View source for Social:Exercise Full Play

{{Short description|1958 NATO exercise}}
{{operational plan
| name        = Full Play
| partof      = Cold War (1953–1962)
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| type        = NATO exercises
| location    = NATO North-West Region
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| date        = 3-5 June 1958
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| outcome     = Exercise executed
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'''Full Play''' was a major aviation exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that took place over a three-day period in June 1958 in the North West NATO region.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wynn |first1=Humphrey |title=The Bomber Role 1945-1970 |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/units/air-historical-branch/regional-studies-post-coldwar-narratives/the-bomber-role-1945-1970/ |publisher=Air Historical Branch, UK Ministry of Defence |access-date=31 October 2023 |page=70}}</ref>

==Exercise==
The exercise consisted on two parts: "Fast Play" focused on the possible use of nuclear weapons and "Good Play" aimed at air defense. The exercise was supervized by United States Air Force general Leon W. Johnson. The involved countries were the {{wipe|United Kingdom}}, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, {{wipe|France}}, {{wipe|Denmark}}, {{wipe|Norway}}, Italy, Greece, [[Place:Turkey|Turkey]] and West-Germany. In total, more than 900 flights were carried out by the involved air forces.<ref name=issuu>{{cite web| last = Velter|first=Peter| title = Thunderstreak... Hoe Hunsel ontsnapte aan een ramp| url = https://issuu.com/petervelter/docs/thunderstreak_4.6.58_cbn| date = 23 May 2023| via =[[Company:Issuu|Issuu]]| language=nl }}</ref><ref name=ND>{{cite web|work=Nijmeegsch dagblad| title=Luchtmachtoefening "Full Play" van NAVO| url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMRANM03:048412050:mpeg21:a00090| date=3 June 1958| via =[[Delpher]]| language=nl}}</ref><ref name=EC>{{cite web|work=Emmer courant| title="Full Play" ten einde| url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMGEM01:163356054:mpeg21:a00011| date=6 June 1958| via =[[Delpher]]| language=nl}}</ref>

Some of the flights focussed on flying low;<ref name=NHC /> other flights focussed on carrying out attacks, for instance carrying out a mock attack on a certain bridge.<ref name=issuu />

On 3 June 1958, on the first day of the exercise, the Dutch Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld and British secretary of State for Air George Ward visited involved bases in West-Germany. Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld visited on the second day places around Arnhem.<ref name=HB>{{cite web|work=Het Binnenhof| title=Prins Bernhard bij "Full Play"| url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB19:002052052:mpeg21:a00127| date=4 June 1958| via =[[Delpher]]| language=nl}}</ref>

===Security breach===
Subsequent analysis of communications during the exercise, conducted by EUSEC (the European Communications Security Analysis Agency—a standing committee of NATO) and the {{wipe|US Air Force}}, revealed the need for standardised formats for passing information between participating forces. A "serious security problem" in existing methods of passing information was discovered, and during the exercise itself  "a considerable portion of [NATO’s] atomic strike plan [was] compromised".<ref>{{cite web |title=Agenda for Seventh NATO C–E Board Meeting |url=https://archives.nato.int/agenda-for-seventh-nato-c-e-board-meeting |publisher=NATO |pages=27–28 |date=17 March 1959}}</ref>

==Airplane crashes==
{{incomplete list|date=October 2023}}
During Full Play multiple air plane crashes occurred.

===3 June 1958: Alsace, France===
On 3 June a [[Engineering:Republic F-84F Thunderstreak|Republic F-84F Thunderstreak]]-photo explorer of the Dutch 306th squadron from Deelen base crashed in the Alsace, France, six miles north of Colmar. The pilot lieutenant J. M. Sandwijk from Velp was killed in the crash. The aircraft was involved the exercises of Full Play to fly low. The aircraft was flying low when it flew in dense fog. The pilot did not see that he was approaching a 600 meter high mountain. The plane hit a part of the mountain, exploded and crashed. Debris was scattered over a 500 metres area. The pilot was found death in the burned-out aircraft.<ref name=NHC>{{cite web|work=Nieuwe Haarlemsche courant | title="Full Play" oefening Ned. straaljager in Elzas verongelukt| url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMNHA03:179220052:mpeg21:a00011| date=4 June 1958| via =[[Delpher]]| language=nl}}</ref>

===4 June 1958: Hunsel, Netherlands===
On 4 June three Belgian [[Engineering:Republic F-84F Thunderstreak|Republic F-84F Thunderstreak]] went from Florennes flown to West-Germany in formation. Their mission was to carry out a mock attack on a bridge in the North German plain. Their mission was successfully executed. However, upon return the plane with registratin number FU53/YL-X had a fatal engine failure over Roermond. In the engine a screw loosens, the engine exploded and a fire started. Belgian lieutenant Jo Thiels escaped using his ejector seat, and lands safely next to Hunsel.<ref name=issuu /><ref name=DL>{{cite web|work=De Limburger | title='Hunsel heeft heel veel geluk gehad', zegt piloot van gecrashte straaljager: een geschiedenis die niet verloren mag gaan| url=https://www.limburger.nl/cnt/dmf20230531_94572254| date=31 May 2023| language=nl}}</ref> At around 16:55 local time the aircraft crashed near the church of Hunsel and a school.<ref name=NZ /> Some debris damaged a farm.<ref name=issuu /> The wreckage was closely guarded in the days after it crashed and it was forbidden to take photographs.<ref name=issuu /> The remains of the aircraft were transported to Eindhoven Air Base.<ref name=NZ>{{cite news|work= {{ill|Het Nieuwsblad van het Zuiden|nl}}| title=Straaljager neergestort Piloot ongedeerd| url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMKB19:000632053:mpeg21:a00009| date=5 June 1958| via =[[Delpher]]| language=nl}}</ref> Some remaining parts were used by local residents in the years after.<ref name=issuu />

==See also==
;NATO cold war exercises
*Exercise Grand Slam (1952)
*Exercise Mainbrace (1952)
*Exercise Longstep (1952)
*Carte Blanche (NATO exercise) (1955)
*Exercise Strikeback (1957)
*Operation Deep Water (1957)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Information operations and warfare]]
[[Category:Signals intelligence]]



{{Sourceattribution|Exercise Full Play}}