How not to treat a Spitfire
JTO,
Don't be so sanctimonious. Every one of us screws up occasionally, and that guy certainly did with an appalling landing, but to carry on revving the engine after a major prop strike simply beggars belief! What a complete f**kwit!
Don't be so sanctimonious. Every one of us screws up occasionally, and that guy certainly did with an appalling landing, but to carry on revving the engine after a major prop strike simply beggars belief! What a complete f**kwit!
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"the thing was trying to shake itself apart"....... I thought the Griffon did that all the time ! ('ware incoming)
Last edited by NutLoose; 19th Jul 2013 at 20:17.
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Maybe so during WWII with 18 year olds and 20 hours experience
but if it was such as feature, why doesn't it happen to BBMF flight
and everyone else who flies Spitfires ?
but if it was such as feature, why doesn't it happen to BBMF flight
and everyone else who flies Spitfires ?
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How not to treat a Spitfire.
With only about 250 hours on type, I hesitate to comment on the unfortunate attempt to "wheelbarrow" the Spitfire, but this is my idea of what may have happened.
With little or no experience on the aircraft, the tendency is to "play safe" and wheel it in. As you have probably left a few extra knots on as well, to be on the safe side, it will behave exactly like a Tiger Moth and float off if you give it half a chance. Particularly will it do this if it is bounced slightly, or hits a bump. So it might be a good idea to ease the stick just a little bit forward to "clamp" the wheels on the deck? Forget it ! The elevator on a Spit is extremely sensitive, "a little more than a little is by much too much" - and so it was in this case.
There is another possibility, but it is so unlikely that it is hardly worth considering. The brakes are applied by a bicycle-type handle inside the spade grip. Could this have been momentarily "tweaked" by accident ? (a very long shot, I know).
Geriaviator , a while ago, made the point that, in his experience all FJs had trouble with the Tiger Moth first time (as indeed I'd had myself, as I relate). The answer is to land all Spitfires (even the heavier "Griffons") as if they were big Tigers - don't hurry, hold it off, let it drop down by itself. For that reason, I would heartily support the excellent suggestion a few Posts ago by Stichbitch (for a 25-hour Tiger experience before being let loose in a Spit). Tigers are available (and relatively cheap). Flyable Spits are national treasures, we cannot afford to lose (and this one was within a whisker of planting the nose and going over on its back).
The take-off risk of the prop touching (I've never heard of "pecking" before) was always well known to everybody in my day. It happens, of course, because of the natural desire to get the tail up so as to see where you're going.
Of course he should have coasted onto the grass at once and shut down.
D.
With little or no experience on the aircraft, the tendency is to "play safe" and wheel it in. As you have probably left a few extra knots on as well, to be on the safe side, it will behave exactly like a Tiger Moth and float off if you give it half a chance. Particularly will it do this if it is bounced slightly, or hits a bump. So it might be a good idea to ease the stick just a little bit forward to "clamp" the wheels on the deck? Forget it ! The elevator on a Spit is extremely sensitive, "a little more than a little is by much too much" - and so it was in this case.
There is another possibility, but it is so unlikely that it is hardly worth considering. The brakes are applied by a bicycle-type handle inside the spade grip. Could this have been momentarily "tweaked" by accident ? (a very long shot, I know).
Geriaviator , a while ago, made the point that, in his experience all FJs had trouble with the Tiger Moth first time (as indeed I'd had myself, as I relate). The answer is to land all Spitfires (even the heavier "Griffons") as if they were big Tigers - don't hurry, hold it off, let it drop down by itself. For that reason, I would heartily support the excellent suggestion a few Posts ago by Stichbitch (for a 25-hour Tiger experience before being let loose in a Spit). Tigers are available (and relatively cheap). Flyable Spits are national treasures, we cannot afford to lose (and this one was within a whisker of planting the nose and going over on its back).
The take-off risk of the prop touching (I've never heard of "pecking" before) was always well known to everybody in my day. It happens, of course, because of the natural desire to get the tail up so as to see where you're going.
Of course he should have coasted onto the grass at once and shut down.
D.
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The prototype Spitfire was written off and the pilot killed from nosing over on landing. The official report
The report gives no explanation as to cause. Depending on the Pilot Notes publication date warning is given as to the aircrafts nose heaviness and to be cautious with the brakes.
The accident occurred during a landing run after an experimental flight. The aeroplane was observed to make a normal approach and touch down; the tail then began to lift slowly until the airscrew touched the ground. The aeroplane was then moving at a comparatively slow speed, the tail rose sharply and the aeroplane turned over onto its back.
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Herod,
This is the thread you need to read on Danny's flying career, it's fascinating
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...-ww11-203.html
This is the thread you need to read on Danny's flying career, it's fascinating
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...-ww11-203.html
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Utterley ****e landing but he could have recovered a bit of pride by chopping the engine on touchdown/carrier landing. He surely must have known he had dinged the prop.
