Low pass with a deadly ending.
Low flybys of Russian planes on U.S. Navy warships (and vice versa) are somehow frequent as the reports of Russian Su-24 Fencer bombers buzzing USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea prove.
Usually, such “shows of force” are uneventful: the aircraft fly by, some nice pictures or videos are shot and that’s it. However, about 50 years ago, a close encounter at sea had a deadly ending.
On May 25, 1968, a Soviet Badger-F aircraft (a reconnaissance variant of the twin-engined jet strategic heavy bomber used by the Soviet Union, equipped with ELINT sensors) flew some very low flybys close to USN carrier USS Essex in the Norwegian sea.
After the last pass, the aircraft, piloted by Colonel Andrey Pliyev, stalled and crashed into the sea in a huge explosion, killing all six crew members. Debris were reportedly found about 240 km west of the Norwegian coast.
According to “Cold War Warriors” the footage was considered classified by the Soviets and never shown in Russia until 2008.
You’ve got to love it, the camera is looking down on the top of that Badger’s wings, and the camera is plainly on the flight deck, or only slightly above it judging by the camera level of the A-1 cowl. That Badger pilot was one of those bold pilots who never got old. What a waste.
Actually the pilot is better dead than red.
In fact this video is still “top secret” in Russia. The footage shown by Russian television in 2008 is from US Congress Library ;-)
turbines take some time to give thrust power – as seen in mulhouse accident of airbus a320 – also water vapor (salt corrosion) is an issue
it was pilot error – he slowed down too much and when he applied power stall was already inevitable
there were a lot of intercept close encounters in cold war
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/27-high-tension-photos-of-american-jets-intercepting-ru-1593384099
and you have absolutely nothing to say??? What were the rumous as to why it crashed? Did the Essex fire upon it? Were its flybys considered aggressive? Were you guys scared? Did you wee your pants? How loud was it? Were you ordered to general stations?
Did the Essex rescue the pilot? Did they recover the aircraft? Come on man, give us the low down!