Here is another excerpt from the book "Running For Home". This is where I was in the Royal Navy training for Aircrew:
We went round again, lined up as before and did all the sequence checks again. Permission to fire granted. This time it was the starboard side missile that was going, right next to the pilot. Once again there was an almighty whoosh but this time it wasn’t as disconcerting. The scalded cat was off again, I decided to change magnification on the scope a bit earlier this time and get control early. It was a big mistake. When I changed to X10 magnification the field of vision was naturally reduced. The missile was nowhere to be seen. Though I quickly changed it back I had already lost control. I caught the damn thing climbing into the sky like some demented rocket. Immediately I pushed the stick forward but it was far too late. The SS11 began its dive into the sea. The control towers comment was “he’s trying to bomb the target!” Then in an instant a great idea came to mind. I declared it to be a ‘rogue’ missile. We were warned that this could, in rare cases happen and the missile would be uncontrollable, in which case the wires were to be cut and the chopper banked as usual. The ‘rogue missile’ call was accepted and no one ever suspected what I had done. The cost of a small house had descended into Portland bay.
Why not have a free preview of this book at: Running For Home here, you will be able to read a substantial part of the book. Thanks for looking at Top Autobiographies.
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