Duxford Crash

[Guest]

I was only there on Saturday watching what would be one if it's last displays, however unfortunately Aviation history has lost another piece, P-51D mustang "Big Beautiful Doll" was written off in a mid air collision with and AD-4 Skyraider at Duxford on Sunday.

Both pilots are uninjured after the Mustang pilot bailed out and the AD-4 pilot brought it in successfully, absent of 5 feet of his starboard wing, after clipping the tail section of the -51

Stuart

[Guest]

amazing that the skyrader pilot landed it, great work.

[tr1ckey66]

No way!

That is a real shame. 'Big Beautiful Doll' is a really well known name/aircraft - loads of decals/models of that bird. It's like losing an old friend!

Again, at least no-one was hurt but we have lost another piece of history.

Very sad

Paul

[Gern]

That's two we've lost in the last few weeks 'cos of that B-17 fire. Some of these are irreplaceable and it is a real shame when they are lost. However, I think it's right that they should be seen flying. Trouble is, sooner or later there won't be any left as they'll all be too old to restore and keep in the air or they'll be lost to accidents. That will be a sad day when the last WWII 'plane stops flying.

Gern

[stona]

That will be a sad day when the last WWII 'plane stops flying.Gern

It will be,but it will come regardless of whether the airworthy ones fly now or not.

Here's the best video I've found of the collision.

YouTube - Duxford 2011 P51 Skyraider Crash

You can see the damage to the Skyraider's wing here. He did well to get it down more or less in one piece.

On a lighter note,I hope that's exhaust staining and not anything coming from the pilot!

A very sorry looking P-51.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

It's true it's such a shame to lose such a prominent example - I think the old Airfix 1:24 scale had these decals?

I agree they should be kept flying if possible, however the sad thing is that I think spares are going to be harder to find/fabricate and the CAA will only get stricter with airworthyness certificates for these old birds.

There is a better video I saw of the crash from a position further to the "right" of the above one, it clearly shows the Skyraider's starboard wing clipping the tail section of the Mustang. Oddly enough, it looks as if the only bit to fall off, was from the 'raider, I wonder what the damage was to the Mustang.

Stuart

[Gern]

Well if it was from the pilot, I wouldn't blame him!

Gern

[stona]

I think the old Airfix 1:24 scale had these decals?There is a better video I saw of the crash from a position further to the "right" of the above one, it clearly shows the Skyraider's starboard wing clipping the tail section of the Mustang. Oddly enough, it looks as if the only bit to fall off, was from the 'raider, I wonder what the damage was to the Mustang.

Stuart

The old Airfix kit did have those decals. I built one (badly) about a hundred years ago :lol:

I've just seen the video you are referring to and it's impossible to see what damage was done to the Mustang. The pilot obviously felt he couldn't fly it. By all accounts his parachute deployed fairly close to the ground so he got out in the nick of time.

There has also been a Seafire crash recently at a show at Bordues in France. Wheels up landing due to "failiure of undercarriage to extend". It was the mark XVII (SX336) that was only restored to flying condition in 2006. Happily the pilot,Anna Walker,was unhurt and the aircraft is not a total loss.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

What a shame! I'm glad no one was hurt though........

[Guest]

Well if it was from the pilot, I wouldn't blame him!Gern

I take it you mean "debris" from the pilot!! No I wouldn't blame him either! lol!!! new parachute and new pants please!!!

Stona, I didn't know about the Seafire, that's also a sad incident as it's presumably a very rare breed these days!! Again very good that the pilot was unharmed. Easier to repair an aircraft than a pilot!

[stona]

Bit of a hijack but there is a good series of pictures of the incident here.

Posé train rentré d'un Seafire :-( - a set on Flickr

I think this is the only surviving Seafire XVII although I do recall that it was discovered with another one in a scrap yard. Only 233 of this type were ever built. SX366 was built by Westland at Yeovil in 1946 and restored by various people between 1972 and 2006 when it finally flew again.

Cheers

Steve

Edit,for the non French speakers "pose,train rentre" translates as "gear up landing".

[John]

Another video

[video=youtube;ZmsJW0-6JB0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmsJW0-6JB0

Good to hear no one was hurt

[stona]

Great video John. I noticed that the canopy was jettisoned from the P-51 very quickly. The pilot must have made a very quick decision to abandon the aircraft which probably saved his life.

The canopy is jettisoned 4 seconds after the collision,the pilot bails out about 15 seconds after the collision. I bet he'd never undone harnesses and disconnected radio etc that quick in his life. He did well and walked away to tell the tale. Frankly,as a WWII aircraft enthusiast,I couldn't care less about the aircraft.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Ejecting from a Mustang...... uh huh!!

Anyway, pedantic feelings aside, good airmanship, stayed with the craft to allow an attempt at recovering and bailed out in time to let the chute deploy!

That's probably the video that shows it best I've seen so far...

Stona, some brilliant pics of the Seafire landing. Looks like a textbook no-gear touchdown.

Stuart

[stona]

Stona, some brilliant pics of the Seafire landing. Looks like a textbook no-gear touchdown.

Stuart

Yes,she did well too.

Steve