Yak crash at Warbirds Over Wanaka 2018

[100Coogn]

Hell man, if you ain't at risk of crashing, then you ain't going fast enough!

 

Coogan 

[Skuzzy]

Hell man, if you ain't at risk of crashing, then you ain't going fast enough!

But on a motorcycle, you are at that risk as soon as the kick stand is up and the clutch is out.

[Vraciu]

LOL, what you think doesn't matter, I'm not seeking your approval..

I do not recall offering it.

I've made thousands of quick decisions with my and others lives hanging in the balance..

Something I do several times a day.

I gimp when the weather changes, and bear the scars, from my or others errors too.. "Stuff" happens when ya throw a bike sideways at 100+ mph, and others are inches away!

That's how it is when ya race TT and Flat track for most of a lifetime.. I have a collection of twisted handlebars, and helmets with tire tracks on the wall of my workshop..

I spent some time in Texas when in the US Army, back in the 70's.. Went to Harlingen to visit the Confederate Airforce.. Paid for a ride in one of the Peruvian P47N's they had there.. I've had that experience already..

I spent twenty years in Harlingen with the CAF.   I don't recall the N having a second seat even back then.  There was only one and it came from Nicaragua in 1963—after Lloyd Nolen purchased it—with a victory over a P-51 to its credit...the rest were Ds.    A buddy of mine (Ed Jurist) was nearly poisoned trying to get those Jugs out of SA.  Quite a story.



Your motorcycle experience translates into roughly........zero hours PIC in warbirds.    Bikes are easy.


I spent lot six of time in and around this airplane.   A second seat?   That would be a feat.   Never saw one when I was around it. 

[OldNitro]

But on a motorcycle, you are at that risk as soon as the kick stand is up and the clutch is out.

One of my worst injuries came when I was messin around on my grandsons Rupp minibike.. Drunk on Memorial day, backyard BBQ hijinks.. Vintage Rupp, 5hp Tecumseh with the governor wired open, non folding footpegs.. Well, my big 11.5" foot folded under instead, tore my ankle all to hell..

Goin about 25mph.. 

[OldNitro]

I do not recall offering it.


Something I do several times a day.



I spent twenty years in Harlingen with the CAF.   I don't recall the N having a second seat even back then.  There was only one and it came from Nicaragua in 1963—after Lloyd Nolen purchased it—with a victory over a P-51 to its credit...the rest were Ds.    A buddy of mine (Ed Jurist) was nearly poisoned trying to get those Jugs out of SA.  Quite a story.

Your motorcycle experience translates into roughly........zero hours PIC in warbirds.    Bikes are easy.


I spent lot six of time in and around this airplane.   A second seat?   That would be a feat.   Never saw one when I was around it.
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So it wasn't an N, OK.. It was one of a group of P47s, and it came from South America..
D???? OK, LOL! My memory was from Peru.. It was 40+ years ago..

[Vraciu]

The point is guys like Columbo and I are not noobs or idiots.  When we speak on these things there is a bit of knowledge/experience behind it. 

The Ds were from Peru as I recall. 

[OldNitro]

The point is guys like Columbo and I are not noobs or idiots.  When we speak on these things there is a bit of knowledge/experience behind it.

I never figured you were Noobs or Idiots.. Never said that about either of you..
Sheesh, Don't get so offended, too many people with thin skins these days..

I said the Yak driver was an idiot, for smashing that plywood wonder!
When there was plenty of room to the left, a whole open runway..

Was one of you, the Yak driver????

[Vraciu]

I never figured you were Noobs or Idiots.. Never said that about either of you..
Sheesh, Don't get so offended, too many people with thin skins these days..

I said the Yak driver was an idiot, for smashing that plywood wonder!
When there was plenty of room to the left, a whole open runway..

Was one of you, the Yak driver????

And we explained to you why you are wrong—or at best, premature. 

[OldNitro]

And we explained to you why you are wrong—or at best, premature.

OK, but that doesn't change that fact that an Idiot wrecked that plane..

Oh, and bikes are easy???
I'll bet there are more people qualified to fly these WW2 fighters,
than there are AMA licensed experts, qualified to ride the mile!

[Vraciu]

OK, but that doesn't change that fact that an Idiot wrecked that plane..

As they say on SWA, “Shift happens.”

Did this guy steal your lunch money as a kid or something?  Idiot this and idiot that. 

Oh, and bikes are easy???
I'll bet there are more people qualified to fly these WW2 fighters,
than there are AMA licensed experts, qualified to ride the mile!

I doubt it.   Irrelevant in any event as it correlates more to interest than difficulty. 

[Vulcan]

Was one of you, the Yak driver????

Good Yak pilots only roll with the -9

[Vraciu]

Good Yak pilots only roll with the -9

There are no good Yak pilots.   

[Vraciu]

Perhaps you should get an hour of flight time in the real thing.  Stallion51 in Florida will give you a real life exposure to the P-51.  The very limited forward visibility on the ground in the three point attitude is impressive.  Go do that and report your impressions back to us.  Enjoy the flight!  You’ll never regret doing it.

Sorry I missed this post.  Puma knows of what he speaks. 

I really would love to take that course...   Some day...

[Puma44]

Sorry I missed this post.  Puma knows of what he speaks. 

I really would love to take that course...   Some day...

Go do the hour long orientation ride.  That will push you over the edge for sure.

They will let you fly the vast majority of the sortie.  Because of my previous taildragger experience, I was allowed to land it from the back seat. 

[colmbo]

Go do the hour long orientation ride.  That will push you over the edge for sure.

They will let you fly the vast majority of the sortie.  Because of my previous taildragger experience, I was allowed to land it from the back seat.

Lee allowed me to do a touch and go and then the full stop.....and I did not have any tailwheel time --- but I am one toejam hot pilot.