RAF Alconbury,Cambridgeshire, was in 1970 home to
the USAF 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. Based
here with RF-4C Phantom jets, the wing were pressed
with busy training scedules to be always at the ready
in event of a conflict.
On the afternoon of 6th May 1970, Two RF-4Cs from the
1st Tactical Recon` Squadron at Alconbury, took off for
a DCM (Defensive Combat Maneuvers) flight, which was
basically attacks by one aircraft and defensive action by
the other,but as Don Tokar says "As you know the RF-4C
did not have armament, so our only defensive against the
enemy aircraft,was to disengage from the attacking
aircraft and run!"
In the lead Phantom was Capt David W.Morgan with
Capt Ken L.Lotter in the rear seat. With the other aircraft
`1018`with Maj Don Tokar & Maj Pete Dunn on his slightly
behind on his left wing.
Once into the flight Capt Morgan broke off and began to
carry out the simulated attacks, for a time all went well
but during the recovery from a nose low, high speed run,
the flight controls of Maj Tokar`s aircraft would not
respond, after a brief period of trying to gain control,
Maj Tokar gave the order to bale out, and Maj Dunn
ejected safely, seconds elapsed and Maj Tokar followed.
The Phantom crashed in a steep dive into Rose Wood at
Unthank,about 6 miles SSW of Sheffield, This was
witnessed by a local farmer Mr Neville Biggin who told
local press: "I was out in the yard when I heard this noise
which sounded like a plane backfiring....I saw it come over
the skyline,heading straight for me, then it dipped into the
wood, I don`t think there was an explosion in the air
before it hit the ground, but one piece of wreckage fell
right through the farmhouse roof".
The two crew landed some distance away on Curbar
Edge,Major Dunn was unijured but for a few scratches
and bruises where his parachute dragged him, but Maj
Tokar suffered a fracture to his right leg, having landed
Local farmers were soon on the scene, and the authorities
contacted, the two crew were first taken to a nearby RAF
base by helicopter, then returned to RAF Alconbury, very
lucky to have escaped the stricken jet. Fortunately there
were no injuries on the ground either, as the jet crashed
in a wood in a sparsely populated area.
Crew: Major Donald E.Tokar.
Major Peter M.Dunn.
Photo: Phantoms of 10th TRW Alconbury BY Gunter Gronstein.
RF-4C 64-1018 - Peak District
