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A third which fits the bill is the loss of a pair of Red Arrows.
In the confusion, pilot mixes up Red 'A' with Red 'B' and calls the wrong aircraft. One pilot leaves because of the wrong call and the second because his bum is on fire! Date was 16 Dec 69 and aircraft were XR992 and XR995. Location was near Cirecester. Old Duffer |
There is reference to the Horsham incident (but not the apparent causal factor of the cry of 'fire!' oddly enough... :}) here (2nd column most relevant)
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At a sandy base in the early nineties the squadron ops office was established in an underground bunker. As there was only one rather dilapidated toilet for all it was decided to reserve this for manoeuvres which required a seat and for all others a trench was dug outside in the bondue.
It was quickly discovered that emerging from the lit bunker into the unlit wastes made finding the trench without NVGs quite tricky until someone had the inspired idea of cutting open a couple of glow sticks and pouring the contents along the lip of the trench. This worked surprisingly well. Right up until the point where someone (ahem) kicked dust over that line and placed another on the far lip of the trench. If the F/O with the soggy ankles happens to be a PPRooner, sorry but it was worth it! |
The first was at Horsham during Ex Vigilant in May '57. Javelin taxying while two Hunters from 74 Sqn are, respectively, preparing to take off and on finals. One of the mountings for one of the Javelin's 'bosom' tanks comes adrift, rear of tank falls to tarmac and scrapes along losing fuel as the Javelin goes along. The inevitable happens. ATC then shouts "You're on fire!" forgetting that there are two Hunters about, both of whom assume they are on fire. Hunter taking off aborts take off rather late. Brakes haven't a chance to work. Overshoots runway, does a spot of topiary on a hedge at end of runway, ends up in a field. Hunter coming in to land is put down quickly by pilot - but a bit too quickly and lands very hard. Whereupon his seat fires and pings him out of the aircraft while his erstwhile steed conducts some interior design on an airmen's accommodation block. Javelin crew, still tayxying, still burning look on aghast. Nav observes 'damned hot today', prompting pilot to turn head and see that there may be a reason for his nav's warmth. Crew abandon aircraft (nav bruising his heels as he lands in running position, allegedly). Javelin reduced to ashes. Thanks Archimedes. It was the first of your two suggestions. Thought it was Vampires and Hunters. When told by someone with a wry sense of humour and a caustic wit, has been known for those listening to be doubled up with laughter. Remember a full length article purely on these events being printed somewhere. |
I seem to remember a one of an early Tornado hurtling across the German plains at low level, (Previously a Tornado had suffered uncontrolled control imputs after flying close to a radio mast so a warning had gone out that until the could fix the issue, if you suffer it to depart rapidly).....
So back to the Tornado hurtling across the German plains at low level, when the Pilot spots what I think was an A10 also at low level and without time to give a warning to the Nav heaves back on the stick, the Nav thinking uncontrolled control imput and remembering the words of warning, Ejects, unfortunately due to command ejection being selected so does the Pilot..... :} Wasn't the command selector added after the unfortunate incident of the Tornado during testing decending over the Irish Sea with an incapacitated pilot, and the Nav trying to talk to him all the way down and at the last moment having to eject leaving the guy to his unfortunate fate? |
Speaking of ejections... for those too young to remember and those old enough to appreciate it again:
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Justice
Air Training Corps summer camp in 1950s.
Bully boys decide to toss the nerds bedding out of the window into the pouring rain. Nerd returns and has to retrieve bedding and sleep in a very damp bed. Next day officer appears and announces that a Canberra is just about to leave and has spare seat. Points at nerd and says " you boy, you can go". Rest of us turned green. At the time I thought it was just coincidence but later I thought the authorities probably realised what had happened the night before. |
Alison - you may have seen it in Bob Cossey's history of 74 Squadron? Since the two Hunters bore Tiger stripes, the incident gets some coverage there...
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No. It was an article in a magazine like Flight or an aviation safety magazine of some sort. I only saw a photocopy of the article, which had apparently been copied from a very old original. It was the kind of thing one would recognise immediately if shown again, but the details remain a blur.
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I have the aforementioned photocopy here. I will try to post it later today.
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