Plane Tales

The loss of his father early in his life led to David Warren's fascination with electronics.  Although he grew up to be a scientist who specialised in chemistry, particularly aviation fuels and early rocketry, his little invention, a flight data and voice recorder, made a contribution to flight safety that has left a lasting legacy. David Warren with his original recorder device.   The NTSB recover a Flight Data recorder from a crash site.   A modern Flight Data Recorder.     Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the Australian Government Department of Defence, YSSYguy, Meggar and the NTSB.

Captain Leul Abate was no stranger to hijackings… this was his third!  An amazing story that ends in tragedy for many when, quietly sitting by the sea sipping cocktails, the residents of the beautiful Galawa Beach Hotel see a huge airliner plough into the water only 500 yards away.   Images under Creative Commons licence and fair use with thanks to JetPix.

This story has graphic references to violence and injury and may not be suitable for all ages. For the operating crew the flight started just as it had done many times before.  They were departing from Memphis in Tennessee and flying to San Jose in California in their McDonnell Douglas DC10 freighter.  After an uneventful start, taxi and takeoff the crew were settling down to the normal routine of the climb and chatting easily amongst themselves, as pilots do... and then a deadheading crew member reaches into his case and all hell breaks loose!   Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Peter Bakema and unattributed media.

  Geoff Lee started his career as an apprentice photographer for Hawker Siddeley Aviation and progressed to become the Chief Photographer for British Aerospace Systems.  His specialty was air to air photography, a field that put him in the cockpits of some of the world's finest fighters.  His photographs have graced the covers of aviation publications and major newspapers throughout the world. I was delighted when he agreed to talk to Plane Tales and tell us about his remarkable career behind the viewfinder. In this final part of the interview Geoff brings us up to date, relating some of the more interesting situations that he been engaged to photograph. My heartfelt  thanks go to Geoff for sharing his story with us. Should you wish to look at some of his images, please follow the link that appears below. Geoff Lee, Master Photographer - Part 3 All images are copyright ©Geoff Lee

Geoff Lee started his career as an apprentice photographer for Hawker Siddeley Aviation and progressed to become the Chief Photographer for British Aerospace Systems.  His specialty was air to air photography, a field that put him in the cockpits of some of the world's finest fighters.  His photographs have graced the covers of aviation publications and major newspapers throughout the world. I was delighted when he agreed to talk to Plane Tales and tell us about his remarkable career behind the viewfinder. In this second part of the interview we discuss how his career moved into the cockpit of some fantastic fighter aircraft and into the world's best formation teams.  Should you wish to look at some of his images, please follow the link that appears below. Geoff Lee, Master Photographer - Part 2 All images are copyright ©Geoff Lee

Geoff Lee started his career as an apprentice photographer for Hawker Siddeley Aviation and progressed to become the Chief Photographer for British Aerospace Systems.  His specialty was air to air photography, a field that put him in the cockpits of some of the world's finest fighters.  His photographs have graced the covers of aviation publications and major newspapers throughout the world. I was delighted when he agreed to talk to Plane Tales and tell us about his remarkable career behind the viewfinder. In this first part of the interview we discuss his early years.  Should you wish to look at some of his images, please follow the link that appears below. Geoff Lee Photos Part 1 All images are copyright ©Geoff Lee  

Towering cumulous clouds can often be harbingers of destruction and for pilots they should be respected and generally avoided by a wide margin.  There is, however, a breed of pilot willing to court the danger present in these meteorological monsters… the violent updrafts and downdrafts, the heavy rain and hail, the turbulence, the freezing temperatures and the lightning!  This is the story of one such pilot.   Derek Piggott   Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Ralph F. Kresge, TSRL and Thomas Bresson.

As part of the 75th anniversary of the D Day invasion of Nazi held Europe in 1944, Douglas DC3s, C47s and Dakotas came from around the world to reenact the Airborne troops parachute drops that first put Allied boots on the ground. In this second part of the story, I chat to Sherman Smoot, Betsy's Chief Pilot and Nick Comacho, a pilot of the C47, Betsy's Biscuit Bomber.   Nick does some work on Betsy before taking her up on her next flight.   Nick's father takes a look around Betsy before her next flight.   The reenactment paratroops embark before their flight over Duxford.   Betsy's cockpit.   Ready to go!  

As part of the 75th anniversary of the D Day invasion of Nazi held Europe in 1944, Douglas DC3s, C47s and Dakotas came from around the world to reenact the Airborne troops parachute drops that first put Allied boots on the ground.  In this interview I chat to Nick Comacho, a pilot of the C47, Betsy's Biscuit Bomber, that had flown over from the States to Duxford in England to take part.   Refuelling the C47 prior to a flight from Duxford.   The weather at Duxford was a trifle damp at times.   The reenactment parachutists gear up prior to getting airborne.   Betsy's Biscuit Bomber fires up.   A wonderful array of vintage aircraft... quite a sight to see.

I take another dip into my flying log book, RAF Form 414. We catch up with the young 'Old Pilot' as he joins his first operational squadron, No 43(F) Sqn, The Fighting Cocks!  I was faced with a further 6 months of training to become a fully Combat Ready fighter pilot.  Relying on my faltering memory I said that the jamming Canberras were on 100 Sqn... they were, of course, actually from No 360 Squadron!   The F4 Phantoms of The Fighting Cocks.   Air to Air refuelling.   The Q shed at RAF Leuchars.   My flying suit badges including the treasured Squadron patch that was only worn by combat ready aircrew.

The Falkland islands, a British Sovereign Territory, had been invaded by Argentinian military forces and in response the UK assembled a task force to sail the 8,000 miles required to dispatch the invaders and free the British residents there.  Amongst the RAF Harrier pilots onboard HMS Hermes was Flt Lt Dave Morgan who took part in the first Harrier attack on the airfield at Stanley, the capital of the Falklands.  This is the story of this mission.   Argentinian soldiers occupy Stanley.   The route of the British Task Force.   Royal Navy Sea Harriers.   RAF Harriers at Stanley airfield after the successful recapture of the Falklands.   Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Malvinas.talam, Stephen L. Batiz USN, USN Defense Imagery, Department of History United States Military Academy and Pete Butt.

Two of the most weird looking aircraft ever devised were actually immensely valuable in the development of the Hawker Harrier Jump Jet and in the training of astronauts!  This is the story of two flying bedsteads!   The NASA Lunar Landing Research Vehicle.   The original flying bedstead, more properly known as the Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig.     Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Disney, User:Geni and NASA.

Lt David Steeves was living the dream.  He was a USAF fighter pilot and instructor flying the T33A shooting star when his jet failed him as he flew over the Sierra's mountain range.  He ejected and then survived a traumatic fight for survival amongst the rugged terrain... he ought to have been hailed a hero.  Enter the newspaper man Clay Blair and David Steeves life abruptly turned into a nightmare!   DAYTON, Ohio -- Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.   Mt Whitney of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.   The Sierra Nevadas.   David Steeves on the day of his rescue.   Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to the US Gov, USAF, Cullen328, Jeffrey Pang and Alejandro Pena.

The weird and wacky names that aircraft have don't usually include those of insects, particularly parasitic ones but there is no accounting for taste!  From Gnats to Fleas, June Bugs to Crickets, aviation has them all and in this tale we find out about many of them.   The dainty but impressive Folland Gnat which was only slightly larger than the single seat version, the Midge.     The BE2, one of which was unsuccessfully launched from beneath a blimp.   The parasitic Sparrowhawk fighter suspended under the Airship USS Macron.   Another parasite, an F-84 is launched from underneath a modified B-36 Peacemaker.   Two parasites at once... the unlikely combination of a pair of F-84s being towed by the wingtips of a B-29.   The tiny Starr Bumblebee II which was, at the time, the world's smallest piloted aircraft.   Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Nick-D, H M Benner, the Royal Navy, Afcrna and the USAF.

Military pilots aren't the only ones in danger whilst cruising the upper reaches of the atmosphere.  Passenger jets can be equally vulnerable with tragic results.  These are the stories of two aircraft that sadly flew on to their destruction, with nobody controlling, carrying their unfortunate passengers to their death. Payne Stewart.   The accident Learjet.   The Learjet's flight path.   A Helios B737.   The flight path of Helios Flight 522.     Images under Creative Commons licence with thanks to Alan Lebeda, Supergolfdude, NTSB and AAIASB.