The Deadliest Air Show Disaster In British History

Comments · 200

• DA

  @davidgapp1457 · 11 days ago

  My father was directly involved in this aircraft's development, working on hydraulics primarily.  John Derry was explicitly told not to take the aircraft supersonic, this within earshot of my father. The wing flutter and spar issues were known problems and a major concern to the engineers on the project. But not only did he exceed the speed of sound, he compounded the problems with hi-g maneuvers (also expressly forbidden). To be fair, my father disliked John, considering him a cowboy, arrogant and inveterate risk taker.

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• CR

  @craigsg01 · 11 days ago (edited)

  My father - who was 16 and actually an apprentice working for de Havilland at the time  - was there that day.  He was on observation hill and said it was terrible to see! He didn't talk about it much... I think he only ever mentioned it twice in his entire life. Thanks for making the video - it's interesting to see footage from the show.

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• CR

  @CrazyLeylandFiveTen · 11 days ago

  My uncle died earlier this year aged 95. In the 50s he wanted to be a test pilot. It turned out that he was colourblind. My grandmother was very thankful, as other test pilots were killed in crashes as well as John Derry. He got to work with de Havilland in their engine testing and development department, probably working on engines from Gyron Junior to RB211.

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• CA

  @carolehart1714 · 11 days ago

  My dad was there he never went to another airshow again. He was worried when my late husband & I went to Cosford airshows.

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• NO

  @No5f3r4tu · 10 days ago

  On the same day as the ramstein disaster my parents viewed another airshow and a plane dove at the viewers. My father mentioned how horrible it would be if a plane would hit the viewers. later they turned on the TV to see the news of Ramstein. Two months later i was born.   This still kinda feels strange.

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• EE

  @eegrek-d7i9r · 10 days ago

  I was there and always remember hearing two Bangs as the aircraft dived towards the airfield. <br>I have a vague memory of seeing two what I stupidly assumed were bombs but they must have been the engines seperate from the fusalage.<br>I ran towards the fence between the crowd and the runway so got separated from my dad and got told off for moving away.<br>My father and I was initially standing on the small hump in the landsacape where the engines must have landed.<br>I am 83 years &nbsp;old now.

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• PA

  @PaulLupe-f6n · 10 days ago

  I was taken there that day as a 10 year old by an engineer from Napier aero engines. &nbsp;We were the opposite side of the airfield to where the wreckage came down. &nbsp;Almost immediately after Neville Duke broke the sound barrier in a Hawker Hunter. &nbsp;Not only did the show go on but it also showed the world how Britain’s reacted to disaster.

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• DA

  @DanOBrien-q1g · 10 days ago

  Witnessed &nbsp; an &nbsp;aircrash at &nbsp;Avalon Australia a few &nbsp;years ago &nbsp;. &nbsp;crash occurred &nbsp;70 yards in &nbsp;front me ..incredibly the &nbsp;pilot &nbsp; survived . They &nbsp;stopped the &nbsp;show &nbsp;for that &nbsp;day. Its that sense of &nbsp;danger that attracts a lot of &nbsp;air heads &nbsp;. Airshows are about &nbsp;high &nbsp;energy vehicles whizzing around in a controlled &nbsp;manner and &nbsp;sometimes &nbsp; that energy becomes &nbsp;uncontrolled and &nbsp;explodes

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• GR

  @grahamwitt2318 · 7 days ago

  At the age of 4 I was there with my parents and sister, and saw wreckage hit people nearby. For a long time after that I would have nightmares about aircraft falling out of the sky above me.

  2

• BR

  @brianmackenzie5692 · 10 days ago

  Found a handwritten note in my Dads paperwork saying that he was there with his brother and their parents on that day (in the crowd between the two fatal crowd impact areas).

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• UN

  @UnseenPhantom · 11 days ago

  That’s horrific

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• CH

  @chrisbloomnpn · 3 days ago

  A guy I used to work with was in the RAF in the 50&apos;s and was at that airshow. He said the wreckage flew straight over his head before crashing.