High speed taxing at St Athen !!!!

The pic is genuine enough, I used to work in 76 hangar behind,
(hmmm,I may even be in the pic.)

The ‘between the hangars’ beat up was a speciality of the Station test pilot at the time,(1978-1986 ish) a Sqn Leader….(his next tour was as Wing Co on Tornado I believe).

Only happening on the delivery flights after a successful airtest, the one the CO beefed at was when taking off one luchtime, he (test pilot) asked why weren’t everyone outside as usual to watch the ‘beat up’, when the reply was to the effect all at lunch in the mess a ‘zero’ altitude beat up of the airmens mess happened.

We used to have one of the troops go up on the roof and take photo from above!

Derek Whitehead

I was fortunate to have a guided tour of the Bucc production line at Brough and the flight test centre at HOSM with Derek Whitehead as my host. He said that he was happy as pie flying the Bucc down to ground level – literally! However, he said that the Phantom was a different kettle of fish and below 100 ft it had to be treated with respect. Obviously the bloke in the St Athan Phantom had never met Derek!

Had the pleasure of working with Derek Whitehead at the CAA in the mid 1980’s. A real gentleman and totally modest who rarely spoke of his time as Blackburn’s CTP. I must look out for that video.
Cheers,
Trapper 69

I think you’ll find this event took place a long time after Mark had left the RAF, and supposedley, the pilot was a retiring Wing Co. Probably his last F4 flight and wanting to go out with a bang…:D

I’m sure his sister Sarah at OFMC might be able to tell you.

Originally posted by SteveYoung
Not surprised. He looks a good ten feet too high. 😉

I concur with dhfan; this was definately on the wall of the OFMC office when we visited in October, although I can’t recall seeing it anywhere else. Can’t help wondering whether Hanna Junior had a hand in it… 😉

Would be great to think it was Mark and it has the Hanna trademark on it,wonder if there is a way of finding out?.

If you want to see REAL LOW LEVEL between the hangars flying, purchase the video “The Story Of The Buccaneer”, it is a Castle Home Video – number CHV2147.
Wind the tape to just before the end credits to see Derek Whitehead performing several high speed and very very low level passes (can be no more than 10 or 15 ft off the deck).
Excellent footage and an absolute must see, you will not believe your eyes!!!

I was very fortunate to see this for real. I was an air cadet on summer camp at St Athan. I was busy sanding down a Tornado in the hanger on a “work experience” placement, when the guys invited us outside the hanger to see something unusual. From what I remember, the pilot was the test pilot for post servicing flights, and this was his party piece.

Very impresive!

A poor shot of XX105,BAC1-11,departing Thurleigh for the last time on it’s way to Boscombe Down.It is taken from the tower just after he had buzzed us as well.RAE Bedford closed the next day.March1994.

March

http://forum.airforces.info/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3992&highlight=xv575

July

http://forum.airforces.info/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4903&highlight=xv575

Originally posted by dhfan

Flood, a sure sign of old age is thinking things happened recently.
I speak from experience.
It appears to have been posted on the old keymags forum in March (and July) 2002.

Since I didn’t join until June last year it can’t be that – and having gone through February to August 2002 and not found anything…:confused:

Flood.

saw the same thing happen at binbrook with a lightning only it was on its side going for the control tower! a pictur of that would be summat to see.

And just for good measure, this is where I first read about it…:D

http://www.f4aviation.co.uk/Oldstuff/wow/wow.htm

Google is your friend.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/TPC/Funny_Pictures/0001-1000/0001-0100/0090/TPC_0090.htm

Flood, a sure sign of old age is thinking things happened recently.
I speak from experience.
It appears to have been posted on the old keymags forum in March (and July) 2002.

Originally posted by Firebird
it didn’t go down to well with the Station OC I believe…:D

Not surprised. He looks a good ten feet too high. 😉

I concur with dhfan; this was definately on the wall of the OFMC office when we visited in October, although I can’t recall seeing it anywhere else. Can’t help wondering whether Hanna Junior had a hand in it… 😉

Flood
I’v not seen it on hear in the last 5 months since I joined & it dident turn up in the low flying thread a while ago either, so maybe it was 6 months + ago, sorry for the repatition.

I’m sure I saw a Red Arrow (Gnat) do something similar during a display at Finningley in ’73. Not sure it was done on purpose though.

If I could be bothered I believe it was posted here within the last 4-6 months or so…:D
Someone got into trouble for it, if I remember!

Flood.

That picture is on Ray Hanna’s office wall.
I wonder if there’s a connection or if he just likes it.

Aah yes…..:D
Famous incident. I remember reading about this somewhere and seeing other photos, I think it was the last F-4 to be serviced at St.Athen or something like that, and it didn’t go down to well with the Station OC I believe…:D