Transatlantic Air Race

This is well worth looking at for those interested in the race

Unfortunately, it’s misleadingly titled “The Story of the Great Transatlantic Air Race,” and it’s no such thing. It’s the story of one part of the GTAL.

Granted the Phantoms were the crowd-pleasers, but I wished many times during the race that I could have flown 1,100 mph between free aerial refuelings, as I sat grinding along between two 240-hp Continentals, feeding fuel through garden hoses and hardware-store spigots from two 55-gallon drums in the cabin…

Hi Alan,
My lasting memory is of simulated carrier approach and bolter at the Lee on Solent air day in 1970 on the southern runway right in front of the crowd line in its finale, superb, not sure though if this particular phantom was 892 or the training unit (10 ton Budgie!) from Yeovilton 737 NAS?.
Gerry R

Yes it was spectacular!!…on a runway it couldn’t have landed on either!

This is well worth looking at for those interested in the race

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=14321

Well I was only 15 at the time but found the race tremendously exciting and what caught the imagination of the press/public was the Harrier at St Pancras.

Thanks for bringing the subject up, reminds me of some other enjoyable sights of aircraft in the 60s. 😀

TAR RN Phantom burst tyres at Wisley

Hi Alan,
Good of you to highlight that 1969 air race in which the Fleet Air Arm were prominent.
892 NAS had their first crossing on 5 May with Phantom FG.1 XT860/002 bursting its main wheel tyres on landing at Wisley, I have an unsigned picture of this incident but of course I am wary of copyright.
The Phantom was a favourite of mine and I travelled to Yeovilton the last air day there before they moved north to Leuchars, it was ruined by the weather, rain all day. The CO did manage to get up though and came over the crowd from behind in full after-burner quite unannounced!, he then proceeded to do his best in the murky and low cloud conditions.
My lasting memory is of simulated carrier approach and bolter at the Lee on Solent air day in 1970 on the southern runway right in front of the crowd line in its finale, superb, not sure though if this particular phantom was 892 or the training unit (10 ton Budgie!) from Yeovilton 737 NAS?.
Lastly, must mention the RAF who re-fuelled the Phantoms over the pond with their Victor tankers, credit where its due.
Gerry R

I was in it–co-flew a Beagle 206S sponsored by Flying Magazine. I think we finished first in our class, but if so, probably because we were the only one in our class…

For those who don’t know the Transatlantic Air Race (TAR) of 1969. It was definitely Navy v RAF. But within the RAF there were several other mini-TARs. Not everything could land at RAF St Pancras. The bigger fixed-wing stuff landed in UK at Wisley. The Competitor was then flown by helicopter to the GPO tower. You will not be surprised to learn that one of the pax in the chopper on the way to London was a Customs Officer to ‘clear’ the Competitor – after all you can’t be too careful!
There were trial-runs on Sun 4 May, Tue 6 May, Thu 8 May, before the Race itself (or ‘cancelled’ trial-runs!!). Meteorology from Wisley was required for all of these (there being no ‘formal’ Met at Wisley. The Mobile Met Unit supplied on daily detachment from HQ 38 Grp Odiham). Observations were made on the race day from late evening on Sat 10 May to ‘close of play’ on Sun 11 May. The ‘Met Office’ was a clapped out (ex?) Recruiting Caravan (and b****y cold and uncomfortable it was!). Amongst other participants (I can’t remember them all) was an RAF VC-10. It lobbed in at Wisley. The Competitor ran down the steps into the chopper and away. Then all the other VC-10 persons appeared. At least 1 x Gp Capt, a brace of Wg Cdrs, a Squabble of Sqn Ldrs, etc, etc, All on the manifest as “Crew”! This profusion of ‘crew’ was viewed from the Wisley tower by, amongst others, Brian Trubshaw who commented as this lot poured forth down the steps “Fer Rice Cake, I didn’t think we’d made the VC-10 that difficult to fly!!!”. Much falling about in tower!
Also was a 543 Sqn (?) Victor with GT engines and “go-faster” stripes. We weren’t allowed to note just what time that took to cross The Oggin – but it weren’t long!!
And when I got back to Odiham on the Sunday I put the Landrover into MT. Then I got a mild b*llocking from the Sgt MT Controller for not having completed the paperwork properly.
Much later I got a nice letter from the Senior Met Man in the RAF Race Control Cell at HQ STC High Wycombe saying how much they had valued the Obs I had done – blah, blah, blah! Little did I know what the next 27 yrs was going to bring!!!
HTH
Resmoroh

Hi Alan,

Glad someone brought this one up again. As it concerns the Phantom (one of my other obsessions!) I would very much like to see some “colour” film footage of this event. Limited clips on youtube and some on a DVD of British Phantom Pilot – I too want to see more on the subject.

Unfortunately, I was only 4 when it happened! So the search for film footage is ongoing!

Nice to hear from someone who was involved. (I wasn’t)

It seems to be an event that is largely forgotten.

Alan,
Yes, I was at Wisley whenever there were any TAR movements between 4 May – 11 May 69.
HTH
Resmoroh