Defections

[Nick]

Something to annoy the 'experts' with...

http://mysite.ncnetwork.net/res12e522/ColdWar.html

This one surprised me.. and could lead someone to a nice repaint job!

5 July 1952: a formation of four Romanian Bf 109Ga-6s took off from Craiova for a Patrol. Two of the aircraft had engine problems and returned to their base. The other two aircraft (363 and 319), led by Gh. Gheorghiu began a shallow dive towards Yugoslavia. The two fighters landed on a field in Yugoslavia, with 319 suffering a right main gear collapse in the process. Both of the pilots asked for and received political asylum, while the planes were recovered and put into service with the Yugoslav Air Force.

[raafif]

Interesting site, it mentions most of the Cold War incidents, but not all, & omits many (interesting) details.  It doesn't mention the Gloster Meteor that crashed in a farmer's field in East Germany, the shooting at an RAF Chipmunk over Berlin or the salvage by the RAF of a Russian Yak-28P Firebar from a Berlin lake in 1966.

The Yak-28P had been ordered to ditch instead of landing safely in west Berlin after a flame-out.  RAF sub-aqua club got the engines & radar to England for analysis -- all while the Russians looked on from the shore -- before returning 99% of the aircraft (incl the 2 crew who drowned) to the Russians.

Would make a nice captured aircraft if one defected ....

[pyro-manic]

Spinners did a really nice 43 Sqn Firebar in his Strike Fighters topic a while back. I have the A-Model kit waiting to be built as such.

[PR19_Kit]

The Yak-28P had been ordered to ditch instead of landing safely in west Berlin after a flame-out.  RAF sub-aqua club got the engines & radar to England for analysis -- all while the Russians looked on from the shore -- before returning 99% of the aircraft (incl the 2 crew who drowned) to the Russians.

Couldn't he make it across The Wall? He must have been pretty darn low!

The lakes nearest RAF Gatow in the Brit Zone, the Wannsee and Havelsee, are only about 2 miles from the west side of the border, Gatow itself being right up against the Wall.

[raafif]

He was flying just inside East Berlin, low & slow when the engine went out -- not enough go to make a turn-around so only option was straight ahead.  Being denied the option of saving their lives by landing they had to ditch in Lake Havel which is half in east Berlin & half in west Berlin.  He actually hit the water in the eastern half but splashed across to the western half.  While slow for them, they were still going too fast (in a very streamlined aircraft) to get out before drowning.

The A-Model kit is the only one of this aircraft & a real pain to build apparently -- there's a very nice build on ARC tho.

[PR19_Kit]

He should have turned right as he crossed the Potsdammerbrucke and landed on Potsdammer Str in West Berlin. He'd have stopped just about alongside the European HQ of my last employers. 

I have that A Model kit, and sure looks a LOT of work, but I may be combining it with something else, with longer wings of course.....

[raafif]

Don't think these guys were the kind to disobey orders -- they wouldn't be doing that job if they weren't TOTALLY loyal to Mother Russia -- they weren't like the conscripts in the Sov.Army (opinion of an RAF officer inside East Germany).

I suggest you read the model build on ARC before starting as the guy recommends .... buy lots of plasticard & putty for filling the gaps ... and brass tube to re-do the intakes ... sand 'n' sand & rescribe panel-lines.  Adding longer wings sounds like the least problem.
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal8/7301-7400/gal7302-Yak-28-Bahr/00.shtm
Article has 2 links to walkarounds of preserved aircraft.

[raafif]

Spinners did a really nice 43 Sqn Firebar in his Strike Fighters topic a while back.

Can you post the link to it ?  the search-engine here always comes up blank.

[PR19_Kit]

I suggest you read the model build on ARC before starting as the guy recommends .... buy lots of plasticard & putty for filling the gaps ... and brass tube to re-do the intakes ... sand 'n' sand & rescribe panel-lines.  Adding longer wings sounds like the least problem.
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal8/7301-7400/gal7302-Yak-28-Bahr/00.shtm
Article has 2 links to walkarounds of preserved aircraft.

Ouch! That really does look a swine of a kit to build!

Luckily I won't be using the A Model kit's engines on my longer winged version, at least I don't think so......

Thanks for that link, very educational.

[thesolitarycyclist]

17 May 1950 A Royal Air Force Shorts Sunderland was forced to land at Lod airport in Israel after being intercepted by Spitfires of the 105 Squadron of the Israel Air Force over Ramat David air base. The RAF crew had been issued maps that didn't show Israel and were unaware that they were flying over a sovereign state, as Great Britain had yet to recognize the state of Israel.

Just how do you land a Sunderland at Lod Airport? Does it have a lake?

Overall an interesting site.

[rickshaw]

17 May 1950 A Royal Air Force Shorts Sunderland was forced to land at Lod airport in Israel after being intercepted by Spitfires of the 105 Squadron of the Israel Air Force over Ramat David air base. The RAF crew had been issued maps that didn't show Israel and were unaware that they were flying over a sovereign state, as Great Britain had yet to recognize the state of Israel.

Just how do you land a Sunderland at Lod Airport? Does it have a lake?

Carefully?

[PR19_Kit]

One of the Pembroke Dock based Sunderlands sustained a badly damaged lower hull while trying a rescue and landed on the grass alongside the runway at RAF Angle, which is on top of the cliffs on the south side of Milford Haven!

Apparently it went fine, the whole crew escaped and the aircraft was repaired and hauled back down to the Dock to fly again!