2005

<<< 1958

The Year 1959

1960>>>

RAPEC (rocket-assisted personnel-ejection catapult) released to the fleet.

January

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
9th January 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 144460	VF-103 "Sluggers" CVA-59 USS Forrestal	Runaway fuel control waited until the plane flamed out at 11,000 feet	Lt. William E. Haase ejected and landed at an Italian Arsenal on the island of Sardinia (Italy)		Vought
FEEDBACK	"I saw your F8U site and can add to one listing, I was on the USS Forrestal CVA59 during the 58-59 Med Cruise. Your listing 9 January 1959 was piloted by Lt. William Haase who had a runaway fuel control waited until the plane flamed out at 11,000 feet ,ejected and landed at an Italian Arsenal on the island of Sardinia (Italy)." Sincerely Yours Donald E. Sabo [in email 5th September 2008]
12th January 1959	Neth	Meteor						Martin-Baker
12th January 1959	Italy	Vampire				L. M.Ralli		Martin-Baker
14th January 1959	USN	Cougar				Lt. Cdr. R. H. Fielding		Martin-Baker
21st January 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 145376	VMF-334	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Vought
22^nd January 1959	USAF	F-100	2761	49th TFW/7th TFS	engine failure 5 miles south-east of Chalons-sur-Saone, France	Pilot ejected safely		NAA
22nd January 1959	Civ	CF-100				Mr. N.Hanc		Martin-Baker
29th January 1959	USAF	F‑104C Starfighter	56‑0907	479th TFW	caught fire 4 M SW of George AFB, CA, USA	pilot ejected safely		Lockheed

February

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
1st February 1959	USAF	B-58 Hustler			The pilot thought landed the plane at Eielson a few minutes later	Captain Perry Amidon ejected at 24,000 feet. suspecting the aircraft he was in to be out of control. Uninjured recovered and flown back to base about an hour later in a helicopter		Convair
2nd February 1959	RAN RN	Sea Venom			in UK	Sb. Lt. N.K. "Limpy" Louer (RAN) ejected sideways into soft ground during his fighter course in UK		Martin-Baker
2nd February 1959	RAN RN	He was always called Limpy on his return to the RAN because of his limp, but it never prevented him from completing his short service commission as a Sea Venom pilot in the RAN (via John Crawly)
18th February 1959	RAF	Javelin FAW-1	XA569	87 Sqn	Near Bruggen	Flt. Lt. Richard "Dick" A. J. Carrey ejected		Martin-Baker
18th February 1959	RAF	Javelin FAW-1	XA569	87 Sqn	Near Bruggen	Flt. Lt. Alec Cooper - ejection seat problems - unsuccessful - fatal		Martin-Baker
20th February 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 143781	VF-174	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Martin-Baker
26th February 1959	Netherlands Air Force	Hunter				Sgt. D.Hogenbirk		Martin-Baker
27^th February 1959	USAF	F-100	2936	50th TFW, 81st TFS	crashed 1.5 mi N of Napt, France	Pilot ejected safely		NAA

March

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
3rd March 1959	RN	Sea Hawk FGA.6	WV917/ C/1	801 Sqn from HMS Centaur	Ditched after	ejection seat drogue streamed during catapult take off		Martin-Baker
12^th March 1959	USAF	F-100	54-1976	36th TFW, 22nd TFS	crashed 2 mi from Wheelus AB, Libya	Pilot ejected safely		NAA
12^th March 1959	USAF	F‑89H	54‑0364	75th FIS	Lost aileron control on approach. Crashed1 1/2 M from Presque Isle AFB, ME USA	Pilot ejected safely		Northrop
12^th March 1959	USAF	F‑89H	54‑0364	75th FIS		Navigator killed		Northrop
18th March 1959	Belg	Hunter				Sgt. I.G.Demey		Martin-Baker
23rd March 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 144451	VF-211	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Vought
24th March 1959	RAF	Hunter				check name		Martin-Baker

April
Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
3rd April 1959	USMC	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 143761	VMF-334	Crashed in US			Vought
7th April 1959	RAF	Vampire				ejected		Martin-Baker
7th April 1959	RAF	Vampire				ejected		Martin-Baker
9th April 1959	RAF	Swift FR-5	XD928/G	2 Sqn	Following engine failure pilot ejected. The aircraft landed on Rantum Beach, West Germany	Flt. Lt. B. J. St Aubyn ejected and landed in the North Sea. He was unable to release himself from his chute shroud lines and so the rescue helicopter had to tow him to shore		Martin-Baker
10th April 1959	RAF	Vampire T11	XH 264	28 Sqn	Crashed in Tat Hong Channel, Hong Kong	Flg. Off. P.M.Dickenson		Martin-Baker
10th April 1959	RAF	Vampire T11	XH 264	28 Sqn	Crashed in Tat Hong Channel, Hong Kong	Flt Lt. BA Lewis		Martin-Baker
10th April 1959	Indian Air Force	Canberra				Flt. Lt. S. N. Rampal ??		Martin-Baker
11^th April 1959	USAF	F-100	2803	48th TFW	crashed into sea 5 mi E of Wheelus AB, Libya	Pilot ejected safely		NAA
13th April 1959	RCAF	CF-100				P.0 GJLLarldn ???		Martin-Baker
13th April 1959	RCAF	CF-100				FIJLt. G.K.Murray ???		Martin-Baker
14th April 1959						to check		Martin-Baker
15th April 1959						to check		Martin-Baker
15th April 1959	USN	Lockheed (T-33) Navy TV-2, ,	Buno 138080	NAS North Island , San Diego, CA.	Control failure.			Lockheed
15th April 1959	USN	Lockheed (T-33) Navy TV-2, ,	Buno 138080	NAS North Island , San Diego, CA.	Control failure.	Lt (jg) W M Boardmen ejected [first ejection, see also 26th August 1961 16th October 1961]	Tom Scott	Lockheed
21st April 1959						to check		Martin-Baker
24th April 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 143769	VF-211	Crashed in US.	Pilot ejected		Vought
Saturday 25th April 1959	USNR	Grumman F9F-8T Cougar	BuNo 142960	NAAS Chase Field in Beeville, Texas	Bird strike., low level navigation flight--500 feet over water and 1000 ft over land			Grumman
Saturday 25th April 1959	USNR	Grumman F9F-8T Cougar	BuNo 142960	NAAS Chase Field in Beeville, Texas		Pilot ENS Felix Hugh Sherry, Jr ejected	Pilot Instructor LTJG J. T. O'Dell ejected	Grumman
29th April 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 144459	VF-196 , CVA-,61, USS Ranger	unknown	Pilot ejected		Vought

May
Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	seat	photo
6th May 1959	RAF	Hunter F4	XF996/ES-72	229 OCU	on approach to Chivenor, Devon, aircraft crashed onto Saunton Sand	Flg. Off. N.H.I.Ferguson ejected		Martin-Baker
9th May 1959	USN	T2J‑1			nr Cambridge, MD, USA	pilot ejected safely		Lockheed
12^th May 1959	USAF	F-100	2932	50th TFW, 81st TFS	crashed at Morsbach, West Germany	Pilot ejected safely		NAA
21st May 1959	USAF	RF-101	56-0108	18 TRS Shaw AFB, South Carolina, 66th TRW, Loan Fr.		J. Paul Carrodus ejected		Weber
30th May 1959	USN	Cougar				Capt. J.S.Ratdaff		Martin-Baker
30th May 1959	USN	Cougar				LT JG B.B.Woodworth		Martin-Baker

USAF		McDonnell Douglas - RF-101		21st May 1959

June
Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	seat	photo
9th June 1959	USMC	RF-8A Crusader	BuNo 145619	VMCJ-1	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected	Martin-Baker
10th June 1959	Sweden	Hunter				LLUncigren???	Martin-Baker
18th June 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 143820	NATC PAX	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected	Vought
25th June 1959	RN	Sea Venom FAW21	XG696/442	891 Sqn	into the Mediterranean	S.Lt. A.R.Bradshaw ejected	Martin-Baker
25th June 1959	RN	Sea Venom FAW21	XG696/442	891 Sqn	into the Mediterranean	Lt. PJ.Dale ejected	Martin-Baker
30th June 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 145393	VF-194.	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected
30th June 1959	30th June 1959	F‑100	18th FBW		caught fire on approach and crashed into a schoolnr Ishikawa City, Okinawa, Japan Civilian casualties including fatalities.	Pilot John Schmitt ejected safely		NAA
30th June 1959	30th June 1959	F‑104A	56‑0768	Edwards AFB	Engine failure during take‑off,AFFTC, Edwards AFB, CA, USA	pilot ejected safely		Lockheed

15jun59      55‑2956  YF‑104A  US Navy, NAS China 
Lake, CA, USA, mechanical failure during take‑off ‑ aircraft was bail ed to

US 
Navy, pilot OK CHECK FOR EJECTION ????

July

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	seat	photo
1st July 1959	USN	Grumman F.9F-8T			Fire warning with smoke in the cockpit - in USA	Pilot ejected at height 6,500ft, speed 165 knots without injuries		Martin-Baker A5
8^th July 1959	USAF	F-100	54-1962	36th TFW, 53rd TFS	crashed 35 mi E of Chaumont AB, France	Pilot ejected safely		NAA
9th July 1959	RAF	Javelin				ejected		Martin-Baker
9th July 1959	RAF	Javelin				ejected		Martin-Baker
13th July 1959	USN	Crusader				??? is this a mistake and one of the Cougar crew listed below		Vought
13th July 1959	USN	Grumman F.9F-8T Cougar				Pilot ejected height 7,000ft, speed 400 knots		Martin-Baker A5
13th July 1959	USN	Grumman F.9F-8T Cougar				Other crew member ejected height 3,000ft, speed 300 knots		Martin-Baker A5
17th July 1959	RAF	Supermarine Swift	XD961	79 Sqn	Crashed near Gutersloh, West Germany	Pilot ejected		Martin-Baker
21st July 1959	Royal Netherlands AF	Hunter T7		First successful ejection from a Hunter T7	in Holland	Instructor ejected height 10,000ft 430 knots slightly hurt as he fired seat with one hand only		Martin-Baker 4H1
21st July 1959	Royal Netherlands AF	Hunter T7		First successful ejection from a Hunter T7	in Holland	Student ejected height 10,000ft 430 knots		Martin-Baker 4H2
24th July 1959	Civ					Mr. R.G.Proudlove		Martin-Baker
24th July 1959	Civ					Mr. I.G. Hurism		Martin-Baker
26th July 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 143696	H&MS-32	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Vought
	OR IS THIS MISHAP F8U‑1 DC VMFA‑122, NC, USA, engine failed, pilot ejected safely

August

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
4th August 1959	RAF	Meteor F.8			mid-air collision over Sylt, Germany	Pilot Flt. Lt. R. S. McCarty ejected sustaining slight injuries at 3,000ft, 300 knots		Martin-Baker 2E
7th August 1959	RAF	Hunter F4	XF986/RS-11	229 OCU	Pilot ejected - aircraft hit the ground at Youlton Farm, Sutcombe, SW of Bideford	Flg. Off. A. J. B. Bametson ejected over Milton Dameral		Martin-Baker
10th August 1959	R.Neth. AF	Hunter F.4			in Holland	Pilot ejected safely at 11,000ft at 200 knots		Martin-Baker 2H
11th August 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 144440	VF-122	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Vought
12^th August 1959	USAF	F-100	53-1987	36th TFW, 22nd TFS	crashed 5 mi SSE of Wheelus AB, Libya 4 people on ground killed	Pilot ejected safely		NAA
24th August 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 145465	NATC PAX. CVA-62, USS Independence	unknown	Pilot ejected		Vought
25th August 1959	RAF	Hunter F6	XF502/K	74 Sqn	Collided with Hunter F6 XF425/H at 10,000ft at night when joining up near the River Yare, Buckenham, Norfolk	FIA.T P. P-Rayner ejected		Martin-Baker
Two RAF Hunter F6 [XF425/H & XF502/K of 74 Sqn collided at 10,000ft at night when joining up to carry out unauthorized aerobatics. One pilot ejected safely but the other had not removed the safety pin from the firing handle on his seat and was killed when the aircraft (XF425) crashed near the River Yare, Buckenham, Norfolk. XF502 crashed into a wood at Langley. [bmal/85]
27th August 1959	RAF	Swift FR.5	WN124/S	2 Sqn Jever	Engine failure approximately 5 mls South of Hameln(of Pied Piper fame landed in the river Weser after separation of the parachute harness. The aircraft crashed in a nearby field	Flt. Lt. Roy Rimington ejected safely at 600 ft. see also 16th December 1953		Martin-Baker 2G

September

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
1st September 1959	RAF	Javelin FAW7	XH775/E	23 Sqn	collided with XH781/J of 23 Sqn during night interception	Pilot ejected		Martin-Baker
1st September 1959	RAF	Javelin FAW7	XH775/E	23 Sqn		Navigator ejected		Martin-Baker
Two RAF Javelin FAW7, XH775/E & XH781/J of 23 Sqn. During a night interception XH781 flew into the back of XH775 at 26,000ft over Brundell, Norfolk. The crew of XF781 were killed while the other crew ejected safely.
4th September 1959	RCAF	Avro CF.100			crashed at Bagotville, Canada	Wg. Cdr. J. R. D. Braham ejected at 11,000ft at 260 knots. Pilot fired seat by alternative firing handle while bent forward and suffered spinal injury		Martin-Baker 2CFE
4th September 1959	RCAF	Avro CF.100			crashed at Bagotville, Canada	Sqn. Ldr J. H. C. Boby ejected at 11,000ft at 260 knots		Martin-Baker 2CFE
10th September 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 145414	VF-124	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Vought
23rd September 1959	USN	Grumman F.9F-8T			Moffett Field, USA	Lt. Jg D. G. MacIntyre was uninjured after he suffered an inadvertent ejection when aircraft was inverted at 17,000ft at 375 knots. Servicing fault. Seat not locked		Martin-Baker A5
23rd September 1959	USN	F-8C Crusader	BuNo 145556	VX-3	Crashed in US	Pilot Ejected		Vought
24th September 1959	RN	Sea Hawk FGA6	XE385/109 of 800 Sqn		During a test flight from Lee-On-Solent, Hants	pilot was forced to eject after the control stick jammed		Martin-Baker
28th September 1959	USN	McDonnell F.3H.2			following engine failure in USA	Pilot ejected safely at 38,000ft		Martin-Baker M5
29th September 1959	RAF	Javelin FAW5	XA662/N	228 OCU	Engine Fire near Leeming following double engine failure, crashed 30 miles west of RAF Leeming			Martin-Baker Mk.3J
29th September 1959	RAF	Javelin FAW5	XA662/N	228 OCU		Student Pilot F/O C P Cowper ejected	Navigator Capt R Nietz [USAF] ejected	Martin-Baker Mk.3J
29th September 1959	USAF	F‑102A	56‑1511	37th FIS	Complete electrical and hydraulic failure due to a sheered accessory drive shaft. Crashed 2 M from West Glover, 50 M E of Burlington, VT, USA	pilot Don ???, ejected safely		Convair
	Thought you might be interested in "the rest of the story" concerning the 29 Sep 1959 ejection from a 37th FIS F-102. The airplane experienced a complete electrical and hydraulic failure due to a sheered accessory drive shaft. The ejection was at night in a heavy snow storm and the pilot, Don ???, while not physically injured, suffered a lot of emotional stress from falling through the blackness. Some weeks later, he was scheduled for another night flight but feigned sickness because he was not over his emotional trauma. Another pilot, Gary Sugar, took his place on the schedule and was killed in the mid-air on 3 Nov. The additional trauma from that event was more than Don could take, and he was subsequently grounded for fear of flying. Glenn Sutton, Colonel, USAF (Ret) (in email 16th August 2006)
30th September 1959	RAF ??????	Hunter F.4	N-174/91-4	326 Sqn , Woensdrecht	Ricochet in engine causing fire during air to ground firing over Woensdrecht, Holland The plane itself was recovered in august 1998!	Sgt. L. H. Cramer was slightly injured after ejecting at 1,200ft at 200 knots		Martin-Baker 2H

October

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
1st October 1959	English Electric	Lightning T.4	XL628 C/n 95049		During high speed handling tests over the Irish Sea, the fin collapsed after coming out of a roll. The aircraft went out of control.	Test pilot Mr. John Squier ejected. He was the first person to do so from a British aircraft travelling faster than sound. [personal testimony to upload]		Martin-Baker
7th October 1959	USN	RF-8A Crusader	BuNo 145638	VAP-61, CVA-19, USS Hancock				Vought
15th October 1959	USAF	B-52		Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi at	Collision in mid-air with KC-135 tanker aircraft over Hardinsberg, Kentucky. No survivors from KC-135	Instructor-Pilot ejected
						Pilot ejected
						co-pilot, navigator, instructor navigator, and tail gunner failed to leave the B-52
	from article found on web (still to add link) October 15, 1959 /B-52/KC-135/ Hardinsberg, Kentucky: The B-52 departed Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi at 2:30 p.m. CST, October 15, 1959. This aircraft assumed the #2 position in a flight of two. The KC-135 departed Columbus Air Force Base at 5:33 p.m. CST as the #2 tanker aircraft in a flight of two scheduled to refuel the B-52s. Rendezvous for refueling was accomplished in the vicinity of Hardinsberg, Kentucky, at 32,000 feet. It was night, weather was clear, and there was no turbulence. Shortly after the B-52 began refueling from the KC-135, the two aircraft collided. The instructor pilot and pilot of the B-52 ejected, followed by the electronic warfare officer and the radar navigator. The co-pilot, navigator, instructor navigator, and tail gunner failed to leave the B-52. All four crewmembers in the KC-135 were fatally injured. The B-52's two unarmed nuclear weapons were recovered intact. One had been partially burned but this did not result in the dispersion of any nuclear material or other contamination. (1; *2)
16th October 1959	RN	Sea Hawk FGA6	XE445/C128	801 Sqn	Collided near Lossiemouth with Sea Hawk FGA6 XE343/C120 of 801 Sqn	Pilot ejected		Martin-Baker
22nd October 1959	WGAF	Republic F-84F Thunderstreak	DD-107 or DD108	JaboG 34 Memmingerberg Air Base	Instrument training flight following specified route. Hoffmann experienced oxygen problems. Decided to return to Memmingerberg. They both flew through thick cloud using instrument readings "in the wrong direction" and veered into Czechoslovak territory where at low level they struck trees in the Bavarian forest. This "violation" of the border ended with both pilots being imprisoned for suspected "spying" until December 1959, when they were released	Unteroffizier Rolf Hofmann ejected landed in spruce tree		Republic
22nd October 1959	WGAF	Republic F-84F Thunderstreak	DD-107 or DD-108	JaboG 34 Memmingerberg Air Base		Stabsunteroffizier Helmuth Kraus ejected		Republic
26th October 1959	RAF	Supermarine Swift FR.5	WK276	79 Sqn	Engine failure	Pilot ejected		Martin-Baker
26th October 1959	RAF	Supermarine Swift FR.5	WK304	2 Sqn	Aircraft crashed some 4 miles east south - east of Jever, Germany	Pilot Flt. Lt. A. Martin ejected at 500ft at 150 knots and suffered severe injuries		Martin-Baker 3G
FEEDBACK	Swift Ejections 79 Squadron 1959-60. Having failed as an interceptor the Swift was re-roled, despite its remaining deficiencies, into a reasonably successful low level tactical recce role. Although sharing virtually the same Rolls-Royce engine as the early Hunters the fuel system was unreliable and all these ejections were due to engine system failures. The pilot in either the 17 July or 26 Oct 1959 incidents was Flt Lt John Turner. I witnessed John Nevill’s ejection on 7 Mar 1960. His engine ran down on final approach at Gutersloh and he ejected at about 200 feet. Myself and another pilot drove round the taxiway to the scene where the still inflated chute was dragging John away. As we climbed the airfield fence the 30mm rounds in the wreckage started to brew up so discretion became the better part of valour! Despite the many losses from what was only a two squadron fleet and which operated consistently “in the weeds” thankfully no-one was ever killed in a Swift in Germany. “Oscar “ Wild in email 2007
30th October 1959	USN	RF-8A Crusader	BuNo 146853	VFP-63	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Vought

Mike

YF4H-1 serial 142259 believed to have crashed on 21/10/59-hope this info.is useful!

Regards

Clive Turner

November

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
2nd November 1959	USAF	YF‑104A	55‑2964	WADC Wright Patterson AFB	Maintenance error caused engine failure. Crashed 8 NM S of Wright Patterson AFB, OH, USA Two civilian fatalities.	Major James W. Bradbury ejected at low level.		Lockheed
3rd November 1959	USAF	F‑102A	56‑1479	37th FIS	Collided nr Bigelow, c100 M SW of Presque Isle AFB, ME, USA	1st Lt Gary Sugar killed		Convair
3rd November 1959	USAF	T‑33A	51‑4499	37th FIS				Lockheed
3rd November 1959	USAF	T‑33A	51‑4499	37th FIS		1st Lt ??? ejected safely	1st Lt Al Williams in the back seat ejected safely however Al's feet were tangled in his shroud lines and he was killed when he impacted the ground head first	Lockheed
	I enjoyed your web site of ejection history and would like to give you more information that you say you need on the 3 Nov 1959 mid-air collision. I was a young pilot in the 37th FIS at the time and was the duty officer in our command post that night. The squadron was flying a typical night practice intercept mission with several F-102s and two T-33 "target" aircraft airborne. The pilot of the F-102, 1st Lt Gary Sugar, was performing a practice identification (ID) intercept on the T-33, flown by a 1st Lt whose name I don't remember with 1st Lt Al Williams in the back seat. The F-102 radar system, when followed precisely, would position the interceptor several yards behind and to the side of the target. For reasons unknown, Gary flew too close and collided with his target. The F-102 exploded which was seen by other pilots in the area, and, after days of ground search, only small pieces of it were found. Gary's body was never recovered, although a severely damaged parachute canopy was found in the tree tops. The two T-33 pilots ejected safely, however Al's feet were tangled in his shroud lines and he was killed when he impacted the ground head first. The other pilot hung in a tree in his parachute all night, climbed down at first light, and walked to a farm house. I hope that this fills a hole in your data base. Glenn Sutton, Colonel, USAF (Ret) (in email 16th August 2006)
4th November 1959	IDF / AF	Super Mystère B.2	No. 30	No. 105 Squadron	entered spin in combat with EAF MiG‑17	Capt. David Ivry ejected
7th November 1959	USAF	F‑84F	51‑9360	164th TFS OH ANG	Collided with PA‑22 N9609D, 2 M SSE of Mansfield MAP. OH, USA 2 on Pa‑22 killed	pilot ejected safely
10th November 1959	RN	Scimitar F.1			Loss of control. First successful ejection from Scimitar. Lossiemouth, Scotland	Lt. N. Grier-Rees ejected suffering slight injuries at 20,000ft at 440 knots		Martin-Baker 4C
10th November 1959	USAF	F‑104B Starfighter	57‑1295	83rd FIS	Engine failure. Crashed into San Pablo Bay 61/2 M NNE of San Rafael, CA, USA	ejected		Lockheed
10th November 1959	USAF	F‑104B Starfighter	57‑1295	83rd FIS		ejected		Lockheed
Tuesday 10th November 1959	USAF	Northrop F-89J Scorpion	53-2455 or 53-2459 or 53-2673	29th FIS Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls	Three F-89 Scorpions from Malmstrom crashed in severe storm. Only one crew survived	Brig. Gen. John R. Budner photo usaf		Lockheed
	USAF	Northrop F-89J Scorpion	53-2455 or 53-2459 or 53-2673	29th FIS Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls		Capt. John R. Budner, Jr. 31 pilot ejected landed near Lewistown, 110 miles east of Great Falls	Lt James Johnson, 27 radar observer ejected landed near Lewistown, 110 miles east of Great Falls	Lockheed
	Confirmation of which aircraft needed. Further details of this loss can be found by following the link to the Northrop F-89J Scorpion
12th November 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 145373	VF-174	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Vought
13th November 1959	USN	RF-8A Crusader	BuNo 146840	VFP-62, CVA-42, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt	unknown	Pilot ejected		Vought
17th November 1959	USN	F-8C Crusader	BuNo 145573	VF-84	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected		Vought
25th November 1959	USAF	F‑86D	52‑3821	324th FIS	nr Targuist, French Morocco	pilot ejected safely		NAA
26th November 1959	USAF	56‑0021	F‑101C	81st TFW	ran out of fuel while on approach to Lajes. Crashed into Atlantic 450 NM WSW off Lajes Field, Azores	pilot ejected safely		Weber
28th November 1959	RAF	Canberra B.2	WH699 'Aries IV'	RAFFC	Strubby, England two miles SW of the airfield at 2,000ft at 300 knots following loss of control.	Sdn. Ldr. P.M. Walker ejected sustained slight injuries		Martin-Baker 1C
28th November 1959	RAF	Canberra B.2	WH699 'Aries IV'	RAFFC		Wg. Cdr. Ness ejected but did not release from his seat and was killed [see FEEDBACK below}		Martin-Baker 1C

FEEDBACK

Congratulations on an excellent site. I should however like to suggest one minor correction. This concerns the (above) entry.
I think that you will find that Wg. Cdr. C.E. Ness survived. The evidence is as follows:
1. An item in "The Times" during the following week reads as follows:

ONE KILLED, TWO SAFE IN BOMBER CRASH

Wing Commander F.G. Woolley was killed when an R.A.F. Canberra jet bomber crashed near the R.A.F. station at Strubby, Lincolnshire, on Saturday. The two other occupants of the aircraft were Squadron Leader P.H. Walker and Wing Commander C.E. Ness

2. An announcement was made three years later of the appointment of Wing Commander C.E. Ness to a position in Bomber Command.

Whether the third member of the crew attempted to eject, I am not sure.

Chris

www.staffshomeguard.co.uk

in email 6th March 2006

December

Date	Air Force	A'cft	Unit / Serial	based	crashed	crew	photo	seat
3rd December 1958	USAF	F-100	54-1865	36th TFW, 32nd TFS	crashed 47 mi E of Wheelus AB, Libya	Pilot ejected safely		NAA
7th or 8^th December 1959	USAF	F-100	53-1979	23rd TFS 36th TFW or 53rd TFS/36th TFW	entered spin while in dive‑bomb pattern over the range. Crashed on El Uotia range near Wheelus AB, Libya	Pilot ejected safely		NAA
21st December 1959	USN	F-8A Crusader	BuNo 143798	VF-124	Crashed in US	Pilot ejected OK		Vought
14th December 1959	USAF	F‑104C	56‑0895	476th TFS/479th TFW Moron AB, Spain	engine failure caused by compressor stall	pilot ejected safely
15th December 1959	USAF	F‑86L	53‑0662	187th FIS WY ANG	collided with Beech C‑35 N1839D 4 M SSW of Cheyenne MAP, WY, USA pilot of Beech killed	pilot ejected safely		NAA

Captain Orlando W. Jensen and 2 Lt. James R. Allender successfully downward ejected from their F-104B, s/n 56-295, at approximately 8,000 feet, on November 10, 1959 after their engine flamed out and would not re-start, while they were maneuvering to make their approach for landing. Lt Allender got an automatic seat release but Captain Jensen’s seat belt failed to blow and he had to release it manually. By the time his chute blossomed, he swung twice before hitting the water. Lt Allender had a five minute ride down. An SA-16 from the 41^st Air Rescue Squadron, piloted by Captain Homer O. Mitchell picked up the two flyers from the bay. The F-104B plunged into San Pablo Bay a mile south of Hamilton.

The initial problem was an electrical failure due to nose wheel shimmy during takeoff; the electrical failure caused the loss of the fuel gauges as well as preventing retraction of gear and flaps. They had climbed to 10,000 feet and circled west of Hamilton to burn off the fuel in the pylons before returning to Hamilton. The guestamation of the amount of fuel burned off was a little off.

On April 22, 1960, Captain Jensen flying in another F-104B, s/n 56-1313, giving a check ride to 1Lt Bernell A. Mason, when the engine lost thrust due to extensive engine damage occurring when the compressor and turbine rotors shifted aft subsequent to failure of the number two bearing retainer bolts. It occurred because the #2 bearing locknut was not torqued properly, and the assembly of the bearing components on the compressor rotor rear stub shaft were improperly done. Both crewmen ejected and Capt. Jensen was successfully rescued with minor injuries. Lt Mason after ejecting, landed in shallow water but was unable to get out of his parachute hardness quickly enough and was dragged for 20 minutes across the mud flats face down and drowned. The aircraft crashed into San Pablo Bay, southeast of Black Point.

Captain Jensen made his first ejection in Korea from his damaged F-86. He received a letter fand questionaire to fill out and return to the Directorate of Flight and Missile Safety to fill out on his three ejections.

Have you heard from Vince Mazza

THanks,

Fred

7 October 1959:
RB-57D.
ROCAF.
Near Wen Ling, Zhe Jiang Province, intruded China.
While above Tong County, Bei Jing, shot down by SAM, 2nd Battalion, PLA.
Pilot WANG Ying Qin martyred.
First air kill by PLA SAM unit in China, and first air kill by SAM in the
world.
Ministry of Defense awarded 2nd Class Merit to 2nd Battalion.

29 May 1959:
B-17G ELINT.
ROCAF.
Near Lei Zhou Peninsula, intruded China.
About 21:00, above mountains near Wu Zhou, Guang Xi Province, intercepted by
squadron commander Jiang Zhe Lun's MiG-17, of 52nd Regiment, 18th Division,
PLAAF.
Shot down and crashed near En Ping County, Guang Dong Province.
15 crew martyred.
First PLAAF aircraft-mounted radar intercept at complex weather,
low-altitude, and night.