Schaffner Lightning incident in news
 

Did ALIENS abduct a US pilot over the North Sea who took off from an RAF base in 1970? | Daily Mail Online

Anyone familiar with the disappearance of USAF Captain Bill Schaffner 8 September 1970? Back in the news today.

FB

Lightning Accident. UFO? BS!
 

John Nichol's latest book 'EJECT, EJECT' tells the story nicely so I won't repeat it here except that the UFO story is just that - a story. It's a moving part oif the Book which is replete with moving stories. I read John's book over this last weekend and it's excellent and 'NO' I'm not on commission, or a relative! I was lucky to get an advanced copy as it isn't available till 25 May (£20, by Simon & Schuster). It will be available everywhere, inc independent bookshops (which may have signed copies) &
If you thought the Ejection Seat was a British invention of the post-war period then the book will correct that misconception. Moreover, John doesn't dwell at all on his own story but tells the story of the development of the 'bang seat' through tales of ejectees over the decades. And he doesn't just tell the stories of how they came to need to eject - or be ejected - as he deals with the aftermath of the events, the life changing or life-affirming nature of the events on the ejectees and their families.
As some of the publicity blurb says John Nichol 'tells the incredible story of the ejection seat through the dramatic and moving stories of those who used it, Becausepulling the yellow-and-black ejection handle is just the start of the story', and I couldn''t agree more.

Thought I recognised the article author ...(got two of his first signed books 'Point of Impact' and 'Vanishing Point' also met him at RAF Mildenhall AIR Fete 2000 while he was promoting his then latest thriller in the hangar.

Anyhow explanations for the closed cockpit would be appreciated, considering if he ejected, it should not be there, not like its one of the US QF- UAVs lol

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/05...4090978437.jpg

cheers

If you read the article it gives a full explanation of the closed canopy.

He didn't eject - seat failed due to engineering malfunction. Photo clearly shows top handle, etc. He unstrapped and 'climbed' out but didn't take PSP (dinghy, etc). Sea pressure closed canopy over time. Even in Summer you wouldn't last long in N Sea without decent protective kit, and it's not that unusual for bodies never to be recovered.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....63d6d97521.jpg

Thank you for the kind words. Needless to say I don't write the Mail headline.... But the full story is indeed told in EJECT! EJECT! - I interviewed Michael Schaffner's 2 sons about their experiences, AM Sir Chris Coville who was launched to investigate and his wife who went to the Schaffner house. I used correspondence from the Shackleton pilot & the Squadron Commander. More importantly, I interviewed his widow about that terrible day, and the following weeks and months. This tragedy shaped the experiences of the family for 30+ years.
Because as I say in the book - ejecting is just the start of a journey.

Re the closed canopy - when working in a Lightning cockpit one had to use the manual pump to be able to operate the opening hydraulic jack, and then fit the canopy open lock. the canopy would slowly close on its own otherwise, leaving ones 'friends' outside gesturing 'can we do anything to help you', or go off for a coffee break. Having opened the canopy using the residual pressure in the system, it wouldn't have stayed open for log if the fuselage was upright.

If this is a reference to sea temp. as opposed to air temp., it is a little misleading. There is a huge lag in sea warming and winter cooling. Depending partly on river discharge into near shore waters, and latitude, the N Sea max is around early October, and the min around April.
Just as inland night min is around dawn and max around 1500 under clear skies.
Apologies if I am teaching egg-sucking of course.

What I don't understand, is the relatively little damage, to a high performance A/C having such high wing loading (16 ton brick) when hitting the water. At speed water is similiar to concrete, to displace.
Looking at the photos, that was possibly a "survivalable" touch down in view of the so little damage incurred.
Not normal, hence ejection seats of course.
There was no transmission from that aircraft indicating some problem. Not even "Ejecting..........." Nothing.
For the UFO sceptics, prove it was not, some sort of "intervention".
Why was the pilot not found? Considering there would have been flotation devices, light, radio etc., attached to him. No trace whatsoever.

Ordered your book John.
I ejected from a JP IN 1963, ( Dual, my QFI ordered me to eject, I did not hesitate ! ) things didnt go exactly to plan but I survived, just !
60 years ago on April 18 the, JP4 XP 635,
Terribly sad situation.I was flying the Canberra from BK on the day of the accident, exercise Black Eagle,IIR correctly, dont know if he was wearing an immersion suit, but without it, and no dinghy, little chance of survival.

Richard, you need to read (buy) the book. It tells all. The pilot was new to the Lightning force but an experienced fighter pilot. He was launched on a dark a dismal night on a TACEVAL exercise to intercept a slow moving Shackleton. He got into a bit of bother and tried to eject, but due to an engineering issue the seat failed to go. He then impacted with the surface of the North Sea at about 180 kts. Punishing but IMO survivable. He unstrapped, opened the canopy and climbed out leaving his life raft in the aircraft. True he should have had life jacket, personal locator beacon and some other survival aids. Who knows what it any injuries he had but I can personally testify that the North Sea at 13 deg C brings on hypothermia within the hour if you are not in a dinghy. Try running a 13 deg C bath and sitting in it without any injuries. There you go, no need to buy the book for that chapter but trust me there are plenty of other chapters that will catch you attention.

So in the face of the entirely rational explanations above you still prefer the little green men?

I don't recall saying I believe in "little green men". So that is a distortion.
if you have witnessed what I have witnessed, you wouldn't be so hasty to ridicule. That is for sure.

Please keep allusions to being probed by beings from Uranus to Jet Blast.

So what sort of interpretation are we meant to make of this comment? What sort of "intervention" are you referring to?

I haven't read John's book yet, but was wondering if the story of Flt Lt Tony Doige was in it. Same year I believe, earlier, in a Lightning of 11 Sqn, operating from Leuchars during a night exercise. Flt Lt Doige had altered hi immersion suit at the cuffs. It was no longer a good enough seal. After ejecting, and only about five miles off the coast and having activated his SARBE (if I recall) he was dead by the time the promptly scrambled SAR Whirlwind (also from Leuchars) got to him.

FB

This could be fun....please elaborate!

English comprehension was part of our school education, so please elaborate what your following statement was meant to convey.Seems to me you believe in aliens having a hand, I'm a UFO sceptic and you're asking me to prove they didn't have a hand in the accident..

Alternatively RichardJones if you had click on the link above provided by ORAC from an old topic on the exact same subject. And taken the time to read it from start to finish (A lot is explained) This thread would not have turned into a hamster wheel's one.

There is no Unicorn Flying Object/Intervension involved.

Zero, none, nada.