Duxford Crash

[stona]

A few more pictures have started to appear. In the first two you can see the substantial damage to the Skyraider.

And the P-51 pilot bailing out,not a moment too soon.

Cheers

Steve

[Centurion3RTR]

I've just seen this, still can't believeit. A shame to lose such a great aircraft, but at lease no one got hurt.

John

[Guest]

f************* that last shot makes it look reeeeeeeeal low!!!

that's mind boggling is that!!!!

[Guest]

Second video has been removed This was a sad loss but as has been said thankfully nobody was hurt. Well done to the Mustang pilot!

[Guest]

Seems such a shame to loose what looks like an aircraft in good condition.

However I suppose we will never know the actual damage caused by the collision. The controls could well have been damaged, making flying impossible.

Far better to save the pilot and buy another plane. Can't be done the other way round!

[Guest]

is this the same plane as the one i made here..( one of my very first models so dont laugh)

[ATTACH]31058.vB[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]36141.IPB[/ATTACH]

[stona]

That's the one.

Steve

[Guest]

Just realised I snapped this baby on Saturday: -

Stuart

[Guest]

Shame to lose such beautiful plane.Does anyone think this might affect any airshows coming up.

[stona]

There have been accidents at air shows,including Duxford in the past. Some have sadly had more serious consequences than this one. The IWM will carry out their internal investigation and the relevant authority (whose name evades me, something with Air Accident Investigation in it probably.Don't you hate it when your mind goes blank!) will carry out theirs.

Noone knows what these reports will include but some recommendations are usual. They may make some alterations to the way formation flying is carried out but that is conjecture. Honestly, I doubt very much will change.

Those of you who have been to Duxford will be aware of the terrain and surrounding infra structure which means after making a low pass the aircraft have to climb away,they can hardly zoom over the M11 at sixty feet for example. Something obviously went badly wrong this time but I doubt it will have any serious effect on our future enjoyment of displays here in the U.K.

Cheers

Steve

[stona]

For anyone wanting to see the video that John originally posted ,which is the best one I've seen of the accident, it is here,along with some other good stuff.

FlyingFilm.co.uk

There's an interview with Rob Davies,the owner and pilot here.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

When the National Motorcycle Museum burned down a few years ago many priceless and almost extinc motorcycles were burned to a crisp. It was the sort of thing that would bring tears to the eyes of most of us. It makes you wonder if this aircraft could ever be rebuilt again from the bits. Let's face it we have seen aircraft restored from remains dredged up from the bottom of lakes after sitting there for fifty years so maybe it is a possibility.

I haven't actually seen a picture of the pile of bits so I'm not sure how ridiculous this suggestion may be !!!

[stona]

I haven't actually seen a picture of the pile of bits so I'm not sure how ridiculous this suggestion may be !!!

Well BBD has looked better.

I think that some parts maybe salvageable but P-51s are not the rarest of warbirds thanks to the U.S.government selling them off cheap after the war. Many were raced,I even heard of them being adapted for crop spraying! I doubt if it would be economically viable to turn that sad pile of parts back into a Mustang but who knows.

Cheers

Steve

Edit Apparently Rob Davies is the ex owner of BBD,it moved to Germany in April this year.

Also reading the posts above I think some may be under the impression that this aircraft was the original "Big Beautiful Doll" which is not so. She was one of several and was in fact not even a war time example. She was one of the Australian built Mustangs, manufactured by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and designated the CA-18 Mk.22 in Royal Australian Air Force service. She was built in 1951 and entered military service in March of that year. The air frame accumulated only four hours in its service career before the aircraft was placed in storage.

Steve