On Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:55:57 -0500, John Szalay
wrote:

"Canuck" wrote in
:


"Mitchell Holman" wrote in message
n
it's just before accident. Red vertical stabilizer is Joe Walker's
F-104



Why did the flight require "chase planes" - and
five of them, at that............

It didn't. It was a promotional phot op for GE. They provided engines
for all of the aircraft in the formation as I recall. I read about
this a while back so my memory may be faulty.

Nick



AND in Chuck Yeager's opinion:
an accident that should not have happened.
the F-104 driver was NOT a good enough formation pilot to be
in that formation.

"Yeager"
page 179

I can remember as a yoot seeing the photos of the incident in Life
magazine. Very dramatic and rather troubling to my young senses.

Bob ^,,^