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Catherine Lyst of BBC Scotland News brings us a quirky tale involving RAF pilots and a peculiar ban on Tunnock’s teacakes. The story dates back 60 years, where these chocolate-covered treats were prohibited from flights after an amusing mishap involving a cockpit marshmallow explosion. It seems these teacakes were a beloved snack among nuclear bomber crewmen during training missions in the midst of the Cold War.
In a rather sticky situation in the summer of 1965, a captain and student pilot unintentionally left unwrapped teacakes above their instrument panels, only to have them erupt when the captain activated an emergency depressurising switch. The aftermath of the explosion left a gooey mess all over the airmen, instruments, and cockpit canopy. However, after undergoing tests in an altitude chamber at the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine, the teacakes have now been given the green light for flights once again.
The experiments conducted by the British Forces Broadcasting Service at RAF Henlow in Bedfordshire involved placing the teacakes in an altitude chamber and subjecting them to rapid decompression from 8,000ft to 25,000ft. While the mallow filling did burst out of the chocolate casing, it was confirmed that the teacakes did not explode, proving they pose no risk to in-flight safety. Dr. Oliver Bird, an instructor at the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine, advised pilots to keep the snacks frozen and in their foil wrappings until consumption to prevent any mishaps.
It was also noted that freezing the teacakes before the altitude chamber tests resulted in their shells being more resilient to cracking at higher altitudes. With this newfound assurance, pilots can once again enjoy their beloved Tunnock’s teacakes in the cockpit, bringing a humorous end to the mystery behind the ban that plagued these iconic Scottish treats
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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