Low Level Omani Jags

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

OK chaps, I've come across 10 photos of the legendary low level Omani Jaguars. This includes the chap stood next to his trashed car, bleeding nonchanantly from his right ear (very low level!) and the wingtip with the bit of metal pole stuck in it.

I'd love to share these with you but it seems we can't attach photos anymore. Do I have to find a separate site and then make a link to them?

Snapshot, are you out there?

[Mr C Hinecap]

D'you think the Omanis have populated every Jag cockpit with chaps that are afraid of heights? I do wonder.

[Art Field]

No snaps I'm afraid but I remember looking down on a Jag as it went by at Thumrait and I was halfway up a Victors steps (8ft maybe)

[reynoldsno1]

Nothing 'legendary' about them - the Toyota 'fastback' actually happened. The metal pole was from the stairs leading to the Range Safety Officer's hut.

[JimmyTAP]

Sorry to butt in on the Mil forum folks but here is one I found a while ago. The aviationpics.de website is worth a look through if you're bored.


Regards

JT

http://www.aviationpics.de/preview/jag1.jpg

[Jackonicko]

Lovechild,

type [+img+] (without the + signs) before the URL of the picture, and then [+/+img+] (again without the + signs) after the URL, and lo....

http://www.aviationpics.de/preview/jag1.jpg

and (another Stealth undercarriage test?)

http://www.55srwa.org/image/06081104lowpass-0.jpg

[AfgAirOps]

Excellant! Havn't seen those for a while.......

Does anyone have the one taken from the rear seat of a twin seat jag flying along the road?

Cheers
RP

[Wycombe]

Will never forget nearly having my head taken off by these boys whilst walking near the main gate at LCRA during a visit in the late '80's.

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

Ok Jacko, I'll give it a try

http://www.55srwa.org/image/06081104%20lowpass-1.jpg

Hurrah!

Standby for some more pics once I get them 'hosted'

Thanks Jacko

[Cattivo]

Met the guy (RAF) who was most probably flying this Jag in OOTH recently, what a top bloke. Does a good Barbie as well.

[propulike]

s0d the flying - who the #ell took the photo !!

[Chris Kebab]

On a more nostalgic note I saw some Thumrait Hunters that had been snapped some while back in similar circumstances. Don't think they have ever made it onto the Net.

Any contributors?

[reynoldsno1]

The "post-in-wing" pilot was actually a RAF loan service guy on his last trip in Oman - wanted some really, really close-up shots taken from really, really close-up... I believe he is a BA captain now.

[solotk]

I believe he is a BA captain now.

Reynolds, the first name of this Jag Pilot wouldn't be the French word for Christmas would it? :p

[reynoldsno1]

I'm afraid not, you'll have to come up with something new...

[Gainesy]

From the site noted above:
USAF F-4 wiring the Range Safety mates on the road back from Konya range, Turkey. Same circumstances as the Toyota ding I believe.
http://www.aviationpics.de/military/1999/f4low.jpg

[solotk]

Hmmmmmmmm

Can't really, without naming him.. Bloody excellent bloke though, and I understand, one of the outstanding Jaguar Pilots of his day

He was the single biggest influence on my wanting to fly Jags in the Air Force..



oooooopps Reynolds...... DOH! - lol

[tarbaby]

Salad: Are you "Tiddles"?
I spent the first week at Thumrait just looking out the window at Jags and Hunters going past at 10'.
The wing cut almost in half by the pipe from the RSO's stairs was still there. I may be wrong but I believe the pilot had a window seat the next day and arrived home to find a job offer from Britannia in the letter box.
One of the Jag photos appeared on the cover of "Flight" causing some comment when people saw how close the shadow was.

[Fox3snapshot]

I have in my posession an old copy of a movie from 1980 titled "Sand Sea and Sky" produced by Neil Mc Gibbon. Its a top production of the Jag days and life at Thummers in the 1980's and includes video of some of the stills that are in this post. I am currently restoring it to digital and DVD and trying to track the gentleman down who was responsible for the initial production. If anyone can help please PM or email I would really appreciate it as I would like to get hold of more original material to produce the best quality.

A Kiwi mate was an Air Traffiker here on loan service in those "barnstorming" days and prior to my pilgrimage to this part of the world he showed me his photo collection of what I can only describe as the most sensational beat ups I had ever seen....thats saying something after having dealt with that Kiwi A4 mob! Included were the shots coming back from the range and the Jags 180 out on the road (in the correct lane I might add!). There were shots from their Land Rover taken in the mirror with the Jag about to overtake.....the Jag modified with indicators to comply with local road traffic laws I would hope???!


The Brit loan service scheme has produced an outstanding and talented bunch of local Omani operators in all aspects from flying to ground ops, full credit to you.

:ok:

[Fox3snapshot]

I will have some Jag video on-line....

:E

[Flying Lawyer]

Just wondered if any of you flew with my friend Stefan Karwowski in Oman years ago. Stef, a Kiwi despite the name, was the solo Jaguar display pilot in the late 70's or early 80's.
Sadly, he was later killed in a Pitts whilst visiting his family in NZ.

Tudor Owen

[The Claw]

Sadly Neil McGibbon passed away in January 2002.

[Fox3snapshot]

Thanks for the information Claw, very sorry to hear that indeed.

:(

These two video sequences are from the video produced by Neil Mc Gibbon that I am restoring, the still is from the 30th National Day Celebrations in Oman.

Hope you like the vid, these sequences were shot in the early 80's and as mentioned previously are the video sequences of some of the stills that have been posted here.

Special thanks to John Eacott for allowing me to use his webspace.

http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/rafocmbo2.jpg

Jag Beatup 1 (http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Jag01a.WMV)

Jag Beatup 2 (http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Jag02a.WMV)

:ok:

[tony draper]

Jeezus wept!! great stuff,Fox3.
Whenever I post a pick of low level stuff on another site I always get the people saying its faked, they can't argue with those clips.
;)

[Ali Barber]

Not very tactical. You could see the dust storm behind the Jag from miles away!!! Great stuff from Thummers.

[Chimbu chuckles]

Bravo....as one who very much appeciates a little harmless hijinks...may have been guilty of some meself from time to time:E ...how does one get away with that in the Mil.

Is it;

1/. The boss is away and the lads will play, or
2/. A blind eye due to the requirements of war that you train for, or ??

I'll see if I can't find a rather good piccy of a beatup in a Twin otter...I think the statute of limitations may be about up :}

Chuck:E

[Fox3snapshot]

Glad you liked it, I am still restoring some other material from that vintage that has unfortunately seen better days. Will get some more on here when I get the chance....




Ali Barber we are overdue a beer or 3...

:8

[Pagwana]

Fantastic pictures and stories so far! Keep them coming

I was wondering if there was any chance that those jag vids can be downloaded as mpegs at all because i cant seem to play the WMV. Any help appreciated.

Pagwana.

[Fox3snapshot]

They are Windows media file format so you should be able to view them on the Windows Media player, if you don't have the latest version its worth downloading. Let me know how you go, I have kept them in WMV as the compression is good and is keeping the file size down. The original clips are 60 MB.

;)

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Chimbu,

It was very much SOP, and strongly encouraged by the leadership (to the extent that they closed the international airport after the National Day flypast to allow it to go ahead).

Speaking as a heli driver at the time the vids were being produced, I can aver that the standard operating altitude for rotary was 50 ft and below. Everything above that belonged to the fixed wing and the artillery. Happy memories of being taken for 1v1 and 1v2 in Troff Jones' T-bird Hunter against UAE Mirages, then later off down the Grand Canyon. Mind you, we used to get our own back by flying the stovies off into the caves...

Pleasant days

[Gen. Bombdabastards]

Fantastic footage, never mind being spotted due to the dust cloud, any proximity fused missile couldn't cope, you'd have to rely on ground troops lobbing a grenade. Might set off a few mines though.

I look forward to more.:ok:

[reynoldsno1]

The USN would often request fighter affiliation sorties with the SOAF Jaguars and Hunters, and then "tell" the Omanis that they could not carry out the task if the the SOAF aircraft were armed with live weapons - the response was always "hey, you want it, you live with it..." I understand the USN pucker factor was very high....

[Pagwana]

Thanks Fox, mangaged to get Windows Media Player going. Definately worth it. Fantastic footage.

[Fox3snapshot]

Good news, glad you liked them....



:E

[Uncle Cracker]

fOX
i CANT OPEN THE VIDEO CLIPS. wINDOWS SAYS THAT THE PATH IS INCORRECT. cAN YOU CHACK PLEASE. THANKS

[tony draper]

They are streamed I think, they work ok on my dial up under media player but they are somewhat jerky, they load for a while then partialy play then load again and play the next bit,I do not get a complete run through.
I don't think its possible to save streamed stuff to disk is it?.
Will try on my nephews broadband.
Great clips though. ;)

[Fox3snapshot]

Tony Draper and Uncle Cracker,

If you are having trouble accessing them, as some servers and browser set ups have a tendency to do, the next best trick is to right click on the link and if you are in IE then "save target as..." and pick a folder on your PC where you would like to store it. After you have it saved open up your media player and access it through the windows media player by opening the file you have saved. Another way is to paste the URL into your wndows player using that particular function.

I have tested them on numerous occassions and had no dramas this end, but have found IE to be a better platform to access them than Netscape for some reason. Make sure your browsers and Windows Media programs are all up to date as well.

Hope that helps if not PM me and I will try some other options for you.

:8

[mutleyfour]

Excellent clips, didnt think you fast jet jockeys could mix it height wise with us Rotary types......

[recceguy]

As a former FAF Jaguar pilot myself with some flights in Central Africa.... nice video, thanks. I just have some classical photos myself, taken from the inside of the aircraft - we were not modern enough in those days.

We had

1. ventral tanks lost on the water over very still and mirror-looking african rivers....

2. a wing-tip SRAM lost during a turn...

Always funny, good for the memory (I'm now a peaceful airline pilot) To the readers still in business : please be careful, really, I had a couple of AF mates disappearing in huge fireballs over the dunes.

I think if you are alone with your eyes and hand (not even thinking about a radalt at those heights of course) should not be a problem.

My idea is that disaster strikes when lads get involved in competition, specially with pictures to be taken.

Happy flying to all.

[Fox3snapshot]

Agreed......

However, that is certainly not we are trying to promote here and lets face it we have all lost good mates in this business.

Generally speaking the "days of old" are gone, hence this post reflecting on those moments, but given the right circumstances and a constructive "authed" beat up (ie. within SOP's and not over the Admino's house!), any aircraft can look good doing what would typically be considered a normal day at the office, except on this occassion not at some wind blown, water beaten, bitterly cold or hot mud flat in the middle F*$$$@NG nowhere, but at sunny old home base (preferably the O's Mess on a Friday arvo!).

Safety, Safety....smoke the joint!

:E

[reynoldsno1]

... and of course, there was also the SOAF Jag that blew itself up at Rubkut range (I think) - but I guess that's another story....

[Fox3snapshot]

So how did we venture into mame and destruction, lighten up, and have fun......



:hmm:

[reynoldsno1]

No maim, pilot got out....

[4PON4PIN]

Reynolds.. "SOAF Jag blew itself up" Seem to recall it was a hang-up on the wing due to using Hunter ordnance on a Jag. As you say that's another story.
The auld grey cells have taken a bit of a battering but I always thought it was an Airworkers truck that was "bounced" on the Thumrait road, '78-'80 'ish, were there 2 incidents?
Rgds Luigi:confused:

[Fox3snapshot]

That footage already posted....were you just trying a different source of my post?

Check back in the next week there will be more of the same....though you won't need to post it again.

:hmm:

[Fox3snapshot]

Hope you enjoy these, once again big thanks to John Eacott for hosting them on his website.

I have not restored these yet, and they are from 1980 or so and copied from a very copied copy.....I think you get my drift.

Thumers 03 and 04 is for the Truckies as Fat Albert gets a Hunter and Jag escort on departure,

The last one is a doozy as it is the same sequence as previously from the tower, but from the flightline.....see if you can spot the last jag!

Turn up your sound...

Thummers 01 (http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Thummers01.WMV)

Thummers 02 (http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Thummers02.WMV)

Thummers 03 (http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Thummers03.WMV)

Thummers 04 (http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Thummers04.WMV)

Thummers 05 (http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Thummers05.WMV)

:ok:

For those with slow connections I recommend saving the file to your PC and running them from there rather than streaming. Run in Windows Media Player at 100%, don't expand as you will lose quality as the files are compressed.

Yippee Ke Yi Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mutleyfour]

Were there 4 or 5 jags in clip number 5? Whatever...V V good clips!

[Art Field]

Twas not just the Jags that featured at Thumrait, I was leaning on the bar of the Mess there, as you do, when a fair roar was followed by a thump as a Skyvan did a touch and go on the roof, not an unusual event I was told.:p :p

[Fox3snapshot]

Cannot vouch for the touch and go's, but can tell you the Skyvans are still flying strong....

:8

[BOAC]

Reynolds.. "SOAF Jag blew itself up" Seem to recall it was a hang-up on the wing due to using Hunter ordnance on a Jag. As you say that's another story

If that was RL, I saw him a few years afterwards, and his burns were horrific. He told me (I think) the 'delayed' ordnance was incorrectly fused and went off about 20' below the Jag, starting an oxy fire, which is what caused the burns. He managed somwhow to get to the handle!! . Hope you are well, Rick (23F Leuchars).

[reynoldsno1]

He told me (I think) the 'delayed' ordnance was incorrectly fused and went off about 20' below the Jag,

That's the one... he also had a huge problem after coming back to terra firma. There was a strong wond blowing and he was dragged a long way before he could get out of his harness.

There was also another incident later with a Jag's cannon shells arming themselves shortly after leaving the barrel and detonating just in front of the aircraft - one Nicky Poo was the pilot ISTR

[DrSyn]

Ah! Nicky Poo. A man of infinite wit and humour. Anyone know his whereabouts?

Madame Syn, who was Sister i/c Seeb Clinic then, has an album of the Pink Panther's detachment to Muscat following his temporary release (ie: kidnap) from Masirah in 1985. Nothing whatever to do with low-flying, but a wonderful memory of the time. My scanner's Cat 3 at present but I'll put them on a webpage and link it here during the week, insha'allah.

Fox3, thanks for the Thummers links - great times!

[reynoldsno1]

Did Madame Syn work with the notorious Doctor Helen T ?

[DrSyn]

The very same!

Email me if you think we know each other.

[4PON4PIN]

Think I have a piccie somewhere of Rick L. diving off the "cinema" wall into the pool at Thummers. Nicky-Poo, Toobs,J-B, Gerry,Parts et al..Bleedin' Hooligans the Lorra them! If they weren't trashing cars with their a/c, they were trashing "Snowy's" Range-Rover with an AK-47 or trashing my party in Skid Row with a landrover!!
Aaaah they were the days!!:ok:

[A2QFI]

Nick the Pooh is alive and well and lurking in the East Midlands! I still have the Pink Panther with his flying suit, log book and the photo album of his kidnap by the Trannies at Seeb. Later in what the Air Secretary imaginatively called "A Planned Career" I had a Silentnight Hippo, almost full size which tried to fly with me in a Bulldog. He was even larger then me and the stick did not have enough movement for flight!. Any Thumrait/Masirah mates please contact me via e mail. My recollection of the RL bomb incident was that they were Pakistani made 500lbers which were left over from the war and, while stored in the open, had been flooded. There were several hundred of them left and we are actually using them instead of practice bombs during FAC training. The fact re the explosion under the aircraft and the O2 fire are correct. The pilot who was dragged across the desert was an ex F4 pilot called Bob P*****. He had spun a 2 seater in and ejected successfully, the other pilot was S**** W****** and he landed so close the wreckage that his parachute was tangled up on the fin! Happy days indeed.

[The mother alligator]

Videos are SUPERB. Is there anyway that you can save them to disk?? I hope so!!!

[PICKS135]

Right click on each one and save target to disk. Then write to a cd.:ok:

[Whipping Boy's SATCO]

Not low level, but nice photos

http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/44/51/guterslohharriers/1/1.jpg

http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/44/51/guterslohharriers/1/2.jpg

http://uk.msnusers.com/guterslohharriers/shoebox.msnw (http://)

[A2QFI]

Having watched these great clips I can say that Fat Albert plus escorts was the occasions of the departure of Thumrait CO, Tony Munro, on posting to Masirah as CO there. I have no idea how the 5 ship got thru the masts and wires on top of Ops (clip 4) but it was managed!

[bighedsmallface]

I know it's not quite 'on subject' but I remember seeing a vid of a EE Lightning squadron scramble and a few v low passes from the cockpit, while I was at Willie Clamp's groundschool at Cranditz. Anyone got a copy?.......sure the wiwol crusties would like it too! ;)

[4PON4PIN]

A2QFI. Pse check yr PM's.

[Fox3snapshot]

Thanks for the heads up on the history behind the clips, I have more that I am working on and it makes a big difference when you know what they were all about.

Anybody with any more material from this period feel free to PM me, as mentioned I am restoring some footage and building new shots to try and get something together before these magnificant days are lost. I will be here in the sandpit for the next 12 months, all going well, so looking forward to tyding it all up before then.

:ok:

[quadradar]

Well, I have finally got to visit this site, and what memories it has rekindled !

Dodgy Bombs were pretty fatal on Jags (a full piccie sequence of the ejection exists somewhere as I saw it in an Australia "Post" magazine years ago) Rick sure was lucky, and beat amazing odds to fly again.

Motor Cycle Batteries stored in nose lockers on beat ups don't do Jags much good either ...... do they Dick ?! :p

Air Traffic Control was rather a misnomer at OOTH .... we were a right bunch of misfits for the most part ..... a couple of ex RN ..... Hairy Doug and Don Thompson ..... couple of ex RAF (including an ex WWII Stirling pilot as I recall) ..... ex RAAF (Me !) ..... the GCI bunch and Ops crew were pretty amazing characters too ...... who could forget "Bubbles" (GCI) or Dickie (Ops) .....

The skyvan story was true ....

Havn't heard the one about the brand new tower windows getting blown out by the arrival of the Jags yet Nick ?! Or the one about all the pool furniture getting dumped in the pool or reduced to bits by the beatup over the Mess.

Also heard a rumour that one Jag beatup went through a hanger ....... Have no doubt it happened, and yes I do know who it was ..... !

Some stories happened in the Messes ..... one pissed off (Hunter) pilot who had been waiting a while got the staff attention by blasting a hole in the dining roof with his revolver at Lansab !

AT LEAST 1 laugh came at my expense ..... the Ex RN guys used to use QTH for QGH's ..... the RAAF used QDM ..... I recall sending a certaing "Paddy" out over Aden for an eternity before I realised the CRDF was set on QTE not QDM .... OOOPS !

Hunter time-exed rocket rails made great back axles for Land Yachts !

Cheers and beers.

[Fox3snapshot]

Check your PM's mate....good to see you on here, everything you told me about this jewel of the Middle East is true.....yup lotsa sand, lotsa camels and lotsa parties, what more could you want !


:ok:

[Check 6]

More photos (http://members.rogers.com/oba_articles/SOAFPhotoPage.html)

[kokpit]

Not Omani Jags, but a seriously good (and amusing) low pass.

It's the same vid that Chimbu tried to post, rehosted for your enjoyment. Also posted on another low flying post, turn up the volume unless you are offended by strong language (which I doubt)

Enjoy.....

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.covey/Spitfire%20Low%20Pass.wmv

[Green Flash]

Who the hell is that giving AdC a haircut? Should be easy to spot - obviously has some familiarity with Supermarine/Rolls Royce products and also sports industrial strength gonads. Biggin? Duxford?:ok: :D :ooh:

[Fox3snapshot]

In case you doubted the Jags low level capabilities Jacko, I have the footage taken from the ground too and the last pass is definately 250 kts +

Ye who doubts....check page 2 of the thread onwards

:p

[MajorMadMax]

Here's another somehwat "low level" pass....

http://www.harry.hirschman.com/images_photos/Videos/F-14_ugly_pass.MPG

Cheers! M2

[Fox3snapshot]

Have fun with these posts mate.

:ok:

[Judge Rembrandt]

:eek:
MMM,
That is really as close as one wants to be!! Any more like it?
Regards, JR :ok:

[Lindstrim]

Fox 3

was that last jag in thumers 05 below the rudders of the other aircraft? If it was great flying by the pilot.

I miss it in New Zealand now.......

[Fox3snapshot]

I have a copy of the video shot in the early 80's that I am restoring which has these beatups on them and some. It was the "good ol days" when the lads used to give the place a good waz up....thankfully some great photos and footage still around to record the moments.

[3downandlocked]

Thanks Jard,
yep where there is a will there's a way... I have 7 inquires about the Club, 3 of them are wanting to Learn to fly. so as you can see I need a Instructor that is willing for two weekends a month. I could proberly hire a A/C out of DARbut unsure of the legals. Also Jards, no luck at the base yet, not even sure if there is a OIC etc..... But will keep trying.

Captn Gerry,
Fancy comming up for a while????



Regards

Jon

Sorry about the last post , stuffed up.

Jon

Sorry about the last post , stuffed up.

Jon

[NURSE]

absoutly superb pics/video of the Jaguar. The Herc Clips remind me of the ards airshow in mid 1990's when the Swedish airforce dislayed the Draken after a flypast by both Drakens the support herc on its transit to dublin requested permission to fly past and with the support crew in the back fle past very low was very impressed.

[Stitchbitch]

I don't think I will ever forget the low flying
antics in Oman. The guys on Six sqn (hunters) eight (jags) knew how to fly, and it was a real priviledge to watch the national day 'return' into Seeb, and also to go out at Rubcut with the old man to watch FAC'ing with the odd 'flypast' sans 50 ft. Returning to Oman for a 'magic carpet' Ex some years later was a real eye opener for me.

son of Kendo

[Ronald]

Flown with 8x1,000lb (concrete) twice. No problems getting airborne and actually not that draggy, but the circuit(s) to land were interesting. Cruising at 45,000ft in a lightweight jet was no problem provided M.98 maintained to keep the IAS sensible (and the engines happy). Fond memories.

[kemblejet01]

Thanks for the thread folks - reading this in Amman not looking forward to flying the Airbus home tomorrow, but many fond memories of my 40 months with SOAF.


KMB01

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/SirPeterHardingsLovechild/omanijag6.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/SirPeterHardingsLovechild/omanijag7.jpg

[Fox3snapshot]

Always love seeing this post return to the top of the pile...well deserved!

:ok:

Yippee Ki Yi Yay! :cool:

[The Helpful Stacker]

Damn, I wish I'd been more interested in what the teacher was saying than the girl with nice legs beside me at school.

Is it true that if Americans decend that low its officially classed as a crash?

;)

[L Peacock]

A couple of times I've stood in fairly close to fast passes not much higher. It's an unforgettable experience.

[newt]

I just cant believe all this information on Omani Jags and not a word from Beagle!! Is his computer broken or has he given up on us?

They were fun days!!

[Stafford]

Well, I for one am shocked and dismayed at the unprofessional attitude shown by the SOAF pilots.

To condone such spectacular, wonderful, fun, amazing flying is totally out of order and might encourage our British RAF boys to try to pull similar incredible, adrenalin punching, whoopee flying indulged in by those irresponsible Omanis .....:rolleyes: :}

[Jackonicko]

You mean 'Omanis', I think.

[Stafford]

That'll be the ones Jacko !! :)

[mike rondot]

In the bar at Colt on Friday I met the pilot who flew the waist-high Jaguar featured on the front cover of Flight magazine. He says there are more and better photos around somewhere. Why not here?

[Pontius Navigator]

USAF LTC was saying that there are some good Strikemaster pics too. One is of a line of Strikemasters on the flight line, only one has his wheels up:}

[Gainesy]

Mike,

That was the latter of the two posted above by SPHLC. It generated a bit of a stir and we could have filled the letters page for about six months. Jerry Connelly had a nice one of an RAF Jag flying between two lines of parked USAF F-15s in GW1

[A2QFI]

In the bar at Colt on Friday I met the pilot who flew the waist-high Jaguar featured on the front cover of Flight magazine. He says there are more and better photos around somewhere. Why not here?
With respect Mike I think you met 'A' pilot who says he the flew that Jag, not 'The' pilot who flew it. I was out there when it was flown and I do not think anyone who was a Jaguar pilot in those days, in the RAF or SOAF (now RAFO) would still be flying Jags today, in the RAF. Please correct me by posting the name of this worthy!

[newt]

Mike,
Are you going to do a painting of a low flying Omani Jag?I have a few good ones but they are in store!! We may not all be flying Jags these days but there are still plenty of us around who enjoyed the experience of flying with no min limits. Great fun!! And there were a few of us present at Colt on Friday and Saturday night!!

[Barndweller]

To skip back a little to the question of who was flying the Spit that ruffled Alain de Cadanets hair - The late great Mark Hannah.

Cheers

[BossEyed]

I've always understood it to have been Ray Hanna, not his son. Both of them, of course, sadly no longer with us.

[mike rondot]

You might be right. I was chatting to John Pym, a very fine pilot who I always understood was the guilty b.....d. The subject of his last flight from Thumrait was a frequent topic in the bar at Colt on bad Fridays. It must have been special to generate the level of admiration from those lucky enough to have witnessed it. Nice photo, whoever it was. How long did the photograher spend in hospital?

[VH-GRUMPY]

I know John Pym well when he came to Oz to work for a short time in the CAA before going off to fly for Royal Brunei (B747) and now in Hong Kong with Cathay.

He has told me stories over a few sherbets about his time with the Omanis on Jags.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if it was him.

If you read this John - all thebest from the Canberra gang.

[mike rondot]

Just in case there is any doubt, it was I who believed/assumed the pilot of THAT Jaguar was John Pym, He is far too modest and polite to have claimed shouting rights over it, or even to have mentioned it in conversation. He did sign a new piccy for me though, while he could still hold a pencil and write. What a nice bloke; last seen following Craig Dalgleish back to their hotel at 0200ish to open the bar...
Newt, I would like to see your photos.

[ET]

Mike you old devil, haven't heard from you in ages!

[Stitchbitch]

...the hunters used to fly lower...:}

[mlc]

Totally off thread. I have a copy of Mikes 'Top Cover' sitting above my head as I speak.
Just thought I'd share that! :)

[A2QFI]

...the hunters used to fly lower...:}
I doubt it and I've never seen any pictures to prove it either!

[Pontius Navigator]

But that would have been in the days before we could afford cameras.

Seriously, my first 35 mm camera was a simple point and click Boots Birette circa 1967 with a separate light meter at a cost of £7. My next was an Asahi Pentax SLR at £120 in 1970 and that bought in Singapore. We just did not get the dosh to afford non-essential consumer items. You even needed a Singapore Det to buy a decent watch - £10 down Change Alley.

[A2QFI]

PN. I thought the discussion related to Hunters in Oman but I completely take your point re the costs of half way decent cameras and watches! I remember haveing a Yashica copy of a twin lens Rollei which I think cost £15 in Bahrain and a very nice yellow faced Seiko from Singapore. There are stories of very silly recce competitions in RAFG in the 50s, Hunters at the time Pictures of clock towers with 'Who could get the face filling the whole frame', a train on an embankment photographed from below and that sort of stuff. A Hunter was damaged by hitting a 4 ft high concrete plinth at Wombleton(?) Airfield while 'burning off fuel prior to a precautionary landing'! That was certainly low and I make no claims for any Jaguar superiority in the field of silly low flying!

[Pontius Navigator]

A2QFI, that was my point, when Hunters were in Oman even though the prices were duty free the cost of items like cameras, to capture the evidence made them a rare luxury.

The rest was to remind the young 'uns that we did not live in the same consumerist society that we do now.

Returning to the fly low topis, the USAF ran a trial with F105s in the 60s to see if they could incapacitate with a low level sonic boom. They could but the Thud was as likely to decapitate as incapacitate as it had to fly at about 5 feet. Gainsy might remember the photos in Flight.

[Gainesy]

I'm not that old.:)

I vaguely remember reading about such trials but can't recall any pictures. That would probably have been in Humphrey "Footnote" Wynn's era at Flight. (Guess what I'm reading at present).

Talking of low level, wiring an airfield is one thing, but how about the Buccs wazzing Beirut High Street? Talk (probably just talk, at that) of returning with clotheslines/TV aerials.

[Stitchbitch]

I doubt it and I've never seen any pictures to prove it either!
Terry I think I may have some tucked away, not quite as dramatic as flight international cover, but close. Seeb arrival after national day flypast mid 1980s. Lil bangworthy?
I remember watching a USN airfield attack at thummers in the late eighties, it was quite a sight to see. However, there were a number of Tomcats/ Corsairs/ Intruders that became the meat in a Jag/Hunter tag team sandwich.:) :ok:

[A2QFI]

At Thumrait we would take it in turns, one day the Carrier Group would attack Thumrait and the next day the Thumrait 'Wing' would attack them. One day an USN aircraft diverted in with some minor mech problem and the pilot was taken to the bar. In the meantime his aircraft was searched and we found a strike plan for the next day. As a result we were able to lie in wait, or fly in wait, and catch a load of aircraft, short of fuel and queuing for the tankers somewhere about 100 miles South east of Thumrait. Lots of easy 'kills' that day!

[Lord Snot]

Mighty in-decent of you A2QFI.......... :hmm:

Meanwhile..... the field of silly low flying!It's only silly if you're trying to juggle a camera at the same time.

Or if you hit something.

[Hey Joe]

At Thumrait we would take it in turns, one day the Carrier Group would attack Thumrait and the next day the Thumrait 'Wing' would attack them. One day an USN aircraft diverted in with some minor mech problem and the pilot was taken to the bar. In the meantime his aircraft was searched and we found a strike plan for the next day. As a result we were able to lie in wait, or fly in wait, and catch a load of aircraft, short of fuel and queuing for the tankers somewhere about 100 miles South east of Thumrait. Lots of easy 'kills' that day!

On the US Navy side (from the cockpit of a Tomcat), we used to call these exercises Beacon Flash in the 80s and we weren't allowed to discuss it pre Desert Shield due to sensitivity of operating inside Oman. Needless to say flying over Oman, and in what we called Star Wars Canyon and having a chance to fight some outstanding aviators was the highlight of the deployment, bar none. In fact, looking back, I'd say that type of training where we never knew where we would encounter Jags or Hunters or how many for that matter was the very best peacetime training I ever did in over 20 years of service and that includes Red Flag, Fallon/Topgun or with any other dedicated adversary units. Instead of canned routes or defined areas or altitudes, anything went and you had to be looking out for anything anytime. My hat is doffed to some real pros! First one's on me, anytime!

[VH-GRUMPY]

John Pym's 'paramour' a loverly Aussie woman friend of ours has been visiting from Hong Kong this week and has asked for links to this thread so she can show John when she gets back to Honkers next week.

She has asked for deatils so we should know whether John is prepared to own up to this event!

Cheers

[Beeayeate]

I doubt it and I've never seen any pictures to prove it either!
Here's a couple . . .

http://www.canberra.plus.com/pics/thum1.jpg

http://www.canberra.plus.com/pics/thum2.jpg

:cool:

[West Coast]

"we called Star Wars Canyon"

It scared me in a helo, let alone on a fast mover.

[A2QFI]

Excellent pictures! Thanks for posting them, I agree that they are as low as anything else in this thread.

[loman]

The Hunters possibly did fly lower... I was pulling up to miss the station photog who had scampered out after the first pass. Thanks for your remarks Mike - I wish I had gone back with Craig at 2 am but instead allowed Rushton to drive me back at 6 !! And we think we only do those silly things when we are young and drunk! There were some other wrinkly hooligans there at Colt on the friday it was good to see...;)

[ThreadBaron]

I met, in the loosest possible sense, the Omani Jags in the Sumhail Gap a couple of weeks ago whilst on holliers. Whilst not flying as low as anything posted, it was lower than anything I have ever seen that wasn't gear down! Typicall, the camera was in the glove compartment! Mind you, by the time I'd switched it in they would have been in Izki.

Hope they will oblige again in December, and that Fox3's film project comes off.

[Gainesy]

Not Omani or Jags but some barking mad German in an F-4.
Not too polished.:uhoh:
(26.5Mb BTW)
http://www.patricksaviation.com/aviation_videos/514/German_F-4_Phantom

[johnfairr]

Nice one Gainesy:ok: :ok:

[rab-k]

Seems Alpha Jets can have gravity get the better of them also...

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/61434/extremely_low_flying/

Ps Watch the #3

[Fox3snapshot]

Back from another few days down Thummers way, got some great flight line stuff...but got caught at Baite 71 bar and missed the nuts and bolts of "Glittering Rug" but as usual always worth it.

The revamped and restored Jag vid will slide a bit as we missed the A/A content due to the last verse of "Piano Man" at 3 Am on the last few days of the bombex!

Jobs on, tapes on, fights on!

;)

[ARINC]

Having had to suffer interminable war stories over the last couple of weeks from two co-workers (ex Thummers), both of whom were adamant that Hunters flew lower, I demanded evidence.

I enclose herewith the duly submitted evidence..with a few more Jags thrown in. (click the image for a bigger version, if available)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/th_hunter_02.jpg (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/hunter_02.jpg)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/th_hunter_01.jpg (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/hunter_01.jpg)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/th_jaguar_11.jpg (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/jaguar_11.jpg)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/th_jaguar_10.jpg (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/jaguar_10.jpg)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/th_jaguar_06.jpg (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/jaguar_06.jpg)
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/th_jaguar_05.jpg (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/jaguar_05.jpg)

How low can you go ? Part of a railing I understand.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/th_jaguar_07.jpg (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/jaguar_07.jpg)

car bit by both strakes !

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/th_tcar_02-1.jpg (http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b112/Baw1085/tcar_02-1.jpg)

[mike rondot]

HMmmmm, very nice photos of cool hands at work, but the clean Jaguar flying at 10ft. is so much prettier than the Hunter, wouldn't you agree?

[Chris Kebab]

Philistine - get back to your paint pot!

[VH-GRUMPY]

Last Sunday I had lunch with John Pym's ex (I have known the Oz family for many years) - and had the opportunity of course to refer to the pics/vid which have appeared on this thread.

Not only did she confirm that it was John on his last day on duty in Oman - she also said how angry she was that he did it - along with the other chaps. She was there watching and thought he could stuff it.

However, she also has a copy of the whole video which was produced and me and her brother-in-law are arguing why we should be allowed to make a copy.

:D

[airborne_artist]

However, she also has a copy of the whole video which was produced and me and her brother-in-law are arguing why we should be allowed to make a copy.

See the GW1 Video thread. We are close to making £2,000 for the RBL, and I'm sure we could do pretty well with this one, too.

[VH-GRUMPY]

AA

PM transmitted.

[fightingchickenplumb]

AA

Given the popularity of the BFB video, i think its a top idea mate, put me down for a copy if it comes off.


butch

[NutLoose]

HOPE THE LINK IS NEW TO YOU,

Perhaps you should visit here for some awesome low level jag stuff amongst others, they have some absolutly superb films and some really sad ones............listen to the pilot recording in IMC or the last flight of the carribou

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/aviation_videos.htm


would suggest this one crank up the sound go to full screen on these ones too :)

Highly ( or is that lowly ) recommended :ok:

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/2006-2-14_altitude.wmv

http://www.alexisparkinn.com/photogallery/Videos/2006-2-13_Mirageview_new.wmv

[VH-GRUMPY]

Spoke to John Pym's former brother-in-law last night who has seen the whole video who has undertaken to discuss making acopy with his sister-in-law who has John's copy for some reason! He left it in Oz when he went to HK.

If she agrees, I will contact John in Honkers and let him know you 'jet jockeys' want to use it to raise some money for a good cause.

Best in fact I put him in direct touch - stayed tuned.:ok:

Grumpy

[Barkly1992]

Would love a copy if one becomes available.

Incredible footage.

[enginesuck]

a challenge?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taUwG2tdGfc&search=harrier

[Barkly1992]

I menioned (when I was VH-GRUMPY) that I had had lunch with John Pym's ex along with John's former borther-in-law and we discussed his fairwell flight in some detail.

She has a complete VHS video of the day - and she has now agreed this week to let us turn it into a digital format.

The idea being, if John agrees (he is flying for Cathay out of Honkers) and only if he agrees, it will be made available so that it can be sold to interested former colleagues and those who have come later to raise money for an appropriate RAF charity.

Will keep you informed.

:D

[Skeleton]

Enginesuck

We are talking proper low flying with real aircraft.

That clip is not low flying :p

[A2QFI]

Skeleton, I beg to differ! I was in Oman and have seen some of the low flying and taken part in it! You may not like the Harrier but that clip is not too shabby IMHO!

[shytalk23]

Bit of a late comer to this thread. I was an Air Trafficker at Thumrait in the days that Photo of the Jag was taken. It wasn't posing - some one happened to have a camera on the line that day - it happened daily. They Low level CAP'd at that height, as did the Hunters (didn't half surprise the US Navy Jocks who used to carry out what they thought was "low level" Alpha strikes on the range). They were great days. I've a feeling that "Pooh" was flying the Jag in the photo (Pooh not as in "Winnie ther" but as "depth of"). There was only one Low Flying Regulation - do not fly below ground level!!

[Hoves]

These are 41 squadron Jags from Coltishall

[Sunk at Narvik]

Incredible stuff and great stories- an eye opening thread. I seriously didn't think you lot could get away with this stuff anymore (-:

Theres got to be a movie in these stories :D

[tacr2man]

I seem to remember a gen release film black and white showing mosquitos crossing the north sea with the prop tips picking up spray, cant remember the name but think it involved the attck on a prison in holland?

[mystic_meg]

cant remember the name but think it involved the attck on a prison in holland?
You did indeed "Amiens."

Ah yes, the famous Dutch prison located in France.... :rolleyes:

[A2QFI]

Hoves. Which aircraft in which post are 41 Sqn Jaguars, please?

[lasernigel]

See the GW1 Video thread. We are close to making £2,000 for the RBL, and I'm sure we could do pretty well with this one, too.

Have tried the search facility as I would like to make a donation and get the video,unfortunately when I type in GW1 video it comes up with nothing found.
Any helpers please.

Remember flying back from Ankara to LHR via Istanbul in the jump seat where the co pilot actually flew jags with the guy who took the roof off.Was out in Oman myself at the time with SOLF and heard the guy was 'runwayed' that same night.Apparently at the same time as the above flight he was then with BA himself as a first officer

[TEEEJ]

Luftwaffe F-4F. Was it really an RAF exchange pilot? According to some of the comments it was. Anyone know any different?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApM_f-jBlP0&mode=related&search=

This Greek F-4 does a good bit of sea skimming here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PF8A11AWTY&mode=related&search=

[TOPBUNKER]

Interesting that the first two F4 mates appear to have 'chosen' to lose height in their turns!!!

I do concede that it may be a visual illusion caused by rising ground in the foreground of the picture.

[descartes]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=310_1174165144

[mojocvh]

No doubt a repost (sorry RPST police)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtNoY5lABnE&mode=related&search=

but bit of a gem...

MoJo

[Stratofreighter]

Perhaps a re-post but indeed a gem!
Thanks!

[pubsman]

Does anybody know if the Phantom Phinale ?? video from the early 90s has been posted or is available anywhere on the Web?
Thanks

[TEEEJ]

Some F-4 low-level work here. Most of the really low footage is from the Falklands.

http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=125603&page=11

[ArthurR]

Bit late getting to this thread, yes A2QFI, the bomb used on the jag was an old paki practise bomb, apparently fused on take off then exploded when released, they thought it would be cheaper using them,
anyway has anybody got any pictures of the welly bar, and Sid... you still around mate

[SRENNAPS]

God!!!

So glad I was part of that Royal Air Force.

Not a Hi-Viz jacket in sight and nobody talked about doing a fitness test twice a year – in fact we did not talk about doing it once a year.

Worked bloody hard and played even harder – that was our motto.

Fantastic – thanks for the link.

[Hoves]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfEV_v-RyQc

[TEEEJ]

Hoves wrote

41 Sqn Jaguars (short film)

Those are Alpha Jets. It has been doing the rounds on the web with conflicting info. Even guys who were there and who post can't seem to stop the claims. The info from the guys who were there was that the aircraft flying low are Belgian Air Force Alpha Jets. If you stop it on 00:22 you'll see a frame of an Alpha Jet. Blurred yes, but still recognisable as an Alpha rather than a Jag etc.

[TEEEJ]

Believed to be Lightning XS904 at Warton, 1991

http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a273/320psi/Videos/?action=view&current=Lightning.flv

[benzonar]

I'm not sure but the presenter looks a bit like Alain de Cadenet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S61zLcMFp1A

[Lightning Mate]

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/omanijag7.jpg

Yes. It looks just as interesting as when it was first posted in #80 of this very long thread discussing it and events similar: http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/81053-low-level-omani-jags-4.html (http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/81053-low-level-omani-jags-4.html) ;)

[Kitbag]

'Spose he could have tried to get the wings level:}

[diginagain]

Caution - objects in the viewfinder may be closer than they appear!

[Fishtailed]

Same as this, perhaps it could be a kemble jet;)

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f280/fishtailed/jag3.jpg

[ZH875]

Ah a high flying Jaguar trying to impersonate a Buccaneer, pity he couldn't get any lower, it would have been better.

[RampTramp]

Where's the red fired from the caravan??

[Lightning Mate]

Ah so ZH875.

You wouldn't be a Hercules sort of chap would you?

[merlinxx]

Don't they know it's only truckees from Rompers Green that do LAPES:=

[dixi188]

I was in Oman when the Jags arrived.

Anything they did the Hunter boys would do lower or inverted.

[Spewing Stew]

Cracking shot :ok:

[Gainesy]

Ridge rolling Jags, hmm.
Did it on several occasions in the back seat with Spot, PV, Birchy and others. No negative G, but apart from that, really never asked or was told what the point was, what were the arguments for and against? Wholi? LM?

I put that LL Omani Jag shot on the front cover of Flight, yer man Eric was a tad annoyed.:)

( I think it was him still in charge anyway).

[reynoldsno1]

Is Erik still with us, or has he shuffled off his mortal coil?

[Lightning Mate]

...."ridge rolling"....

Like this?

Where are you Wholigan/Newt...?

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/upsideqb2.jpg