NASA Space Shuttle to use Scampton's Runway

'NASA has bought up the airfield at RAF Scampton so that it can be used as an emergency landing strip for the Space Shuttle'

Towards the end of March 1988 I was asked by William Wright, a presenter with BBC Radio Lincolnshire, to help him with an April Fool's story he was preparing. Anything to deflect attention from the Red Arrows' crowd front story, I thought, so I was happy to oblige. Accordingly, several times on the morning of 1 April the following news item was broadcast:

'NASA has bought up the airfield at RAF Scampton so that it can be used as an emergency landing strip for the Space Shuttle. A spokesman for NASA explained that the 9,000 foot runway was not quite long enough so the famous bulge in the A15 trunk road to the east of the airfield would be moved even closer to the village of Hackthorn to accommodate the extra runway length. There would be some inevitable noise nuisance because the Shuttle would be supersonic when it entered Lincolnshire airspace. Scampton was an ideal airfield because the airfield was now used only by the Red Arrows. Furthermore, if the shuttle crew got into trouble they could aim first for Lincoln Cathedral which was clearly visible from space and had been used during World War Two as a navigation aid by Lancaster crews returning from operations over Germany. Another spokesman speculated that it might be possible for the Red Arrows to formate on the shuttle for a photo opportunity as it came in to land.'

Most people recognised this item for what it was but, nevertheless, a few gullible people called the radio station, and me, to ask for further details.

After that, it was back to the crowd front story. It was eventually decided by the MoD that we would not formally release the story because of the awkward questions it would raise. Instead the PROs were given a question and answer brief we could use should any reporters ask questions. The point about Q & A briefs is that you only answer the specific questions that are asked. I kept my copy close to hand because I knew it would be only a matter of time before someone leaked the story to the media.

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