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Re: vulcan accident -- Maurice Hamlin, 14/11/14 16:41:59
The true reason for the crash of RAF Vulcan XA897 at London Airport in 1956
On the morning of the Vulcan’s return flight from Australia, the weather at Heathrow was atrocious with extremely poor visibility. The RAF Vulcan aircraft was not equipped to use the Civil Instrument Landing Systems installed at Heathrow airport. Additionally, Squadron Leader Howard, the official pilot had no experience of carrying out a GCA (ground control approach) landing in a Vulcan
The Air Ministry had already diverted other aircraft and considered that a Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) was not possible. He was not given any voice agreement to try a landing.
I, as the senior NCO i/c of the Signals Centre staff at Bomber Command H.Q High Wycombe was ordered to send a Class A diversion order to Squadron Leader Howard, this was acknowledged by the Vulcan’s electronics officer Sqdn Ldr Gamble but the aircraft made no attempt to divert.
At about 1300 a further Class A diversion order was transmitted and again it was received, acknowledged and ignored. Just minutes before the aircraft attempted to land I was ordered to send a further Class A diversion order, this was also acknowledged but again the pilots ignored the order.
When we heard that it had crashed killing the four rear cabin crew members whilst the pilots ejected and survived. We were all horrified. All of those present loudly condemned Broadhurst for his total lack of thought for his crew.
Immediately we were ordered that there was to be no mention of the incident and it was not to be discussed with anyone outside HQ. I was so incensed that I ‘phoned the newspapers.
I was then threatened with a Court Martial and a 50 year Security D notice was issued which disallowed any reporting of the true facts.
My description of what actually occurred can be corroborated by the radio operators (also an aircrew Sergeant Signaler on a rest tour at the time) who was on duty and sent two of the diversion messages. He is still alive after retiring from a well respected career in civil aviation.
Anyone who thinks that it was S/Ldr Howard who ignored the three Class A diversions is suffering from delusions. The Sqdn Leader was just not strong enough to carry out the diversion orders against AVM Broadhurst’s s insistence that he must attend the media reception.
No captain pilot of an RAF aircraft would refuse even one Class A diversion order, it would be the end of his career. Refusal in any other circumstances would have meant a court martial.
There is no doubt that Broadhurst had had a brilliant war time career and had been appropriately decorated for gallantry but this was not war, and his only aim was self aggrandisement.
Were they court martialled for killing their crew? No. Broadhurst lied to the Commons Court of Enquiry, placing all of the blame onto Howard who after the courts conclusion, he then promoted to Wing Commander and he himself was moved over to NATO.
The crash records should be amended and the relatives of the crew members should be told the truth.
http://www.feedaread.com/books/The-Hidden-Truth-9781785101328.aspx
Maurice R Hamlin.
Ex Flt/Sgt Wop/AG – Air Signaler 1943 – 1964
hamlin@practicalspain.com
Tel 0843 207 6756 chargeable as a local UK call or on Skype
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Re: vulcan accident -- Prof. William Fairney, 24/02/21 19:12:49
I was at school (Latymer Upper) in Hammersmith that day, and the weather was horrific. We were used to hearing aircraft going overhead as it was on the direct flight path to London Airport, but the sound of the aircraft, a Vulcan (as I learnt later) was ear-splitting. Four Olympuses at 100 feet below the glide path was terrifying.
When I got home I learnt that the aircraft had landed short in an onion patch, lost its undercarriage and then crashed.
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