Author Topic: Myths of the 262 (Read 1166 times)

LePaul · « **Reply #15 on:** May 17, 2006, 06:13:08 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Furball
If the Allies had been in the German position, obviously the Meteor would have seen a lot more action... probably the RAF could have rushed other types into production too had it been deemed necessary (such as the DeHavilland Vampire which first flew in 1943).

I've flown in one of these! Nearly got killed, but it was a neat 30 mniute flight. When I have more time, I'll elaborate on why retired bank VPs shouldnt buy warbirds and invite Civil Air Patrol pilots for a joy ride. Essssh!

Debonair · « **Reply #16 on:** May 17, 2006, 11:24:25 PM »

That sounds like a good story, please do elaborate when to opportunity arrises.

LePaul · « **Reply #17 on:** May 18, 2006, 12:42:53 AM »

Super abbreviated version of a longer story...

I was asked to fly the new Civil Air Patrol C-172 to an airshow. Cadets were gonna hand out fliers and the usual PR stuff. While Im walking around the flight line, which is all WW1 and WW2 stuff, I see one jet. Vampire, Australian AF markings. Cool plane, pilot is an older guy, strike up a conversation and compliment him on his plane. I jest that too bad its a one seater, Id love a ride. He points out that its a side-by-side two seater...and if Id like, I can ride with him in the airshow. He's been OK'd to make a few passes over the crowd. Sweet!

Come show time, he finds me in the crowd and leads me to the jet. Shows me around as we preflight it. Hell, I didnt know this thing was partially made of wood. Its a really hot day so we climb in and start straping in. I notice all sorts of placards and "DO NOT" yada yada....avoid this RPM, that RPM, etc.

So Im sitting there, fat dumb and happy....in my first fighter jet. Air conditioning doesnt work, Im sweating like Im in a sauna...but hey, im in a jet! We taxi to the end of the runway, which is only about 6000 ft long (i think, Id have to look it up in my AOPA book).

We rev it up and start rolling. Weeee! Boy, we're rolling an awful long way...density altitude must be up there. We get into the air a foot or two...ground effect...and he pulls the gear handle. About 2 seconds later, THUD SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Yup, we're sliding on the pavement, wingtips flailing on the runway...doing some unGodly speed. I look at the pilot and he doesnt exactly give me that "No Problem" look. I see the tree line coming and I remember strapping myself onto this ejection seat thingy. And I also wonder what the hell kinda ejection seats they had in 1946....and I also notice that the plexiglass cockpit is really really thcnk. Oh well, so I get shot thru that...I didnt wanna be in the NBA anyways!

So I yank on the handles and they break off. For what seemed like eternity...Im literally waiting for my butt to but shot into who-knows-what...the pilot goes "Oh, those dont do anything. Hang on". He gets the airplane into the air and the gear snaps shut...in the ugliest crackling sound Ive ever heard.

Now the real question is...is the gear toast? Will it extend? And WOW that's a massive cloud of dust, smoke and debris we left on the runway.

The radio is just blaring with activity. Those FAA guys who were walking around the show with clipboards are surely writing War & Peace about what they just witnessed.

We level off and the FAA tells us to make a slow pass over the field with gear out. Guys in binoculars look and say the gear looks OK. Great, can you find my WITS while your at it??

So since we're up here, they tell us to go ahead and make our passes. Finally, something COOL. We buzz the field at 500ft and he makes a nice pass, then off into the vertical. Weee! Then he levels and lets me make the next pass. Oooooey. Yes, there was LOTS of machine gun soundeffects and Iron Eagle movie quotes coming outta my mouth LOL. And then he took over.

So as we slow up to land, my lovely host has the jet's RPMs sitting on ALL THOSE BAD AREAS THE PLACARDS SAID WERE BAD! Ugh! And as he slows up, he comments how "squirley" the aircraft is behaving. Cripes...and I cant kill him til we land...unless he beats me to it. Aiie

We land (very very long) and I see the wonderful skid we left on the runway. As soon as we taxi to the parking area and pwer down, we're mobbed with FAA types and the questions fly. My best friend, a KC-135 driver, shames me and tells me how terrible it looked from the ground...and that I couldve been killed. He told me I was an idiot not to punch out...and I hand him the ejection handles. Dude, I sooo tried. The FAA asks me a few questions about my ride and my KC-135 friend manages to get me away from em.

Before we left, I took a really long look at the aircraft once the hub-bub had calmed down. Man, the wingtips were really clawed up...the belly....eeesh....and the nubs under each tail were pretty well mauled as well.

Man, I got really lucky. It couldve been a lot lot worse

From what I heard later....

1) The guy had 27 hours in the aircraft. He had 1000 hours in C-182s. That's it.

2) He lost his ticket for quite some time after

3) He called me a year later asking if I was interested in buying the plane for $60,000. Umm, I declined.

Wish I had it on video...My 135 friend loves telling that story.

So....always ask to see a logbook! If they say no and wont take you...well, dont be sad!

Debonair · « **Reply #18 on:** May 18, 2006, 02:57:38 AM »

dont be so down on 182s, thats a pretty hot plane.
its "high performance"

E25280 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 18, 2006, 09:02:08 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by LePaul
He told me I was an idiot not to punch out...and I hand him the ejection handles.

That is about the best punch line I have heard in ages!:lol

Sometimes the only difference between comedy and tragedy is if no one gets killed. Glad we can laugh at this one!

Airscrew · « **Reply #20 on:** May 18, 2006, 09:25:18 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by LePaul
....So I yank on the handles and they break off. For what seemed like eternity...Im literally waiting for my butt to but shot into who-knows-what...the pilot goes "Oh, those dont do anything. Hang on". ...

He told me I was an idiot not to punch out...and I hand him the ejection handles. Dude, I sooo tried.

I'm glad you were able to tell the story, thats some funny stuff.
I kept expecting to read that when the plane landed and was taxiing the ejection seat fired

LePaul · « **Reply #21 on:** May 18, 2006, 11:27:55 AM »

I'd have to ask Eagl or Gunslingr what they used in the old days...but whatever it was, they were removed. Larry (the 135 pilot) thinks it was a huge gunpwder charge or something (yikes!)

Tony Williams · « **Reply #22 on:** May 18, 2006, 08:06:15 PM »

Good story!!

The Vampire was a nice plane but very fragile. The nosewheel was prone to collapse....

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

gripen · « **Reply #23 on:** May 19, 2006, 02:41:57 AM »

In the fifties a Finnish air force pilot did his first solo flight with the Vampire. The flight went fine but after landing the plane stopped to the end of the runway and despite the pilot increased the throttle, the plane just stood there. So he radioded to the tower about the problem and couple mechanics took a lorry and drove to the plane. The lorry stopped beside the Vampire and the mechanics jumped down. At this point the pilot realized that the mechanics were looking down to him (he had landed landing gear in...).

gripen

Angus · « **Reply #24 on:** May 19, 2006, 12:49:56 PM »

Ehhhh LePaul:
"I've flown in one of these! Nearly got killed, but it was a neat 30 mniute flight. When I have more time, I'll elaborate on why retired bank VPs shouldnt buy warbirds and invite Civil Air Patrol pilots for a joy ride. Essssh!"
Please tell more!!!!! I've seen a Vampire formation flying at Farnborough with a single Meteor in the formation (The Meteor was the only one doing aerobatics, and did well, slow and lazily).
All ears about the Vampire.
AFAIK it was the first jet to cross the Atlantic, - in 1948.