In January 1980 Claude received a call from the CEO of International Trucks enquiring if the Eagles could jump into the International Truck Proving Ground at Anglesea.   Given a "Yes" answer he went on to say that he had been told that the Eagles were ex-paratroopers and would they be able to simulate a truck hijacking?  There was another "Yes" and it was explained that International trucks had a dealer conference coming up and what was wanted was some entertainment for the conference and at the same time underline the seriousness of security for the one and a half million dollar prototype truck that the dealers were on site to see and hear about.

And so it was arranged that the Eagles would parachute into the Anglesea proving ground and simulate a hijacking of the prototype truck.

Steve Filak, Colin Holt, Bernie Shaw and Ray Foster were fitted out with terrorist like military uniforms and replica guns and pistols were obtained from a theatrical wardrobe firm and the hijack simulation planned.

On the day of the operation, timing was of great importance. The truck arrived at a designated time and the hijackers arrived and landed alongside the truck as it came to a stop.

Stealth insertion methods were used as much as they could be in the circumstances.    The jump was made from 12,500 feet with a cross wind run in to the exit point so as not to alert the people on the ground that an aircraft was flying overhead.   Claude was out of sight on the ground in contact with the aircraft.

The jumpers stepped out of their gear and two of them boarded the truck, one from each side while the other two protected their rear.  Bernie Shaw boarded the truck on the drivers side and poked a replica 9mm Luger pistol alongside the driver's head and said "Drive".   As the truck moved off, the other two jumpers boarded it and it disappeared around the road and behind some small hills.

The company had added some embellishments to the act by having a police car hidden nearby.   Sirens blaring and lights flashing, it set off after the truck as it disappeared behind the hills.   A few seconds went by and there was a loud explosion and lots of smoke came from the area where the truck had disappeared to.

Soon after that, the whole thing was disclosed to the dealers as an arranged show and they all joined together with the jumpers for a great barbeque. 

After the action, the prototype truck in the background

The jumpers were surprised to learn that the driver had not been in on the act.   His story was that he had been told "If something unusual happens today, don't get too flustered". Bernie Shaw insists that from the look on the driver's face, he thought the whole thing was for real.

Some of the Eagles displays were a little out of the ordinary.