somethings per second per second.
My head hurts.
Thought police antagonist
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KnC - As a former local, I would love to have more details.
KG54 - Keeping low to maintain separation from those on approach to EGCC's rwy 24 (as it then was) perhaps?
Which reminds me of the story a controller told me of when (sometime in the '70s) he realised a pilot was mistaking the lights of the M56 for those of the 24 approach, obviously a crew also being "temporarily uncertain of our position ". I recall the local WX being a contributory factor.
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KG54 - Keeping low to maintain separation from those on approach to EGCC's rwy 24 (as it then was) perhaps?
Which reminds me of the story a controller told me of when (sometime in the '70s) he realised a pilot was mistaking the lights of the M56 for those of the 24 approach, obviously a crew also being "temporarily uncertain of our position ". I recall the local WX being a contributory factor..
I think that was the weekend the RAF medical team handed out more than 4000 Brufen to visiting aircrew. It was BYO the next year.
I remember the two F104's at the Odiham families day in the late 70's, they were lower than anything I'd seen before at a show, really low and the first one past almost right in front of the crowd line, the wingman was over head the crowd line...lots of screaming and crying kids I seem to remember.
I wish I could help, and like you and JG54 knew more about their sightseeing trip....I was actually enjoying the enchanting panoramic views of the A6 ( otherwise known as road works /. traffic jam ) on the slight hill coming into Stockport from Manchester, when the first appeared from the right, as did the noise shortly thereafter and subsequently the second.
Memory would put them at ~ 400 ft & 400 kts from my vantage point - plus or minus for teenage exaggeration! Someone, somewhere must know more...
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Another one..Gnat vs 104 "Tiger Meet " Aug 75......Gnat got a bit too "up close and personal " with the 104. ....the Gnat lost this meeting as the crinkled / corrugated nose testified
Starfigthter howl!
Avoid imitations
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The 104’s “spirited” departure from Gutersloh after the 1982 NATO Tiger Meet was spectacular to say the least. I stood on the ops block upper balcony to watch, alongside was a certain forum member who was in those days an ATC assistant (later a LHR controller and now an ATCO trainer, I believe). We were adjacent to the tower, it was part of the same building.
The aircraft was in reheat and was level with the roof. It came in at 90 degrees to the runway. Total separation from us paled Tom Cruise’s flyby in Top Gun into insignificance. I estimated that it was about twenty feet above us and very, very close to supersonic. I’m surprised the tower windows stayed in place.
The aircraft was in reheat and was level with the roof. It came in at 90 degrees to the runway. Total separation from us paled Tom Cruise’s flyby in Top Gun into insignificance. I estimated that it was about twenty feet above us and very, very close to supersonic. I’m surprised the tower windows stayed in place.
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I took my lads to Sunderland airshow. Youngest needed the loo so we nipped into a portaloo....just as the Typhoon arrived, presumably in reheat. I couldn't see, I was too busy trying not to get p*ssed on by one very startled boy!
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I was walking along the road near the 03 end at Biggin Hill during the airshow many years ago - ahead of me a woman had stopped to peer at something through the fence when a Tornado arrived from behind her, very low and at quite some speed,only marginally behind its own noise. I was most impressed by the height she attained from a standing start; she nearly head-butted the cause of her shock.
Used to watch them depart PWK when I was at Scatcc. Their vertical departure was spectacular to say the least. Controlling them was entertaining too as they checked in on handover over Ailsa Craig at 33000 feet.
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A pair of Italian F-104's came to Lossie ('83ish). Landed in stream. No 1 straight down the centreline and popped his chute. No 2 followed, straight down the centreline and popped his chute, which promptly vomited itself onto the runway. No 2 is now heading for No 1's jetpipe at a vast rate of knots. A bit of jibber jabber in Italian over the Local Frequency, led to No 1, very deftly, swerving to starboard as No 2 zoomed past with quite an impressive trail of white smoke from his brake shoes. Oh, and the only word we interpreted, in Local, after the jibber jabber, was "Bastardo".