A Jaguar on the M55.

John2

John2

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One out of the negative archive. Taken on 6x9 FP4 (maybe even FP3) using an Ensign Selfix folding camera, probably with a yellow filter fitted. The jaguar aircraft was one of the projects that I worked on during my career. The Jaguar was a close support aircraft designed to operate from the battle field with fields, roads and motorways being used as runways. As it was about to go into service, the M55 was due to open and before it did, BAC at Warton (now BAe) carried out a trial landing using a road bridge to as cover for the aircraft while simulated fueling and re arming took place. This was taken as the aircraft took off again.

Jaguar_M55 Takeoff.jpg
 
Sorry but before looking at the excellent image, before I opened it I imagined a jaguar car on the M55, or an escaped Jaguar big cat rampaging somewhere in the open countryside.
I remember these when I was serving in Germany when one came in so low and slow over our exercise area you could read the letters under the wing, they read something like 'anchor point'. The letters were about 2" high!
 
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Super. There is a myth, well I think it's a myth, that Lancaster services on the M6 is designed with a control tower for that very purpose. Though, I am sceptical myself because the motorway bends about a lot there, though there is a structure on the services that does look very much like a control tower.
 
Thanks all for the comments. I am also sceptical about Forton services tower being used as a control tower but stranger things were proposed at that time during the Cold War. I only know it as a venue for a late night snack after a Friday night out in the days when I was still an apprentice at Warton - oh so many years ago.
 
Thanks al for the additional comments.

Dave/John Yes it was noisy and today, health and safety would prevent us getting that near. Yes the Tornado was noisy. But it also caused also significant ground vibration as well. As I'm sure Flack will testify, when a Tornado took to the air at Warton, several hundred car alarms would join together to serenade the site.
 
I was once watching an air show at Duxford from 'the opposite side' a relative's land that extends to the edge of the airfield itself, and includes what was the peritrack. I was standing with a friend and our children upon a section of concrete a few yards from the end of the runway when a Tornado slipped absolutely silently - it was travelling that fast - at low level from the far end. When it got level with us, it pointed its nose to the heavens and ascended straight up. I have never experienced anything quite like it - on some premonition I had managed to warn the kids to put their fingers in their ears and open their mouths. The ground - decomposed WW2 concrete - quite literally lifted up around and above us and we were pebbledashed with spinning grit, the breath was whipped out of us, and the cacophony was indescribable. It was quite exhilarating!
 
Toby, that was a trick that originated with the Lightning Interceptor. At the Farnborough airshow for instance, the finale on occasion was a Lightning taking off into the sunset, staying low and then doing what you describe. The sight of the aircraft silhouetted against the setting sun was quite a sight. There was also a time at Warton when one of the test pilots, who shall remain nameless, would take one of the prototypes up on a Friday afternoon and just for fun, do the same thing over the top of the hangars just before he landed. The corrugated rooves rattled like drums and if you were inside, the noise was horrendous.
 
Were the sounds of the 'imported' McDonnell F4 Phantom even more extreme? I was with the army but based at RAF Aldergrove in the early 1970's during the 'Troubles' where our accommodation was close to the end of the runway where they started the take off run. Those taking off, even individually, was the last thing you needed after a 14 hour night shift!
Another competitor for the noisiest aircraft was a Harrier hovering before eventually landing. We often came across them near RAF Guttersloh in Germany doing their circus act;
 
You don't have to go to an airfield to experience "raw power".

We were taking an LF image of a cascade behind Idwal cottage in North Wales. Helen had returned to the car to fetch something and I went under the dark cloth to check composition, focus, etc. All of a sudden, a Hawk trainer did a handbrake turn as it turned the corner from one valley to another. No sound on approach, just a body penetrating roar as it accelerated out of the turn with its rear pointed towards me.

And I always thought LF photography was a calm end peaceful pastime.
 
We used to have to wear a special belt around our waist to protect our kidney's on the early days of Tornado where we used to do engine runs, at full max reheat the ground would shake and your eyesight was blurred. They then built a special engine running house that you could sit right next to the jet at full chat and even have a conversation.
I think out of all the jets built at Warton/Samlesbury the Lightening was the loudest. Great memories of my 33 years working there.

John2 I know the pilot you mentioned, he was one of the best pilots there and was well liked by the flt/ground crew.
 
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