[Dave]

Two British Police traffic patrol officers from North Berwick were involved in an unusual incident while checking for speeding motorists on the A1 Great North Road.

One of the officers used a hand-held radar device to check the speed of a vehicle approaching over the crest of a hill, and was surprised when the speed was recorded at over 300 mph . Their radar suddenly stopped working and the officers were not able to reset it.

Just then a deafening roar over the treetops revealed that the radar had in fact detected a NATO Tornado fighter jet which was engaged in a low-flying exercise over the Border district, approaching from the North Sea.

Back at police headquarters, the Chief Constable fired off a stiff complaint to the RAF Liaison office.

Back came the reply, in true laconic RAF style:
"Thank you for your message, which allows us to complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Tornado had detected the presence of, and subsequently locked onto, your hostile radar equipment and automatically sent a jamming signal back to it.

Furthermore, an air-to-ground missile aboard the fully-armed aircraft had also automatically locked onto your equipment. Fortunately the pilot flying the Tornado recognized the situation for what it was, quickly responded to the missile system's alert status, and was able to override the automated defence system before the missile was launched and your hostile radar installation was destroyed.

Good Day..."

[Dave]

True or False

[Bill too]

The letter may have been true but not the information. I'm doubt that the RAF fly with armed weapons systems over North Berwick. If they do then no wonder the Scots want independance.

[WOODY]

I Bet Those Officers Needed To Go And Get Clean Trousers.

[Markulous]

Ahh, that old apocryphal tale! Why let a few facts get in the way of a good story!

My low flying 'plane story is slightly less technical. Last time I mentioned it in a forum I got contacted by someone at the BBC who wanted to know when I'd read it in the newspaper (to which I had to admit it was at least back to the late 80s or 90s)

A farmer in Mid Wales got fed up with all the low flying military aircraft (it is much used for training purposes - someone obviously once told the military that no one lived there it seems!). He climbed up onto his barn and painted in great big letters "PI55 OFF BIGGLES".

Well, the first aircraft that arrived obviously got on the radio and let the whole of NATO know - the poor luckless farmer was inundated with every known type of aircraft from all over Europe, flying over to take a look!

[simpbow]

Wonder how many points there gonna get for that.

[fionaB]

lol i agree that i doubt the aircraft that do the low flying over the east coast are armed......... they are flaming dangerous when u are driving that road however as they appear out of no where with very little warning ! lol caused a few fair hair raising moments.

Fi

[Dave]

Wasn't there a story in the news recently of a Fighter plane being loaded with real nuclear heads by acident for a training flight

[Lone Buggin]

There was a cargo plane loaded with nukes in the States. I've not kept up with it, but my understanding of it was that the people who were supposed to know the nukes were there, didn't.