The loss of a Canberra in what turned out to be very funny!
At Binbrook, a Canberra was preparing to go on a Navex and I was out front controlling start up. I pointed to the port engine, a bang and a cloud of black smoke from the turbo starter and it settled down to idle. I pointed to the starboard engine and all hell let loose, the turbo starter blew up, red hot turbine blades went through the fuselage into number one tank and kerosene poured out onto the still burning cartridge and the whole lot went up. The aircrew were out in ten seconds flat, they even had their parachutes (They would have been charged with their loss) The fire section had already been phoned and their brand new Rolls Royce fire engine was already trundling round the peri track. It drew up with squeal and an erk in gents natty asbestos suitng jumped down with a huge pipe which he pointed at the fire and shouted "Send it fru". Noffink came 'fru', they had been so busy polishing thei new toy, they had forgotten to fill it with foam! We meanwhile were standing in a big circle warming our hands. Then the cockpit coaming and the wheel hubs went up with a brilliant flash, they were magnesium alloy. Shortly after that, someone muttered."What about the ejector seats?" So we backed of a few more yards. Sure enough, there was a tripple explosion and three steel tubes shot a couple of hundred feet into the air trailing bits of the seats. The next morning there was a perfect silhouette of a Canberra in the tarmac with two Avons in situ. There were also new faces at the fire section.
Ken