Has anyone else heard this story and is it true or even possible?

[hernaman86]

Hi has anyone ever heard the story of the RAF telling the US government they could penetrate their air defense without them knowing, and subsequently doing it?

I was told the story years ago at an airshow and want to know if anyone could actually back it up? I seem to remember the aircraft being a Vulcan or Nimrod or even a Canberra and the jet took off, did a steep climb and simply got up real close to a passenger air liner and followed it all the way to Washington, took photos of Washington and literally followed another plane out back to England?

Now it probably is a load of rubbish, and I can’t find anything on the net, but just wondered if it was true or if anyone else had heard of such an event and years ago would it have even be possible?

Im sure its Airshow B.S.

[reaper493]

There is some truth in it, I believe it was Vulcan (s), how ever not heard the bit about the air liner before.

Mike

[hernaman86]

argh interesting! so someone else did hear this, well hopefully someone here has some more on this story and what actually happened? i think they snapped the white house and sent it to the Americans to their horror!

[#MTPhoto]

I've heard a variation of this. A Vulcan took a photo of a U2 from above with the White House in the background! I thought I heard that whilst at Doncaster on the XH558 tour.
RAF sent them a photo and also had it up at one of the squadrons head quarters.
I wonder if any of these stories are even remotely true.

[Sparts99]

I'm sure I read somewhere that Vulcans got into US airspace and flew profiles simulating dropping a nuke during an exercise, the USAF couldn't intercept them and got very embarrassed. The U2 thing sounds a bit far fetched to me unless the U2 was well below it's normal operating height. You'd need a pretty specialist camera to achieve a shot from altitude as described.

[hernaman86]

Yeah would love to find out, someone on here must be in the know! i honestly thought this was going to be laughed off!

[rh226]

I heard the tale back in the '70s from someone who had been in RAF. and that it was first done in the very early days of the Canberra (possibly may even have helped the US decide to buy some).

The story went that the Yanks' high brass were bragging to our high brass about the US new total all-seeing radar coverage. They issued a challenge to the UK to penetrate their defences and gave them a month to do it. Nearing the end of the allotted month, the Yanks rang up saying "Aren't you coming then?"

The UK's response was classically British - "Already done it, old chap. I'll send you the pictures."


I also heard that it was done regularly after that with the US mostly knowing nothing about the sorties - except when we felt like letting them detect the aircraft. There was even one highly apocryphal tale of a UK aircraft orbiting over a US city for a while and then contacting their radar to say that as nobody had come to say hello and invite him in, could he please land for some fuel and a bite to eat!!

[H.A.Bucken]

I was told the story by a retired Vulcan navigator- involved a Vulcan (B-1?) flying ott New York way above their A.T.C. radar. I think the navi. worked out of Scampton.
Roger.

[Sparts99]

I'd think a Canberra unlikley as it didn't have the range for a double transatlantic crossing unrefuelled? Did the Vulcan?

[graham luxton]

Vulcans - Google, Operation `Sky Shield`

[f106dart]

Sounds like banter from a slow and boring day standing at the fence to me.

[hernaman86]

Vulcans - Google, Operation `Sky Shield`

Fantastic, so the vulcans did get in!

[22A]

The versions I heard: the Vulcan did get to America undetected until it was on finals for Washington airport.
The U2 was photographed from above by a Canberra and the photo was published in a daily newspaper.

[Sparts99]

Vulcans - Google, Operation `Sky Shield`

yes that's it. I knew there wasn't a double transatlantic crossing involved.

[Red-Eye-Knight]

Wow this is awesome never heard anything about this before very very interesting to hear.

[teeonefixer]

The version I heard (while working at the RAE in 1975) was that a black-painted Valiant carried out specific penetrations. Afraid I don't know any other details.

[mustang5861]

The story I heard, from an ex-Vulcan Wing Commander (sadly no longer with us), was of three Vulcans (he was flying one of them) crossing the Atlantic and entering US airspace over the north-eastern states, then turning south-west and going very low as they headed for Carswell AFB in Texas. He swore they got within 80 miles of Carswell before they were picked up and contacted, after which they continued on and made a very low-level pass over the base before landing. The reception they received was 'frosty'.

I have absolutely no way of verifying this story one way or the other, but the WgCo himself was a fine chap and not given to bullsh@tting. Make of it what you will.

[Gordsmith]

I was at RAF Scampton on 617 sqn (groundcrew) in the '60s It is a fact that three Vulcans penetrated US airspace using their ECM package, (mostly housed in the big bulge in the tail). Some time after the penetration, a letter from SAC General, Curtis LeMay was pinned up to the notice board congratulating all crew and support person on the penetration and bomb runs on assorted targets in the USA. He was not a happy bunny, but the lesson was well learned and though praise from LeMay must have had him bite through his cigar he was big enough to accept the lesson on behalf of US air defences,,.which rapidly changed!

[Morseman]

I spent 28 years in the RAF from age 15 1/2. The only story I heard in a similar vein was a Canberra took a photo of a U2 from above. No evidence ever provided.

[Beaker]

There's a book called The Penetrators by Anthony Gray from 1966 about a loosely disguised Vulcan that flew over the White House on a simulated bombing run to prove a point to the yanks.