WONZ 248 -Great Escapes 3 - Phil Barnes

[Dave Homewood]

The Wings Over New Zealand Show Episode 248 is now online. This episode is the third in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations.

In this episode Phil Barnes tells the story of his ejection from McDonnell Douglas TA-4K Skyhawk, NZ6256, on the 20th of March 2001, over the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia. While dogfighting other RNZAF Skyhawks in a Royal Australian Navy training exercise, Phil found himself in an unrecoverable spin. He was forced to eject, and spent time in rough sea in a tiny raft before he was rescued.

cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2021/11/wonz-248-great-escapes-3-phil-barnes/

[skyhawkdon]

Well done again Dave and thanks to Barnsey for your great explanation of the event.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Don. I am so pleased to be able to record these amazing stories. They blow me away.

[campbellbox]

I’ve really enjoyed the first two in this series. Fascinating stuff.  I’m looking forward to listening to this one. I think I might have read this accident report at my first proper job. It was at a law firm and we were only allowed to visit government websites - Air Force News on rnzaf.mil.nz was not exactly cricinfo but it passed the time 

[Venomnut]

Another great episode, thanks Dave and Phil.

I hope there are more planned for this series.

[Dave Homewood]

There sure are, a few more to come yet from both aircrew and groundcrew.

[vultee43]

Loving these episodes Dave. Really interesting and a whole different take on aviation and the technologies and often luck involved.

[Dave Homewood]

It's really nice to see all the comments on these ejection seat episodes, the feedback here and on Facebook has been so encouraging. It makes the effort put into making the WONZ Show so worthwhile to know people are enjoying hearing them and learning from them.

The Great Escapes episodes will take a break for the next couple of shows. Episode 249 will be an 80th Anniversary of the Pacific War themed episode and will be released on the 7th of December.

And then on the 18th of December will be the 250th episode and the exact 10th Anniversary since Episode 1 was released. I am working on a plan to make that a special live show. As well as celebrating 250 episodes and tens years of shows, it can also be the Christmas show too I think.

Hopefully I will then resume regular shows from Episode 251 and I have a couple more interviews with ejectees lined up, and another show that is to be with groundcrew who worked on the ejection seats and the safety equipment that was part of the survival systems.

I also have a number of other very exciting shows coming up too, more will be revealed on these closer to the New Year.

[corsair67]

Another great interview - and it is amazing to hear it in Barnsey's own words.

Barnsey wrote a very good article about his ejection on this forum a few years back - and while that was a fantastic read - I found that the story packed so more punch hearing it spoken in his own words.

[mcmaster]

Thanks Dave good interview.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks chaps!