Voodoo Has Mishap

[Dave Homewood]

This is an interesting story of an incident that occurred to a Voodoo after it left New Zealand heading for Australia. From The Press, 30 October 1959.

VOODOO HAS MISHAP

Fuel Tank Bursts Over Tasman

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) BRISBANE, October 28.

One of the fuel tanks of a United States Air Force Voodoo jet fighter burst over the Tasman Sea while it was returning to Australia from opening celebrations at Wellington’s new airport. The 25-year-old pilot, Lieutenant Bruce A. Matthews, who figured in the three-mile drama, landed the Voodoo safely at the Amberley Air Force base, near Brisbane, yesterday.

The accident happened white Lieutenant Matthews was refuelling his jet in mid-air from a Superfortress flying tanker. He said at Amberley today that two Voodoos were flying in formation behind the bomber at 250 miles an hour during the refuelling.

"I felt a bump or heard it, but I didn’t know what was wrong,’’ Lieutenant Matthews said. “Almost immediately the other Voodoo pilot called me on the radio and told-me one of my long-range tanks had burst. I jettisoned the tank quickly and asked for a weather report

“As it was good, I decided to continue to Amberley. If it had not been good I would have turned back,” he said.

[Mustang51]

Reminds me of the second flight of the MiG-15UTI from Richmond. It had flown successfully Bankstown to Richmond earlier and we had followed in a Najavo. On refuelling for test flight series one of the drop tanks inexplicably burst leaving a lot of fuel on the hardstand....wooden tanks.....but at least driver-airframe was not over the Tasman ! Continued the test without the tanks

[mcmaster]

Yikes. Not another misadventure add to that Wellington Airport opening show?

[Dave Homewood]

Yes it looks like it was cursed. Maybe a voodoo curse.

The Vulcan nearly crashed.
The Sunderland nearly crashed.
The Vampires nearly crashed.
An Auster nearly crashed.
Now this, the Voodoo incident.

[davidd]

I seem to recall there was another mid-Tasman emergency suffered by a USAF single-seat fighter of some description, although probably one of the Handclasp operations in the late 1950s, perhaps for the F-100s going to (or returning from) Ohakea for the 1958 RNZAF 21st Birthday celebrations. Of course these details may be completely wrong, I will attempt to find further details before I really put my foot in it!

Found the incident mentioned above, but was not the one I guessed! This incident occurred during Handclasp II, probably 1st June 1955, the aircraft in question being an F-84G Thunderjet, from 5th Air Force, Japan, and on way home via Brisbane. Pilot was Lt W E Miller, bound for Brisbane, when his "cockpit pressure seal failed". The reference for this information was "The Aeroplane" issue of 17th June 1955, page 806. Somebody else may locate a fuller description in the Christchurch Press in early June.

David D

[shorty]

New Zealand to Japan in a cramped single seater! That puts a whole new spin on" business class" when your business is being a F-84 jock. You'd need a good bladder too

[davidd]

Found the reference to the Thunderjet in the ChCh Press of 2nd June 1955, apparently the pilot had a terrible time in the air, was suffering from the bends! Quite a largish article. Check up on Papers Past.

David D

[Dave Homewood]

ORDEAL ON TASMAN JET FLIGHT

(Rec. 9.30 pan.) BRISBANE, June 1.

A young American airman in a Thunderjet fighter fought desperately for his life high above the Tasman Sea today after leaving New Zealand to fly to Australia.

The cockpit pressurisation of his Thunderjet failed when the seal broke shortly after refuelling in mid-air off the New Zealand coast. Suffering agonising pains from the “bends,” he had to fly for almost four hours on pure oxygen. He was feeling the effects of his experience very greatly by the time he reached Amberley R.A.A.F. base near Brisbane, and was “talked down by his flight commander.

The airman was First Lieutenant W. E. Miller, a pilot of one of the four Thunderjets which returned to Australia from Auckland on their mission, “Handclasp.”

When he landed at Amberley. Lieutenant Miller was taken to hospital, where he was treated for the effects of an excess of oxygen, but he later recovered and was discharged.

The mishap was one of the highlights in the dramatic 1400-mile flight from Auckland. The four Thunderjets landed on Australian soil at the end of a five and a half hour endurance flight with only enough petrol for a circuit of the bomber base.

Short of Fuel
The fighters appeared overhead at 12.30 p.m., and one had only 10 minutes' fuel left. When the plane stopped on the tarmac the tanks were almost dry.

The first indication that officials at Amberley had of any trouble was a flash from the flight commander, Colonel H. M. McClelland, at 12.15 p.m. This said that the fighters were short of fuel and would be unable to fly over Brisbane as arranged. Through the loudspeaker system on the ground at Amberley bystanders heard Colonel McClelland say to Miller: “Are you still feeling woosy?"

Miller’s faint reply came back: ‘‘Yes, sir, but I’ll make it.”

During a brief circuit of the bomber base, Miller’s aircraft broke formation and came in for a hurried landing. While Miller was coming in to land Colonel McClelland gave him confidence by “talking him down.” He was then heard to say: “Are you on the ground, Miller?” “Yes, sir.” “Good boy.” said the colonel.

When Miller pulled the cockpit canopy back, he rested his head on his arm and for the first time in more than five hours breathed fresh air.

Descent for Relief
When the cockpit seal broke Miller breathed pure oxygen at 41,000 ft. Because of the lack of pressure, he suffered from the “bends.” To relieve his breathing the aircraft came down to 35,000 ft, where Miller was still gasping for breath.

Because it would mean a higher fuel consumption, the Thunderjets could not afford to fly at a lower altitude.

Colonel McClelland said that after the jets left Auckland in heavy rain at 7.30 a.m. they climbed to 15,000 ft to rendezvous with an aerial tanker, but because of bad weather had to fly around between layers of clouds. Only one American tanker was available for the refuelling operation, as the second tanker had been delayed with engine trouble in New Zealand. The Thunderjets had to queue up to refuel, and after two hours’ flying were only 90 miles out from the New Zealand coastline. To conserve fuel the jets throttled back to 250 miles an hour.

An American Globemaster transport accompanying the Thunder jets was struck by lightning shortly after leaving New Zealand, but it continued its journey. None of the crew was injured. A lightning flash hit the nose of the plane in a storm at 8000 ft. When the Globemaster landed at Amberley this afternoon the crew inspected it closely, but could see no signs of damage.

PRESS, 2 JUNE 1955