By: ada quonsett - 6th March 2011 at 17:09
The Queen’s Near Miss
The Queen’s Near Miss
UP to the time this issue closed for press, the West German authorities had not traced the Luftwaffe pilots who may have been responsible for the near miss reported on October 25 by the RAF Comet 2 while flying the Queen and Prince Philip home from a visit to Denmark. A review of the incident is on page 698; a leading article appears on page 687.
The Comet 2 was at 35,OO0ft on airway Red One, about 20 miles north-east of Eelde within the Hanover FIR, when the co-pilot, Fit Lt F. J. Stevens, saw two aircraft on a collision course. He is reported to have said later: “They had damn greatIron Crosses underneath their wings. They turned in as a pair
and passed only about 50ft above us. I do not know whether they were taking evasive action. It was a very nasty moment and I was prepared to do something drastic.”
Commander of the Comet 2 Orion was Sqn Ldr Peter Pullan. On board was Air Cdre Sir Edward Fielden, commander of the Queen’s Flight, who said afterwards: “The two aircraft had absolutely no business to be there.”
Immediately after the incident an Anglo-German inquiry commission was set up under Gp Capt I. J. Spencer, commanding officer, RAF Benson. He is assisted by Wg Cdr P. Barker of RAF Transport Command, and by three Luftwaffe officers (who spent October 26 at Lyneham): Col H. Hauser, Lt Col C. Cadow and Maj G. Baumann.
In the Commons on October 26 Mr George Ward, Air Minister, said in answer to a question that a draft agreement on Eurocontrol had already been approved in principle.’
flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/
By: Monsun - 6th March 2011 at 16:22
And the day after this incident a Javelin of 64 Squadron performed radar-controlled evasive action in a simulated air-miss with a Comet, the direction to both aircraft being initiated by ground-based radars. Probably just coincidence.
By: Bager1968 - 6th March 2011 at 16:00
Does the article mention Diana at all ????
While you are likely taking a dig at the press, I’ll bite.
NO, no mention at all… mainly because she was likely just being conceived at this time.
Lady Diana Spencer was born 1 July 1961, and was virtually invisible to the press or public until Prince Charles began dating her in 1980.
By: Bograt - 5th March 2011 at 21:08
Just the Saxe-Coburgs saying hello to close family….:diablo:
By: EN830 - 5th March 2011 at 13:51
Does the article mention Diana at all ????
By: Bager1968 - 5th March 2011 at 11:16
Duke said one word
And they couldn’t print it, now could they?
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March 5, 2011 at 10:57 am