Lightning XG332 Crash escape photo

slightly better quality
http://www.rafjever.org/pictures-118/118sqnpic205.jpg

God am i old,

i remember this when it happened:eek:

Thanks wieeso, that’s got lots more detail but I’m hoping to enlarge it to a couple of feet so still looking for an original!

That is still a powerful photograph, can anyone remind me (or us) the exact circumstances surrounding the accident?

I have a hard copy of this photo on my study wall inscribed To David – happy landings from Jim Meads. Jim Meads was the photographer and I recall him telling me that he was in the field taking a photograph of a relative of his who was driving the tractor when the Lightning appeared in the backgroud – and the rest is history! I first recall seeing the photo in an issue of the childrens educational ‘comic’ Look and Learn in the sixties.

At the time of the crash (13/9/1962) near Hatfield, it was being flown by George Aird on Red Top trials. He sustained injuries when he landed (I think) amongst greenhouses on a nursery.

“George Aird, DeHavilland test pilot ejects from Lightning PB1 XG332 on 13th September1962.” carrying out demonstration flight when there was a fire in the aircraft’s reheat zone. This weakened the tailplane control system which failed with the aircraft at 100ft on final approach. Fortunately the nose pitched up, giving Aird time to eject. He came down through a greenhouse roof, breaking both legs and right thigh. He recovered to resume his flying career. I believe the photograph was for a farming magazine, with only the tractor planned to be in shot!

You beat me to it David! I don’t suppose you have a good quality scanner in that study, or a digital camera?

Yes you can make out what appear to be the greenhouses in the background, it also looks to have been a very low ejection, he must have been lucky to have ressumed his flying career after that.

And just the thing for my front room wall, hence the question! Thanks for all the replies everyone. Back to the decorating…

Somewhat random question – is that a DH company badge on the tractor’s grille? It certainly seems to read D H and then something I can’t quite make out – did they have special badging for company vehicles? It’s certainly not a Fordson badge as that is visible above the grille!

Adrian

Crash photo

I have always been amazed at this photo – talk about being in the right place at the right time!

The composition is perfect; the angles, the foreground subject and the tractor’s occupant being aware of what is happening. Even his pose is perfect.

Of course, it begs the thought; what if the jet had come down near, or on top of, the tractor?

A happy, though somewhat uncomfortable, ending for the pilot and all else concerned, and one of the most remarkable aviation-related photographs of the century, in my view. An excellent choice for your front room wall Ian!

Anon.

1st Thread from 2003 🙂

I believe the same greenhouses also welcomed a Buccaneer after a none-too-successful rotation one day – without injuries, I think. The Bucc was dragged back into a hanger on the airfield, where it nauseated everybody with the stench of crushed and rotting tomato. It was dragged outside after a day or two and given a thorough hosing down

Thanks for the advice Scotavia, i wasn’t planning to sell it but a copy is a copy. The credit in the book (Crash, by Andrew Brookes) is to Syndication International but I’ll try your link first.

From web searching Jim Meads is a specialist countryside photographer and has several books credited. I would suggest contacting him direct for a print which keeps the copyright side of the business happy and ensures you get a really good print,however as a disclaimer he might not be the same Jim Meades who gave the photo to the board of inquiry.

http://www.yell.com/b/Jim+Meads-Photographers+_+General-Caersws-SY175LL-224328/index.html

The internet is an astonishing thing, It is the right Jim, just spoken to his wife and he’s currently away but she knows the photo well. Thanks again Scotavia. As an aside, I don’t suppose you’ come across the photos of PT766? All the best, Ian

Well spotted!The badge reads DH GOBLIN.I had one in my collection for a while.Pesumably the proximity of the airfield made the badge easily obtainable.Either that or Henry Ford had started experimenting with jet propulsion for his tractors-the paint job on the plough wouldnt last long though.

Although had the tractor been petrol-paraffin, rather than diesel, they’d have run happily on much the same stuff…

Cheers for that – nice touch of irony on someone’s part.

Adrian

Incredible. Go to the Key Forums and you are sure to find memories jolted. I recall this incident so clearly and always had the thought that just tens of feet lower and he would not have been so incredibly lucky to escape with serious but not terminal injuries. I didn’t know he had resumed his flying career.

Lightning XG332 Crash escape photo

That clears up one issue for me that there was a Buccaneer crash as well as the Lightning . I believe that George Aird flew the Blackburn B2 G-AEBJ at Hatfield Open Days in the 60s and 70s and also flew Mosquito RR299 , although I need confirmation of this, I am not sure if he flew any more fast jets though.