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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: Guppy35 on July 27, 2007, 06:20:32 PM

Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Guppy35 on July 27, 2007, 06:20:32 PM
From another board.  No ID on the birds or pilots yet

http://www.aero-news.net/news/featurestories.cfm?ContentBlockID=e0b8b45d-175d-47fe-a063-7ad4367b4d28&Dynamic=1
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Slash27 on July 27, 2007, 06:33:03 PM
damn:(
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Stang on July 27, 2007, 06:33:28 PM
:(
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: SkyRock on July 27, 2007, 06:44:29 PM
That is terrible news.  My condolences for the pilot lost.  
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Guppy35 on July 27, 2007, 07:06:02 PM
Mustangs have been ID'd as

P-51A "Precious Metal"  (This was a new build Allison engined P51A)

P-51D "Stang"  (This one owned by Bob Odegard out of North Dakota who built the P51A)
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Atoon on July 27, 2007, 07:10:32 PM
Truely sad, RIP, at least they went out doing somthing they loved.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: evenhaim on July 27, 2007, 07:14:01 PM
this is truely disturbing i hurts every time a warbid is lost and alot of been lately sadly..

and my condelences to the family:(
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: SIK1 on July 27, 2007, 07:27:57 PM
That is real bad news.:(

I hope the other pilot survives.

My condolences to the pilot killed in the accident.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: SteveBailey on July 27, 2007, 08:12:48 PM
Quote
Originally posted by SIK1
That is real bad news.:(

I hope the other pilot survives.

My condolences to the pilot killed in the accident.


I read that the other pilot walked away from the accident.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: SkyRock on July 28, 2007, 02:22:26 AM
Yeah, it was inverted auger for the pony that clipped.  That is truly hurting me.   I wish his family well.





Mark
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: texasmom on July 28, 2007, 02:23:05 AM
Very sorry to hear that.:(
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Wes14 on July 28, 2007, 03:42:30 AM
:cry
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Hajo on July 28, 2007, 07:47:36 AM
Time to put things in perspective folks.  Unfortunately life takes good people from us everyday.  Not just in vintage aircraft.

My regrets to the family.  And the loss of a P51 is sad.

Hajo
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Enduro on July 28, 2007, 11:43:34 AM
This page has video footage.  HERE (http://www.aero-tv.net/index.cfm?videoid=00b0d640-e714-4b79-b17b-6f3b0f149c4d)

My sincerest condolences to the family of Mr. Beck.  :(
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: SFRT - Frenchy on July 28, 2007, 11:50:28 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Atoon
Truely sad, RIP, at least they went out doing somthing they loved.


Hell no! Trust me, spiraling toward the ground wingless is not something pilots LOVE.:furious

On the other note, I hate to ear about planes being destroyed ... on the plus side, they were "only mustangs". I mean by that there's a lot of them still flying, it's not like a Firefly, 109, zeke ...
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Atoon on July 28, 2007, 12:00:53 PM
Valid point Frenchy, my statement was based on my recent visit to a convelescent hospitol.

Condolences to the family & friends.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: evenhaim on July 28, 2007, 12:03:57 PM
Quote
Originally posted by SFRT - Frenchy
Hell no! Trust me, spiraling toward the ground wingless is not something pilots LOVE.:furious

On the other note, I hate to ear about planes being destroyed ... on the plus side, they were "only mustangs". I mean by that there's a lot of them still flying, it's not like a Firefly, 109, zeke ...

you do realise that statment is flawed as there are few "original" aircraft that were restored and ever fewer pony bs, they are very rare these days.  If you blow off losing 2 then 2 more might go and then 2 more as has been the recent trend sadly, and eventually none will be left its very very sad to me
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: REP0MAN on July 28, 2007, 12:12:02 PM
Quote
Originally posted by SFRT - Frenchy
Hell no! Trust me, spiraling toward the ground wingless is not something pilots LOVE.:furious


I didn't see this happen in the footage. Maybe I'm watching a different video than you are. Looks like a tragic accident to me.

Quote
Originally posted by Enduro
This page has video footage.  HERE (http://www.aero-tv.net/index.cfm?videoid=00b0d640-e714-4b79-b17b-6f3b0f149c4d)

My sincerest condolences to the family of Mr. Beck.  :(


I would also like to agree with Atoon. These pilots were doing something they loved. Unfortunately, one died doing it.

Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: humble on July 28, 2007, 01:17:50 PM
The trailing pony seemed awful high and hot (compared to "lead")...simply beyond the point he could safely abort?? Seemed like he needed to throttle up and do a missed approach even before the clip started.....very very sad...
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: CAP1 on July 28, 2007, 01:19:19 PM
Quote
Originally posted by SFRT - Frenchy
Hell no! Trust me, spiraling toward the ground wingless is not something pilots LOVE.:furious

On the other note, I hate to ear about planes being destroyed ... on the plus side, they were "only mustangs". I mean by that there's a lot of them still flying, it's not like a Firefly, 109, zeke ...


if i'm not mistaken, there's LESS than 150 mustangs still flying.....that's not a lot......

my condloences go to the lost pilot and his family & friends........
and i hope the other pilot/owner is ok and capable of rebuilding at least one of these beautiful birds

<>

john
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Captain Virgil Hilts on July 28, 2007, 01:49:10 PM
You know, it really doesn't matter HOW the crash was happening, whether the crash happened at low speed landing or at higher speed from altitude, the idea that the guy "died doing what he loved" is about as absurd as anything I've heard. The same thing is said about race car drivers.

Well, I'll just tell you, I've been upside down and on fire at over 170MPH, and because I was along for the ride, I had a few seconds to think. As the car hurtled along towards several fixed obstacles, I saw several things I thought were most likely going to kill me. Never once did I think "well, at least I'll die racing". And pilots of warbirds LOVE their planes, so I don't think they want to take the love of their life with them, either. When you race cars, you love racing, not crashing. You don't die racing, you die crashing. I'm sure the same applies to aircraft and flying.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Widewing on July 28, 2007, 03:42:46 PM
It seems to me that when the P-51A flared, his wing blocked his view of the P-51D which had already settled on its gear. Net result, he drifted over the tail of the P-51D and almost landed on top of its tail.

Very sad and tragic loss of a pilot and a rare aircraft...

I would think that formation landings should be avoided.... Too many ways to screw it up.

I loaded the game and set up a similar positional situation with the P-51D drone.

Here's the relationship of the two aircraft:

(http://home.att.net/~c.c.jordan/P-51B-0.jpg)

Here's what you see out of the cockpit of the slightly higher, trailing Mustang:

(http://home.att.net/~c.c.jordan/P-51B-1.jpg)

It seems rather likely that the P-51A lost sight of the P-51D when he flared..

My regards,

Widewing
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Enduro on July 28, 2007, 04:55:07 PM
Good idea, Widewing.  Interesting demo.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: TwinBoom on July 28, 2007, 06:09:55 PM
(http://www.aero-news.net/images/content/general/2007/OSH07-P-51-accident-screengrab-0707d.jpg)
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Guppy35 on July 28, 2007, 06:24:17 PM
Understand that the two pilots were long time friends and co-workers.  The guy who died, Gerry Beck and Bob Odegard (his son was piloting the lead Mustang) built that P51A from the ground up.  It was a new build P51A with an Allison engine.  It was an absolute work of art too if you've seen any photos of it.

They were part of an air racing demonstration.  The P51A was painted as an air racer "Precious Metal".  That explains the green paint.

Gerry Beck has owned and worked on numerous warbirds.  He had at least two Corsairs that I know of.  I'd guess the Bodhi probably has dealt with him through his work.

Both pilots were very experienced warbird drivers.  It's just one of those things.  An absolute tragedy.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: BBBB on July 28, 2007, 06:27:38 PM
This is a sad situation all around. A pilot was lost and most likely that P-51A is a right off. I know human life is worth more than any airplane. However it is very sad to see one less P-51 in the air. :(
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: RoGenT on July 28, 2007, 07:44:45 PM
Double damn..:cry


My heart goes out to the pilot's family and friends...
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Captain Virgil Hilts on July 28, 2007, 09:30:22 PM
aero-news.net has the video of the crash, and a statement by the guy who runs the site.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: GunnerCAF on July 29, 2007, 08:27:06 PM
I was on the flight line with a direct view, but I wasn't watching that direction when the accident happened.  This was a landing after a Reno Air Race demonstration.  I don't  think it was a planned formation landing.  I have watched these racers do many demos, and I never remember them doing any formation landing.  I believe the P51A lost sight of the P51D until it was too late.

Gunner
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: mars01 on July 29, 2007, 09:15:57 PM
Argh, horrible, what a shame.  Thought and prayers to all.
Title: Two Mustangs down at Oshkosh, 1 killed
Post by: Treize69 on July 29, 2007, 09:41:20 PM
Also had a biplane go down during an airshow, and a floatplane crash killing 2 in Oregon.

Was a very bad week for vintage aviation.