Heroism in the face of adversity.

There have been several examples of similar courage, haven’t there, where pilots have stayed longer than they should and paid the price with their lives but saved many more, on the ground. Both in wartime and peacetime.

Are they recorded anywhere in particular or only to be found by searching?

Yes your quite right Joey, and i think its no bad thing to highlight these instances when they come to light.
As far as i know it is only through researching a specific incident or item that they are found, rather than a dedicated website.

As it said ‘the Essex village beneath him’ i assumed it was Wethersfield village itself. As for the gateguard yes i believe it went to Soesterberg (spelling?) in the Netherlands and was an ex FAF example from Sculthorpe.
I also know of an F-100 two seater that came down near Gosfield with one fatality, and also the example that impacted on Babraham Rd Sawston after an inflight engine fire.. the pilot ejecting successfully.

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=85252&highlight=wethersfield+super+sabre

There have been several examples of similar courage, haven’t there, where pilots have stayed longer than they should and paid the price with their lives but saved many more, on the ground. Both in wartime and peacetime.

Are they recorded anywhere in particular or only to be found by searching?

I wonder whether it was Finchingfield or Sible Hedingham he was trying to avoid?

I grew up within sight of the red lights on the masts there, though even when I was a kid it was rarely used. The only F100 I ever saw was the “gate guardian” – if I remember right it was actually well inside the base – which I believe is now in the Netherlands somewhere.

Adrian

As far as i know Adrian on the runway. The article was lifted from his obituary and as i have an interest in the F-100 and Wethersfield i thought i would post it.

Just out of interest, any idea where his Hun came to rest?

Adrian

May 9th 1981 at Hill AFB, Utah when Captain David “Nick” Hauck from Mingo Jct, Ohio flying Thunderbird 6 crashed while attempting to land his ailing T-38 after an engine malfunctioned and caught fire.

With black smoke bellowing from the exhaust and the aircraft losing altitude in a high nose-up angle of attack the safety officer on the ground radioed Capt Hauck; “You’re on fire, punch out” to which he responded; “Hang on… we have a bunch of people down there”, the aircraft continued to fight to stay airborne for about ½ a mile before hitting a large oak tree and a barn, then sliding across a field and flipping as it traversed an irrigation canal ultimately erupting into a fireball just a few hundred feet from the runways end.

No one on the ground was injured even though the wreck occurred adjacent a roadway packed with onlookers.

The road, Utah highway 193, crosses the flight path just outside the perimeter fence, approx 1/4 mile from the end of the runway. Police had cleared spectators from the roadside just a half hour earlier, but a number of vehicles had again stopped directly under the flight path. The T-38 likely would have impacted near or on those vehicles had Cpt. Hauk ejected late, and it would have dropped into a housing subdivision had he ejected immediately.

He found the largest field in the area to put it down in.

I was there that day… 25 days before I reported for transport to USMC boot camp.

(Note, the Wiki article has a false entry for this accident, which is completely contrary to the USAF accident findings and the recordings of the Safety Officer – Tbird-6 exchange cited above.)

Had it crashed in Braintree, it would have done millions of pounds worth of improvements…

Adrian

😀

As it said ‘the Essex village beneath him’ i assumed it was Wethersfield village itself.

I thought that too, but looked at Google Maps and in fact Wethersfield is only in line with one of the short runways – the other two are reasonably close to the line of the main runway. Of course it all depends whether or not he was on approach or in he circuit as to where he was – or even if he cut a circuit short,and just went for the nearest runway.

Had it crashed in Braintree, it would have done millions of pounds worth of improvements…

Adrian

Glosters Chief test pilot Bill Waterton was awarded a George Medal for his heroics.
On a test flight in G.A.5 WD804 (Javelin proto) in June ’52, the elevators detatched from the tail plane in flight, realising that the loss of the valuable prototype would set the Javelin programme back Waterton decided not to eject and managed to control the aircraft sufficiently with the tailplane trim.
He got the aircraft to Boscombe where he made an emergency landing and it subsequently caught fire, he managed to exit the cockpit and run away, then realising that the valuable test notes were still in the cockpit, he ran back and managed to recover them aswel!

😀

Or anywhere in Essex:rolleyes:

Basildon is where a petrolhead vicar got Stirling Moss to help him fundraise for a new belltower… So if you could leave the tower, and “improve” the rest of the place it would be much appreciated!

Adrian

Okey doke…I’ll program the targeting computer to leave the bell tower alone!

Regards;
Steve

Basildon is where a petrolhead vicar got Stirling Moss to help him fundraise for a new belltower… So if you could leave the tower, and “improve” the rest of the place it would be much appreciated!

Adrian

Or anywhere in Essex:rolleyes:

Easy there Tiger!!

As a proud Southender, I have to take umbrance at that statement….

However, besides Braintree, I think we should add Basildon and Harlow to that list!

Regards;
An Essex Boy

Looking at where you’re from, you’ve got a cheek!:diablo:

It’s actually rather nice round Wethersfield way.

Adrian