Waking a sleeping Tiger

There’s an old saying that goes “Never wake a sleeping tiger.” which is an analogy that means don’t create problems that you can’t handle. It might also mean don’t bring up memories that might still get you into trouble.

V E Day 8th May 1945 a date that holds such significance in many memories. Every year we celebrate (victory in Europe). Marking the date that the Nazi’s surrendered.

It was obviously particularly important in the year of 1995 as it marked the 50th anniversary. Many celebrations were planned to take place to remember the day the people of that era finally came out from under those dark clouds of the Second World War over Europe.

There were many celebrations taking place to mark that significant date. One such celebration that took place on the day marking this anniversary was being held by a friends mother in the back garden of her house that overlooked the beach at sunny Worthing in Sussex. So myself and that mothers son decided something had to be done to make it a very special celebration. The naughty schoolboy spirit inside two rather middle aged men came to the surface and we rolled one of his aircraft out of the hangar intending to use it and make it one very special celebration of V E Day 1995.

The aircraft we chose to fly on the day was a Harvard 2B and it was (at the time) owned by that unnamed friend who will remain anonymous. He had been and still is a long time flying buddy of mine. It also has to be said the aircraft was, very fittingly, in war time camouflage.

The North American Aviation T-6 Texan (known to the British as a Harvard) is a single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots that would then go forwards onto fighters. It is powered by a 600hp Wasp radial engine. It was termed as an advanced trainer or (complicated aircraft) because it has a constant speed propeller, a tail-wheel and also retractable undercarriage.

That is not to say this was a difficult aircraft to fly because it isn’t, but it is a busy aircraft to fly and can be challenging if things refuse to co-operate. An old wartime character once told me that the fan up front (the propeller) was only there to keep you cool, because if it stopped things got very hot and sweaty very quickly. That statement stands well in relation to the Harvard.

The flight on that day was specifically made to give the revelers at the party on the beach a little bit of war time spirit in a very apt aircraft. At first we were very compliant, a few passes down the beach at about 500 feet, but in the end I felt that just one low pass over the water, just beyond the groins, had to take place. So I convinced my friend of this and took control of the aircraft, flying from the back seat I started a descent out to sea. Then turning back towards the land at Bognor I turned east again and remaining off the shoreline I gave them a parting fly past. As I passed the parties Union Jack flag I noticed two wind surfers off shore and as I swung back out to sea I looked down at them as I flew over their heads, they looked up at me and both immediately fell off their boards.

They can be seen clearly in the photo that was taken on the day. I did not know of, or see, this photograph until many years after the deed was done.

A few weeks after the flight took place I received a phone call from my late friend Mike (Chappers the gent) Chapman who flew another Harvard during that decade and had been the instructor that checked me out to fly the aircraft in this tale. His only words to me were “Well it wasn’t me”

I enquired as to what he meant by that and he replied “Go buy a copy of the Flyer magazine and read the letters page”

I did this and was shocked to see a letter from an individual who was obviously a local person that regularly enjoyed a bit of sunbathing on Worthing beach.

The letter caused some concern for a few weeks expecting perhaps, a follow up from the authorities as we had, at best, bent a few rules on that day. Here is the letter that was printed in that copy of the Flyer magazine.

During the course of the recent Bank Holiday weekend, I witnessed no fewer than three light aircraft flying low along the coast between Selsey Bill, Bognor and Worthing. Two of these aircraft were quite probably breaking the law, the third was barely airborne, my estimate was 50 feet. Now this did occur on VE Day and the aircraft was a Harvard and yes it was a stirring sight, but that does not alter the fact that it was most certainly illegal.

A schoolboy prank, which, by now after many years must surely be off the statute books. Or at least, I very much hope so.

Or have I awoken a sleeping Tiger.