Open the Hawker Association home page in a new window, includes menu banner

Hawk Flypast at Fleet From MOD Boscombe Down

An account, by the MOD Boscombe Down, of a flypast at Harry Fraser-Mitchell’s memorial service by Hawk XX162 from MOD Boscombe Down at 12:30 on Tuesday 11th November 2014. The Hawker Association expresses it's gratitude to those who so willingly contributed the information and images, and importantly, that they obtained approval from the authorities so that the account could be published.

Rod Ulrich is the Task Manager, Rotary Wing, Air Division, at MOD Boscombe Down, who, having heard the sad news of Harry's death decided that he would ask if the Air Warfare Centre (AWC) could put on a special commemoration on the day of the funeral. And that unique and very generous commemoration was seen (and heard) by those attending on the day.

Subsequently, when asked for a comment that could be put on the Hawker Association website Rod answered 'Having known Harry and enjoyed his company for over 25 years, I asked for a special commemoration, and I was delighted with the support that my request received from ’Wings’ et al; especially as I had an appreciation of the difficulties such a request would raise.'

The ’Wings’ et al' that Rod refers to are; TEST Project Team Leader, AWC Chief Test Pilot (CTP), and Commander Flying at MOD Boscombe Down. Commander Flying ‘Wings’ was one of two Military officers who agreed to offer a summary of how the operation was conducted.

 Wings explained, 'I was keen to support this request as I place great importance on the recognition of veterans and personnel who have supported the development of military aircraft. The Hawk is a truly iconic symbol which has become the backbone of the British military fast jet training system. All of the Air Warfare Centre flight activity comes under close scrutiny with regard to utilisation of airframe hours and the risk associated with each flight. At the UK Military Test and Evaluation centre for flight trials sorties we apply an even higher level of scrutiny to flight trials activity, but as a straightforward flypast using a RAF aircraft within a normal continuation training flight this was not required for this particular sortie.’

‘However, due to the funeral location what initially seemed a very simple request for a funeral flypast was complicated as the town of Fleet is classed as a congested area. To remain compliant with the military flying regulations, this flypast required a higher level of approval from the Chief Test Pilot who is the ‘Delivery Duty Holder’ for all flight activity conducted from MOD Boscombe Down. The flight was subsequently approved with the caveat that the throttle must be at idle during the flypast for noise abatement.’

Hawk XX162 The flypast Hawk XX162


So befitting the occasion, the aircraft passed overhead the funeral party at 300 knots with the throttle at minimum power setting precisely meeting its ‘Time on target’ at 12:30. The throttle was then re-applied within the Farnborough Airfield circuit and the aircraft continued on its training flight. The Royal Air Force pilot who flew the sortie also agreed to offer a summary of how the flypast of All Saints' Church, Fleet was planned and conducted.

Gaz KennedySteve Caryer

         Front seat                        Back seat            

   Sqn Ldr G G Kennedy             Flt Lt S Caryer


'I am Sqn Ldr Gaz Kennedy and I am the Officer Commanding the Aviation Medicine Flight at MOD Boscombe Down and I had Flt Lt Steve Caryer in my back seat. The aircraft was XX162 which is a Hawk built in 1976 and operated by the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine. The task was requested by Rod Ulrich and the sortie was agreed to by Commander Flying, Deputy CTP, who is Wings here at Boscombe Down. The flypast height was 700ft – we had held off in the circuit at RAF Odiham to get the timing correct and the run-in time from there was about a minute. Airborne time from Boscombe Down was 12.10 and the flight was a routine training flight.  I was very happy to undertake a flypast at Harry’s Funeral to recognise somebody who helped to design an aircraft that I have over 2000 hours on and still love to fly.  G G Kennedy, Sqn Ldr. OC Av Med Flt'

Frank Rainsborough is to be thanked for pursuing his idea that such an account was possible, and to bring it to a conclusion (and I thank Richard for putting it on the website, Frank).