Hunter Jets Prepare To Bomb The Torrey Canyon; Interview With Marine Engineer Trevor Watkins

A news report covering the response to the Torrey Canyon oil spill, featuring RAF aircraft being armed before departing RAF West Raynham and a marine engineer discussing methods of dealing with similar incidents in future.

At RAF West Raynham, mechanics are shown working on the wing of a Hawker Hunter jet. A large bomb is wheeled towards the aircraft on a trolley, and lined up to be secured to a hardpoint under the aircraft wing. As one Hunter taxis past the control tower, the camera pans right to show another Hunter parked nose-on. A pair of arms extend out from the cockpit and wave at the camera. A pilot wearing the insignia of RAF No. 1 Squadron on his helmet is shown in the cockpit. One aircraft with the tail number XF442 is shown taxiing past the camera in preparation for takeoff. Two further aircraft (XJ676 & XJ635) are then shown taking off from the runway in quick succession. In an interview with Vic Birtles, marine engineer Trevor Watkins explains that oil spills such as that involving the Torrey Canyon could be avoided in the first instance by better coordination of large vessels on approach to their destinations. Watkins then talks about containment in the event of a spill, explaining how portable booms constructed from waterproof and airtight nylon could be used to contain a spillage. When asked by Birtles how the oil could then be cleaned up, Watkins suggests three methods. Firstly, high pressure water could be used to force the oil up against the side of a boom or other solid object in order to induce suspension of the chemicals. Secondly he talks of using ships’ pumps in conjunction with a bespoke floating suction head, which would use chemicals or steam to liquefy thicker viscosities of oil before extracting it. The final suggestion is for the construction of a specialised vessel which would use rollers with foam or rubber blades to “skim off” the oil from the surface and store it in tanks for processing. This oil could then be processed and reclaimed, or rendered completely inert before being discharged into the sea. Birtles refers to large number of oil tankers which use the River Humber, and asks Watkins about preparations for dealing with any kind of spill on the river. Watkins explains that there are no port-organised means for responding to this sort of incident, so the results would be disastrous. Watkins then explains that the river is also blighted by sewage and debris, and that a special purpose vessel could be commissioned for the purposes of clearing up this waste and providing support services in the docks, as well as being available for clean-up in the event of an oil spill. When asked whether any of the methods mentioned have been used, Watkins explains that the “vacuum cleaner” method utilising ships’ pumps has been used to remove thousands of tonnes of oil in varying viscosities during testing.

Keywords

Environmental Disaster; Torrey Canyon Disaster; Oil And Petrol; Military Aircraft; Hunter Jets; Royal Air Force

Other Places

Hull, Yorkshire

Background Information

"The Torrey Canyon oil spill was one of the world's most serious oil spills. The supertanker SS Torrey Canyon ran aground on a reef off the south-west coast of the United Kingdom in 1967, spilling an estimated 25–36 million gallons (94–164 million litres) of crude oil. Attempts to mitigate the damage included the bombing of the wreck by aircraft from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, causing a potential international incident, as the ship was not British, and was in international waters. Hundreds of miles of coastline in Britain, France, Guernsey, and Spain were affected by the oil and other substances used in an effort to mitigate damage. At the time, it was the world's worst oil spill, and led to significant changes in maritime law and oil spill responses. It remains the worst spill in UK history." Wikipedia Just over a year later (5th April 1968), one of the Hawker Hunters featured in this film (XF442) became notorious when it was flown at low level through London and beneath the upper span of Tower Bridge by Flight Lieutenant Alan Pollock. Pollock was protesting the perceived lack of recognition for the RAF's 50th anniversary, and was arrested upon landing. He was subsequently medically discharged from the RAF.