footage of F-15 one-wing landing

[AirDOGGe]

Many of the regulars here are no doubt familiar with the story/photos of the Israeli F-15 that lost a wing in a mid-air collision and was still able to land successfully. Thanks to a close friend, we now have video of the event.

The clip is from a History Channel broadcast:

LINK:

http://www.sonnyradio.com/F15.wmv

(I got a kick over the tacked-on F-100 Supersaber footage that was suppose to be the A-4 it collided with )
.

[Randy Haskin]

Re: footage of F-15 one-wing landing

I can't access the site because of the restrictions over here in Afghanistan, but if the footage is from the History Channel, it's a digital re-enactment -- not the real thing.

If it's the stuff I'm thinking of, it's from a show called "Heavy Metal", which I was actually interviewed for back in 2003.

You can tell if it's the same footage if, in the shot of the jet touching down, you see the speed brake extended.

Although putting the board out is the normal landing procedure, it would not have been done in this emergency, as the Israeli pilot actually took an approach-end cable to stop (and broke it because of how fast he was going).

The photos of the aircraft are legit -- the pilot was interviewed on the same show, and I saw the originals with my own eyes. The video, though, is "fake".

[AirDOGGe]

Re: footage of F-15 one-wing landing

I believe it indeed is the program you mentioned.

I was wondering if the video was faked, since the rear view of the landing with the speed brake deployed also shows the flap on the left wing in the down postion, which I would assume would have acted like an aileron and induced a roll (as unfortunately happened to Tsumnami) .

Also, the right stabilizer is not visible in the rear-view landing scene, as if it were accidentally 'airbrushed' out along with the right wing.

And finally, the right side of the aircraft looks too clean in the flying footage, and shows no signs of the remaining portions of the wing, as seen in the ground shots.

Here's some screen captures from the video clip, courtest of IMAGESHACK:




Thanks for clearing that up Randy.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: footage of F-15 one-wing landing

Yea, thanks Randy, to my eye, that video did look like a reinaction...

Lot's o' bells pulling that off tho! I liked the pilot's comment that if he'd have been able to see past the fuel mist, how much was left of the wing, he'd have punched out..

What ya don't know can't hurt ya?