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-   -   Question: Pilots in Crashing Aircraft Avoiding People on the Ground (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/618666-question-pilots-crashing-aircraft-avoiding-people-ground.html)

Tankertrashnav 28th Feb 2019 16:48


I never understood how the posthumous awards given to the pilots were not the same.
To clarify, the captain, Flt Lt Noel Anthony RAAF was awarded a posthumous AFC, while the co-pilot, Fg Off Stephen Belcher received a posthumous QCVSA

Normally when things go well it's the captain who gets the gong, and the rest of the crew receive the lesser award, which I've always thought fair enough, as when it goes wrong it's the captain's neck on the block. In this case the same principle seems to have been applied, but as they were both killed (all others on board survived) I would have thought that it would have been a nice touch for both to have received the posthumous AFC. Not that it would make any difference to them, of course, but might have been nice for Steve Belcher's family.

BEagle 28th Feb 2019 16:52

Well, RFK was my co-pilot for many years on the VC10K and also an FI colleague a little later. It's what he told me....

A bit too late to query though, poor old RFK popped his clogs a while ago now.

RIP, mate!

langleybaston 28th Feb 2019 18:19

My son was at RAFC [in the road!] for the 9 ship today at 1515...... says there were lots of long lenses about. The weather was decidedly iffy, with patches of fairly low stratus associated with bursts of rain, and poorish vis to boot. What a pity it could not have been yesterday.

Well done Marham.

Tengah Type 28th Feb 2019 18:21

Beagle

I was crewed with RFK in 1986 before I moved across to TTF in Jan 87. He certainly claimed, several times in my experience, to have aimed his Lightning at Dublin when he ejected. How much of this was real life, or banter, is impossible to know. Never trust a silver-tongued Irishman.

Mogwi 1st Mar 2019 16:10


Originally Posted by rolling20 (Post 10402269)
I remember being told of a Harrier pilot who banged out on exercise in Norway and his fellow squadron members were surprised when he turned up on the ground, as the Harrier was still flying above them in circles. Of course, I could have been having my leg pulled.

Quite true but it happened in Germany. Major bird strike at low level, engine surged and wouldn't relight. Ejection appears to have cleared surge and the jet flew around for 32 minutes avoiding F104 sent to shoot it down. Eventually did a passable landing in a field.

Much mirth!

Fareastdriver 1st Mar 2019 17:47

In India in 1963 during exercise Shiksha a Javelin overcooked it and went into superstall and then an unrecoverable spin. The navigator ejected with the result that the recoil of the seat pushed the nose down and cleaned up the airflow.
The member of the two winged masterace then flew around his navigator waving to him on his parachute.

rolling20 1st Mar 2019 19:22


Originally Posted by Mogwi (Post 10404009)


Quite true but it happened in Germany. Major bird strike at low level, engine surged and wouldn't relight. Ejection appears to have cleared surge and the jet flew around for 32 minutes avoiding F104 sent to shoot it down. Eventually did a passable landing in a field.

Much mirth!

Thanks for clearing that up :) . I didn't doubt the person telling me, but for some reason Norway stuck in mind

Tashengurt 1st Mar 2019 20:22

As a child, an aircraft taking part in the Kings cup air race crashed in the field I was watching from.
I can remember seeing the pilot clearly ( It was a Bolkow Monsun with a big canopy) but even from close range I'd be struggling to say if he was fighting for control, looking to land or desperately avoiding something. (Sadly he didn't manage the last, fatally striking power lines.)


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