Nuclear Tests
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,537
Likes: 295
From: The Alps
RAF Wittering 76 Sqn Canberra B6 participated in sampling tests during Op Grapple
https://www.jetsofthecoldwar.co.uk/operation-grapple/
https://www.nationalcoldwarexhibitio.../squadrons/76/
Hope this helps,
cheers
https://www.jetsofthecoldwar.co.uk/operation-grapple/
https://www.nationalcoldwarexhibitio.../squadrons/76/
Hope this helps,
cheers
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 2,265
Likes: 1,176
From: Central UK
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Bishop's Stortford
Nuclear tests
I was a pilot on 76 Squadron flying Canberra B6 aircraft for particle sampling through nuclear test clouds. I flew on Operations Buffalo and Antler at Maralinga in Australia and Operation Grapple at Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean. Recently there has been considerable publicity concerning the 22,000 personnel who were involved in the atmospheric nuclear tests in Australia and Christmas Island and their tasks have been officially recognised by the Government in November 2022 - it has just been confirmed that a medal for those taking part has been designed.
I am particularly interested in what has happened to the 81 pilots and navigators who flew on the tests on 76 Squadron between 1956 and 1958, if anyone has any knowledge of them would they please let me know./
I am particularly interested in what has happened to the 81 pilots and navigators who flew on the tests on 76 Squadron between 1956 and 1958, if anyone has any knowledge of them would they please let me know./
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
From: swanwick by sea
I used to work for NATS at West Drayton and was a colleague of an ex RAF Pilot Officer Pat Lowe who was a no 2 on Canberras in 1958. He was training on a rocket assisted Canberra and was due to fly out for the nuclear tests, I believe on Christmas Island. On the last flight prior to departing UK they were flying the Canberra over Derbyshire at 58,000’ when it started to fall apart. Both he and the pilot ejected and he landed in a field and spotted by a passing cyclist. The ejection is still in the Guinness book of records as the highest successful ejection over the UK. Sadly he passed away a few years ago and I do not know which squadron he was with. The idea, so he said was that they wanted the Canberras to fly over the top of the mushroom cloud for sampling but I am not sure. Someone probably knows about the plan to attach rockets to the a/c to gain a greater altitude.
Joined: Apr 2010
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 958
Likes: 1,239
From: Herefordshire
I used to work for NATS at West Drayton and was a colleague of an ex RAF Pilot Officer Pat Lowe who was a no 2 on Canberras in 1958. He was training on a rocket assisted Canberra and was due to fly out for the nuclear tests, I believe on Christmas Island. On the last flight prior to departing UK they were flying the Canberra over Derbyshire at 58,000’ when it started to fall apart. Both he and the pilot ejected and he landed in a field and spotted by a passing cyclist. The ejection is still in the Guinness book of records as the highest successful ejection over the UK. Sadly he passed away a few years ago and I do not know which squadron he was with. The idea, so he said was that they wanted the Canberras to fly over the top of the mushroom cloud for sampling but I am not sure. Someone probably knows about the plan to attach rockets to the a/c to gain a greater altitude.
Joined: Aug 2023
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From: Chippenham
He rarely spoke of his RAF days.
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Waddington
Met a guy in the local Morrisons recently collecting for Help for Heroes/Veterans Charity. I mentioned I was an RAF vet and we got talking and he mentioned his father was Ex-Pumas (brought the first one over to UK) and also spent time at Christmas Island both on the ground and flying in the Shackleton (Op Grapple?) - apparently he never spoke about it while in the RAF and the first his wife knew was when he gave a sermon at the local church many years later about his experiences. I mentioned I thought that might be a book written by an RAF pilot about Op Grapple and he would really like to get a copy - I've done a search and found one by Gp Capt Hubbard (Dropping Britain's first H-Bomb) but not sure if this is the one I was thinking of...any one got any recommendations?
Joined: Nov 2005
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 12,458
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From: Wildest Surrey
Pat Lowe was an Air Traffic Controller at West Freugh in the '70s and attached to Farnborough ATC for the Farnborough Airshow - can't remember what year I'm afraid.
He told us that the aircraft literally 'fell' (not broke) apart round him so his 'escape' was virually un assisted.
He didn't impart much information to us but he said he never flew again after that.
He told us that the aircraft literally 'fell' (not broke) apart round him so his 'escape' was virually un assisted.
He didn't impart much information to us but he said he never flew again after that.
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 714
Likes: 61
From: Great yarmouth, Norfolk UK
Looking through my library I found 'Sniffing and Bottling: 1323 Flight and its successors' by Dave Forster. It looks to be self published:
I think I got mine through Amazon. The contents might be of interest.
I think I got mine through Amazon. The contents might be of interest.
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 55
From: virginia, USA
I was a pilot on 76 Squadron flying Canberra B6 aircraft for particle sampling through nuclear test clouds. I flew on Operations Buffalo and Antler at Maralinga in Australia and Operation Grapple at Christmas Island in the Pacific Ocean. Recently there has been considerable publicity concerning the 22,000 personnel who were involved in the atmospheric nuclear tests in Australia and Christmas Island and their tasks have been officially recognised by the Government in November 2022 - it has just been confirmed that a medal for those taking part has been designed.
I am particularly interested in what has happened to the 81 pilots and navigators who flew on the tests on 76 Squadron between 1956 and 1958, if anyone has any knowledge of them would they please let me know./
I am particularly interested in what has happened to the 81 pilots and navigators who flew on the tests on 76 Squadron between 1956 and 1958, if anyone has any knowledge of them would they please let me know./