Drama at airshow

“Like Thomas Brown, my first air display was at RNAS Arbroath HMS Condor,” writes Edward Valentine of Marykirk. “This would have been in the mid-1950s. Somehow the Tiger Moths stationed there stand out, speaking of the de Havilland Tiger Moth.

“Getting back to air displays and the Fleet Air Arm, during the early 1960s three friends and I hired a car and drove up to RNAS Lossiemouth, HMS Fulmar for the annual air display.

“Around this time the Fleet Air Arm had been immersed in a major re-equipment programme, the Royal Navy at that time operating seven carriers. At Lossie, there were Scimitars and Sea Vixens and fly pasts by Lightnings from Leuchars.

“The highlight for us was the fly past of a Fairy Gannet AEW 3. Powered by a coupled turbo prop with contra-rotating props, after one fly past it began a second, this time to demonstrate switching from one prop to another in flight.

“As we watched, it got lower and lower then a wing tip touched. It recovered then again lost altitude. This time the radar scanner dome was torn off and things were getting serious.

“I will always remember the propeller blades bending as it bounced along the ground, slowing to a halt with smoke pouring out, as the crew scrambled out and ran as fast as they could. Luckily there were no injuries. And, oh yes, Prince Charles was there in the crowd.”