Four Canberra's were going on a training flight and I was in front of one controlling start up. I pointed to the port engine, thumbs up and the turbo starter fired with the usual bang and cloud of black smoke, the engine settled down at idle. I pointed to the starboard engine and all hell lets loose, the turbo starter exploded. Bits of turbine and blades went through the side of the fuselage and into No 1 tank, kerosene poured out on to the burning fragments of the cartridge and up it went! An emergency phone call to the fire section soon soon had their pride and joy, a brand new Rolls Royce fire engine, straight out of the box the day before. It halted in front of the Canberra and an erk in gents natty asbestos suiting complete with helmet jumped down with a huge hose and shouted, "Send it froo!" Noffink came froo! They had been so busy polishing their new toy, they hadn't filled it with foam! So it being mid winter and a cold day, we all stood warming our hands! Then the wheel hubs and cockpit coaming went up with a blinding flash of light, they were magnesium castings. Somebody mettered something about the ejector seats and we went back a few yards more, sure enough, there was a triple explosion and three steel tubes dragging the remains of the seats went about 200' into the air. It just burnt out and next morning there was a perfect silhouette of a Canberra burnt into the tarmac with two Rolls Royce Avons still i n sittue. A coupl of days later. there were new faces at the fire section!!!
Ken