An Inconvenient Truth

[Chugalug2]

falcon 900:-

Let me try again in plain, simple terms.

Having read your plain simple terms F900, it would appear that we are indeed in violent agreement. Let me be clear though, as a mere ex-driver airframe I hold the person who signed off the Chinook Mk2 RTS to be put it into squadron service, no matter how well he felt covered, as directly responsible for his actions. That he was acting under orders I have no doubt. That those orders had been devised by a cabal of RAF VSOs I consider highly probable. That those VSOs would have to be at the very top of the RAF High Command would seem unavoidable, for how else could they anticipate compliance with such an illegal order? That succeeding ones continue the cover up of what happened merely brings that original betrayal of trust and duty of care right up to the present day.

Your very particular tree does indeed warrant close inspection, I fully agree. The MOD prides itself on being to handle MPs, QCs, Coroners, and any others minded to ask awkward questions. Times they are a changing though, and awkward questions are increasingly having to be confronted. As you say, let those involved with the RTS be questioned under oath and then follow where that leads us to. It is unconscionable that VSOs continue to be protected while unairworthy aircraft sustain fatal accidents because of illegal orders issued by them. The RAF needs to lance this boil or face ever worse outcomes if it does not.

Let Right Be Done!

[Hipper]

Originally Posted by MrBernoulli

To help other readers here, I conducted a web search for the Tench Report and found it available here:

https://zkt.blackfish.org.uk/XD864/Tench_Report.pdf

Note of Caution: That particular web page seems pretty interesting, as it deals with the crash of Valiant BK1 XD864 "... on the disused airbase at Spanhoe near Harringworth Northants, with the loss of five crew at 10.38 BST on the 12th of August 1960." However, the overall appearance of the website itself gave me a slightly uneasy feeling, and I did initially wonder if it might be 'a bit dodgy'. My browser plug-ins didn't throw up any warnings, and I also carefully scanned the downloaded 55-page Tench Report PDF, but absolutely no issues were flagged.

I would still suggest being careful, unless anyone else knows differently.

I believe that site to be safe. It was created by the late Richard Howard, son of the Co-pilot of XD864 who, whilst I disagree with a lot of what he wrote, put in a lot of research into the matter of the Valiant's crash.

[dervish]

I meant to post saying I watched the BBC programme. Nothing new really. Poorly researched, and I think I'm right saying they captioned Mr Cook as 'Mr Tapper'. Made the same mistake as the reviewing officers. Visibility from the ground was the same as from the cockpit during approach. They should have read the book.