Author Topic: Hunter down (Read 857 times)

Dnil · « **on:** July 22, 2003, 05:10:06 PM »

PITTSTON, Pa. (AP) _ A vintage fighter jet crashed Tuesday morning in a wooded area about a mile from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, killing the pilot, authorities said.

The aircraft, a privately owned Hawker-Hunter, went down in Pittston Township shortly after taking off from the airport at about 9 a.m., said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters.

No one on the ground was hurt, Peters said. A runway at the airport was closed while the crash was investigated.

The British-made jet, of a type made predominantly in the late 1950s and early 1960s, was registered to an owner in Augusta, N.J., Peters said.

Copyright © 2003, The Associated Press

gofaster · « **Reply #1 on:** July 23, 2003, 09:57:12 AM »

I'm guessing engine stall. Those things don't glide well without thrust.

Ripsnort · « **Reply #2 on:** July 23, 2003, 10:02:19 AM »

Nash · « **Reply #3 on:** July 23, 2003, 10:10:26 AM »

Guys privately own and fly stuff like that? Faaack me....

Dowding · « **Reply #4 on:** July 23, 2003, 10:14:58 AM »

They privately own bigger stuff than that - like the English Electric Lightning. A plane capable of flight at twice the speed of sound and with an amazing thrust to weight ratio even though it was designed in the 50s. I don't think the British Ministry of Defence will allow it to display in Britain because it is so capable. Or maybe it's because the company that owns it is in South Africa. One of the two anyway.

As for the Hunter - doesn't Switzerland still have them in service?

gofaster · « **Reply #5 on:** July 23, 2003, 12:52:58 PM »

After Sept. 11, 2001, there was a push to have some of these Cold Warriors "de-militarized" (i.e. rendered engineless and incapable of flight, including having the wings whacked off) because of the fact that they could fly as fast as current military jets and could be re-armed or have external tanks filled with napalm or jet fuel or other hazardous materials (biological warfare).

Fortunately, AOPA, EAA, and other GA orgs rose up and protested since it would jeopardize the value of warbirds and flying museum examples of historic aircraft.

For this particular aircraft, I recall reading that it had just been sold and was being flown to Canada. The pilot was 67, a flight instructor, and called himself "the oldest Mach 2 pilot in the world".

Replicant · « **Reply #6 on:** July 23, 2003, 03:58:48 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Dowding
They privately own bigger stuff than that - like the English Electric Lightning. A plane capable of flight at twice the speed of sound and with an amazing thrust to weight ratio even though it was designed in the 50s. I don't think the British Ministry of Defence will allow it to display in Britain because it is so capable. Or maybe it's because the company that owns it is in South Africa. One of the two anyway.

As for the Hunter - doesn't Switzerland still have them in service?

The EE Lightning is prohibited from being flown by the CAA, along with the Buccaneer, Phantom and such like jets (I'm unsure of laws governing S.Africa). It's something to do with how many auxillery/backup systems the aircraft has, how dependant they are on backup systems and how serviceable the aircraft is to the casual owner. The main problem with getting the Vulcan back into the air is demonstrating to the CAA that you can safely keep the aircraft in the air and that you have a full electrical/engineering/spares back up with hands on experience for that particular aircraft. They may also take into account that it is still a formidable military aircraft.

As for the Hunter, I believe it left Swiss service a few years ago.

The two seat Hunter remained in RAF service until 1992/3 as it was used as the Buccaneer trainer. Boscombe Down also operated the Hunter into the 1990s as a test bed/evaluation airframe.

midnight Target · « **Reply #7 on:** July 23, 2003, 04:14:59 PM »

There was a privately owned F-104 making the rounds of US airshows a while back.

just found this with a google search:

Quote

At least three F-104s are now flown by private owners in the USA, and several more are under restoration.

midnight Target · « **Reply #8 on:** July 23, 2003, 04:25:56 PM »

BTW, found that info at Warbird Alley

Very cool site for all kinds of info.

gatso · « **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2003, 05:31:23 PM »

Classic Jets operate Lightnings (unsuprisingly) Buccaneers and Hunters out of 'Thunder City' Cape Town. Currently 2 2 seater Lightnings and a single seater. Flights in the 2 seaters are availible for anyone with enough $.

http://www.classicjets.co.za/

There's also a group in the USA putting at least one back in the air. Another 2 seater T.5.

http://www.lightningusa.org/

Unfortunaely since the CAA designated them as 'complex' we're unlikely to see them in the air for at least the next 30-50 years which is a real shame. I am old enough to just remember the sight and sound of two afterburning avons going vertical at an airshow up to 40,000ft. It was pretty special.

My favourite UK based Hunter HAS to be Miss Demeanour with the psychadelic paint scheme.

They are truly beautiful aircraft, If I had the cash a Hunter would be the one I'd want to own.

Gatso

Dnil · « **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2003, 07:24:43 PM »

I believe the Hunter pilot was also one of the F-104 pilots that tour the country. Not firm on that yet tho.

mjolnir · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2003, 03:23:01 AM »

Good lord, we're selling Widowmakers to civilians now? Only a matter of time before we hear of one crashing on landing.

Dowding · « **Reply #12 on:** July 24, 2003, 03:57:21 AM »

I'm just old enough to remember seeing lightnings display at airshows - must have been about 8 or 9 at the time. I just remember it being very loud.

Nexx - I thought funding was the only issue behind the Vulcan? The bastards at the National Lottery are quite willing to give 11 million for some London based painting that no-one really cares about, but is unwilling to splash out 3 million to secure Vulcan's future. That plane would be the star of the show across Europe.

gatso · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2003, 06:52:35 AM »

It's 'one' of the problems Dowding. The Vulcan is the 1st ever former military 'complex' aircraft that the CAA has given the nod too. As such the things going on behind the scenes are a great deal more complicated than normal, I think its also why the cost of getting it done has increased something like 300%.

Gatso

Bodhi · « **Reply #14 on:** July 24, 2003, 07:13:05 AM »

Not only are they selling exmilitary British Jets to the civilians, but the beauty is there are two Mig 29's that are privately owned in the US as well as numerous Mig 23's and Mig 21's... Top that off with the Collings Foundation flying the F4 Phantom until they realised it was going to break them, and you see the direction this is headed. Give it 30 years and I bet somebody is tooling aroung in an F18 or 16 provided they have the money to operate it.

Ohh, almost forgot, two Harriers are under restoration here in the US... prolly two or three years till they fly.