A simulated bomb incident forced them to evacuate the aircraft shelter and they were allocated another, which was also still armed with live weapons. [citation needed], In October 1989, an RAF corporal and his infant daughter were shot dead at the petrol station in Wildenrath village, outside the RAF base. At approximately 1247 hrs they were vectored onto a pair of Jaguars and told to engage the hostile aircraft. Google uses the Personal Data collected to track and examine the use of this Application, compile reports on its activities and share them with other services developed by Google. Google may use your Personal Data to contextualize and personalize ads in its advertising network. WebThe former Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase which opened on 15 January 1952. Unlike many other air bases, the airfield was not converted for civilian use as an airport. RAF Wildenrath opened on 15 January 1952, and was followed by RAF Geilenkirchen on 24 May 1953, RAF Brggen in July 1953, and RAF Laarbruch that opened on 15 October 1954. It is now an amalgamation with the nearby former RAF Bruggen, now Javelin Barracks/Elmpt Station. A very small part of the runway, the taxiways, dispersals and hangars still existed, although much of it was covered with dirt and overgrown. Webmaster founder: Ronald V. (Netherland) | Programmer: Olivier (France) | Technical reinforcement: Fabien (France) | www.forgottenairfields.com 2010 - 2023 | Disclaimer | Special thanks to Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. Construction began in 1950, and the station became active in 1952 during the rapid expansion of NATO forces in Europe. 1949Gp Capt On 6 June 1972, the Squadron disbanded and on 16 October 1972 was reformed with the Buccaneer S2B aircraft. Only in exceptional cases, the IP address will be sent to Google's servers and shortened within the United States. Gp Capt M H Dwyer, xx xxx 1946 Published by at 30, 2022. Gp Capt D Lavender, 27 Mar He flies the Spitfire and other similar aircraft at air displays. Air Cdre Dudley Radford CB 1948 AVM Sir Alan Boxer 1958-9 Gp Capt Leonard Trent VC DFC 1959-62 G N Amison, 1 May 1961 Handed over to German Air Force, 1 Jun 1954Gp Capt G W Petre, 29 Dec 1957Gp Gp Capt H Day, xx xxx 1953 Wg Cdr A H Dormer, xx Feb 1955 He was the Gentleman Usher to the Sword of State. Wildenrath | Wunstorf], xx xxx 1952 Indeed on the way back I understand that they had some difficulty in convincing agencies of the reality of the event. From 1953 there were two North American F-86E Sabre squadrons [67 and 71], and a Sabre conversion flight. [1] He went to become Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of RAF Strike Command in 1994[1] and then Commander-in-Chief of RAF Logistics Command in 1996. It was the first of four 'Clutch' air bases of the British air forces in Germany (RAF Germany) during the Cold War. Belgian Mirage 5BR reconnaissance aircraft (s/n 319) parked on the flight line at RAF Wildenrath, Germany, during "Tactical Air Meet '78" at RAF Wildenrath on 15 May 1978 (Wikipedia). By clicking on "Customise" you can select which profiling cookies to activate. Catalogue number WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. Gp Capt J Wilson, xx Aug 1974 Gp D B Leech, 3 Dec Dumbfounded he watched, powerless to influence the outcome, (the Sidewinder being a fire-and-forget weapon) as the missile exhaust trail headed off towards my aircraft. Gp Capt T N Coslett, xx Mar 1955 Pausing only to make a quick phone call to Brggen to relay the news (apparently disturbing the station commander during the annual formal inspection lunch) we attacked the bottle. In the early 1960s, 88 Squadron Canberras were also based at Wildenrath. This is a photo of the Mobile MCS Rig Exodus taken around Aug 1986 at Wildenrath. Gp Capt P H Cribb, xx May 1953Gp The AIM-9G missile hit my aircraft, with my complete tail section behind the wing breaking away and the front part of the aircraft (with me still inside) entering a flat spin. It initially had a 1830 meter long runway, which was later lenghtened by 610 meters. Gp Capt P R Walker (OC, No 135 Wing), 14 Nov 1945 The form of anonymisation is no longer acceptable. Wahn | [6] Alison was unharmed. Gp Capt P G Jameson, xx xxx 1948 At any rate we split from the mess, with members of 14 Squadron taking the F-4 crew away for beers at the married quarters, and me being royally entertained by the combined efforts of members of 17, 20 and 31 Squadrons elsewhere on the patch. Clicking on "Refuse" or the X will refuse all profiling cookies. Wg Cdr Elwyn-Jones, xx Feb 1954 Gp Capt D S Since 1972, the Squadron 1970 Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. Hangar 5 was used to host large events of televison station 1-Live as late as 2001. All but the western threshold and overrun of the runway has been obliterated, and the eastern runway threshold is now a golf course, rather than the site of Bloodhound surface to air missiles. Infobox Military Unit unit_name = Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath caption = Station crest dates = 15 January 1952 – ?? Web5 X 4 patch, good condition.The former Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase which opened on 15 January 1952. 60 Squadron operated from the hangar close to the main Squadron Servicing hangar on the 'soft side' (northern) of the airbase. ? Aircraft and crews had been generated, and the aircraft loaded with live weapons in accordance with normal policy for exercising quick-reaction forces in NATO. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. By giving your consent, the data will be sent anonymously, thus protecting your privacy. The crew had been called out late and had missed the start of the exercise. No. WebUnedited footage of the Royal Air Force Central Band on their visit to Moscow in Russia. So how did it happen? Gp Capt N D Gilbart-Smith (killed in a flying accident - 21 Oct 1954), xx xxx 1954 Gp Capt D Peveler, 24 Sep 1956Gp Capt On 1 May 1988, two airmen from the RAF Regiment squadron based at RAF Wildenrath were attacked by IRA armed assailants whilst sitting in a car in the nearby Dutch town of Roermond. Hours before this the hooter had sounded at RAF Wildenrath (the Phantom FGR2 base) in the early hours of the morning for a station exercise. In addition to its other overt and covert functions, 60 Squadron also acted as visiting aircraft flight for Wildenrath, hosting almost every type of RAF and NATO aircraft and civilian 'trooper' BAC-111s and Boeing 737s. Stn Patch. The Wildenrath wing taken in 1991. Instead, as the pilot said later, the growl from the missile seeker transferred to his other ear (now indicating the missile on the other wing) and the first missile launched. Little did I know that he was quite used to having aircraft crash into his fields. Even Paddy was in the dark; he had just happened to look back at me in time to see the aircraft explode, and had had the presence of mind to immediately call for me to eject. Deputy Commander Capability Air Marshal Sir Rich In 19745, the Wildenrath station commander was Group Captain Patrick 'Paddy' Hine, who later rose to Air Chief Marshal and Joint Commander of all British forces during the Gulf War. In 1953, the Station Commander was Group Captain JE 'Johnnie' Johnson, a top-scoring British ' ace ' fighter pilot of the Second World War . 2000 Gp Capt T M Anderson, xx xxx 1944 Web5 X 4 patch, good condition.The former Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase which opened on 15 January 1952. RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Keen half-marathon runner and Formula One motor racing fan, Squadron Leader Rick Fryer, from Eccles, Lancashire, is the new Royal Air Force station commander at RAF Mildenhall. The Astra cinema was knocked down in late 2005. Gp Capt W E Hedley, 9 Feb 1961 Gp Capt D B A very small part of the runway still exists, however, much of it is overgrown. To their credit, they entered into the lions den and came along, apologise. Gp Capt Gp Capt It was the first of four 'Clutch' air bases of the British air forces in Germany (RAF Germany) during the Cold War. WebAir Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston The Chief of the Air Staff is the 4-star commander and professional head of the Royal Air Force. It was the first of four 'Clutch' air bases of the British air forces in Germany (RAF Germany) during the Cold War. WebRAF Wittering - Station Commanders Station Commanders The Station Commander ordinariily holds the rank of Group Captain. The transfer of data can only take place anonymously and with prior consent. [8] He left as a result of restructuring following the sale of the company to Red Bull Racing and went to Rolls-Royce plc as Project Director for the redevelopment of the Bristol Site in February 2005. View the Cookie Policy. Many of the old airfield buildings still existed. Gp Capt D McL Scrimgeour, 14 Jan RAF Wildenrath, with RAF Bruggen and RAF Laarbruch were clustered fairly closely together and came under the auspices of NATO's Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2ATAF). Security in these Siedlungs was strict: RAF Police patrolled every 30 minutes and each morning the area and any cars in it were scanned for bombs by special teams. 1951Gp Capt Royal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North RhineWestphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. J H Chaplin, 8 Jul Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. The Harriers moved onto 3 Squadron at RAF Gtersloh in 1977, and No 19 and 92 Squadrons with Phantom FGR.2 formed here and flew with this type until 1991. WebAir Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston The Chief of the Air Staff is the 4-star commander and professional head of the Royal Air Force. In 19745, the Wildenrath station commander was Group Captain Patrick 'Paddy' Hine, who later rose to Air Chief Marshal and Joint Commander of all British forces during the Gulf War. The Wildenrath wing taken in 1991. At least they had the reassuring knowledge they had seen me eject safely. In the 1970s, Wildenrath became the home to the RAF "Harrier Force" which included 21(AS) Signal Regt. WebRAF Wildenrath. Of the technical site, virtually all but one of the bigger buildings are now knocked down. Despite these factors, and the absence of the vital tape on the master arm switch, the crew were deemed by the board of inquiry to be negligent and (eventually) faced a court martial which resulted in them being found guilty of negligence. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this blog contents without express and written permission from this site's author/owner is strictly prohibited. I was rushed to the medical centre for a quick check up, to be met by Paddy and other members of 14 Squadron (I was Staneval Weapons at Brggen and was flying with 14 Squadron that day) with bottles of beer stuffed in their pockets. Wheeler, 3 Dec 1960 Gp Capt C S G G Jameson, xx Jun 1954 Gp Capt R W Cox, Officers shown in Italics either never reached Air Rank or Sep 1945 WebAir of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Of the southern dispersals, the central and eastern are bisected by the main railway oval test track. The last flying squadron still present at that time, No 60 Squadron, moved to the nearby RAF Brggen. The community has a youth club, hair dresses, Pub/Club/Bar venue, Library. RAF Wittering News New Station Commander At Royal Air Force Wittering 10 Jun 2021 Wing Commander Jez Case is the new Station Commander at RAF Wittering, taking over from Group Captain Jo Lincoln who is promoted to Air Commodore in July. Alpha Dispersal was the site used for the Bloodhound launchers, and Echo Dispersal housed the fuel and lubricants storage section. Might not be a Phantom then, I thought, I could be picking up the Hawk surface-to-air missile site to the north although that would be a fair distance away. In the meantime I saw a German F-104 pass down the starboard side more of him later. Aircraft went out at 750ft and back at 1,350ft for deconfliction. Could I have had a mid-air with his mate? From the late 1950s to 1970, Wildenrath was home to 14 Squadron and 17 Squadron; the former flew B(I).8 Canberras, and was part of the 2nd ATAF tactical nuclear strike force. Gp Capt F D Hughes, 2 Aug 1961Gp Capt P de L Le Cheminant, 7 Dec 1963 Gp Capt R W Oxspring, xx Aug 1967 At this time, the CO of 2ATAF (former Battle of Britain fighter pilot, Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris) had a Vickers Valetta aircraft as his personal transport, its lower fuselage and wings kept highly polished by the ground-crew of the RAF Germany Communication Flight (who later took the colour of ex-Singapore Gloster Javelin No. K A Williamson, 4 Jan We can reunite you with your friends who served at RAF Wildenrath and we have a wealth of information on different units, bases and ships in the site. [2] On graduation, he was commissioned as a pilot officer in July 1964. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. Station Closed, xx Aug 1945 1951 Sqn Ldr J W Henderson, 2 Jan WebRAF Wittering - Station Commanders Station Commanders The Station Commander ordinariily holds the rank of Group Captain. 60 Sqn operated from the hangar close to the main Squadron Servicing hangar on the 'Soft Side' of the airbase. The board of inquiry found the crew of the Phantom to be negligent, but were they solely to blame? D F C Ross, 15 Jul 1968Gp Capt [5] Allison had 4,612 hours of flying experience across his career, though only 18 hours on this particular aircraft type. RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Keen half-marathon runner and Formula One motor racing fan, Squadron Leader Rick Fryer, from Eccles, Lancashire, is the new Royal Air Force station commander at RAF Mildenhall. I was waved off for a rather wobbly ride to Wegberg hospital for X-rays, etc; at that point there was still no news of what had occurred. Gp Capt T L B McGuiness Personal Data collected: NonePlace of processing: Ireland Privacy PolicyOpt Out. Sqn Ldr W Edwards, 15 Sep Halfway through a pee-break (flying and NBC kit hindering a speedy execution of this manoeuvre) they were scrambled by the SOC, which was also on exercise. He is a keen restorer of vintage cars and old airplanes, and is president of the Light Aircraft Association. Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. Wildenrath was the first of four 'clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. 1982 Gp Capt J S Allison, 8 Mar WebAir of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Gp Capt T O Prickett, 1 Dec 1955 More arrived from RAF Wildenrath in March and April. The domestic site is now predominantly military. WebEach ADR Squadron had an effective and close affiliation with its war-time station in Germany as follows: at RAF Gutersloh supporting the Harrier force, 60 (later 48 Fd Sqn when that came under command of the Regiment); 51 Fd Sqn at RAF Laarbruch; 52 Fd Sqn at Bruggen and 53 Fd Sqn at RAF Wildenrath. Capt B C Yarde, xx Nov 1949 WebIn the 1970s, Wildenrath served as the initial domestic of the RAF 'Harrier Force', which listed numbers 3, 4, and 20 Squadrons, as living as 21ASRegiment. Capt F S Stapleton, xx xxx It can be seen today in the RAF Museum at Hendon, London. Photo credit: Rob Schleiffert from Holland via Wikipedia, MSgt. Plan of RAF Wildenrath, presumably ca. Wildenrath was th Again names greatfully received. WebThe Station is made up of Javelin Barracks, Elmpt and the two quartering areas of Wildenrath and Bracht. | Celle | Detmold | Eindhoven | Fassburg | Published by at 30, 2022. Fuhlsbuttel | Gatow | Wildenrath was th Warning: some page functionalities could not work due to your privacy choices, Google Analytics (GA4) is a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited (Google). WebAir Chief Marshal Sir John Shakespeare Allison, KCB, CBE (born 24 March 1943) is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) commander. RF-104G D-8059 of 306 Sqn RNLAF lines up on RWY27 turing TAM78. Wildenrath airfield (Royal Air Force Station Wildenrath, also known as RAF Wildenrath, in German: Fliegerhorst Wildenrath, ICAO: EDUW) was an airfield close to the German-Dutch border. Wildenrath was also home to an Army Air Corps (AAC) flight operating light helicopters and fixed wing aircraft such as the Westland Scout and De Havilland Beaver. The RAFG Communications Flight later in 1969 adopted the identity of 60 Squadron, which had disbanded as a Gloster Javelin squadron at RAF Tengah in Singapore the previous year. Full description (Tape 1) Band performing at a Kremlin Parade. Of the southern dispersals, the central and eastern were bisected by the main railway oval test track. Categories . Deputy Commander Operations Air Marshal Harvey Smyth The Deputy Commander of Operations is based at Air Command as the Royal Air Forces senior war fighter. No. A report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch concluded that Allison had manually operated the cooling system of the Daimler Benz DB605A engine into a level of overheating, and had interpreted the thermostat-controlled release of coolant fluid to be an indicator of imminent engine failure. By 06/07/2022 ether spiritual energy 06/07/2022 ether spiritual energy Gp Capt R H Goodall, xx xxx 1989 Gp Capt A J Initially using the Hunting Percival Pembrokes, and later the Hawker Siddeley Andover from the mid-to-late 1980s, they were employed to take photographs of Soviet and East German armed forces while flying along the Berlin air corridors. Sqn Ldr F A Drury, xx Aug 1956 Aircraft and crews had been generated, and the aircraft loaded with live weapons in accordance with normal policy for exercising quick-reaction forces in NATO. Capt C J Thomson, xx xxx xxxx Gp Capt J K Sim, 6 Dec 1985Gp Capt J E Houghton, xx xxx 1987 Lyne, 25 May RAF Station Commanders - 2 TAF, BAFO & RAF Germany. It must be your birthday Gerd Molleken (ex-cavalry officer) said. ), then a moment of blissful quiet before the ground below began approaching rapidly. Webst pete beach weather monthly; long island national cemetery columbarium; one child policy in the philippines essay; raf wildenrath station commanders. Gp Capt C D Tomalin, xx xxx 1945 The severe reprimand given by the court, which was the lightest punishment possible, suggested the court acknowledged that the crew was not solely to blame. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What are you waiting for? In 1953, the station Commanding Officer was Group Captain JE "Johnnie" Johnson - a top-scoring British "Ace" fighter pilot of the Second World War. Williams, 12 Dec 1978Gp Capt P P W Taylor, 11 Dec 1981Gp Webcms geographic adjustment factor 2021 raf wildenrath station commanders. RAF Wittering News New Station Commander At Royal Air Force Wittering 10 Jun 2021 Wing Commander Jez Case is the new Station Commander at RAF Wittering, taking over from Group Captain Jo Lincoln who is promoted to Air Commodore in July. Capt R M Robson, 17 Oct 1980 Royal Air Force, Strike Command Media Services (Video) (Production company) Production date 2005-05 Place made GB Dimensions. No. 1992 country = Germany allegiance = UK: British Armed Forces branch = Royal Air Force command_structure = RAF Second Tactical Air Force, then Royal Air Force Germany type = Flying station Capt W V Crawford-Compton, xx Dec 1955Gp Learn how and when to remove this template message, Harrier GR1/T2 - later converted to GR3/T4, Wegberg-Wildenrath Test and Validation Centre, List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons, "Army Air Corps in Germany - 31 Flight/ RASC and 131 Flight, Wildenrath", "Gunmen slay British soldier and 6-month-old daughter", "Test- and Validationcenter Wegberg-Wildenrath", "Wegberg-Petersholz: Die ersten Flchtlinge haben Quartier bezogen", "Bis zu 1200 Menschen sollen in Petersholz unterkommen", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RAF_Wildenrath&oldid=1128375133, Articles needing additional references from September 2021, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 December 2022, at 20:38. Capt I G Broom, xx xxx 1964Gp Capt E B Sismore, xx xxx xxxxGp All rights reserved - Embedding the contents of this site in another domain without the explicit prior permission from the webmaster/owner is strictly prohibited. Categories . In the early 1960s, 88 Squadron Canberras were also based at Wildenrath. That over, I sat around seemingly for ages waiting to see a doctor. WebRoyal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany that operated from 1952 to 1992. Wildenrath was also home to an army flight operating light helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, examples of which were the Westland Scout and De Havilland Beaver respectively to give an idea of aircraft size. Wg Cdr L A Ferguson, xx Feb 1963 Both units flew Phantom FGR2 (F-4M Phantom II's), providing air defence for RAF Germany (RAFG) and its allies. The surviving taxiways are being used for recreational purposes by the local civilian residents. [Ahlhorn| Bruggen| Brussels-Evere| Buckeburg| Butzweilerhof| Celle| Detmold| Eindhoven| Fassburg|Fuhlsbuttel| Gatow|Geilenkirchen| Goch| Gutersloh| Hambuhren| Jever| Laarbruch| Lubeck| Oldenburg|Rheindalen| Scharfoldenorf| RAF Wildenrath Station Crest. Indeed, the operations officer at RAF Wildenrath had not passed the information to the SOC because he was not aware of it himself. The locations of their quick-readiness dispersals can still be seen to the south of the former main gate. The farmer seemed quite unperturbed by the whole event. Set your Throttles to Full AB and Join The Aviation Geek Club! This Google Analytics integration anonymizes your IP address. Rheindalen | Scharfoldenorf This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. J F G Howe, 5 Dec Supplied by Gary Binnie. Again names greatfully received. R Faville, 15 Dec 1947Gp Capt L F Sinclair, 23 Aug 1948Gp Capt 1956 (bywat.co.uk). 135 Wing), xx May Stanbury, 24 Sep 1963Gp Capt J N Stacey, 1 Mar 1966Gp Capt K Stevens, 4 Oct 1968Gp Capt R B At this time, the commanding officer of 2ATAF (former Battle of Britain fighter pilot, Sir Christopher Foxley-Norris) had a Vickers Valetta aircraft as his personal transport, its lower fuselage and wings kept highly polished by the ground-crew of the RAF Germany (RAFG) Communication Flight. WebOn March 1st 1958 the Squadron was formed at Royal Air Force Laarbruch equipped with Canberra B (i)8, the first ones being delivered in February 1958. The ranks shown below, where above Group Captain, indicates higher ranks the former station commanders achieved. RAF Wildenrath, ca. Gp Capt H L Lewis, xx May 1970 Gp A J M McKeon, xx Feb 1953 Royal Air Force Wildenrath, commonly known as RAF Wildenrath, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) military airbase near Wildenrath in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, that operated from 1952 to 1992. [8] Sir John was elected President of Europe Air Sports in April 2004 and took up the position in November 2004, following the retirement of Oliver Burghelle (France). whole: Number Of Items/reels/tapes 1. A communications flight was provided by 60 Sqn (RAF Germany Communications Squadron ), initially with Hunting Percival Pembrokes, later with DeHavilland Devon and DeHavilland Heron aircraft. After closure, the base was handed over to the German authorities. Full description (Tape 1) Band performing at a Kremlin Parade. Allison made an attempt to land at the designated airstrip but approached too fast, aborting landing and climbing to an altitude to pass over the M11 motorway. Alpha Dispersal was the site used for the Bloodhounds launchers and Echo Dispersal housed the POL storage section. Cant remember in time and thump, I land completely out of control in a field and it hurts. Always ready / ever prepared: RAF Phantom FGR2 XV439 'D' on short finals for runway 27, RAF Wildenrath, [8] The last flying squadron still present at that time, No 60 Squadron, moved to the nearby RAF Brggen. I would have compromised the blood test. No 19 Squadron operated from one of the 3 dispersals on the far side of the airfield designated 'Bravo Dispersal'. 2008. WebThe Station is made up of Javelin Barracks, Elmpt and the two quartering areas of Wildenrath and Bracht. Google Analytics is a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited ("Google"). In 1993 the first concert, 3 day festival "Rock over Germany", took place. Capt E D Crew, 5 Nov 1962Gp Wildenrath was the first of four 'Clutch' stations built for the RAF in Germany during the early 1950s. The aircraft was yawing violently to the right, and not responding to the controls; I heard the canopy shattering.