<S> Lefty Gardner

[Bodhi]

Just heard through the grapevine that Lefty Gardner passed away. 

<S> to a legend and a WW2 vet.  God speed and tail winds forever sir.

[Widewing]

Very sad... God Speed. 


My regards,

Widewing

[HB555]

From the Reno Air Race Association web site:

Lefty Gardner: 1920 - 2008

Members of the air racing family are saddened by the passing of Lefty Gardner on 24 Dec 2008. Lefty was a mainstay at the National Championship Air Races from 1970 through 1996. He and his distinctively-painted Lockheed P-38 "White Lightnin’"" were always fan favorites. People still talk about Lefty landing on more than one occasion with sage brush on his left wing tip! They will be missed!

The members of the RARA team offer sincere condolences to the Gardner family: Lefty’s wife, Sharon; two sons, Ladd and Daron; three daughters, Gail Graham, Donna Miles and Janie McNeil; and five grandsons, two granddaughters, and one great granddaughter.

[1pLUs44]

He flew the ol' P38 that used to fly in Central Texas as a racer IIRC. I don't remember if he flew it originally in Georgetown though, and I think he crashed it when I was little.

[HB555]

On Monday, June 25, 2001, Lefty Gardner's Lockheed P-38
White Lightnin' had a serious in-flight engine fire while
being piloted by Lefty's son, Ladd Gardner. Though Ladd
escaped uninjured, Lefty's famous P-38 sustained serious
but repairable damage.





http://p38whitelightnin.com/restoration/

[1pLUs44]

On Monday, June 25, 2001, Lefty Gardner's Lockheed P-38
White Lightnin' had a serious in-flight engine fire while
being piloted by Lefty's son, Ladd Gardner. Though Ladd
escaped uninjured, Lefty's famous P-38 sustained serious
but repairable damage.

(Image removed from quote.)



http://p38whitelightnin.com/restoration/

Yea, I was I think 8 years old when that happened.

[TwinBoom]

  Lefty

On a good note: Lefty's bird was bought by redbull and is restored and flying again.
Here she is pictured with Glaicer Girl

[1pLUs44]

Lefty

On a good note: Lefty's bird was bought by redbull and is restored and flying again.
Here she is pictured with Glaicer Girl
(Image removed from quote.)

IIRC, there had been lots of things wrong with Lefty's bird, which caused the crash. IIRC, he didn't take care of a lot of stuff with the engine, he just kind of flew it without thinking about it, and did just small modifications. (which IMHO, is amazing for a bird as old as that)

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

IIRC, there had been lots of things wrong with Lefty's bird, which caused the crash. IIRC, he didn't take care of a lot of stuff with the engine, he just kind of flew it without thinking about it, and did just small modifications. (which IMHO, is amazing for a bird as old as that)

Do you EVER have any idea what you are talking about?

Lefty is dead, and you'd do well not to speak ill of him, especially when you have no idea at all what you are talking about. He had that plane for well over 30 years, you do not keep a plane like that in the air for 30 years by "not taking care of a lot of stuff". You were 8 years old when it crashed, and yet now you are an expert on how well it was flown and maintained?

[Elfie]

Do you EVER have any idea what you are talking about?

Lefty is dead, and you'd do well not to speak ill of him, especially when you have no idea at all what you are talking about. He had that plane for well over 30 years, you do not keep a plane like that in the air for 30 years by "not taking care of a lot of stuff". You were 8 years old when it crashed, and yet now you are an expert on how well it was flown and maintained?

Gotta remember, this is the same person that seemed to think that you could shoot someone in a home with a shotgun loaded with #8 shot and not do them serious harm.....

[CAP1]

IIRC, there had been lots of things wrong with Lefty's bird, which caused the crash. IIRC, he didn't take care of a lot of stuff with the engine, he just kind of flew it without thinking about it, and did just small modifications. (which IMHO, is amazing for a bird as old as that)

i was, and AM sad to hear about his passing.

 

[Bodhi]

IIRC, there had been lots of things wrong with Lefty's bird, which caused the crash. IIRC, he didn't take care of a lot of stuff with the engine, he just kind of flew it without thinking about it, and did just small modifications. (which IMHO, is amazing for a bird as old as that)

Just gonna say for someone who knows next to nothing about the aircraft or it's maintenance, you come off awfully arrogant and brash regarding a member of the aviation community who is highly respected and an icon for specific facets of it.

I'd recommend you keep your damned trap shut, especially when you do not know what you are talking about.

[TwinBoom]

IIRC, there had been lots of things wrong with Lefty's bird, which caused the crash. IIRC, he didn't take care of a lot of stuff with the engine, he just kind of flew it without thinking about it, and did just small modifications. (which IMHO, is amazing for a bird as old as that)

Get a clue his son was flying it when it crashed
An interview with Ladd Gardner - Introduction
reprinted from AAFO.COM

For many years, fans of air racing and air shows across the nation were treated to the unique experience of seeing Lefty Gardner fly his race modified Lockheed P-38 Lightning, known as "White Lightnin'" as a competitor and show performer.

On June 25, 2001, during a return flight to Texas, after appearing at an air show in Tullahoma, Tennessee, Lefty Gardner's son, Ladd, experienced an in-flight engine fire in "White Lightnin'" forcing him to put the airplane down in a field. Though the airplane was substantially damaged, Ladd was uninjured and the airplane is repairable...

Earlier this year, we spoke at length with Ladd about the accident and his life leading up to flying one of America's great aviation treasures.

Ladd's account of the accident, his life growing up in the aviation oriented Gardner family and his family's quest to gain the necessary funding to return "White Lightnin'" to flight status chronicle both his aviation career and what has become his life's goal.

Get "White Lightnin'" flying again.

[1pLUs44]

Do you EVER have any idea what you are talking about?

Lefty is dead, and you'd do well not to speak ill of him, especially when you have no idea at all what you are talking about. He had that plane for well over 30 years, you do not keep a plane like that in the air for 30 years by "not taking care of a lot of stuff". You were 8 years old when it crashed, and yet now you are an expert on how well it was flown and maintained?

I never meant to speak ill of the man, I used to watch him fly at airshows before the crash. I still have pictures in my room of the plane. They covered it in my paper because

Just gonna say for someone who knows next to nothing about the aircraft or it's maintenance, you come off awfully arrogant and brash regarding a member of the aviation community who is highly respected and an icon for specific facets of it.

I'd recommend you keep your damned trap shut, especially when you do not know what you are talking about.

Really, do you know exactly how it happened? I'd recommend you keep your damn trap shut especially when it comes to insulting someone over nothing. I meant no insults to the man, I was trying to recall how exactly it happened. I found the link. I never meant any insult to the man

On June 25, 2001, about 0920 central daylight time, a Lockheed P-38L-5LD Lightning, N25Y, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, executed an emergency landing to a cotton field due to a fire in the left engine in the vicinity of Greenwood, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercially-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from Tullahoma, Tennessee, about 1 hour 20 minutes before the accident.

According to the pilot, during in-range descent to Greenwood-Leflore Airport, the left engine backfired, started running roughly, and the cockpit filled with thick black smoke. When the canopy release was eventually activated, he observed that the left engine was on fire and trailing flame was consuming the carburetor air intake scoop and the aluminum skin between the left reserve fuel tank and the left engine cowling. Due to the severity of the fire he decided to put the aircraft on the ground, gear up, as soon as possible. The site was a cotton field about 5 miles southwest of the airport.

According to an FAA inspector, examination of the wreckage site revealed that after touchdown, the aircraft slid about 600 feet in soft dirt at an angle to the furrows of cotton plants. Examination of the aircraft revealed the smoke and flames emanated from a hole in the rear area of the left engine supercharger housing. Both propellers had separated, the left engine upper nacelle and left inboard fuel tank were burned extensively, both engine lower nacelles, the right vertical stabilizer, and the underside of the fuselage sustained major ground impact damage.

According to the crew chief/mechanic for N25Y, a more thorough postcrash examination of the left engine components revealed failure of 4 to 5 supercharger compressor blades. The helix shaped, centrifugal compressor blades failed from the hub, outward, about 1/3 span. When the high rpm operating impeller blades fractured and separated, they penetrated the supercharger housing and a 3/4-inch diameter fuel feed hose to the carburetor.

I'm not here to act like I know "everything" as it did happen when I was 8. I do remember reading or hearing about poor maintenance after it happened. A simple "correction" would have been nice. I put the "IIRC" because I wasn't very sure how it happened.

Gotta remember, this is the same person that seemed to think that you could shoot someone in a home with a shotgun loaded with #8 shot and not do them serious harm.....

God no, but when someone's talking about getting a pistol or a rifle, I would think that #8 shot in a .410 would be safer than lets say a .45. I had no intention of saying "shoot someone in your home" when he said "robbing the neighbors" first thing that comes to my mind is my neighbors. Which live about 50 yards away from me.

Getback, unless you're really willing to kill someone, don't get a handgun.

I'd suggest something to scare them off, and if the time comes where you actually HAVE to shoot them, wound them (which should be your very very VERY last resort.)

I'd get a cheap shotgun, .410, or 20 gauge. Get the 8 dove shot, so it's little BBs, so if you shoot, it'll either not hurt them really bad, or they'll be far enough away for you to not hit them.

Pistols are very dangerous, and it's very easy to shoot yourself with one. If I ever got a pistol, I would never load it unless I decided I had to. Even though at a certain distance, you're gonna kill, shotguns are much safer.

Small caliber rifle may be good too.


 

[Bodhi]

Really, do you know exactly how it happened? I'd recommend you keep your damn trap shut especially when it comes to insulting someone over nothing. I meant no insults to the man, I was trying to recall how exactly it happened. I found the link. I never meant any insult to the man

I actually do know what happened when it crashed.  I also worked with the Ezell's to see her fly again through our company's dealings.  You posted nothing more than a childish rant that was insulting to the man and his family.  Saying that they did not do maintenance on the aircraft that was needed is wrong and very insulting.  That you do not see that you insulted him is further evidence of your childish demeanor.

Grow the hell up and stop acting like a bratty little punk.