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.’

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