R.A.AF. P51 down.

[lyric1]

Challenge posted this in our squad forum. Sadly it was a plane that I got to see quite a lot over my Home town in Australia. It was always great to see it fly in to land near the local airport when I was a kid.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KishzUtX2H0&feature=related

[007Rusty]

that stinks 

[CAP1]

Challenge posted this in our squad forum. Sadly it was a plane that I got to see quite a lot over my Home town in Australia. It was always great to see it fly in to land near the local airport when I was a kid.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KishzUtX2H0&feature=related

they tried to sensaionalize it.
that was no "crash landing"
 it wasn an EXCELLENT belly landing, and it looks as if the pilot saved the aircraft. i couldn't see too much damage from whatr they showed.

 she'll be back in the air in a year or so.

[Rino]

     It's too bad he couldn't get it on the pavement...it's remarkable how little damage is done
compared to an earth/grass landing.  That being said, good job getting the bird down and making
sure the pilot <the important stuff> isn't badly hurt.

[Chalenge]

Im pretty sure the book says grass/dirt is preferred over asphalt.

[SD67]

That's such a shame. I've been in that aircraft I'm glad they got her down safely and intact.

[CAP1]

Im pretty sure the book says grass/dirt is preferred over asphalt.

agreed. i think that same landing on the runway would've trashed a LOT more of the aircraft

[Rino]

     Well...I've seen about a dozen aircraft wheels up, about ten on the pavement.
In my experience the asphalt birds fared much better, the grass ones tend to bog in
and shred the belly.  The pavement birds generally lose the boarding step and a little
paint.

     I have also seen that it's very important that the guys recovering your aircraft know
what they're doing.  A few years back a Be-58 landed wheels up on the runway, again
just minor damage done...even the props didn't strike, sparing the sudden stoppage to
the engines.

     A very large wrecker was brought out and straps wrapped around the fuselage fore and
aft of the wing.  When the wrecker lifted the aircraft, the fuselage bent like a banana.  Since
then I've seen that removing the engine cowl and lifting by the engine hoists is much
safer.

[Motherland]

     Well...I've seen about a dozen aircraft wheels up, about ten on the pavement.
In my experience the asphalt birds fared much better, the grass ones tend to bog in
and shred the belly.  The pavement birds generally lose the boarding step and a little
paint.

     I have also seen that it's very important that the guys recovering your aircraft know
what they're doing.  A few years back a Be-58 landed wheels up on the runway, again
just minor damage done...even the props didn't strike, sparing the sudden stoppage to
the engines.

     A very large wrecker was brought out and straps wrapped around the fuselage fore and
aft of the wing.  When the wrecker lifted the aircraft, the fuselage bent like a banana.  Since
then I've seen that removing the engine cowl and lifting by the engine hoists is much
safer.
>

One of the problems with the mustang, I think, would be the radiator jutting out underneath the aircraft. Then again, I can't imagine it fared to well going into the dirt, either.

[Fulmar]

Im pretty sure the book says grass/dirt is preferred over asphalt.

Metal + asphalt = sparks
fuel + sparks = fire
fire = bad

[Chalenge]

You may have a point Fulmar especially where aircraft built with magnesium are concerned but I dont believe that describes the P51 very well. Still I believe warbird pilots and especially P51 pilots have always been told to put it in the grass and at least that way the airport can still be used (not that it always is).

[Rino]

Metal + asphalt = sparks
fuel + sparks = fire
fire = bad

     Ok, just how many gear up landings have you witnessed?  Getting a little tired of people
acting like I'm some sort of moron.  Aluminum rarely sparks, and in all the gearups I've
witnessed, not one caught fire.

     In fact I've worked on a flightline for over 25 years, military and civilian.  In that time I've
witnessed 2 fires..an F-4 engine fire and a CL-601 brake fire from a high speed taxi test.  The
Phantom caught fire while airborne and the Challenger's left main gear brake seized.

[Brooke]

Looks like the belly landing was good enough that the plane should be readily fixable.  I was very happy to see that the pilot was able to such a great job on that.

[Guppy35]

That incident took place back in June.

[TX58]

 I have been involved with the repair of two aircraft, that have had gear up landings. They where both Mooney M-20S models. So I have a pretty good comparison.  Both initially landed on the runway, but one of them quickly slid off the runway and into the dirt. The one which left the runway was much easier to repair, and was approx. $10,000 cheaper to repair. In the case of these two aircraft the runway was turned into a large belt sander. With the one leaving the runway fairing much better. BTW fire was a non issue in both cases.