article_snippet: Lieut Cmdr Thomas, the report reveals, was the designated leader when the designated leader and three other Sea Vixen pilots lined up on the runway on the night of March 17.
article_snippet: he and three other Sea Vixen pilots were tasked with taking off from air base HMS Heron, in Yeovilton, Somerset, and attacking a target being pulled by a frigate, HMS Zulu, off Portland in Dorset.
article_snippet: The following three Sea Vixens were then tasked with attacking the dummy ship in quick succession before the leader himself would launch attack.
article_snippet: The three others took off and assumed the attack formation, with Lieutenant Commander Simon Thomas in the lead, to a point 20 miles south of HMS Zulu.
article_snippet: But then Vixen No 2 lost his radar and, after trying to maintain his position, was instructed by Lieutenant Commander Simon Thomas to return to base.
article_snippet: This meant that No 3 assumed the No 2 position and the two remaining Vixens turned to prepare for attack.
article_snippet: On No 3 assumed the No 2 position and the two remaining Vixens turned to prepare for the attack first run, Lieutenant Commander Simon Thomas failed to fire the flares.
article_snippet: Once the leader had fired the flares the leader had to bank left hard, climb to 4,000ft, come up behind the fourth Sea Vixen, a complex manoeuvre complicated further by the fact the leader had to switch on the leader weapons panel, which meant switching hands on the control stick, while turning the leader head to locate the weapons switch’.