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Was the BBD that was involved the same BBD we've seen at KOSH in years past? Those pilots are extremely lucky and also very skilled in the fact that no one was killed!! Shame to lose a Mustang but it proves the toughness of the Skyraider, bet she was a handful with a bunch of her wing missing!
Unfortunately I think it was...such a shame...a video showing how lucky both pilots where....
http://vimeo.com/26385145
Nick.
There is one in the US with the BBD scheme on it. I know these airplanes move all over the world, so it could be the same one. But it may not be...
Excellent video. Watching the Spits and Smits taking off on the grass is incomparable. The landing break is just heart breaking. Glad the pilots are fine but it is such a shame to lose another Mustang.Quote:
Originally Posted by nickjaxe
I don't know what a BBD is, never heard of one.
If you have not seen the photos or videos of this accident, you really should look it up, perhaps there is an easy way to find them
3 fighters were flying a low pass in a v formation at the big warbird show at Duxford. In the video you can see the Skyraider on the left side seems to be very close to the lead Mustang, sort of under and maybe overlapping wings, closer than the Mustang on the right is to lead. At the end of the pass, they flight breaks up as it to land, at least the Skyraider pulls off to the left, But then it seems he comes back toward the formation, apparently loses sight of the lead Mustang and hits him under the rear of the fuselage with the right wing tip. The Skyraider rolls, then recovers and lands ok despite missing 1/3 of the wing.
The Mustang pitches down sharply, perhaps severed control cables, and the pilot bails out right away, probably from about 700 feet. The photos show the sequence of baliout and and chute opening, and just as the chute fully fills the plane goes nose first into the ground below. Very close, very quick thinking by the 51 pilot.
There was a BBD Mustang at Oshkosh this year, so clearly there are at least two, and possibly more out there.
BBD Big Beautiful Doll
I noticed at the briefing room at Oskosh this year, that Deborah who packs for Strong Parachutes was even busier than normal, or at least it seemed to me that way. I think anyone who had seem those bailout photos would really make sure he had a chute and it was checked out. Deb said the one at Duxford was a Strong. Really there are a number of good brands, I like both Strong and Butler. The point it to have it on. In an extreme emergency like that it can give you a second chance at life.
I have used one in several planes for years, and rehearse using it, but in the back of my mind I always hope I never have to. It is a little like wearing a Nomex suit, gloves, and socks, but not expecting a fire. After seeing those photos, I am more confident than before in the chute. It looks like a pilot can really get out of a 51 quickly if they need to, and are mentally prepared to. Maybe all planes are not that easy.
My friend Art Vance would never wear a chute in his 51. If you knew Art he liked to be an individual. When I pushed him to wear a chute he said, "I paid too much for this plane, I'm never going to jump out of it". One day he was flying a friend's Corsair, which had an old military chute in it, and Art put it on. The engine blew up, caught fire, and the chute saved his life even though he got out very low and went through some tree tops. Art had quite a sense of humor, and said after being on fire, that skydiving was a great improvement, much cooler and much quieter, but that the human body was not designed to sail through tree tops.
I was very sorry when we lost Art in a weather related accident a few years ago, he was a personality. I have flown beside him and with him.
One other point about the mid air at Duxford. It is quirk, and a weak point of human nature as a pilot to often dismiss an accident like this. We don't want to admit that maybe it could happen to us, that maybe we could make the same mistake.
On another warbird site, the photos were posted and there was discussion. There was very little real safety info or advice given. The advices should be to be more cautious in formation, it is not all about how close you can get, and to never take your eye off the leader unless you are sure you have pulled away. If you do lose sight of the leader, go down and away until clear.
There was much comment about not flying formation with different types of planes. This may be practice in the military where they have 20 of exactly the same type together, but it is silly to claim that our civilian flying is that way. For instance if you do a photo flight, almost all are different types. If you bring a new Seafire MK XV to Oskosh, or a Swordfish, and they want to do a photo flight, do you say "only if you have another XV or Swordfish to use as a photo plane? " Of course not, so flights of different types are done and done safely all the time. Fighters fly next to B-25s, for photos as well as shows. If the types are radically different more care may be needed, but it is not just different types that make danger or same types that guarantee safety. It is the care and the skill the pilots put into the formation flight. In the Duxford case all 3 were low wing bubble canopy fighter types, or at least attack fighter types, not that much difference except in weight , drag , etc.
It is now common at arishows to have flights of vintage with newer planes,and it can be done safely. I e , F-86, F-15, F-18, etc. or P-38 with 51, Corsair, P 47, Spitfire, etc.
The type of plane does not dictate the safety or lack of it in a flight, and similarity does not make it without risk. Another comment at Osh, was that the Duxford flight broke up from a V and we only do it from eschlon. Again , while this may be true, it is not the essence of safety or risk, but it is human nature to want to say "the other guys did something wrong , that I would never do and therefore I don't have to worry because I am not the other guy". In effect, I am smarter or luckier.
BBD = big beautiful doll
Just a matter of perspective but from the video, it appeared to me:
BBD was flying lead and did a pitch up and left bank in a pretty standard looking fighter break. The Skyraider then pitched up in sequence. He appeared in a pretty steep bank and my guess is lost sight on BBD. The right wing then struck the tail of BBD yawing it severly to the right. BBD then semi recovered and it appeared the canopy departed. The Skyraider went into a right aileron roll and recovered. BBD is then seen going down and the pilot's chute opening. A difficult situation for all concerned, while I am sadden by the loss of a great old plane, I am glad no person was lost.