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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Nefarious on May 04, 2011, 07:36:18 AM

Title: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Nefarious on May 04, 2011, 07:36:18 AM
I was having my car worked on and saw this framed on the wall, I asked them for a photocopy and the happily obliged.

This happened on US Route 50 in Clarksburg WV, locally the area is called Old Bridgeport Hill and is near the current location of a Napa Auto Parts store.

(http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb180/ralphmunnich/P51MustangClipping.jpg)

Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: VonMessa on May 04, 2011, 07:50:38 AM
 :O
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: MarineUS on May 04, 2011, 08:35:40 AM
haha damn. Doesn't look too bad :P  :lol
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Nefarious on May 04, 2011, 09:12:31 AM
haha damn. Doesn't look too bad :P  :lol

Appears to be missing its left wing, as it should be visible from this angle.
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: MarineUS on May 04, 2011, 09:14:34 AM
at least it's not a big fireball...or most of my gear up landings in AH  :lol
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Shuffler on May 04, 2011, 09:18:21 AM
Very cool... thanks for posting.
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: SKColt on May 04, 2011, 09:30:19 AM
US 50 near Clarksburg. Not exactly a straight level surface!! And probabably dodging deer as well!!
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Nefarious on May 04, 2011, 09:50:25 AM
US 50 near Clarksburg. Not exactly a straight level surface!! And probabably dodging deer as well!!

LOL, actually Old US Route 50 coming into Clarksburg is straight, just not level. As for the deer, you know the drill... RAMMING SPEED!

You from the area?
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: SKColt on May 04, 2011, 11:04:04 AM
 I lived near Huntington WV once upon a time. I have worked and played all over WV over the years. In you area of the state I have worked in Clarksburg, Morgantown, Mannington, Romney and others. (I was working on TV transmitters, translators and microwave relay gear).
 My wifes family hails from Webster Sprongs, so we sometimes go there to camp and fish.
 A beautiful state!!
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: RoGenT on May 04, 2011, 02:28:45 PM
Cool picture and glad no one was hurt or worse. But I do have to ask, when did this happen?  I can't tell if that is a date on the bottom of the article or just who took the picture.  :headscratch:
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Maverick on May 04, 2011, 02:33:24 PM
I'm curious about the date as well. Had to be either before 53 or it was a a NG plane afterwards.
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Nefarious on May 04, 2011, 02:34:03 PM
July 31 1945 (Top Right Hand Corner)
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Babalonian on May 04, 2011, 04:06:56 PM
Interesting story and photo.  Any idea of back in July '45 where the nearest US Army field was to Clarksburg?  I'm thinking, logicaly, maybe there was one nearby, the pilot couldn't find it, and low on fuel from the cross-country trip he had to put her down... but... the article says he was one of three fighters making the journey, so what happened to the other two if they were all criticaly low on fuel and unable to find the field?  Maybe a mechanical failure/problem then?  Maybe he was landing to ask for directions? (hah) A creative excuse for an inovative but against-regulation post-victory hooch-run gone bad?
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Nefarious on May 04, 2011, 05:15:13 PM
The closest Airport or Airfield would of been in Bridgeport less than a few miles away but it was not a USAAF field AFAIK.
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: RoGenT on May 04, 2011, 07:05:04 PM
July 31 1945 (Top Right Hand Corner)



I hate getting old  :old:
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Nefarious on May 04, 2011, 07:11:48 PM
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=39.278461,-80.305638&spn=0.007989,0.021973&t=h&z=16

Approximate location of Crash. According to the Google Map it says George Washington Highway. But that is actually Old US Route 50. I know it says Old Route 50 is above that, but that is actually OLD, Old Route 50. The George Washington Highway is actually the second Rt 50, and the current one is the newer four lane.

Plenty of room, but that at the time that was pretty busy road.
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: flight17 on May 05, 2011, 12:10:02 PM
its amazing the amount of stories you can find of stuff like this happening in your own backyard and yet never know about.

I recently found an article online quoted from a book saying that nearly 20 ME-262's along with some 190's were involved in accidents while landing at Pittsburgh Intl Airport while on ferry flights to the mid west during and just after WWII but were never made public. Pittsburgh Intl used to be an all military base until the late 40's early 50's. The 262's and 190's were being ferried out west from Newark after arriving on the HMS Reaper

two of the examples
Quote
19 August - Pilot 1st Lt. James K. Holt ferries captured Me 262A, 500098, "Cookie VII", FE-4011, from Newark Army Air Base, New Jersey to Freeman Field, Indiana, with a refuelling stop at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at ~ 1600 hrs, as one of two Messerschmitts being sent for testing after arriving in the U.S. aboard the HMS Reaper. Upon landing at Pittsburgh, he experiences complete brake failure, overruns the runway, goes down steep incline, hits opposite side of ditch, tearing engines and undercarriage off of the jet and breaking the fuselage in half. Pilot is unhurt but airframe is a total loss.[51]

Quote
12 September - Pilot 1st Lt. Robert J. Anspach attempts to ferry captured Focke Wulf Fw 190F, FE-113, coded '10', from Newark Army Air Base, New Jersey, where it had been offloaded from the HMS Reaper, to Freeman Field, Indiana for testing. While letting down for refuelling stop at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a faulty electrical horizontal trim adjustment switch goes to full-up position, cannot be manually overridden. Pilot spots small dirt strip, the Hollidaysburg Airport, S of Altoona, Pennsylvania, and makes emergency landing. Upon applying brakes, right one fails immediately, fighter pivots left, landing gear collapses, propeller rips away. Pilot uninjured, but Fw 190 is hauled to Middletown Air Depot, Pennsylvania, and scrapped. Prop ends up on wall of local flying club. The press never gets wind of the accident, nor of the 19 August Me 262 crash landing at Pittsburgh.[56]
Title: Re: P-51 Mustang in Forced Landing
Post by: Guppy35 on May 05, 2011, 12:17:27 PM
The Mustang has markings that appeared on most of the training command Mustangs.  Guessing it belonged to one of those units.