Episode Details

Guest: Phillip Barnes, aka Barnsey

Host: Dave Homewood

Recorded: 4th of October 2021

Released:  5th of November 2021

Duration: 47 minutes 5 seconds

This episode is the third in a series called “Great Escapes”, covering stories of RNZAF ejections from aircraft that have saved lives in emergency situations.

In this episode Phil Barnes tells the story of his ejection from McDonnell Douglas TA-4K Skyhawk, NZ6256, on the 20th of March 2001, over the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia. While dogfighting other RNZAF Skyhawks in a Royal Australian Navy training exercise, Phil found himself in an unrecoverable spin. He was forced to eject, and spent time in rough sea in a tiny raft before he was rescued.

The music used in this episode is Hazy After Hours, from Mixkit

Quick Links:

• Great Escapes 1 – Geoff Hubbard

• Great Escapes 2 – Pete Lindsay

• Great Escapes 4 – Safety And Surface

• Great Escapes 5 – Sean Singleton-Turner

The following photos have been kindly supplied by RNZAF Skyhawk historian Don Simms: