Low-level in the middle of nowhere
 

I was thumbing through the list of remote foreign bases that the RAF had back in the 1950s and 60s, Khormaksar in particular and wondering what it must have been like to fly some of the early jets in such remote locations with no one watching over your shoulder. Anyone care to share a few tales of low level runs over some barren patch of desert 200 miles from the nearest road ?

Go look on YouTube for Jaguars Oman, often flown by ex RAF pilots. There is even shots of them struggling to keep up with a Herc.

Nevada ANG RF-4Cs - enjoy the J-79s !

Wasn't there situation where a RAF Tornado actually contacted the roof of a car his mates were in? I seem to recall seeing a photo of the car with a severely dented roof..

Octane,
I think that the event you recall was a Jaguar vs Toyota Corolla on the road from Rubkut range to Thumrait. Jaguar won - just!!

Bill

Fonsini

For informative and illustrated accounts of what life was like on the Khormaksar Hunter Wing, I can recommend this ----

www.radfanhunters.co.uk

Bill, thanks for that, I stand corrected. Would that have been a career ending situation or tea and biccies with the boss?

Octane,

The pilot had to wait a few days because Erik (CSOAF) was out of the country at the time. As soon as the latter returned he had the Jag driver 'down the runway' within 48 hours. I believe he was able to carve a successful new career for himself with Cathay, and am sad to relate that his untimely demise (cancer) was reported on these forums within the last few years.

Hawk in Saudi. Driver is a former Jaguar pilot.

I remember learning about the height of trees flying Hunters around the empty quarter. Judging height by the size of the trees was a quite common method. However, it is quite eye opening when cresting a shallow ridge to find your self eye to eye with a camel driver because the trees had become bushes the further inland you flew.

As my old DS used to say - one sip of his gin and tonic, that fooker has gone further than we've tabbed all day. I'm still quite interested in the accuracy of that statement..

Or a tailplane Roj :)

The Belizean and Canadian foot agl was approximately a 10th the size of the European foot. Apparently due to the heat and humidity or the cold and remoteness.

There's a time and a place and a bit of self preservation for everything; and an awareness of both the Canadian jumping pine and its Central American equivalent.

As to the Jag v car, I'd heard they both ended up at Cathay and were able to share their memories of the event - I'm sure some PPRUNER can elaborate.