Mid air

[Race 22 mech]

Just heard that Big Beautiful Doll is down at Duxford. Pilot is okay but airframe lost.

[De Camara]

Re: Mid air

French Skyraider "allegedly" hit his right wing against the 51's under fuse/tail wheel area shearing off about 3-4 foot off right tip of AD-1

Both pilots lived to tell the tale


Doc

[Race 22 mech]

Re: Mid air

Glad to hear both pilots okay. Reports are whoever was flying the mustang did a fairly low level bailout.

[GRNDP51]

Re: Mid air

Uggh I hate to hear this news so much, especially a plane I've seen flying before. Glad to hear the pilots are good, but sad about the loss of the airframe. Liberty Belle now this... Just terrible

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Mid air

If I did this right here is the Skyraider landing.

Gotta ask the question.. where'd you get the images? I HAVE to ensure that you have permission to use them... if not, you can link to wherever they are, but can not upload them here...

Thanks for understanding.

EDIT: Above post with questionable image copyright issue deleted pending further information from original poster

[Reever]

Re: Mid air

Glad to hear both pilots survived!

The Skyraider photos prove one thing for sure, that bird could take some serious punishment and still make it back!

[flyboycpa]

Re: Mid air

HD video on YouTube of the Big Beautiful Doll and Skyraider mid-air

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qME7VefLxFw

[johnnyrace]

Re: Mid air

Hell of a shot of the bail out from the Mustang linked below

http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=75882

[First time Juke]

Re: Mid air

Good footage here !

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Video-Dramatic-moment-planes-collided-at-Duxford-show-11072011.htm

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Mid air

I couldn't see the damage to the P51 in videos nor still photos, but by the impact location just forward of the tail wheel I suspect the control cables to the "tail feathers" were fouled or cut.

I don't see any visible rudder or stabilizer damage. Maybe later photos will reveal what brought it down.

[race9]

Re: Mid air

From the second video, it looks like he lost a horizontal stabilizer, unless that was a piece of the Skyraider. In any case, the Mustang pilot did what he was trained to do, as trying to assess the condition of a plane after a mid-air that low is betting on your life. He barely had time to get out as he did.

EDIT: looking at the third video, he may have used some time to get a feel of the plane, found he couldn't control it, then bailed.

[W J Pearce]

Re: Mid air

In both photos below, rudder and tail of the P-51 look okay but the fuselage is crushed 1/3 - 1/2 way through right after the radiator exit. I would think the cables were severed or inop. To me, great reactions of both pilots; the P-51 pilot (Rob Davies) for bailing out and the Skyraider pilot for recovering and saving the aircraft.

Photo right after impact:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...65_964x603.jpg
From:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...n-airshow.html

Photo of P-51 right after bailout:

http://forum.keypublishing.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=197295&d=1310329995

From:
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=110391

[Coyote Chris]

Re: Mid air

Story from AVweb....
(Just as an aside, when the triplane went on its nose a bit earlier in the show, it seems like it takes forever for fire to get to her...video here..I think the Stead fire dept is awesome....)

http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archives/avflash/1950-full.html#204948

[Apteryx]

Re: Mid air

I've seen another shot, a blow up, similar to Bill's first photo,that shows something on the right horizontal of the Mustang, dented or skewered, sure it didn't help....

[Jason S.]

Re: Mid air

Not sure if you guys have seen this footage yet, but it’s the best so far http://www.flyingfilm.co.uk/
Jason